Senior Project Manager/ Civil Engineer

DESCRIPTION:

The Senior Project Manager holds overall responsibility for assigned projects of high scope and complexity or multiple clients/projects at the same time. Duties include planning and executing a specific project plan, delivering quality products and services to the client in a timely manner, proactively managing project financials, and serving as the primary contact between the SSR project team and the client. Serves as a trusted advisor on engineering matters to the client and external team. Ensures that projects are executed according to the plan and is responsible for the results of assigned projects. Provides oversight, leadership and mentoring to Project Manager I and II on their assigned projects. The Senior Project Manager ensures that projects are executed according to the plan and is responsible for the results of assigned projects (Total Project Success).

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS:

• Confirms the project scope and requirements with the client and other stakeholders
• Coordinates the project proposal phase; assists senior design staff in the development of technical documentation, proposals, and presentations for interviews
• Develops a financial plan for the project by negotiating fees, preparing the proposal letter, and preparing the preliminary man-hour budget; works with CRM, Department Head, or Operations Director as applicable
• Ensures contracts are fully executed by the appropriate Principal
• Develops the project staffing plan and preliminary man-hour budget, working with CRM, Department Head, or Operations Director as needed
• Leads project kick-off meetings with project team to convey project scope, client expectations and standards, man-hour budgets, etc.
• Works with design team to confirm a final man-hour budget based on discipline work plans that identify tasks and hours to complete
• Supports and guides Project Managers and other team members on assigned projects
• Proactively understands schedule expectations and, with team input, proposes interim milestones adjusting as necessary throughout the project and avoiding a project reset; proactively negotiates accounts receivable collection issues
• Schedules work, communicates schedule and action-item information to the project team, monitors manpower requirements and plans for all disciplines on the project, and updates eResource with current man-hour projections as the project requires while maintaining a profit variance of +/- 5%
• Ensures project documentation is completed and appropriately stored
• Prepares and implements a proactive Quality Assurance/Quality Control (QA/QC) plan for projects
• Ensures that invoices are accurate and delivered in a timely manner, monitors and works with client to collect account receivables, and updates the projected monthly revenue earnings for each project
• Attends meetings with owners, clients, and architects; encourages feedback from client and facilitates communication back to the project team; documents important issues
• Anticipates issues affecting clients or SSR expectations and is able to address; exhibits trust to the client through experience and technical knowledge, serving as a trusted advisor
• Proactively manages changes in project scope, identifies potential crises, and devices contingency plans
• Monitors project budget and works with project team to schedule work in accordance with man-hour budgets; recognizes how the hours charged to the project impact the revenues and projections; recognizes how the hours charged to the project impact the revenue and projections
• Identifies, negotiates, and administers fees for additional services as needed or by identifying client needs
• Builds, develops, and grows business relationships vital to the success of the project and engages in business development activities with current and potential clients, creating additional service opportunities and expanding business with additional SSR service lines
• Responds to contractor’s and client’s request for information quickly and efficiently
• Performs risk assessments to develop response strategies; manages risks throughout the project
• Manages the Construction Administration (CA) process to ensure building systems are installed consistent with the design and predetermined quality standards
• Supervises the job close out process to ensure documentation, filings, and lessons learned are complete
• Actively attends internal and external training and other educational opportunities to obtain knowledge in necessary technical areas; exhibits general understanding and is able to represent SSR in multi-discipline discussions
• Exhibits thought leadership and actively participates in professional organizations or industry speaking and writing engagements

KNOWLEDGE, SKILL, AND ABILITY REQUIREMENTS:

KNOWLEDGE

• Thorough knowledge of Microsoft Office Suite (i.e., Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Outlook)
• Thorough knowledge of all project financial activities (i.e., budgeting, projections, reporting)
• Knowledge of project management practices
• General understanding of business practices
• Expert within the engineering discipline of his/her expertise
• Working knowledge of all engineering disciplines practiced by the firm

SKILLS and ABILITIES

• Presentation Skills – effective in variety of presentation settings both inside and outside the organization; commands attention and can manage group processes during the presentation; can change tactics midstream when something isn’t working
• Judgment and Decision-Making Skills – ability to make reasoned judgments that are logical and well thought out; constructively questioning and analyzing information in order to make the best conclusion
• Organizational Skills – can marshal resources (people, funding, material, support, etc.) to get things done; can orchestrate multiple activities at once to accomplish goals; uses resources effectively and efficiently; arranges information and files in a useful manner
• Active Listening Skills –practices attentive listening with the patience to hear people out; can accurately restate the opinions of others even when they disagree
• Delegation Skills – ability to effectively assign task responsibility and authority to others
• Interpersonal Skills – ability to interact positively and work effectively with others
• Relationship Management Skills – ability to create, maintain, and strengthen authentic relationships with clients
• Comprehension – ability to understand information, ideas, and direction presented in writing and/or verbally communicated
• Written Communication Skills – ability to clearly deliver a message through written words using correct grammar, spelling, and punctuation
• Speech Clarity – ability to speak clearly and in a common language so that others can understand you
• Detail-Oriented – ability to achieve accuracy and thoroughness when accomplishing a task; pays attention to details and is able to understand what caused a certain outcome
• Technical Writing Skills – skilled in the area of summarizing or explaining technical information in a clear, concise, and accurate way, communicating the point intended
• Leadership Skills – establishing a clear vision, sharing that vision with others so that they will follow willingly, providing the information, knowledge, and methods to realize that vision, and coordinating and balancing the conflicting interests of all members and stakeholders
• Foresight – ability to predict what is likely to happen in the future

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS:

• Technical or Bachelor’s degree in one of the major technical disciplines practiced by the firm with ten years of related project experience OR
• Fifteen years of practical experience on similar projects
• Proven leadership as a trusted advisor to clients
• Demonstrated, consistent ability to manage projects of various size and complexity
• Expertise in proactively managing project financials with minimal oversight
• Professional Engineer Licensure preferred (required by those who have a ABET accredited degree in engineering)

PHYSICAL DEMANDS: (The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of the job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.)

• Frequently use a computer for several hours at a time
• May need to periodically maneuver over, under, and around barriers as well as climb ladders on a job site
• Ability to transport ladders and plans weighing up to 30 pounds
• Ability to climb several flights of stairs (up to 12 levels)

WORK ENVIRONMENT: (The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.)

• Indoors in a normal office environment with some exposure to excessive noise, darkness/poor lighting, fumes, or dust
• May travel to and navigate construction sites, some of which may be at high altitudes or small spaces with dirt or dust particles
• Occasional overnight travel (around 10 – 20% of the time) to attend project meetings, conferences, and training sessions

SSR is an Equal Opportunity / Affirmative Action Employer

EOE including Disability/Veteran

Our mission is to make a positive difference for our clients, colleagues, and communities.

Recruiters or staffing agencies: SSR is not obligated to compensate any external recruiter or search firm who presents a candidate, their resume, or profile to an SSR employee without 1) a current, fully-executed agreement on file and 2) being assigned to the open position via HR