Project Manager - Project Manager Senior

American Electric Power•Columbus, OH

13h•Onsite

About The Position

Manage or assist with base, intermediate, and complex projects, progressing toward independently managing intermediate projects in a matrix team environment. Provide leadership, direction, coordination, and communication across project initiation, planning, execution, monitoring and control, and closeout, using a safe, efficient, economical, and risk-balanced approach to achieve project goals and customer satisfaction. Promote project transparency, maintain stakeholder relationships, and support continuous improvement that increases quality and optimizes value delivery. The role supports project planning and administration and may act for a lead project manager or supervisor when they are unavailable. It develops and applies project management methods, including Waterfall and Agile, and AEP project management standards. The position coordinates project plans, schedules, budgets, tools, staff, procurement, contracts, vendors, and project communications, while supporting safety, quality, cost, schedule, and risk management. It also helps coach team members and assess project outcomes and benefits. Work may take place at home, in an office, power plants (including nuclear facilities), and construction sites supporting Distribution, Transmission, Generation, and Telecom infrastructure. Work at nuclear sites may involve hazardous areas and possible radiation exposure within NRC-prescribed limits. Travel is typically 25% or less, though greater travel may be required for specific assignments. The position requires light physical work, including possible site walkdowns on unstable surfaces and climbing ladders.

Requirements

For the Project Manager Senior level: bachelor’s degree in Construction Management, Engineering, Business, Project Management, Computer Science, or a related field of study dependent on business unit requirements, plus five years of qualified experience; or a two-year associate degree in the same required disciplines plus seven years of qualified experience; or a high school diploma/GED plus nine years of qualified experience.
For the Project Manager Senior level, two years of experience as a Project Manager, or demonstrated competencies, knowledge, and skillset through achieved results in a shorter timeline.
Qualified experience may include project management, major construction field experience, project estimating, project controls, project engineering, or comparable internal or external experience in a competitive production environment.
Experience must demonstrate progressively increasing project management and business acumen and responsibility across most certifying-body knowledge areas.
Demonstrated preparedness for journey-level project management knowledge in construction safety, negotiations, scope development and control, cost estimating, construction contracting, project controls and reporting, quality control, and risk management.
Valid state driver’s license.
Develop and provide effective leadership, team-building, and meeting-management skills consistent with certifying-body expectations and AEP leadership competencies and values.
Communicate clearly, directly, concisely, and professionally, including effective listening, with team members, sponsors, management, senior management, and other stakeholders.
Develop business and economic-analysis acumen, with emphasis on overall cost, schedule, and risk management.
Develop understanding of project procedures and processes and the ability to apply project management tools and techniques, strategic thinking, planning, risk assessment, prioritization, scope management, technical-option evaluation, and risk mitigation.
Support project organization, task delegation, setting team requirements, managing deliverables, accountability, constructive feedback, conflict management, and appropriate escalation of issues.
Understand and apply knowledge of procurement documents, contract components and development, and critical drawing and document handoffs between project disciplines.
Work safely and effectively at varied AEP locations and conditions; duties may involve unstable surfaces, climbing ladders, and awareness of hazardous site conditions.
Understand and support AEP policies, values, principles, structure, and behavior.

Nice To Haves

For the Project Manager level, three years of qualified experience as a Project Manager Associate, or demonstrated competencies, knowledge, and skillset through achieved results in a shorter timeline.
Knowledge of construction safety, negotiations, scope development and control, cost estimating, construction contracting, project controls and reporting, and quality control.
Experience in utilities, commercial nuclear power, and/or IT systems.
PMP certification is preferred but not required.

Responsibilities

Conduct or assist in planning, organizing, directing, and coordinating assigned project activities.
Perform coordination and administrative tasks delegated by the lead project manager or supervisor, and act on their behalf when they are unavailable.
Apply project management principles and techniques, including Waterfall and Agile, and develop proficiency with AEP project management standards and certifying-body tools and techniques.
Support and hold employees and contractors accountable for the AEP System Safety Process and a safe working environment focused on Zero Harm.
Develop, review, and coordinate project plans, schedules, budgets, tools, and staffing.
Perform assigned coordination and lead project manager roles to build awareness and proficiency across project plan knowledge areas.
Communicate project details and status effectively; lead planning meetings and project or outage updates; support stakeholder presentations; and prepare clear written and oral reports.
Develop working relationships with project teams, plant and operating company staff, customers, partners, contractors, vendors, and suppliers; foster teamwork and customer satisfaction.
Provide guidance and feedback to improve project design, systems, procedures, schedules, and costs, and challenge project work at an appropriate level of understanding.
Help ensure project work is performed efficiently and on time, whether assisting the lead project manager or leading intermediate projects.
Coach and develop team members in project management skills and techniques.
Develop and manage procurement plans for outside resources.
Manage or assist with outside-service contracts, including preparing requests for proposals, evaluating bids, selecting vendors, participating in negotiations, overseeing vendor performance and quality, and ensuring work complies with contract terms.
Conduct or assist with project closeout, including assessing whether objectives were achieved and benefits realized.
Develop leadership, team-building, meeting-management, communication, conflict-management, strategic planning, risk assessment, prioritization, and economic-analysis capabilities.
Apply business acumen and support cost, schedule, risk, scope, technical-option, and project-optimization decisions.
Develop understanding of Engineering and Design, Procurement, Contracting, Estimating, Construction, and Startup procedures and processes.
Organize project activities, delegate tasks, set team expectations, manage deliverables, and hold team members accountable as capability develops.
Evaluate team members’ skills and capabilities and make recommendations to support project success.
Support continuous improvement, maintain a questioning attitude, challenge assumptions, seek input from subject matter experts, and act with integrity and accountability.
Safely perform light physical duties and work at various AEP locations and site conditions; travel as required for assignments.