Project Manager

County of Tulare; Tulare (CA); On-site; USD 95,000 - 135,000; Full time

Job summary

County of Tulare in Tulare, CA seeks a Project Manager to oversee transportation, water, and civic facility projects. You will lead cross‑functional teams, manage budgets and schedules, and act as the city’s liaison with developers, regulators, and the public.

The ideal candidate knows PMBOK, public works contract administration, and grant management for state and federal funds. You will mentor staff, report to City leadership, and help advance modernization across the community.

Qualifications

• Knowledge of PMBOK and project management processes.
• Public works contract administration experience.
• Experience with grant funding and cost accounting.

Responsibilities

• Oversee complex municipal projects from inception to close-out.
• Lead and mentor project management staff across City departments.
• Interact with developers, regulators, and the public to communicate project status and impacts.
• Manage project budgets, schedules, and risk, ensuring compliance with grants.

Skills

PMBOK Knowledge

Public works

Contract administration

Budget management

Grant management

Public liaison

Leadership

Education

Bachelor's degree in civil engineering, public administration, or related field

Tools

Project management software

MS Office

Job description

Recruitment Overview

Position Description

SHAPE THE FUTURE OF TULARE: Join us as a Project Manager

The City of Tulare is seeking a visionary, results-driven leader to step into the role of Project Manager. If you are a seasoned professional who thrives on turning complex challenges into community triumphs, this is your invitation to build a lasting legacy.

Why This Role Matters

You Won'T Just Manage Tasks—you Will Champion The Physical And Structural Future Of Tulare. You Will Drive a Diverse Portfolio Of Critical Infrastructure And Modernization Projects, Including

• Transportation & Mobility: Major street, road, and transportation system construction and improvements.
• Critical Infrastructure: Water, sewer, and state-of-the-art wastewater treatment plant projects.
• Civic Spaces: City facility construction, renovations, and significant capital maintenance.
• Strategic Initiatives: High-profile studies, General Plan amendments, and discrete, non-construction projects.

Your Impact And Responsibilities

• Masterful Execution: Navigate complex projects from inception to close‑out. You will identify, neutralize, and mitigate risks to keep scope, budgets, and schedules exactly on track.
• Leadership & Mentorship: Supervise and evaluate a dedicated project management team. You will train and elevate staff across all City departments using the Tulare Project Management System.
• Public & Private Liaison: Act as the trusted face of the City. You will collaborate seamlessly with developers, contractors, non‑profits, regulatory agencies, the City Council, and the public.
• Financial Stewardship: Manage project cost accounting, secure and oversee State and Federal grants, and ensure strict compliance and cost recovery eligibility.

The Ideal Candidate

• Municipal Infrastructure Champion: Holds a strong foundation in public works construction, contract administration, and public agency operations.
• Strategic Problem Solver: Master of the Project Management Body of Knowledge framework, adept at mapping critical paths, analyzing structural feasibility, and managing project risks.
• Collaborative Leader: Experienced in directing professional, technical, and clerical staff while maintaining strong, transparent partnerships with community stakeholders.
• Clear Communicator: Highly skilled at translating complex technical data into concise reports and presentations for City leadership, regulatory bodies, and the public.

Position Overview

Under general supervision, assists in planning, coordinating, and managing a wide variety of significant City projects and assist other less experienced City employees in the management of other City projects; acts as liaison for the City with a variety of private, public, and community organizations, consultants, contractors, the public, grantors ,and regulatory agencies; performs advanced-level professional project management; conducts studies and develops recommendations for action and policies and procedures; provides professional assistance to City management staff in areas of expertise; coordinates application and development of the City of Tulare project management system; performs related work as required.

SUPERVISION RECEIVED AND EXERCISED

Receives general supervision from the City Engineer and Deputy City Engineer. Exercises general supervision over professional, technical, and clerical staff.

CLASS CHARACTERISTICS

This is a mid-management classification responsible for managing projects to an outcome within project scope and within both project budget and schedule, and for planning, organizing, reviewing, and evaluating staff assigned to the project management group and for instructing and assisting other City department staff in the management of projects. Although not exhaustive, the list of projects types that will be managed include the following and are only illustrative: transportation system construction and improvement projects, facility construction and improvement projects, major studies projects, water system construction and improvement projects, sewer and wastewater treatment plant related construction and improvement projects and significant capital maintenance projects, and other projects having a defined scope with a specific budget requiring schedule and project-risk management. Performance of the work requires the use of considerable independence, initiative, and discretion within established guidelines. This class is distinguished from the City Engineer and Deputy City Engineer in that they have overall responsibility for the Engineering Division in addition to handling the most complex and sensitive engineering projects.

Examples Of Essential Functions

Management reserves the rights to add, modify, change, or rescind the work assignments of different positions and to make reasonable accommodations so that qualified employees can perform the essential functions of the job. The duties listed below represent the various types of work that may be performed. the omission of specific statements of duties does not exclude them if the work is related or a logical assignment to this class.

• Performs all matters of complex project management from project conception through project close-out to identify and neutralize or mitigate risks to accomplishing each project's scope within budget and on schedule.
• Plans, organizes, assigns, and reviews the work of assigned staff in the project management group, including coordinating the scheduling of projects and assignments, monitoring and analyzing projects and programs, and conducts staff meetings and manages project budgets.
• Trains designated staff in project management standards and skills pursuant to the Tulare Project Management System.
• Monitors operations and activities of all City staff who are assigned as project managers; recommends improvements and modifications and prepares various reports on projects, programs, and activities; recommends and assists in the implementation of goals and objectives; implements policies and procedures.
• Participates in the planning, development, coordination and administration of street, water, sewer, wastewater treatment plant, buildings and facilities, major study and development services related projects; participates in the development of implementation schedules; participates in preparation of cost estimates for project activities.
• Participates in the acquisition, renovation, demolition, and disposition of real estate, rehabilitation, and tenant relocation as required by specific projects.
• Confers with and informs members of the business community (i.e., developers, nonprofits, outside agency officials, project stakeholders) and the general public regarding City projects, policies, procedures, and standards, including establishing and maintaining effective working relationships.
• Participates in the preparation and monitoring of the annual budget for the project management team and assists other departments in preparing project related budgets.
• Manages State and Federal grant funding for grant compliance and cost accounting in connection with specific projects.
• Oversees environmental reviews conducted by others and other special studies and contracts in connection with particular projects.
• Develops and analyzes feasibility and funding options for specific projects.
• Assists in preparing and processing grant applications; monitors and implements grant funding for City programs related to assigned projects , including preserving grant cost recovery eligibility according to applicable grant regulations.
• Evaluates funding sources, program revisions, and policy and procedure changes and updates.
• Coordinates relations with the City's development services functions related to assigned projects.
• Coordinates special projects, including special one-time studies, General Plan major amendments, and other discrete non-construction projects having a scope, fixed schedule and fixed budget.
• Acts as the City's representative and liaison on relevant topics, including but not limited to, responding to questions and comments from the public in a courteous and timely manner; collaborating with involved parties to reach resolutions on identified issues; speaking in public and making public presentations.
• Prepares a variety of written correspondence, reports, policies, procedures, ordinances, requests for proposal, agreements, and other written materials.
• Prepares and presents oral and written project status reports to City Council and other City boards and commissions.
• Receives, investigates, and responds to citizen complaints, inquiries and requests for services.
• Maintains a variety of working and official files.
• Direct the work of staff, interns, and/or volunteers on a project or day-to-day basis; trains staff in work procedures.
• Performs other duties as assigned.

Qualifications / Requirements

Knowledge of:

• Principles and practices of basic employee supervision, including work planning, assignment, review, and the training of staff in work procedures.
• The techniques, principles, and methods described in the Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK) ® published by the Project Management Institute.
• Organization and function of public agencies, including the role of an elected City Council and appointed boards and commissions
• Principals and practices of project management, construction techniques and methods as applicable to streets, roads, transportation system improvements and capital maintenance, and buildings and improvements projects.
• Principles and practice of contract administration.
• Project cost accounting and cost tracking
• Project scheduling techniques and an understanding of project critical path.
• Principles and techniques of conducting analytical studies, evaluating alternatives, and making sound recommendations.
• Applicable Federal, State, and local laws, codes, regulations, policies, guidelines, technical processes, and procedures related to a construction projects.
• Public relations techniques and planning to avoid project impacts on surrounding property owners.
• Principles and practices of public agency budget development and administration and sound financial management policies and procedures with an emphasis in project budget management.
• Modern administrative practices and procedures, including the use of standard office equipment.
• Principles and practices of data collection and report preparation.
• Business arithmetic, financial, and statistical techniques.
• Record keeping principles and procedures.
• Computer applications related to the work, including word processing, database, and spreadsheet applications.
• English usage, grammar, spelling, vocabulary, and punctuation.
• Techniques for dealing effectively with the public, vendors, contractors and City staff, in person and over the telephone.
• Techniques for effectively representing the City in contacts with governmental agencies, community groups, and various business, professional, educational, regulatory, and legislative organizations.
• Techniques for providing a high level of customer service to public and City staff, in person and over the telephone.

Ability To

• Manage complex projects and to lead project management teams on specific projects from conceptualization through project closeout.
• Train, plan, organize, schedule, assign, and review the work of staff.
• Organize, implement, and direct projects and activities.
• Analyze, interpret, apply, and enforce Federal, State, and local policies, procedures, laws, regulations, and departmental policies and procedures.
• Coordinate and oversee and manage specific project budgets and cost accounting.
• Perform responsible professional project management support work with accuracy, speed, and minimal supervision.
• Enforce necessary codes and regulations with firmness and tact.
• Read and enforce prevailing wage schedules and verify payrolls relating to construction projects.
• Read, interpret, and understand plans, blueprints, and other architectural and engineering documents.
• Understand the organization and operation of the City and of outside agencies as necessary to assume assigned responsibilities.
• Develop, interpret, apply, and explain a wide variety of technical policies and procedures, and communicate difficult procedures and regulations to those encountered in the course of work.
• Work with clients, building contractors, and financial institutions with firmness, tact, and diplomacy.
• Conduct research on a wide variety of administrative topics including grant funding, contract feasibility, budget and staffing proposals, and operational alternatives.
• Understand the organization and operation of the assigned department and of outside agencies as necessary to assume assigned responsibilities.
• Prepare clear and effective reports, correspondence, policies, procedures, and other written material.
• Make accurate arithmetic, financial, and statistical computations.
• Effectively conduct meetings and make presentations to various groups.
• Analyze situations and identify pertinent problems/issues; collect relevant information; evaluate realistic options; and recommend/implement appropriate course of action.
• Research, analyze, and summarize data, and prepare, present, and maintain accurate and reliable reports containing findings and recommendations.
• Organize, maintain, and update office database and records systems.
• Organize and prioritize a variety of projects and multiple tasks in an effective and timely manner; organize own work, set priorities, and meet critical time deadlines.
• Operate modern office equipment including computer equipment and specialized software applications programs.
• Use English effectively to communicate in person, over the telephone, and in writing.
• Use tact, initiative, prudence, and independent judgment within general policy, procedural, and legal guidelines.
• Establish and maintain effective working relationships with those contacted in the course of the work.

Education And Experience

Any combination of training and experience which would provide the required knowledge, skills, and abilities is qualifying. A typical way to obtain the required qualifications would be: Equivalent to graduation from an accredited four‑year college or university with major coursework in construction management, civil engineering, business administration, or related field, and four (4) years of experience in construction or project management with demonstrated experience in project management of public projects. Certification by the Project Management Institute is helpful, but not required, to demonstrate possession of the range of knowledge of project management techniques and methods being sought.

Licenses And Certifications

• Possession of, or ability to obtain, a valid Class C California’s driver’s license.

Physical Demands

This is a position that requires visiting construction job sites and being able to physically verify work performed. Must possess mobility to work in a standard office setting and use standard office equipment, including a computer; to inspect various commercial and residential development sites, including traversing uneven terrain, climbing ladders, stairs, and other temporary or construction access points; to attend meetings and to operate a motor vehicle; vision to read printed materials and a computer screen and to make inspections; color vision to identify materials, structures, wires, and pipes; and hearing and speech to communicate in person and over the telephone or radio. Finger dexterity is needed to access, enter, and retrieve data using a computer keyboard or calculator and to operate standard office equipment. Positions in this classification occasionally bend, stoop, kneel, reach, climb, push, and pull drawers open and closed to retrieve and file information. Employees must possess the ability to lift, carry, push, and pull materials and objects up to 50 pounds and heavier weights with the use of proper equipment.

Environmental Elements

Employees work partially in an office environment with moderate noise levels and controlled temperature conditions, and partially in the field and are occasionally exposed to loud noise levels, cold and hot temperatures, inclement weather conditions, road hazards, vibration, confining workspace, chemicals, mechanical and/or electrical hazards, and hazardous physical substances and fumes. Employees may interact with upset staff and/or public and private representatives and contractors in interpreting and enforcing departmental policies and procedures.

Working Conditions

May be required to work on evenings, weekends, and holidays.

• Members of the California Public Employees' Retirement System (PERS). In accordance with the California Public Employees Pension Reform Act of 2013 (PEPRA), the City of Tulare will offer the following retirement benefit (2.0% at 62) to new PERS members beginning January 1, 2013 with three (3) years final compensation. Existing PERS members with no break in service will receive the 2.5% at 55 formula with single highest year.
• City pays a portion of the employee and dependent coverage costs of group medical, dental and vision insurance. An opt‑out plan is also available.
• Life insurance - Based