Utilities Infrastructure Project Manager (Water)

Havenpark Communities•Orem, UT

About The Position

The Utilities Infrastructure Project Manager (Water) delivers Havenpark’s water infrastructure projects, including water treatment plants, wells, storage tanks, distribution lines, and irrigation systems. The role owns assigned projects from scope definition through closeout and is accountable for completing them on budget and by their budgeted completion dates. The current water portfolio includes about 55 open projects totaling $9.8 million. The Project Manager manages engineers and contractors, defining and maintaining scope, schedules, budgets, bids, contracts, and change orders. The role coordinates permits, plan reviews, and approvals with state agencies and local authorities in partnership with the Sr. Utilities Program Manager. Community managers and Regional Vice Presidents are kept informed and partner on access and communication, while the Project Manager remains accountable for delivery. The Sr. Utilities Program Manager sets project priorities and selections and owns compliance, operators, and utility emergency response. The position reports project status, risks, past-due projects, and needed decisions to the VP of Capital Projects and the Sr. Utilities Program Manager. It also supports annual utility budget planning and promotes Havenpark’s purpose-driven culture of creating caring communities.

Requirements

3–5 years managing utility infrastructure projects, specifically water.
Knowledge of water treatment, storage, distribution, and irrigation project delivery from design through construction and closeout.
Knowledge of drinking water regulations, agency plan review, and permitting.
Knowledge of construction contracts, bidding, change orders, and vendor management.
Experience with project budgeting, forecasting, and cost tracking.
Knowledge of project management software and scheduling tools.
Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
Self-motivated and organized problem solver able to manage multiple projects and priorities independently.
High learning agility, ability to work well with all levels of the organization, and strong teamwork skills.
Able to pass a criminal background check.

Nice To Haves

Bachelor’s degree in engineering, environmental science, or a related field preferred.
Project Management Professional (PMP) certification preferred, not required.

Responsibilities

Own assigned water infrastructure projects from scope definition through closeout, delivering them on budget and on schedule.
Define project scope before bidding, including what is and is not included, and plan for lead times, agency reviews, access, seasonal constraints, and potential delays.
Maintain project plans, milestones, and budgeted completion dates in project management software; flag risks early and recover projects that fall behind.
Visit project sites as needed and verify that work is complete and ready before marking a project complete.
Manage engineers and contractors, holding them accountable for quality, safety, schedule, and cost.
Review project scope and schedule with contractors before work begins and confirm their understanding in writing; manage bids, contracts, and change orders.
Compare contractor change requests with surveys, scope, and drawings before approval.
Engage and manage engineers for critical projects and other projects requiring engineering; define scopes, review designs and cost estimates, and review invoices and progress reports.
Develop a reliable bench of contractors in the assigned region and replace underperforming contractors with documented reasons.
Coordinate water project permits, plan reviews, and approvals with state agencies and local authorities in partnership with the Sr. Utilities Program Manager.
Build agency review time into project plans, respond promptly to agency comments, and confirm approvals and conditions are cleared before work starts.
Ensure projects meet regulatory requirements and hand completed systems and documentation to the Sr. Utilities Program Manager for ongoing compliance.
Develop project budgets and cost forecasts, track actual costs against budget, and report variances early.
Report project status, past-due projects, risks, and needed decisions to the VP of Capital Projects and the Sr. Utilities Program Manager on an agreed cadence.
Support annual utility budget planning with project scopes and cost estimates.
Keep community managers and RVPs informed about schedules, access, and community impacts, serving as their single point of contact.
Partner with the Sr. Utilities Program Manager on project priorities, sequencing, and capital needs identified through system health and compliance findings.
Stay on the shared outage communication thread and assist as needed; the Sr. Utilities Program Manager leads utility emergency response.
Promote accountability, continuous improvement, and care consistent with Havenpark’s purpose of creating caring communities.