Project Manager to Project Manager Principal (Construction Utility Projects)

American Electric Power•Shreveport, LA

8d•$87,633 - $151,133•Onsite

About The Position

American Electric Power is hiring at the Project Manager, Project Manager Senior, or Project Manager Principal level, depending on the candidate’s qualifications and experience. The role manages or assists with base, intermediate, and complex construction and utility projects, progressing toward independent leadership of intermediate projects in a matrix team environment. It provides leadership, coordination, and communication throughout project initiation, planning, execution, monitoring and control, and closeout, with a focus on safety, efficiency, economic performance, risk balance, organizational goals, and customer satisfaction. The position provides project transparency and builds effective working relationships with internal and external customers, team members, suppliers, contractors, vendors, and industry peers. It supports continuous improvement to increase quality and optimize value delivery. The employee may work at home, in offices, power plants (including nuclear facilities), and construction sites involving distribution, transmission, generation, and telecommunications infrastructure. Travel is typically 25% or less, though assignment needs may require more. Work at nuclear sites may involve hazardous areas and potential radiation exposure within NRC-prescribed limits.

Requirements

For Project Manager: bachelor’s degree in Construction Management, Engineering, Business, Project Management, Computer Science, or a related field as required by the business unit, plus 3 years of qualified experience; or a two-year associate degree in the same required disciplines plus 5 years of qualified experience; or high school diploma/GED plus 7 years of qualified experience.
For Project Manager Senior: bachelor’s degree in a specified relevant discipline plus 5 years of qualified experience; or a two-year associate degree in a specified relevant discipline plus 7 years of qualified experience; or high school diploma/GED plus 9 years of qualified experience.
For Project Manager Principal: bachelor’s degree in a specified relevant discipline plus 7 years of qualified experience; or a two-year associate degree in a specified relevant discipline plus 9 years of qualified experience; or high school diploma/GED plus 11 years of qualified experience.
Qualified experience may include outage management, business or financial administration, major construction field experience, project estimating, project controls, project engineering, project management, or comparable internal or external experience in a competitive production environment, as applicable to the level.
Develop effective leadership, team-building, and meeting-management skills, and demonstrate the motivation and attitude to lead a team and project to successful completion.
Communicate clearly, directly, concisely, and professionally, listen effectively, and communicate with stakeholders including team members, sponsors, management, and senior management.
Develop business acumen and understanding of economic analysis, cost, schedule, and risk management.
Develop understanding of engineering and design, procurement, contracting, estimating, construction, and startup processes and procedures.
Develop and apply certifying-body project management tools and techniques, strategic thinking, planning, risk assessment, and prioritization.
Develop the ability to organize project activities, delegate tasks, set expectations, manage deliverables, hold team members accountable, provide constructive feedback, and manage conflict.
Develop skills in scope management, evaluation of technical options, project risk factors and mitigation, procurement documentation, contract development, and project drawing and document handoffs.
Act with integrity and accountability for project assignments; promote continuous improvement, question assumptions, and seek subject matter expertise.
Safely and effectively perform light physical duties, which may include walking on unstable surfaces and climbing ladders, and maintain awareness of hazardous site conditions.
Work at varying AEP locations, including home, office, power plants (including nuclear), and construction sites; nuclear-site work may involve hazardous areas and possible radiation exposure within NRC limits.
Travel is typically 25% or less; greater travel may be required for specific assignments.
Demonstrate readiness for specialist-level project management capability in areas such as construction safety, negotiations, scope development and control, cost estimating, construction contracting, project controls and reporting, quality control, and risk management.
A valid state driver's license is required.

Nice To Haves

For Project Manager, 3 years of experience as a Project Manager Associate (Grade 6), or demonstrated competencies, knowledge, and skills through results achieved in a shorter timeline.
For Project Manager Senior, 2 years of experience as a Project Manager (Grade 7), or demonstrated competencies, knowledge, and skills through results achieved in a shorter timeline.
For Project Manager Principal, 2 years of experience as a Project Manager Senior (Grade 8), or demonstrated competencies, knowledge, and skills through results achieved in a shorter timeline.
Experience in utilities, commercial nuclear power, and/or IT systems.
PMP certification; preferred but not required.

Responsibilities

Conduct or assist with 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.
Develop understanding of and implement project management methods, including Waterfall and Agile.
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; lead planning meetings and project or outage updates; and support stakeholder presentations.
Prepare clear, concise written and oral reports and communications.
Build 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 designs, systems, procedures, schedules, and costs, and begin challenging others at an apprentice level of informed understanding.
Ensure or assist in ensuring project work is performed efficiently and on time; assist lead project managers and lead intermediate projects as assigned.
Coach and develop team members in project management skills and techniques.
Develop and manage procurement plans for outside resources.
Manage or assist with outside-services contracts, including requests for proposals, competitive bid evaluation, vendor selection, contract negotiations, vendor performance and quality oversight, and contract compliance.
Conduct or assist with project closeout, including assessing achievement of project objectives and realization of project benefits.
Develop understanding of AEP project management organizational standards and assist in managing projects according to those standards.
Apply leadership, team-building, meeting-management, communication, strategic planning, risk assessment, prioritization, scope management, technical options evaluation, conflict management, and accountability skills in support of project success.
Support project organization, task delegation, team expectations, deliverable management, constructive feedback, and recommendations about team capabilities and assignments.
Apply knowledge of procurement documents, contract development and components, and critical drawing and document handoffs between project disciplines.
Promote continuous improvement, maintain a questioning attitude, challenge assumptions, and seek input from subject matter experts.
Perform light physical duties safely, including construction site walkdowns on unstable surfaces and climbing ladders, while remaining aware of hazardous site conditions.
Perform work at various AEP locations and support company policies, values, principles, structure, and behavior.