Project Manager (Sr. - Principal) - TRANSMISSION Projects/Ohio (New Albany, OH)

American Electric Power•New Albany, OH

3d•$87,633 - $151,132•Onsite

About The Position

American Electric Power is hiring a Project Manager at the Senior or Principal level to manage intermediate or complex transmission projects in a matrix-team environment. The role provides leadership, direction, training, coordination, and communication throughout project initiation, planning, execution, monitoring and control, and closeout. Projects are managed with a focus on safety, efficiency, economy, balanced risk, business goals, and customer satisfaction. The Project Manager provides transparency and builds effective relationships with internal and external stakeholders, while promoting continuous improvement and value delivery. Supervisory duties may be assigned when the role has direct reports. The position manages project activities, plans, schedules, budgets, tools, and staff, and applies project-management methods including Waterfall and Agile. It calls for expert-level project-management capability, leadership, strategic planning, financial and risk judgment, strong communication, and the ability to guide project teams and influence organizational processes. The role may represent AEP with customers, vendors, and regulators. The position is based on site in New Albany, Ohio, and may involve work at homes, offices, power plants (including nuclear facilities), and construction sites for Distribution, Transmission, Generation, and Telecom infrastructure. Work at nuclear sites may involve hazardous areas and possible radiation exposure within NRC limits. Travel is typically 25% or less, although some assignments may require more. Light physical work may include walking construction sites over unstable surfaces, climbing ladders, and being aware of hazardous site conditions.

Requirements

For the Project Manager Senior level: a bachelor’s degree in a relevant field and five years of qualified experience; or a two-year associate degree in a relevant field and seven years of qualified experience; or a high school diploma/GED and nine years of qualified experience.
For the Project Manager Principal level: a bachelor’s degree in a relevant field and seven years of qualified experience; or a two-year associate degree in a relevant field and nine years of qualified experience; or a high school diploma/GED and eleven years of qualified experience.
Qualified experience may include project management, outage management, major construction field experience, project estimating, project controls, project engineering, business or financial administration, or comparable experience in a competitive production environment. Experience expectations vary by level.
Senior-level candidates must show progressively increasing project-management and business responsibility and preparedness in relevant project-management knowledge areas.
Principal-level candidates must demonstrate successful project-management duties, business acumen, and prior responsibility across all certifying-body knowledge areas, with specialist-level capability in relevant project-management disciplines.
Knowledge and capability in construction safety, negotiations, scope development and control, cost estimating, construction contracting, project controls and reporting, quality control, and risk management.
Effective leadership, team building, meeting management, communication, listening, stakeholder engagement, business judgment, strategic thinking, prioritization, conflict management, and decision-making.
High proficiency in scope management, evaluation of technical solutions, and project risk management; proficiency in contract development and management.
Ability to work independently or interdependently as required and execute responsibilities with minimal direct supervision.
Ability to safely perform light physical duties, including construction-site walkdowns on unstable surfaces and climbing ladders, while remaining aware of hazardous site conditions.
Valid state driver's license.
Support and understanding of AEP policies, values, principles, structure, and behavior.

Nice To Haves

PMP certification is preferred but not required.
Experience in utilities, commercial nuclear power, and/or IT systems is favorable.
For Project Manager Senior, two years as a Project Manager (Grade 7) is expected, or demonstrated competencies and results in a shorter timeline.
For Project Manager Principal, two years as a Project Manager Senior (Grade 8) is preferred, or demonstrated competencies and results in a shorter timeline.
For Project Manager SG7, three years as a Project Manager Associate (Grade 6) is preferred, or demonstrated competencies, knowledge, and skills through results in a shorter timeline.

Responsibilities

Plan, organize, direct, coordinate, and manage assigned project activities using project-management principles and Waterfall or Agile 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, coordinate, and manage project plans, schedules, budgets, tools, and staffing; manage costs and reallocate funding as needed.
Communicate project and outage details and status, lead planning meetings and updates, prepare stakeholder presentations, and provide clear written and oral reports.
Develop and manage working relationships with project teams, plant and operating-company staff, customers, partners, contractors, vendors, and suppliers.
Provide guidance, instruction, and training to improve designs, systems, processes, procedures, schedules, and costs; challenge project work when appropriate.
Support customer satisfaction and serve as a subject-matter expert on responsible projects, providing clarity, support, and accountability.
Represent AEP with industrial customers, vendors, and regulators when project assignments require it.
Manage projects in alignment with AEP project-management organizational standards.
Provide leadership, build teams, manage meetings, delegate tasks, set expectations, oversee deliverables, and hold team members accountable.
Apply economic analysis and business judgment to project decisions and align project and company financial goals.
Influence engineering and design, procurement, contracting, estimating, construction, and startup procedures to optimize projects and ensure teams use current business-unit requirements.
Identify and implement business-process improvements across projects or programs.
Apply project-management tools and techniques, and integrate them into internal procedures and processes.
Plan strategically, assess and prioritize risks, and make sound decisions to avoid or mitigate project risks.
Manage scope, evaluate technical solutions, and manage project risks.
Develop and manage contracts, including allocating risk between owner and contractor, and build relationships with strategically valuable contractors.
Assess team members’ skills and capabilities, provide constructive feedback, develop individuals, and address poor performance.
Seek input from subject-matter experts, validate information, and make project stakeholders aware of effects on budget, scope, schedule, and risk.
Prioritize and resolve conflicts, take timely independent action, make recommendations, and assist executive management with elevated issues.
Perform light physical duties safely and effectively, work independently or collaboratively with minimal direct supervision, and promote continuous improvement and a questioning attitude.
Understand and support AEP policies, values, principles, structure, and behavior.