RUIZ is a rapidly expanding Engineering, Project/Construction Management, Inspection and Surveying services firm specializing in the Utility, Energy, and Oil & Gas sectors across the United States. We pride ourselves on maintaining a professional, supportive, and rewarding work environment with a family-oriented culture that prioritizes employee growth and development.
Position Overview
We are seeking an experienced Senior Pipeline Project Manager to lead the delivery of complex, high-value capital projects in the natural gas pipeline, utility, and energy infrastructure sectors. The Senior Pipeline Project Manager leads all project phases and is accountable for performance across scope, schedule, cost, quality, risk, safety, and stakeholder satisfaction.
The successful candidate provides strategic direction to project teams, mentors junior project managers and coordinators, and supports executive decision-making through comprehensive project analysis and performance reporting.
Key Responsibilities
Strategic Project Leadership
- Establish project execution strategies and project delivery plans
- Provide strategic and technical direction to multi-disciplinary project teams
- Mentor junior project managers and project coordinators
- Identify project improvement opportunities and implement corrective actions
- Manage project budgets, schedules, forecasts, and resource allocation
- Manage critical path scheduling using Primavera P6 or MS Project
- Lead earned value management (EVM) analysis and implement cost control measures
- Prepare financial forecasting and variance analysis reportsDirect change management, change order processes, and issue resolution activities
- Lead project risk assessments, maintain risk registers, and drive mitigation planning
- Monitor schedule, cost, and technical risks and escape issues requiring executive decisions
- Facilitate executive-level project reviews and governance meetings
- Deliver comprehensive project analysis and performance reporting to support executive decision-making
- Support portfolio planning, project prioritization, and capital program resource planning
Stakeholder & Contractor Management
- Develop and maintain relationships with internal and external stakeholders, including utility operators, regulatory agencies, local governments, and community representatives
- Oversee contractor and consultant performance against scope, schedule, cost, quality, and safety requirements
- Negotiate contracts and manage commercial relationships with contractors, subcontractors, and vendors
Regulatory Compliance & Construction Oversight
- Ensure compliance with corporate, regulatory, and contractual requirements, including 49 CFR 192, ASME B31.8, and state-specific pipeline safety standards
- Coordinate environmental compliance, permitting, and NEPA requirements with regulatory specialists
- Conduct technical reviews of engineering designs, specifications, and construction procedures
- Oversee the project lifecycle through design, procurement, construction, commissioning, hydrostatic testing, tie-ins, and closeout
Required Qualifications
- Bachelor's degree in Engineering, Construction Management, Business, Project Management, or a related discipline
- 7+ years of project management experience, including demonstrated leadership of complex capital projects
- Proven track record of delivering infrastructure projects on time and within budget
- Demonstrated experience managing project risk, cost, and schedule performance, including earned value management
- Proficiency with Primavera P6 or MS Project
- Working knowledge of 49 CFR 192, ASME B31.8, and DOT pipeline safety regulations
- Strong leadership, negotiation, and stakeholder management skills
- Exceptional written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to present to executive leadership
Preferred Qualifications
- Project Management Professional (PMP) certification
- Experience managing projects or programs exceeding $100 million
- Utility, transmission, LNG, pipeline, or major infrastructure capital project experience
- Experience on FERC-jurisdictional interstate natural gas projects, including certificate applications, Resource Reports, and post-certificate compliance (18 CFR Parts 157 and 380)
- Experience with integrity management programs, including in-line inspection planning and anomaly resolution
- Experience with specialized construction methods such as HDD, river crossings, micro-tunneling, and live tie-ins
- Experience with both greenfield and brownfield pipeline development
- Professional Engineer (PE) license or Certified Construction Manager (CCM)
- Master's degree in Engineering, Construction Management, or a related field