Project Manager II

EKN Engineering•Irvine, CA

About The Position

The Project Manager II must be capable of leading multiple high-visibility projects/programs while providing guidance to Project Coordinators and Project Manager I staff. This role includes project planning, resource management, KPI oversight, budget and forecast management, client communication, risk mitigation, contract tracking, process improvement, and proposal support. The ideal candidate has strong experience managing client-facing projects, direct reports, project financials, cross-functional stakeholders, and operational change.

Requirements

Prior project/program management experience required.
Experience managing direct reports, mentoring junior project staff, or overseeing project teams required.
Proficiency in MS Excel, Word, and PowerPoint.
Strong written and verbal communication, client management, meeting facilitation, negotiation, and issue-resolution skills.
Ability to work collaboratively with cross-functional teams both internally and externally.
Ability to proactively identify, assess, mitigate, and monitor project risks across multiple projects.
Ability to align project outcomes with broader organizational and client goals.
Strong ethics, influence, leadership, judgment, and interpersonal skills.
Navigates disagreements constructively and facilitates collaborative solutions.
Builds trust and maintains strong relationships with clients, sponsors, team members, and direct reports.

Nice To Haves

Proficiency in Power BI, SAP, JIRA are a plus.
Candidate may be asked to travel for in-person client meetings on a quarterly basis, at a minimum.

Responsibilities

Manage multiple project team(s) day-to-day responsibilities and allocate resources to meet project goals.
Guide Project Coordinators and/or Project Manager I staff in gathering, documenting, monitoring, and delivering project requirements.
Collaborate with clients to define project needs, clarify requirements, and recommend practical solutions.
Develop, maintain, and improve project plans, schedules, budgets, forecasts, action trackers, risk logs, and project documentation.
Identify opportunities to improve workflow, cycle time, project delivery, and team performance.
Support process and software change management, including requirements gathering, stakeholder coordination, rollout planning, and adoption.
Take initiative and accountability for results while managing multiple projects with limited supervision.
Own KPI performance across assigned projects and programs.
Identify performance gaps, project risks, and operational issues before they impact budget, schedule, scope, client expectations, or KPI goals.
Develop and communicate corrective action plans to internal leadership and client stakeholders.
Lead regular client meetings, planning sessions, status updates, and issue-resolution discussions.
Lead ideation sessions with clients to identify improved workflows, expanded services, and stronger project outcomes.
Build strong client relationships through consistent communication, reliable delivery, and solution-based recommendations.
Identify opportunities to expand existing contracts, support new scopes of work, and position EKN Engineering for future client needs.
Organize and present project data, risks, recommendations, and performance updates to client leadership.
Perform monthly financial reviews to verify performance against forecasts, contracted budgets, project schedules, and defined scope.
Review forecasting reports submitted by Project Coordinators and Project Manager I staff for accuracy, completeness, and risk.
Maintain a comprehensive understanding of contract terms and conditions, project schedules, budgets, pricing, and defined scope.
Track contract burndown, project profitability, budget performance, and variance trends across assigned projects.
Guide Project Coordinators and Project Manager I staff in financial management, forecasting, and contract tracking.
Control scope creep through clear documentation, client communication, and formal change processes.
Provide strategic input in the development of project documentation, Requests for Proposals, client presentations, and scope development.
Support proposal development through scope writing, level-of-effort planning, budget input, risk identification, and operational recommendations.
Guide Project Coordinators and Project Manager I staff in identifying opportunities to expand business with existing clients.
Conduct market and client research to identify potential opportunities for EKN Engineering services.
Provide oversight, coaching, and mentorship to Project Coordinators, Project Manager I staff, and other assigned team members.
Conduct regular 1:1 check-ins with direct reports and support skip-level check-ins to identify performance, development needs, and growth opportunities.
Identify strong performers and support internal growth planning, cross-training, and advancement opportunities.
Plan staffing, workload balance, utilization, and team structure to meet current project demands and future workload needs.
Foster a culture of teamwork, communication, accountability, and continuous improvement within project teams.