Senior Project Manager

Centurion Selection; San Diego (CA); On-site; USD 140,000 - 230,000; Full time

Job summary

Centurion Selection is seeking a Senior Project Manager to lead the delivery of complex public works and municipal construction projects in the San Diego area. You will oversee projects from preconstruction to closeout, managing teams, budgets, schedules, and client relationships.

The role requires a strong general contracting background with experience working for cities, counties, schools, and transportation or water agencies.

Qualifications

• 8–15+ years of commercial/general contracting construction experience.
• 5+ years of Project Management experience, preferably managing public works projects.
• Experience delivering projects valued at approximately $20M–$100M+.
• Strong understanding of public‑sector contracting and project delivery.
• Experience with municipal, civic, education, transportation, infrastructure, water/wastewater, or other government‑funded projects.
• Strong knowledge of construction contracts, drawings, specifications, scheduling, cost management, and change management.
• Experience managing multiple Project Engineers/Project Managers and field teams.
• Strong subcontractor management and negotiation skills.
• Excellent communication and client‑facing abilities.
• Proficiency with construction technology such as Procore, Bluebeam, Primavera P6, Microsoft Project, or similar platforms.
• Bachelor’s degree in Construction Management, Civil Engineering, Architecture, or a related field preferred.

Responsibilities

• Manage public works projects from preconstruction through final completion and closeout.
• Oversee project budgets, cost controls, forecasting, schedules, and overall project performance.
• Lead Project Managers, Project Engineers, Superintendents, and project support staff.
• Coordinate with owners, government agencies, architects, engineers, inspectors, subcontractors, and consultants.
• Manage RFIs, submittals, change orders, procurement, contracts, and project documentation.
• Review plans, specifications, scopes of work, and contract requirements.
• Develop and maintain project schedules and milestone dates.
• Monitor subcontractor performance and ensure work meets schedule, quality, and contractual requirements.
• Manage owner and subcontractor change orders, including pricing, negotiation, and documentation.
• Lead Owner/Architect/Contractor meetings and internal project meetings.
• Ensure compliance with applicable public contracting requirements, prevailing wage regulations, safety regulations, and agency standards.
• Identify project risks early and develop solutions to protect schedule and profitability.
• Maintain strong relationships with public-sector clients and identify opportunities for repeat business.
• Support estimating and preconstruction teams with constructability reviews, budgeting, scheduling, and subcontractor input.
• Oversee project closeout, punch lists, commissioning, documentation, and final turnover.

Skills

Project management

Team leadership

Contract negotiation

Public works

Client relations

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Construction Management, Civil Engineering, Architecture, or related field

Tools

Procore

Bluebeam

Primavera P6

Microsoft Project

Job description

Senior Project Manager – Public Works Construction

Position Overview

We are seeking an experienced Senior Project Manager to lead the successful delivery of complex public works and municipal construction projects. This individual will oversee projects from preconstruction through closeout, managing project teams, subcontractors, budgets, schedules, client relationships, and contract requirements.

The ideal candidate has a strong general contracting background with experience delivering projects for cities, counties, school districts, transportation agencies, water/wastewater authorities, or other government entities.

Key Responsibilities

• Manage public works projects from preconstruction through final completion and closeout
• Oversee project budgets, cost controls, forecasting, schedules, and overall project performance
• Lead Project Managers, Project Engineers, Superintendents, and project support staff
• Coordinate with owners, government agencies, architects, engineers, inspectors, subcontractors, and consultants
• Manage RFIs, submittals, change orders, procurement, contracts, and project documentation
• Review plans, specifications, scopes of work, and contract requirements
• Develop and maintain project schedules and milestone dates
• Monitor subcontractor performance and ensure work meets schedule, quality, and contractual requirements
• Manage owner and subcontractor change orders, including pricing, negotiation, and documentation
• Lead Owner/Architect/Contractor meetings and internal project meetings
• Ensure compliance with applicable public contracting requirements, prevailing wage requirements, safety regulations, and agency standards
• Identify project risks early and develop solutions to protect schedule and profitability
• Maintain strong relationships with public‑sector clients and identify opportunities for repeat business
• Support estimating and preconstruction teams with constructability reviews, budgeting, scheduling, and subcontractor input
• Oversee project closeout, punch lists, commissioning, documentation, and final turnover

Qualifications

• 8–15+ years of commercial/general contracting construction experience
• 5+ years of Project Management experience, preferably managing public works projects
• Proven experience delivering projects valued at approximately $20M–$100M+
• Strong understanding of public‑sector contracting and project delivery
• Experience with municipal, civic, education, transportation, infrastructure, water/wastewater, or other government‑funded projects
• Strong knowledge of construction contracts, drawings, specifications, scheduling, cost management, and change management
• Experience managing multiple Project Engineers/Project Managers and field teams
• Strong subcontractor management and negotiation skills
• Excellent communication and client‑facing abilities
• Proficiency with construction technology such as Procore, Bluebeam, Primavera P6, Microsoft Project, or similar platforms
• Bachelor’s degree in Construction Management, Civil Engineering, Architecture, or a related field preferred

Preferred Experience

• Design-Bid-Build, Design-Build, CM‑at‑Risk, and/or Progressive Design-Build
• Public agency procurement and contracting
• Prevailing wage / certified payroll requirements
• Government permitting and inspection processes
• OSHPD/HCAI, DSA, Caltrans, municipal, or other agency experience where applicable
• LEED, DBIA, CCM, or PMP certification is a plus

Ideal Candidate

The successful candidate will be a strong project leader who can own the financial, operational, and client‑facing aspects of major public works projects. They should be comfortable leading large teams, navigating government requirements, solving complex project issues, and maintaining strong relationships with owners and subcontractors.