Project Manager, Utility Services

Parkhurst Talent Group; Houston (TX); On-site; USD 90,000 - 130,000; Full time

Job summary

Parkhurst Talent Group is conducting a search for a Project Manager to lead a multi-million-dollar utility program in Houston. The role oversees a portfolio valued at roughly $20–$25 million annually and requires strong PM, analytical, and contract-management skills.

You will drive profitability and customer satisfaction while coordinating with IT for enhanced reporting. On-site presence in Houston is preferred, with opportunities to manage additional utility accounts.

Qualifications

• Several years of PM experience delivering field-based or infrastructure work for external customers.
• Strong analytical skills with the ability to spot data errors affecting profitability.
• Ability to read and interpret gross margin and cost drivers.
• Experience with contract and scope management.
• Proven relationship-builder with trust and follow-through.

Responsibilities

• Lead day-to-day delivery of a multi-million-dollar utility program, collaborating with operations and engineering teams.
• Analyze project performance and P&L, including gross margin, labor and materials to improve profitability.
• Manage scope and contract adherence to match customer agreements and payments.
• Evaluate and improve delivery and billing processes to speed turnaround and reduce WIP.
• Consolidate data from multiple databases and partner with IT to replace Excel reporting with Power BI dashboards.
• Own the customer relationship via weekly touchpoints and monthly reviews, contributing to quarterly business reviews.
• Stay informed on adjacent underground cable testing programs for the same customer.

Skills

Project management

Analytical skills

P&L knowledge

Contract management

Relationship builder

Process improvement

Industry experience

Power BI

Excel

Tools

Power BI

Excel

Job description

Parkhurst Talent Group is conducting this search on behalf of a confidential client, a leading national utility services company with nearly $1B in annual revenue and a strong growth trajectory.

THE OPPORTUNITY

Our client is seeking a Project Manager to lead a portfolio of roughly $ 20 to $ 25 million in annual work for one of its largest utility customers in the Houston area, along with one or two smaller utility accounts. The work centers on distribution pole services and engineering services. This is not a stagnant PM seat. The operations team is already used to the project manager calling the shots, and the right person will run this portfolio like their own business.

WHAT YOU WILL DO

• Lead day-to-day delivery of a multi-million-dollar utility program, working closely with operations managers, operations directors, engineering managers, and a data delivery team.
• Analyze project performance and P&L, including gross margin, labor, and materials, and work with operations to adjust and improve profitability.
• Manage scope and contract adherence so that the work delivered matches what the customer agreed to and what the company is paid for.
• Evaluate and improve existing delivery and billing processes to speed turnaround times, reduce work in progress, and accelerate billing.
• Bring together project data that currently lives in three separate databases, and partner with IT and the data delivery team to replace manual Excel reporting with better tools such as Power BI dashboards.
• Own the customer relationship through weekly touchpoints and monthly program reviews, and contribute to quarterly business reviews alongside sales and internal consultants.
• Stay informed on a large adjacent underground cable testing program for the same customer, keeping a line of sight on its execution.

WHAT WE ARE LOOKING FOR

• Several years of project management experience delivering field-based or infrastructure work for external customers.
• Strong analytical skills and the ability to spot how one small data error in the field can affect profitability or customer pricing.
• Working knowledge of project P&L. You do not need to be a finance professional, but you should be comfortable reading gross margin and cost drivers.
• A knack for contract and scope management.
• A relationship-builder who earns trust by doing what they say they will do. This customer values strong personal relationships and dependable follow-through.
• A process-improvement mindset and a drive to make the work easier and better, not just keep it running.
• Utility industry experience is strongly preferred. Adjacent experience in oil and gas, pipeline, or telecom will also be considered.

LOCATION

This role supports a Houston-area customer and offers the option to work from the customer's office. The ideal candidate lives in the Houston metro area and is on-site at least once a week for customer meetings. Exceptional candidates within roughly a three-hour drive who can be on-site at least twice a month will also be considered.

WHY THIS ROLE

• High performers are promoted, and there is a path to senior-level responsibility with direct reports without leaving the role.
• You will have visibility across a growing national organization, with opportunities to move into other areas of the business over time.
• You will have the autonomy to shape the program and real ownership of its results.

Parkhurst Talent Group is a boutique executive search and talent advisory firm. All inquiries are held in strict confidence.