Senior Project Manager (Recovery and Rebuild)

lusternational; Los Angeles (CA); On-site; USD 150,000 - 210,000; Full time

Job summary

Lusternational in Los Angeles is seeking a Senior Project Manager to lead large, complex heavy civil programs including highways, bridges, transit, airports, and water/wastewater projects. You will manage projects from scoping through design, approvals, construction, and closeout, ensuring a connected network of rebuilt systems.

The role demands 10+ years of PM experience, a PE or CCM, and expertise with Primavera P6/MS Project, Unifier or Kahua.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree or equivalent in civil engineering, construction management, architecture, or related field.
• Active professional license (PE or licensed architect) or CCM certification.
• 10+ years of project management experience through programming, design, permitting, construction, and closeout.
• Experience carrying projects end to end as single point of accountability for scope, cost, and schedule.
• Experience coordinating feasibility studies, conditions assessments, and construction documents.
• Experience aligning street, water, sewer, and storm drain work as a connected network.
• Experience with utility coordination and permitting with agencies and jurisdictions.
• Experience negotiating contract changes and drafting modifications.
• Proficiency with industry standard PM software (Primavera P6, MS Project, Unifier, Kahua) and MS Office.

Responsibilities

• Oversee capital projects from scoping through design, agency approvals, construction, and final acceptance.
• Establish and monitor baseline scope, cost, and schedule; report status and forecasts to leadership.
• Guide consultants on feasibility studies and construction documents; review deliverables for conformance.
• Coordinate cross-disciplinary infrastructure work to deliver a connected network.
• Sequence activities with utilities, regulators, and jurisdictions; secure timely approvals.
• Lead project team and stakeholder meetings; document decisions and follow-ups.
• Evaluate contractor RFI/change requests for merit and negotiate pricing/schedule relief; draft modifications.
• Monitor construction progress; verify payments against contract documents; support turnover.
• Maintain records for funding, reimbursements, and audit reviews; manage disaster-funding documentation.

Skills

Communication

Multi-tasking

Organizational skills

Collaboration

Problem solving

Adaptability

Education

Bachelor's degree in civil engineering/related field

Master's degree in civil engineering/construction management/architecture

Tools

Primavera P6

MS Project

Unifier

Kahua

Microsoft Office

Job description

About the PositionWe're seeking a Senior Project Manager to support large, complex heavy civil infrastructure programs, including highways, roads, bridges, transit (bus and rail), aviation (international airports), and water/wastewater projects delivered through both traditional and alternative delivery methods. Your main focus will be carrying assigned capital projects for a public infrastructure rebuild program from early scoping through design, agency approvals, construction, and final acceptance, and keeping street, water, sewer, and storm drain work aligned so the rebuilt systems come back online as one connected network.

This is a long-term, full-time, on-site position located in Los Angeles, CA.

Responsibilities

• Oversee assigned capital projects from early scoping and capital planning through design, agency approvals, construction, and final acceptance and closeout.
• Establish and hold the baseline for scope, cost, and schedule on each project, and report status, trends, and forecasts to program leadership.
• Guide the consultants preparing feasibility studies, conditions assessments, and construction documents, and review their deliverables for completeness and conformance before they advance.
• Align street, water, sewer, and storm drain work across related projects so the systems are planned, sequenced, and built as one connected network.
• Sequence early-phase and construction activities with utility owners, regulatory and permitting agencies, and neighboring jurisdictions, and keep approvals and agreements from holding up the work.
• Convene working sessions with the project team, agency staff, and the public, and document decisions and follow-up actions.
• Analyze contractor requests for information, proposals, and change requests for merit, cost, and time impact, negotiate fair pricing and schedule relief, and draft the resulting contract modifications.
• Oversee construction progress, confirm that completed work and payment requests match the contract documents, and support acceptance, turnover, and closeout.
• Maintain project records that stand up to funding, reimbursement, and audit review, including cost and eligibility documentation for disaster-related funding.
• Keep the client and project team aligned on what will be delivered, when, and at what cost, and work through issues and risks as they surface.

Attributes

• Excellent written and verbal communication and interpersonal skills.
• Excellent multi-tasking and organizational skills.
• Collaborative mindset that fosters teamwork, trust, and positive relationships.
• Natural curiosity, problem-solving abilities, and a commitment to continuous improvement.
• Steady under shifting priorities and quick to work through issues as they surface.

Minimum Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in civil engineering, construction management, architecture, or related field, or equivalent combination of education and experience.
• Active professional license (Professional Engineer or licensed architect) or Certified Construction Manager (CCM) certification.
• 10+ years of project management experience, including managing projects through programming, design, permitting, construction, and closeout.
• Track record of carrying projects end to end, from early scoping through design, agency approvals, construction, and final acceptance, as the single point of accountability for scope, cost, and schedule.
• Experience reviewing and coordinating the preparation of feasibility studies, conditions assessments, and construction documents.
• Experience aligning street, water, sewer, and storm drain work so related systems are delivered as one connected network.
• Experience sequencing early-phase and construction activities with utility owners, regulatory and permitting agencies, and neighboring jurisdictions, and convening project team, agency, and public meetings.
• Experience evaluating and negotiating contract changes and drafting the resulting modifications.
• Experience with industry standard project / construction management software (e.g., Primavera P6, MS Project, Unifier, Kahua, etc.).
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office Suite/Office 365 (e.g., Outlook, Teams, Word, Excel, PowerPoint, etc.).

Preferred Qualifications

• Master's degree in civil engineering, construction management, or architecture.
• Project Management Professional (PMP) certification (Project Management Institute).
• 15+ years of project management experience.
• Experience delivering capital projects within a recovery program following a declared disaster.
• Working knowledge of federal and state disaster funding eligibility and cost documentation requirements (e.g., FEMA Public Assistance, Cal OES).
• Experience with large (>$500M), complex, heavy-civil infrastructure projects that include highways, roads, bridges, transit (including rail and bus), and/or airport projects.
• Experience managing multiple concurrent capital projects.
• Experience in an owner's