Project Manager I

EKN Engineering•Irvine, CA

2d•Onsite

About The Position

The Project Manager I is responsible for leading multiple projects, including the creation of project plans, budgets, and forecasts. This role involves gathering and assessing data, performing analysis, and developing action-driven recommendations for clients. The ideal candidate will possess extensive knowledge and experience in managing direct reports on high-visibility projects or programs with multiple external stakeholders, and ideally have experience in managing process and software change management.

Requirements

Prior project/program management experience required.
Strong written and verbal communication and negotiation skills.
Ability to work collaboratively with cross-functional teams both internally and externally.
Strong ethics, influence, leadership, and interpersonal skills.
Effective resource and project planning, decision-making, results delivery, team building, and ability to stay current with relevant technology and innovation.
Ability to proactively identify, assess, mitigate, and monitor project risks.
Ability to align project outcomes with broader organizational and client goals.
Navigates disagreements constructively and facilitates collaborative solutions.
Builds trust and maintains strong relationships with clients, sponsors, and team members.
Proficiency in MS Excel, Word, PowerPoint.
Ability to interpret KPIs, dashboards, and performance metrics to support decision-making.
Strong financial acumen, including forecasting, variance analysis, and cost management.

Nice To Haves

Degree in construction, engineering or other technical disciplines preferred.
Proficiency in Power BI is a plus.

Responsibilities

Manage project team(s) day-to-day responsibilities and allocate resources to hit daily goals.
Contribute to a team environment that encourages collaboration, ongoing feedback, and participation.
Recommend guidelines and process improvements for internal teams.
Foster a culture of teamwork, communication, and continuous improvement within the project teams.
Ensure all project documentation is up-to-date and accurate on a quarterly basis.
Take initiative and accountability for results, and work on numerous projects in an environment with minimal supervision.
Develop, document, and implement new processes by collaborating with cross-functional stakeholders, aligning requirements, and coordinating rollout to ensure successful adoption and operational integration.
Control scope creep and manage formal change processes.
Conduct weekly 1:1 check-ins with direct reports as well as quarterly skip-level 1:1s with other staff members.
Coordinate with clients and determine potential improvements or process changes resulting from client feedback.
Plan agendas and regularly coordinate meetings with external stakeholders.
Coordinate with multiple departments to ensure initiatives are executed efficiently within budget and scope.
Organize and deliver data and information to client leadership.
Proactively manage program KPIs and communicate risks with recommended corrective actions.
Perform monthly financial reviews to verify that performance remains consistent with forecasts and contracted budgets.
Maintain a comprehensive understanding of contract terms and conditions, project schedules, budgets, and defined scope to ensure effective oversight and compliance.
Provide strategic input in the development of project documentation and Requests for Proposals (RFPs), including technical evaluation of submissions to ensure alignment with client requirements and expectations.