Project Manager to Project Manager Principal (Construction Utility Projects)

American Electric Power Co.; Northern (KY); Hybrid; USD 87,000 - 160,000; Full time

Job summary

American Electric Power Co. is seeking a Project Manager to Principal for construction utility projects across 8 locations in the United States. The role requires delivering projects through initiating, planning, executing, monitoring, and closing while ensuring safety and value delivery.

The position offers progression from PM to Principal with base salary bands depending on level, and emphasizes leadership, procurement, and effective stakeholder communication within a matrix team environment.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree (or equivalent) in Construction Management, Engineering, Business, Project Management, or Computer Science with applicable experience.
• Progressive project management experience in construction/utility environments across multiple levels.
• Strong communication, coordination, and leadership skills across internal/external stakeholders.

Responsibilities

• Plan, organize, direct, and coordinate assigned project activities.
• Ensure safety and adherence to AEP System Safety Process; promote Zero Harm.
• Develop and manage project plans, schedules, budgets, and procurement; lead meetings and status updates.
• Communicate project details clearly; provide written and oral reports to stakeholders.
• Foster teamwork with customers, plants, staff, contractors, and suppliers.
• Coach team members in project management techniques; manage external resources and contracts.
• Oversee project closeout analyses and alignment with organizational standards.

Job description

Project Manager to Project Manager Principal (Construction Utility Projects)

Location: 8 Locations

Category : Project Management/Controls

Job Summary

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.

What we’re looking for:

*Please note: This position can be filled with a Project Manager, PM Senior, or PM Principal, based on your qualifications and experience.

Project Manager:

(Starting base = ~$87K - $116K)

• 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.
• Qualified experience includes outage management activities, business/financial administration, major construction field experience, project estimating, project controls, project engineering, and/or comparable internal or external experience in a competitive production environment. Knowledge in construction safety, negotiations, scope development and control, cost estimating, construction contracting, project controls and reporting, and quality control would be beneficial.

Project Manager Senior:

(Starting base = ~$99K - $138K)

• 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.

Project Manager Principal:

(Starting base = ~$116K - $160K)