Senior Project Manager - Civil / Water / Wastewater

Tarlton Corporation; Illinois; On-site; USD 80,000 - 110,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Competitive compensation

Comprehensive benefits

Long-term career growth

Job summary

Tarlton Corporation, a leading contractor, is hiring for project managers to lead civil construction projects across Central Illinois and Southern Iowa. The successful candidate will manage project teams, budgets, and schedules while fostering strong client relationships.

This opportunity involves immersion in our St. Louis office culture before transitioning to leadership roles in regional projects. Tarlton promotes a safety-first culture and provides competitive compensation, comprehensive benefits, and career growth opportunities.

Qualifications

• 10+ years of construction project management experience with increasing responsibility.
• Experience leading water, wastewater, utilities, or infrastructure-related construction projects.
• Demonstrated success managing complex budgets, schedules, contracts, and client relationships.

Responsibilities

• Lead complex water, wastewater, and other civil construction projects from preconstruction through closeout.
• Manage project teams, client relationships, budgets, schedules, contracts, and operational execution.
• Coordinate with field leadership, subcontractors, clients, engineers, and regulatory stakeholders.

Skills

Project leadership

Operational management

Communication

Problem-solving

Client relationship management

Education

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

Tools

Procore

Primavera P6 Scheduling

Bluebeam

Job description

Location: Southeastern Iowa / Central Illinois

Why Tarlton

We are a $300M General Contractor, Construction Manager, Design/Builder, and self‑performer headquartered in St. Louis that is experiencing growth in our civil, water/wastewater, and power/energy operations across Central Illinois and Southern Iowa. We are looking for experienced project managers and project superintendents at varying career levels who are ready to lead from the front.

Safety is not a priority – it is our core value. Every decision we make begins with ensuring that every team member goes home safely at the end of the day.

We are looking for individuals who believe in our mission, align with our vision, and are committed to building strong, lasting relationships with our clients and teams.

Your Role

This is more than a project role. It is an opportunity to help build and shape a growing regional program with the backing of an established and strong company.

Our near‑term goal is to develop this into an annual operation with continued growth from there. We are seeking leaders who want to play a key role in that journey.

Successful candidates will begin by immersing themselves in our culture, systems, and people through hands‑on experience with our St. Louis office team. After approximately 6‑12 months, you will transition into a leadership role supporting and delivering water/wastewater and potentially other civil projects in Central Illinois and Southern Iowa – helping grow our presence in the region.

This is a fantastic opportunity for a motivated leader with an entrepreneurial drive to advance his/her career while receiving strong support and development. Current clients and opportunities are already identified. If you are looking for a role where you can lead, build, and make a lasting impact, we want to talk with you.

What You’ll Do

Lead complex water, wastewater, and other civil construction projects from preconstruction through closeout, managing project teams, client relationships, budgets, schedules, contracts, and operational execution.

• Lead overall execution of assigned construction projects.
• Manage project budgets, forecasting, billing, scheduling, and project controls.
• Coordinate with field leadership, subcontractors, clients, engineers, and regulatory stakeholders.
• Drive procurement, change management, risk mitigation, and project reporting.
• Lead planning for shutdowns, tie‑ins, commissioning, and critical path activities.
• Support safe execution and reinforce quality and operational expectations.
• Develop Project Managers, Engineers, and Superintendents and support growth of project teams.
• Contribute to, and in some instances lead, estimating efforts.
• Identify and build strong client relationships and support repeat business opportunities.

What You Bring

• Strong project leadership and operational management experience.
• Ability to manage complex schedules, budgets, and stakeholder relationships.
• Collaborative leadership style with strong communication and problem‑solving skills.
• Commitment to safety, quality, accountability, and client service.

Experience

• 10+ years of construction project management experience with increasing responsibility.
• Experience leading water, wastewater, utilities, or infrastructure‑related construction projects.
• Demonstrated success managing complex budgets, schedules, contracts, and client relationships.

Education & Certifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Construction Management, Engineering, or related field experience.
• OSHA 30 strongly preferred.
• Valid driver’s license required.

Tools & Software

• Proficiency in Procore (or similar), ViewPoint (or similar), Primavera P6 Scheduling (or similar), and estimating software.
• Experience with Bluebeam and MS Office products.

Specialized Project Experience

Water/wastewater treatment facilities, utilities, infrastructure, shutdowns, bypass pumping, and complex coordination activities.

Work Location, Environment & Travel Requirements

• Primarily on an active project site; frequent walking of work areas and coordination with crews and trades.
• Personal Protective Equipment (PPE), exposure to weather and loud environments, and lifting/moving of 25‑50 lbs.
• Work hours may vary by project and may include early mornings, evenings, nights, and weekends.
• Travel required. Projects will primarily be within the southeast Iowa and central Illinois region, with flexibility and readiness to support work outside the market as needed. Travel to and from St. Louis for initial onboarding and then as needed.

Tarlton Competencies

• Leadership & Team Development: Provides clear direction, sets expectations, holds others accountable, and develops team members through coaching and support.
• Stand Behind Our Word and Work: Follows through on commitments, takes ownership of results, and ensures work meets high standards of quality and professionalism.
• Cultivate Clients for Life: Builds trust‑based relationships through responsiveness, clear communication, and understanding of client needs.
• Build a Safe and Caring Environment: Promotes a safety‑first culture, proactively manages risks, and looks out for others.
• Gets the Job Done: Takes ownership, removes obstacles, prioritizes effectively, and drives work forward to achieve results.
• Communication and Collaboration: Communicates clearly and works effectively across teams to build trust and alignment.
• Develops and Adapts: Seeks feedback, learns from experience, and adjusts to changing conditions and project needs.

Why You’ll Like Working Here

• Complex, high‑impact projects with experienced teams.
• Strong partnership between field and project management.
• Safety‑first culture and high standards of quality.
• Competitive compensation, comprehensive benefits, and long‑term career growth.
• A company proud to be STLMade and invested in the region.

Let’s Build Together

If you’re interested in working on challenging projects with a collaborative, experienced team, we encourage you to apply.

Equal Opportunity Employer

Tarlton is an Equal Opportunity Employer and does not discriminate based on race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, disability, veteran status, or any other protected status under applicable law.

Exempt