Project Manager - Utilities

AcceleratedPM; Virginia Beach (VA); On-site; USD 140,000 - 150,000; Full time

Job summary

AcceleratedPM is seeking an experienced Utilities Project Manager to oversee capital improvement and maintenance initiatives for natural gas transmission pipeline projects in Virginia Beach, VA. This hands-on PM role involves schedules, budgets, contracts, risks, and reporting from concept through closeout.

The ideal candidate will manage Project Managers and Assistant Project Managers, interface with client teams and field personnel, and attend site meetings to ensure safe, compliant project

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Civil Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Construction Management, or related field.
• 5+ years of project management experience in the utility sector with a focus on natural gas transmission pipelines.
• Experience managing utility capital projects, maintenance projects, replacement work, or compliance-driven infrastructure initiatives.
• Strong understanding of gas transmission systems, pipeline construction, field execution, permitting, inspection, and closeout requirements.
• Familiarity with gas utility regulatory frameworks, including DOT 192 and PHMSA requirements.
• Demonstrated ability to manage multiple concurrent projects in a portfolio environment.
• Experience coordinating with engineering teams, contractors, field personnel, client stakeholders, and regulatory or permitting interfaces.
• Strong understanding of project budgeting, forecasting, cost control, schedule management, change management, and risk tracking.
• Familiarity with project management and scheduling platforms such as Primavera P6, Microsoft Project, or similar tools.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, including clear, timely communication with clients, Project Managers, Assistant Project Managers, contractors, and field teams.

Responsibilities

• Lead planning, coordination, and execution of natural gas transmission pipeline and related utility infrastructure projects.
• Manage a portfolio of capital improvement, replacement, maintenance, and compliance-driven projects from concept through closeout.
• Provide project management leadership across engineering, permitting, construction, field execution, cost control, schedule management, and documentation.
• Coordinate with client stakeholders, contractors, engineering partners, field teams, and regulatory interfaces to support safe, compliant, and executable project delivery.
• Lead project discussions, resolve issues, communicate clearly with stakeholders, and maintain accountability across project teams.
• Plan, coordinate, and execute natural gas transmission pipeline and related utility infrastructure projects from early planning through closeout.
• Manage and provide direction, coaching, and performance oversight to Project Managers and Assistant Project Managers.
• Serve as a primary project communicator, ensuring timely, accurate information flow among client representatives, project teams, contractors, and field personnel.
• Develop project execution strategies, resource plans, construction schedules, and delivery approaches aligned with client operational, safety, and compliance requirements.
• Monitor contractor performance, field progress, schedule adherence, safety expectations, and quality of work performed.

Skills

Project management

Leadership

Stakeholder management

Budgeting & cost control

Scheduling (Primavera P6/MS Project)

Education

Bachelor's degree in Civil Engineering

Tools

AutoCAD

GIS

pipeline modeling tools

asset management systems

Job description

Work Schedule:

Fully Onsite (100% onsite; no remote or hybrid schedule)

AcceleratedPM is seeking an experienced Utilities Project Manager with direct experience managing natural gas transmission pipeline projects to oversee capital improvement and maintenance initiatives for utility infrastructure. This is a hands-on project management role responsible for project schedules, budgets, cost tracking, contracts, risks, and reporting from concept through closeout. The successful candidate will manage Project Managers and Assistant Project Managers, communicate effectively with client teams, contractors, engineering firms, and field personnel, and attend site meetings to support safe, compliant project execution.

Location/Travel:

• Fully onsite position; remote and hybrid work are not available
• Primary reporting location is Virginia Beach, VA
• Periodic travel to project sites, field locations, and client facilities will be required
• Work may include support across multiple utility infrastructure projects and project teams depending on portfolio needs

Role Focus:

• Lead planning, coordination, and execution of natural gas transmission pipeline and related utility infrastructure projects
• Manage a portfolio of capital improvement, replacement, maintenance, and compliance-driven projects from concept through closeout
• Provide project management leadership across engineering, permitting, construction, field execution, cost control, schedule management, and documentation
• Coordinate with client stakeholders, contractors, engineering partners, field teams, and regulatory interfaces to support safe, compliant, and executable project delivery
• Lead project discussions, resolve issues, communicate clearly with stakeholders, and maintain accountability across project teams

Key Responsibilities:

• Plan, coordinate, and execute natural gas transmission pipeline and related utility infrastructure projects from early planning through closeout
• Manage and provide direction, coaching, and performance oversight to Project Managers responsible for assigned utility projects
• Manage and provide direction, coaching, and performance oversight to Assistant Project Managers, including delegation, follow-up, and development
• Serve as a primary project communicator, ensuring timely, accurate information flow among client representatives, project teams, contractors, and field personnel
• Develop project execution strategies, resource plans, construction schedules, and delivery approaches aligned with client operational, safety, and compliance requirements
• Manage multiple concurrent projects, including capital upgrades, replacements, maintenance work, and compliance-driven infrastructure initiatives
• Review technical drawings, construction specifications, project documentation, and field requirements for gas transmission systems
• Coordinate directly with client managers, engineers, construction teams, contractors, permitting stakeholders, and field personnel to support project execution
• Monitor contractor performance, field progress, schedule adherence, safety expectations, and quality of work performed
• Manage project contracts, including scope, deliverables, contractual obligations, change orders, contractor compliance, and contract-related issues
• Ensure projects are planned and executed in accordance with applicable industry codes, regulatory requirements, environmental standards, and client procedures
• Support compliance with applicable gas utility regulatory frameworks, including DOT and PHMSA requirements where relevant
• Attend and lead onsite project and site meetings, progress reviews, coordination sessions, and issue-resolution discussions with internal and external stakeholders
• Identify, document, track, mitigate, and manage project risks, including technical challenges, permitting issues, field constraints, and schedule or budget variances
• Take responsibility for project budgets, cost tracking, forecasts, commitments, expenditures, and financial reporting; identify variances and implement corrective actions
• Take responsibility for both project schedule and budget performance, escalating deviations and implementing recovery actions
• Take responsibility for project schedules, milestones, progress tracking, and recovery plans using appropriate project management and scheduling tools
• Maintain complete project documentation, including drawings, as-builts, permits, inspection records, meeting notes, action logs, and closeout documentation
• Own timely and accurate project reporting, including progress updates, cost and schedule performance, risk registers, compliance summaries, and client or executive status reports
• Apply a consistent project management approach, documentation standards, and reporting practices across assigned projects

Qualifications & Requirements:

• Bachelor’s degree in Civil Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Construction Management, or related field
• 5+ years of project management experience in the utility sector with a focus on natural gas transmission pipelines or related gas infrastructure
• Demonstrated experience managing utility capital projects, maintenance projects, replacement work, or compliance-driven infrastructure initiatives
• Strong understanding of gas transmission systems, pipeline construction, field execution, permitting, inspection, and closeout requirements
• Familiarity with gas utility regulatory frameworks, including DOT 192 and PHMSA requirements
• Demonstrated ability to manage multiple concurrent projects in a portfolio environment
• Experience coordinating with engineering teams, contractors, field personnel, client stakeholders, and regulatory or permitting interfaces
• Strong understanding of project budgeting, forecasting, cost control, schedule management, change management, and risk tracking
• Familiarity with project management and scheduling platforms such as Primavera P6, Microsoft Project, or similar tools
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, including clear, timely communication with clients, Project Managers, Assistant Project Managers, contractors, and field teams
• Strong leadership, decision-making, problem-solving, and stakeholder management skills
• Ability to work fully onsite in Virginia Beach, Virginia, with attendance at project sites and site meetings as required; this is not a hybrid or remote role

Preferred Skills:

• Prior experience supporting a major gas utility or large utility infrastructure program
• Experience with AutoCAD, GIS, pipeline modeling tools, or utility asset management systems
• ERP experience, including Oracle or similar platforms
• Experience managing contractor performance and field execution on active utility construction sites
• Experience with capital planning, outage coordination, permitting support, and regulatory documentation
• Familiarity with portfolio-level reporting, dashboards, KPIs, and executive status reporting
• PMP, PE, or other relevant professional certification is preferred but not required

Salary:

$140 – 150k per year depending on experience (1099 contract available also)