Project Leader - Water & Wastewater Treatment Facilities

Veolia Environnement SA•Jersey City, NJ

4h•Onsite

About The Position

In the role of Project Leader, the successful candidate will lead the planning, execution, and completion of a project, ensuring alignment with organizational objectives and timely delivery within budget constraints. This role involves navigating project-specific challenges with resilience and adaptability, proactively addressing obstacles as they arise. The Project Leader will effectively communicate project goals, progress, and challenges to team members and stakeholders, ensuring everyone is aligned and informed. A key aspect is fostering a collaborative team environment by leveraging strong emotional intelligence and building positive relationships within the project team. The role requires developing and implementing creative, practical solutions to overcome project-related issues and drive successful outcomes, while also ensuring that project teams reflect and respect diversity, promoting an inclusive and supportive working environment. Ultimately, the Project Leader drives project success by keeping a clear focus on achieving defined objectives and delivering high-quality outcomes. The role also encompasses leading and nurturing a safety culture, ensuring compliance with OSHA, State, and Veolia Safety and Environmental Programs, and demonstrating skills related to dependable project execution and maintaining high quality standards. It involves strong leadership and mentoring, effective communication, performance evaluation, and building strong customer relationships to ensure satisfaction and manage contracts effectively. The Project Leader is also responsible for budget preparation, cost control, and full P&L ownership for the assigned project.

Requirements

6 years of leadership experience
4 years of experience leading project teams, with a strong emphasis on effective team collaboration and project delivery
Outgoing, self-directed, goal-oriented, and creative in identifying opportunities
Strong organizational and project management skills with attention to detail
High degree of initiative, judgment, and resourcefulness
Ability to find creative solutions to complex problems and manage changing priorities
Demonstrated leadership ability with understanding of HR principles
P&L ownership, budgeting, and cost control for project sites
Proven track record of delivering excellent customer satisfaction
Ability to build and maintain strong partnerships with customers
Excellent communication skills (written, verbal, listening, and presentation)
Ability to handle sensitive communications internally and with all levels of project stakeholders
Commitment to compliance with applicable laws, regulations, and company policies
Ability to understand and manage safety, environmental, and health requirements
Facilities and capital equipment management
Problem-solving and solution development
Team building and motivation across all personnel levels
Technical writing and total quality management
Strong PC skills, including proficiency in word processing, spreadsheet, and database software
Ability to optimize technology and systems to streamline processes and increase efficiency
Must be able to obtain the certifications as required

Nice To Haves

A degree in Business, Finance, Engineering, Project Management, or a related field is strongly preferred

Responsibilities

Lead the planning, execution, and completion of a project, ensuring alignment with organizational objectives and timely delivery within budget constraints
Navigate project-specific challenges with resilience and adaptability, proactively addressing obstacles as they arise
Effectively communicate project goals, progress, and challenges to team members and stakeholders, ensuring everyone is aligned and informed
Foster a collaborative team environment by leveraging strong emotional intelligence and building positive relationships within the project team
Develop and implement creative, practical solutions to overcome project-related issues and drive successful outcomes
Ensure that project teams reflect and respect diversity, promoting an inclusive and supportive working environment
Drive project success by keeping a clear focus on achieving defined objectives and delivering high-quality outcomes
Lead and nurture a safety culture driven by individual behavior and accountability across the assigned project
Ensure proficiency in the applicability, care, and use of all site-specific, facility-required PPE
Maintain plant compliance with OSHA, State, and Veolia Safety and Environmental Programs
Lead efforts to ensure compliant execution of the specific contract for the assigned project site, including adherence to established environmental, safety, operating, and emergency response procedures
Demonstrate skills and responsibilities related to ensuring dependable project execution, maintaining high quality standards, and delivering consistent results
Apply ingenuity and initiative to coordinate problem resolution, manage conflicting priorities, and meet deadlines within a team environment
Serve rotational 24-hour emergency on-call as required by the site
Exhibit strong leadership and mentoring skills to effectively manage resources (eg.personnel, equipment, materials, facilities, funds, and reputation)
Demonstrate effective communication, presentation, and interpersonal skills to motivate all levels of project personnel
Evaluate employee performance, match abilities with job requirements, and capitalize on talents to meet business objectives
Ensure effective communication and execution of business initiatives and progress toward goals by employees
Build and maintain strong customer relationships, understanding customer needs, requirements, and feedback to incorporate into project deliverables
Administer client contracts to ensure compliance, customer satisfaction, and prompt identification and notification of scope changes
Perform baseline client relations duties, including progress reports and special reports preparation and presentation
Participate in client meetings, special award programs, and professionally handle client service issue resolution
Assist with regulatory agency reports and public relations duties as necessary
Hold responsibility for budget preparation and implementation of cost control measures
Forecast budget, staffing, and equipment needs
Demonstrate proficiency in spreadsheet and database software, optimizing technology and systems used to communicate, manage budgets, streamline processes, and increase efficiency
Maintain full P&L and budgeting ownership for the assigned project
Inspire and guide a team towards project goals, providing clear vision and motivation
Empower team members by fostering an environment of collaboration, accountability, and support
Mentor and develop individual team members to enhance their contributions and professional growth
Articulate project goals, expectations, and progress to both internal teams and external stakeholders
Build effective relationships across departments and ensuring alignment with operational objectives
Demonstrate leadership by example, setting high standards for work ethic, professionalism, and accountability
Influence without direct authority, gaining buy-in and cooperation from cross-functional teams or stakeholders
Engage with clients, providing regular updates, and ensuring their needs and expectations are addressed throughout the project
Manage stakeholder expectations and navigating sensitive situations diplomatically
Foster a positive and inclusive work culture that promotes employee engagement, development, and retention
Provide strategic leadership, coaching, and mentoring to regional personnel
Implement company employee recognition programs and address employee concerns promptly and effectively
Generally supervise a staff of >10 FTEs
Champion a culture of safety excellence by implementing and enforcing comprehensive safety protocols, procedures, and best practices across the entire project
Conduct regular safety training programs and promote individual accountability for safe work practices
Monitor and report on project safety performance metrics, including incident rates and near-misses
Promote a culture of safety accountability and individual responsibility
Maintain outstanding relationships with current clients
Facilitate opportunities for scope expansions, contract extensions, and renewals
Participate in council meetings for the project and neighboring cities/towns to build relationships with prospective clients
Solicit client feedback and respond to customer needs promptly
Seek customer and sales input to gain an intimate understanding of customer needs, problems, and systems
Improve satisfaction levels by identifying needs and implementing corrective actions
Evaluate and develop new business opportunities
Interpret contracts to define deliverables and fulfill schedules
Conduct routine client meetings, assign tasks, set deadlines, and track progress
Ensure customer requirements and deadlines are met
Automate processes where possible and capture historical data for future quotes
Participate in project start-up teams
Manage contract MBE/WBE/VBE procurement requirements
Ensure compliance with legal requirements and company policies
Identify and justify capital expenditures partnering directly with the client
Monitor project's financial performance
Ensure compliance with cost center budget
Manage personnel utilization
Manage pricing
Manage customer invoicing and collections
Prepare monthly reports in a timely manner
Develop and present annual budgets for project review
Ensure project meets or exceeds financial plans
Forecast monthly budget variances
Ensure timely collection of receivables
Manage facilities generally >10 mgd, including several worksites or a single large water/wastewater plant