Project Manager (Assc - Sr)

American Electric Power Co.; Corpus Christi, Northern (TX, KY); Hybrid; USD 75,000 - 129,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Generous time off

Educational opportunities

Job summary

American Electric Power (AEP) is seeking a Project Manager to oversee base to complex projects within a matrix environment. You will lead planning, execution, and close of projects, coordinating with internal and external stakeholders to deliver value, quality, and customer satisfaction.

The role emphasizes developing project plans, budgets, and schedules, while guiding teams and ensuring adherence to AEP safety processes and standards. Travel is typical in utility settings.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree or equivalent with relevant field plus experience.
• PMP certification preferred but not required.
• Experience in project management within utility/construction contexts is valued.

Responsibilities

• Plan, organize, direct, and coordinate project activities.
• Develop project plans, schedules, budgets, and staffing.
• Lead planning meetings and provide status updates to stakeholders.
• Coach and develop project team members on PM skills.
• Ensure safety processes and compliance with company standards.

Skills

Leadership

Communication

Planning

Stakeholder mgmt

Waterfall

Agile

Risk management

Team coaching

Vendor management

Education

Bachelor's in Construction Management

Bachelor's in Engineering

Bachelor's in Business

Bachelor's in Project Management

Two-year Associate's degree + 5 yrs exp

High School Diploma + 9 yrs exp

Tools

PMP (preferred)

Job description

Job Summary

In this role, you'll manage, or assist in the management of, base, intermediate, and/or complex projects and progressively develop to managing intermediate projects in a matrix team environment. Provide leadership, direction, coordination, and effective communication to initiate , plan, execute, monitor and control, and close projects in a safe, efficient, economical, risk-balanced approach to achieve short and long range goals and to obtain maximum customer satisfaction. Provide project transparency and develop relationships and effectively communicate with all stakeholders including internal customers, external customers, team members, suppliers, contractors, vendors, and industry peers, enabling them to make sound business decisions. Enable and promote team level continuous improvement activities that increase quality and optimize delivery of value.

Job Description

What You'll Do:

• Conduct or assist in planning, organizing, directing, and coordinating assigned project activities.
• Perform coordination and administrative tasks as delegated by the lead project manager or supervisor.
• Act on behalf of the lead project manager or supervisor during times the project manager or supervisor is unavailable.
• Develop an understanding of various project management principles and techniques (Waterfall, Agile) and successfully implement these techniques in project management for the organization.
• Support and hold employees and contractors accountable for the AEP System Safety Process, ensuring a safe working environment focused on Zero Harm.
• Develop, review and coordinate the project plan, schedule, budget, tools, and staff.
• Perform coordination role as assigned to increase awareness in all knowledge areas of project plans.
• Perform Lead Project Manager role as assigned to increase awareness and build proficiency in all knowledge areas of project plans.
• Effectively communicate project details and status updates.
• Lead planning meetings and project/outage updates with supportive role in stakeholder presentations.
• Provide clear and concise written and oral reports and other communication.
• Develop working relationships with the project team, plant and operating company staff, internal and external customers or partners, contractors, vendors, and suppliers.
• Foster teamwork and seek customer satisfaction.
• Provide guidance and feedback, to improve design, systems, procedures, schedules, and costs. Provide specific guidance in these areas and begins to challenge others at an apprentice level of informed understanding in all project work.
• Ensure, or assist the lead project manager in ensuring, efficient and timely performance of project work activities.
• Proficient and effective in assisting the lead project manager and/or delivers similarly when leading intermediate projects on their own.
• Coach and develop team members on project management skills and techniques.
• Develop and manage procurement plans for necessary outside resources. Manage, or assist in managing, contracts for outside services, including developing requests for proposals, evaluating competitive bids, selecting vendors, participating in contract negotiations, overseeing vendor performance/quality, ensuring work is performed in accordance with the contract, etc.
• Conduct or assist in closeout processes, including an analysis of the success of the project with respect to accomplishing the project objectives and realizing project benefits.
• Develop an understanding of the AEP project management organizational standards and assist in the management of projects to those standards.

Note: This position is posted at multiple grade levels and offers a range of opportunities for advancement. The minimum qualifications outlined below apply to the Project Manager Associate level, with increased educational, skill, experience and certification requirements for higher level Project Managers.

What We're Looking For:

Project Mgr Assc(Grade 6)

(74,551- 93,188)

• Bachelor's degree in Construction Management, Engineering, Business, Project Management, Computer Science, or related field of study dependent upon business unit requirements without experience (0 years) OR
• Two-year associate degree in the same required disciplines with two (2) years of qualified experience OR
• High School Diploma/GED with four (4) years qualified experience (see below).

Project Manager(Grade 7)

(87,633- 109.544)

• Bachelor's degree in Construction Management, Engineering, Business, Project Management, Computer Science, or related field of study dependent upon business unit requirements with three (3) years qualified experience,
• Two-year Associate's degree in the same required disciplines with five (5) years of qualified experience, or
• High School Diploma/GED with seven (7) years qualified experience (see below).

Three (3) years of qualified experience as a PROJECT MANAGER ASSOCIATE (Grade 6) as applicable is preferred, OR demonstrated competencies, knowledge, and skillset through achieved results in a shorter timeline.

Project Mgr Sr(Grade 8)

(98,993- 128,689)

Bachelor's degree in Construction Management, Engineering, Business, Project Management, Computer Science, or related field of study dependent upon business unit requirements with five (5) years qualified experience, Two-year Associate's degree in the same required disciplines with seven (7) years of qualified experience, or High School Diploma/GED with nine (9) years qualified experience (see below). Two (2) years of experience as a PROJECT MANAGER (Grade 7) OR demonstrated competencies, knowledge and skillset through achieved results in a shorter timeline. Qualified experience includes work in project management, major construction field experience, project estimating, project controls, project engineering, and/or comparable internal or external experience in a competitive production environment. Experience must exhibit progressively increasing project management and business acumen and responsibility for most of the certifying body knowledge areas. Demonstrated preparedness for journey level PM knowledge capability in areas of construction safety, negotiations, scope development and control, cost estimating, construction contracting, project controls and reporting, quality control, risk management, etc Experience in utilities, commercial nuclear power, and/or IT systems is favorable. PMP certification is preferred but not required. Valid state's driver's license is required.

Other Requirements:

• Develop effective leadership, team building and meeting management skills as outlined by the certifying body and the AEP leadership competencies and values.
• Develop ability, motivation, and attitude, to lead a team and a project.
• Develop communication skill that is clear, direct, concise, and professional, including use of effective listening, with all stakeholders including team members, sponsors, management and senior management.
• Become familiar with economic analysis techniques and develop an acumen for the business and profession.
• Become familiar with Engineering & Design, Procurement, Contracting, Estimating, Construction and Startup procedures and processes
• Develop knowledge of certifying body Project Management tools and techniques.
• Develop skillsets in strategic thinking, planning, risk assessment and prioritization of project activities. Globally view the project from all angles such as safety, constructability, sequence, changing conditions, contingencies, contractual, predictability, level of priority, sense of direction and sense of productivity to quickly identify and to avoid or to mitigate project risks.
• Support the organization of project activities, project task assignments, team requirements and expectations to manage deliverables and hold team members accountable.
• Develop conflict management skills to provide solutions to issues that maximize synergies with an overriding goal to do the "right thing" for the company.
• Become familiar with scope management, evaluating various technical options, and common project risk factors.
• Become familiar with the various documents to procure labor, services, materials, and engineered equipment.
• Become familiar with contract documents and development process.
• Develop understanding of critical drawing and document hand-offs between disciplines on a project team.
• Act with integrity by demonstrating accountability for project assignments.
• Safely and effectively Perform light physical duties.
• Duties can involve construction site walkdown on unstable surfaces, climbing ladders, and awareness of hazardous site conditions
• Perform work at various AEP locations in varying conditions. Work sites will include home, office, power plants (including nuclear), and construction sites for Distribution, Transmission, Generation, and Telecom infrastructure. Work performed at nuclear power sites may involve work in hazardous areas and possible radiation exposure within the limits prescribed by the NRC.
• Travel typically 25% or less, however greater travel may be required in support of specific assignments.
• Promote continuous improvement and maintain a strong questioning attitude. Ask intrusive questions and challenge assumptions.
• Seek input from Subject Matter Experts by asking questions for understanding and compare with one's own knowledge base.
• Understand and support the policies, values, principles, structure and behavior of AEP.

Where Putting the Customer First Powers Everything We Do

At AEP, we’re more than just an energy company — we’re a team of dedicated professionals committed to delivering safe, reliable, and innovative energy solutions. Guided by our mission to put the customer first, we strive to exceed expectations by listening, responding, and continuously improving the way we serve our communities. If you're passionate about making a meaningful impact and being part of a forward-thinking organization, this is the company for you!

Compensation

$74,551.00 - $128,688.00

Physical Demands

The Physical Demand Level for this job is: L – Light Work: Exerting up to 20 pounds of force occasionally and/or 10 to 12 pounds of force frequently, and/or greater than negligible up to 5-6 pounds of force constantly to move objects. Physical demand requirements are in excess of those for sedentary work. Even though the weight lifted may be only a negligible amount, a job should be rated Light Work: (1) When it requires walking or standing to a significant degree; or (2) when it requires sitting most of the time, but entails pushing and/or pulling of arm or leg controls; and/or (3) when the job requires working at a production rate pace entailing the constant pushing and/or pulling of materials even though the weight of those materials is negligible. NOTE: The constant stress and strain of maintaining a production rate pace, especially in an industrial setting, can be and is physically demanding of a worker even though the amount of force exerted is negligible.

Equal Employment Opportunity

It is hereby reaffirmed that it is the policy of American Electric Power (AEP) to provide Equal Employment Opportunity in all respects of the employer-employee relationship including recruiting, hiring, upgrading and promotion, conditions and privileges of employment, company sponsored training programs, educational assistance, social and recreational programs, compensation, benefits, transfers, discipline, layoffs and termination of employment to all employees and applicants without discrimination because of race, color, religion, sex (including pregnancy, gender identity, and sexual orientation), national origin, age, veteran or military status, disability, genetic information, or any other basis prohibited by applicable law. When required by law, we might record certain information or applicants for employment may be invited to voluntarily disclose protected characteristics.

Knowing that I am part of team that is making the power grid safer and more reliable gives me a real sense of responsibility and enthusiasm for coming to work every day.

Manage, or assist in the management of, base, intermediate, and/or complex projects providing leadership, direction, coordination, and effective communication to initiate , plan, execute, monitor and control, and close projects in a safe, efficient, economical, risk-balanced approach to achieve short- and long-range goals and to obtain maximum customer satisfaction. Provide project transparency and develop relationships and effectively communicate with all stakeholders including internal customers, external customers, team members, suppliers, contractors, vendors, and industry peers, enabling them to make sound business decisions. Enable and promote team level continuous improvement activities that increase quality and optimize delivery of value.

This role is responsible for shaping how technology delivery is carried out across the enterprise. This role goes beyond traditional project management—focusing on defining delivery practices, driving adoption, and establishing consistent measurement of execution performance across the Technology organization.You will partner with Technology leadership to improve delivery discipline, transparency, and predictability by embedding standard methodologies, governance, and performance tracking frameworks across teams.

Under direct supervision, responsible for assisting with invoice processing, unvouchered liabilities management, work order administration, and administrative support activities for project controls functions.

AEP offers generous time off, competitive pay, and educational opportunities to help employees advance their careers.

Our culture is purpose-driven and team-oriented: we combine innovation with a customer-first focus to deliver reliable energy and brighter futures.