Utilities Project Manager

Sun Communities•Southfield, MI

23h•Onsite

About The Position

The Utilities Project Manager is responsible for planning, managing, and delivering utility infrastructure projects across the portfolio, ensuring completion within established timelines, budgets, and applicable requirements. This role oversees defined-scope projects from initiation through closeout, including project planning, scheduling, permitting, procurement, vendor and contractor coordination, budget management, risk mitigation, and quality oversight. With a strong focus on the water meter installation program, the Utilities Project Manager is accountable for meeting critical installation milestones and supporting the seamless transition of completed and commissioned projects to the Utilities Program Manager for ongoing operational oversight and performance monitoring.

Requirements

High School Diploma or GED (Required)
3 years in project management experience in field-based installation, construction, or infrastructure projects (Preferred)
Demonstrated experience building and holding a schedule to firm deadlines across multiple concurrent sites
Experience coordinating vendors, contractors, or field crews against a plan, including managing quality and change orders
Familiarity with permitting processes and municipal/utility coordination
Budget management experience (tracking project spend against plan and managing variances)
Excellent written and verbal communication skills
Advanced computer proficiency with the ability to use Microsoft Office Suite applications, project scheduling tools (e.g., MS Project, Smartsheet, Wrike), email, and internet-based applications
Highly organized and detail-oriented
Strong organizational and analytical skills
Must have a valid driver's license
Knowledge of project management tools and procedures

Nice To Haves

Bachelor's Degree in Business, Construction Management, or Engineering (Preferred)
Project management certification (PMP, CAPM, or equivalent)

Responsibilities

Builds and maintains detailed project schedules for metering and utility infrastructure installations, including milestones, dependencies, and the critical path.
Manages critical installation timelines and sequences work by geography, season, and operational requirements to ensure project milestones and deadlines are achieved.
Develops the project plan for each initiative, including scope, deliverables, budget, timeline, and success criteria, and secures alignment before work begins.
Tracks permit status site by site, owns the permitting workflow, and drives resolution of permitting blockers ahead of scheduled installations.
Manages the procurement of materials, equipment, and utility components to ensure availability aligns with project schedules and installation timelines.
Coordinates installation vendors, contractors, and field crews day to day to keep projects on schedule, on scope, and on budget.
Runs recurring project check-ins, publishes agendas and notes, and tracks action items and decisions to closure.
Monitors installation quality against standards and manages punch lists and rework with vendors.
Tracks project budget against plan, flags variances early, and manages change orders.
Maintains a project risk and issue register, proactively identifying potential impacts to schedule, budget, scope, and permitting requirements and driving mitigation and resolution efforts through completion.
Reports project status, milestones, risks, and forecast to the Director and Vice President on a recurring cadence.
Coordinates with community management on installation logistics and resident-facing impacts.
Completes structured project closeout for each site, including verification that installed meters are reading correctly at commissioning.
Facilitates the handoff of completed and commissioned sites to the Utilities Program Manager for ongoing operational management and documents lessons learned to support continuous improvement and future project success.
Other duties and special projects as assigned.

Benefits

Comprehensive Medical and Prescription coverage with 4 plan options
Comprehensive Dental and Vision Plans
On-Site Fitness Center
Voluntary Health and Dependent Care Reimbursement Accounts
Life, Accidental Death & Dismemberment Insurance and Dependent Life
Short and Long-Term Disability Coverage
401(k) Plan with Sun matching contribution
Employee Assistance Program
Identity Theft Insurance
Legal Assistance Plan
Pet Insurance
Tuition Reimbursement program
Vacation RV Site Discounts
Team Member Perks & Discounts program
Up to six weeks of paid parental leave
Paid Time Off including ten holidays, vacation, personal, sick time, bereavement and pay for jury duty