Project Manager (Sr. – Staff) | Commercial Building, Capital Construction

American Electric Power•Columbus, OH

1d•$98,993 - $177,503•Onsite

About The Position

American Electric Power is seeking an experienced commercial building project manager to represent and protect the Owner’s interests on major capital construction projects for AEP facilities. The role manages projects ranging from $40 million to $250 million and is posted at multiple grade levels, with higher levels requiring increased education, skills, or experience. The work applies project management principles and techniques, including Waterfall and Agile, and follows AEP project management organizational standards. The Project Manager plans, organizes, directs, coordinates, and supervises project activities; manages project and outage plans, schedules, budgets, funding, procurement, contracts, contractors, risks, and closeout; and communicates project status to stakeholders. The position collaborates with sponsors, executives, internal teams, operating staff, customers, partners, vendors, and suppliers, while promoting safety, customer satisfaction, accountability, and continuous improvement. It may also involve managing programs, mentoring project managers, and supervising sub-team project managers. Work may be performed at home, in an office, at power plants (including nuclear facilities), and at construction sites for Distribution, Transmission, Generation, and Telecom infrastructure across various AEP locations and conditions. Nuclear site work may involve hazardous areas and possible radiation exposure within NRC limits. The role includes light physical duties such as construction-site walkdowns on unstable surfaces and climbing ladders. Travel is typically 25% or less, though greater travel may be required for specific assignments.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in Construction Management, Engineering, Business, Project Management, Computer Science, or a related field of study as determined by business-unit requirements, with five years of qualified experience; or an associate’s degree in the same required disciplines with seven years of qualified experience; or a high school diploma/GED with nine years of qualified experience.
Alternatively, two years of experience as a Project Manager (Grade 7), or demonstrated competencies, knowledge, and skill through results achieved 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 show progressively increasing project management and business acumen and responsibility for 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.
Ability to perform light physical duties, including construction-site walkdowns on unstable surfaces, climbing ladders, and awareness of hazardous site conditions.
Ability to work at various AEP locations and in varying conditions, including homes, offices, power plants, and construction sites; nuclear site work may involve hazardous areas and possible radiation exposure within NRC limits.
Travel is typically 25% or less, though greater travel may be required for specific assignments.
For Project Manager Staff, PMP certification is required unless the organization’s SVP or OPCO President approves a waiver.

Nice To Haves

Experience in utilities, commercial nuclear power, and/or IT systems is favorable.
PMP certification is preferred for the general position, though it is not required except for Project Manager Staff unless waived.

Responsibilities

Plan, organize, direct, coordinate, and supervise assigned project activities, applying project management principles and techniques such as 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, coordinate, and manage project and outage plans, schedules, budgets, costs, and funding reallocations.
Communicate project details and status; lead planning meetings and project updates; and provide stakeholder presentations and clear written and oral reports.
Develop and manage working relationships with project teams, plant and operating company staff, customers, partners, contractors, vendors, and suppliers; foster teamwork and customer satisfaction.
Provide guidance, instruction, and training to improve design, systems, procedures, processes, schedules, and costs, and challenge project work based on informed understanding.
Ensure customer satisfaction and effective performance of project work at a minimum intermediate project level.
Mentor other project managers and direct and supervise sub-team project managers as assigned.
Develop procurement plans and manage outside-service contracts, including RFP development, bid evaluation, vendor selection, contract negotiations, vendor performance and quality, and contract compliance.
Conduct and supervise project closeout, including analysis of project objectives and benefits; ensure turnover of project documentation and close contracts and work orders.
Develop understanding of AEP project management organizational standards and manage projects in accordance with those standards.
Manage programs as assigned.
Partner with project sponsors and executives to define and initiate projects; assemble, lead, and manage the internal project team.
Develop project scope, cost, and schedule plans and secure project funding approvals.
Coordinate with Procurement to manage the full bid process, including RFP development, contract negotiation, and award.
Manage contractors to deliver contracted scope within approved budget and schedule, and coordinate activities across contractors and Owner-provided scope.
Lead project risk identification, analysis, mitigation, and tracking.
Provide effective leadership, team building, meeting management, and communication with stakeholders, including active listening.
Apply economic analysis and business acumen to project decisions and align project and company financial goals.
Influence engineering and design, Procurement, contracting, estimating, and construction procedures and processes to optimize execution; ensure use of current business-unit guidelines and identify process improvements.
Apply project management tools and techniques; provide strategic thinking, planning, risk assessment, and prioritization of project activities.
Organize project activities, delegate assignments, establish expectations, manage deliverables, hold team members accountable, and provide constructive feedback.
Prioritize and manage conflict, take timely independent action, and elevate issues when appropriate.
Manage scope, technical options, project risks and mitigations, and contracts with acceptable allocation of risk.
Demonstrate integrity and accountability, promote continuous improvement, maintain a questioning attitude, challenge assumptions, and seek input from subject-matter experts.
Evaluate team members’ skills and capabilities and make recommendations to support project success.
Safely perform light physical duties and work at various AEP locations and site conditions.
Understand and support AEP policies, values, principles, structure, and behavior.