Project Manager

Columbia Electric, Inc.; San Leandro (CA); On-site; USD 150,000 - 170,000; Full time

Job summary

Columbia Electric, Inc. seeks an experienced Project Manager to oversee public works and infrastructure construction from preconstruction through closeout in the Bay Area.

The ideal candidate will bring a strong background in heavy civil, public works, or infrastructure projects, including Caltrans, municipal, roadway, or underground utilities. You will manage project financial performance, schedules, field operations, procurement, change orders, and subcontractor coordination while maintaining

Qualifications

• Demonstrated project management experience in heavy civil, public works, or infrastructure.
• Experience with Caltrans, municipalities or public agencies.
• Experience with budgeting, forecasting, change orders, force account/T&M, and cost control.
• Ability to coordinate field teams, subs, vendors, inspectors and clients.
• Valid driver's license and willingness to travel regularly.

Responsibilities

• Manage projects from preconstruction through closeout.
• Review plans, specs, contracts, scopes and permits for compliance.
• Coordinate with superintendents, foremen, subcontractors, vendors, engineers, inspectors, and agencies.
• Plan labor, equipment, materials, sequencing, and schedules with field leadership.
• Develop and monitor CPM schedules to meet milestones and budgets.

Skills

Leadership

Communication

Negotiation

Problem solving

Travel readiness

Education

Bachelor's degree in Construction Management

Bachelor's degree in Civil Engineering

Bachelor's degree in Electrical Engineering

Bachelor's degree in Business Administration

Tools

Procore

PlanGrid

Vista

Bluebeam

Enterprise

Job description

Reports To: Senior Project Manager or Construction Manager

Proposed Salary Range: $150,000–$170,000 annually, depending on experience

Position Overview

Columbia Electric, Inc. is seeking an experienced Project Manager to oversee public works and infrastructure construction projects from preconstruction through project closeout.

The ideal candidate will have a strong background in heavy civil, public works, general engineering, or infrastructure construction, particularly involving Caltrans, municipal, roadway, transportation, or underground utility projects.

This position is responsible for managing project financial performance, schedules, field operations, procurement, change orders, subcontractor coordination, and relationships with clients and public agencies. The Project Manager will work closely with Superintendents, Foremen, and field teams to ensure projects are completed safely, on schedule, within budget, and in accordance with contract requirements.

Experience in electrical construction, traffic signals, street lighting, or Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS) is highly desirable but not required.

We also welcome strong Assistant Project Managers and Project Engineers who have substantial project responsibility and are ready to advance into a Project Manager position.

Key Responsibilities

Project Management & Execution

• Manage assigned construction projects from preconstruction and contract award through final completion and closeout.
• Review project plans, specifications, contracts, bid items, scopes of work, permits, and other construction documents to ensure compliance with project requirements.
• Coordinate with Superintendents, Foremen, subcontractors, vendors, engineers, inspectors, and public agencies to support successful project execution.
• Work closely with field leadership to plan labor, equipment, materials, construction sequencing, and project schedules.
• Develop, maintain, and monitor project schedules, including Critical Path Method (CPM) schedules, to ensure milestones and production goals are met.
• Monitor field production, labor productivity, quantities completed, and overall project progress against established budgets and schedules.
• Identify project risks, delays, field conflicts, and unforeseen conditions, developing and implementing corrective actions as needed.
• Conduct regular jobsite visits to monitor progress, quality, safety, and compliance with project requirements.
• Coordinate with Owners, General Contractors, public agencies, inspectors, and other stakeholders to resolve construction issues and maintain project progress.
• Manage project documentation, including RFIs, submittals, meeting minutes, schedules, drawings, field reports, and correspondence.
• Take responsibility for the financial performance and profitability of assigned projects.
• Develop and monitor project budgets, job costs, forecasts, and cost-to-complete projections.
• Review project cost reports, labor expenditures, material costs, equipment expenses, and subcontractor costs to identify potential budget variances.
• Track bid items, completed quantities, unit pricing, and field production costs to support accurate project reporting and billing.
• Prepare and submit accurate, timely progress billings to Owners and clients.
• Identify opportunities to improve cost efficiency and protect project profitability.
• Maintain accurate financial documentation, cost coding, purchase orders, subcontractor invoices, and project accounting records.

Change Orders & Contract Administration

• Identify changes in project scope, unforeseen conditions, and additional work requiring formal change authorization.
• Prepare, price, submit, and manage Change Order Requests (CORs), including supporting labor, material, equipment, and subcontractor costs.
• Manage force account and Time & Material (T&M) work, ensuring proper authorization, field documentation, cost tracking, and timely submission.
• Review T&M tags, coordinate pricing with the Finance Department, and maintain accurate change-order records.
• Negotiate change orders with clients and track outstanding approvals, disputed changes, and potential claims.
• Document project delays, additional costs, and requests for time extensions in accordance with contract requirements.
• Review project contracts, subcontract agreements, and scope exclusions to ensure compliance and minimize financial risk.

Procurement & Subcontractor Management

• Coordinate with the Purchasing Department to procure materials, equipment, and subcontracted services.
• Review vendor and subcontractor quotations for accuracy, competitiveness, and alignment with project requirements.
• Prepare and manage purchase orders and subcontract agreements.
• Track long-lead materials and equipment to prevent project delays.
• Coordinate procurement of underground construction materials, including conduit, boxes, rebar, and related equipment.
• Monitor subcontractor performance, schedules, scope compliance, and quality of work.
• Ensure materials, equipment, and subcontractor resources are available when required for field execution.

Safety & Quality Control

• Promote a strong safety culture and ensure compliance with OSHA, company policies, and project-specific safety requirements.
• Work closely with Superintendents, Foremen, and the Safety Department to identify and mitigate jobsite hazards.
• Ensure appropriate Personal Protective Equipment (PPE), traffic control measures, and safety procedures are followed.
• Coordinate required utility notifications, Underground Service Alert (USA) tickets, permits, and site-specific safety documentation.
• Monitor construction activities to ensure work complies with approved plans, specifications, quality standards, and applicable regulations.
• Promptly report and document safety incidents, property damage, utility damage, and other project-related concerns.

Client Relations & Project Closeout

• Serve as a primary point of contact for assigned projects, maintaining professional relationships with clients, Owners, General Contractors, public agencies, inspectors, and other stakeholders.
• Represent Columbia Electric, Inc. in project meetings, negotiations, and discussions regarding project progress, scope, costs, and scheduling.
• Communicate project updates, risks, and changes clearly to internal teams and external stakeholders.
• Coordinate project inspections, punch-list completion, and resolution of outstanding construction issues.
• Prepare and submit required closeout documentation, including as-built drawings, warranties, O&M manuals, permit signoffs, and other contract deliverables.
• Ensure subcontractor agreements, vendor purchase orders, and project records are properly closed out and archived.
• Work collaboratively with Superintendents, Foremen, Project Engineers, field personnel, and other project stakeholders to achieve project goals.
• Provide guidance and support to project team members, helping ensure responsibilities, priorities, and expectations are clearly communicated.
• Mentor and develop Project Engineers, Assistant Project Managers, and other personnel as appropriate.
• Promote accountability, professionalism, effective communication, and continuous improvement across project teams.

Required Qualifications

• Demonstrated project management experience in heavy civil, public works, general engineering, infrastructure, roadway, transportation, or underground utility construction.
• Experience managing or substantially supporting public works construction projects involving Caltrans, municipalities, transportation agencies, or other public-sector owners.
• Experience with project budgeting, job costing, forecasting, change orders, force account/T&M work, and cost control.
• Experience coordinating Superintendents, Foremen, subcontractors, vendors, inspectors, and field personnel.
• Strong understanding of construction plans and specifications, bid items, RFIs, submittals, procurement, scheduling, contract administration, and project closeout.
• Ability to monitor field production, manage competing project priorities, resolve construction challenges, and maintain project schedules.
• Familiarity with construction management software such as Procore, PlanGrid, Vista, Bluebeam, Enterprise, or similar platforms.
• Working knowledge of construction safety practices, OSHA requirements, and site-specific safety protocols.
• Strong leadership, communication, negotiation, organizational, and problem‑solving skills.
• Valid driver's license and ability to travel regularly to project sites.

Experience Considerations:

Candidates with substantial Assistant Project Manager or Project Engineer experience will be considered based on their demonstrated project responsibilities, financial and field management experience, and readiness to independently manage projects.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience managing electrical construction projects, particularly traffic signals, street lighting, ITS, utility infrastructure, or related scopes.
• Experience managing or coordinating electrical subcontractors on heavy civil or public works projects.
• Experience with Caltrans, municipal roadway, transportation, underground utility, or other public infrastructure projects.
• Familiarity with public agency requirements, prevailing wage environments, bid‑item tracking, force account documentation, and public works contract administration.
• Experience independently managing multiple construction projects from contract award through closeout.
• Experience mentoring Project Engineers, Assistant Project Managers, or other project staff.
• Bachelor's degree in Construction Management, Civil Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Business Administration, or a related field. Equivalent relevant construction experience will be considered.

This position is based in San Leandro, California, and requires regular travel to active construction sites. The Project Manager will work closely with both office and field teams and must be comfortable operating in active construction environments while following all company and project‑specific safety requirements.