Project Manager

Job Title:

Utility Project Manager / Project Engineer / Project Coordinator

Job Description

This role leads complex low-voltage utility distribution projects from initial planning through final closeout, supporting major overhead and underground distribution initiatives. The position coordinates design, permitting, environmental review, materials, and financial approvals, ensuring projects are fully prepared to transition to field construction. The role is hybrid, with three days per week onsite at a downtown Detroit utility office and two days remote, and offers the opportunity to influence department growth and help shape processes in a rapidly expanding organization.

Responsibilities

+ Lead utility projects across all phases, including planning, scope definition, budgeting, scheduling, execution, monitoring, and closeout.

+ Manage low-voltage distribution projects involving overhead and underground utility work, as well as related substation, transmission, and natural gas initiatives.

+ Coordinate closely with design teams to ensure all engineering, design coordination, and documentation are complete before handoff to construction project managers.

+ Serve as the primary catalyst for communication among internal engineering contacts and various utility stakeholders, maintaining clear and direct communication throughout the project lifecycle.

+ Work with vegetation management teams to determine what vegetation must be trimmed or removed to provide access for new equipment and construction activities.

+ Coordinate environmental studies, including assessing utility lines crossing wetlands and other sensitive areas, and respond to unexpected findings or constraints.

+ Secure and manage easement access permits, including coordinating access through individual properties, farmland, and other privately owned land.

+ Oversee materials planning by identifying required materials, confirming orders, and tracking delivery timelines to align with project schedules.

+ Manage financial approvals by ensuring all required parties review and sign off on project budgets and expenditures.

+ Use SAP software to assign tasks, track project timelines, monitor progress, and maintain accurate records of project activities.

+ Proactively identify schedule risks and constraints, and adjust timelines in coordination with construction, design, engineering, overhead, underground, and natural gas teams.

+ Communicate changes, obstacles, and setbacks to stakeholders promptly, and lead efforts to revise timelines and plans based on new information.

+ Resolve last-minute issues such as denied land access or unexpected environmental study results by developing alternative solutions and securing necessary approvals.

+ Manage multiple projects simultaneously under tight deadlines while maintaining quality, safety, and compliance standards.

+ Represent the organization professionally to utility partners, demonstrating strong leadership, enthusiasm, and direct communication.

+ Support the continued growth of the team and department by contributing ideas to improve processes, coordination, and overall project delivery.

Essential Skills

+ Demonstrated experience in project management, project engineering, or project coordination for utility-related work.

+ Hands-on experience with low-voltage distribution (LVD) projects, including overhead and underground utility distribution.

+ Background in utility-related projects such as substations, transmission lines, natural gas infrastructure, underground utilities, sewer lines, or water lines.

+ Experience managing commercial or industrial construction projects with multiple stakeholders and tight deadlines.

+ Proficiency in end-to-end project management, including planning, scope development, budgeting, scheduling, execution, monitoring, and closeout.

+ Strong project coordination skills, including frequent communication with internal engineering contacts and external utility stakeholders.

+ Experience in scheduling and timeline management, coordinating with construction, design, and engineering teams across overhead, underground, and natural gas disciplines.

+ Ability to use SAP or similar project tracking software to assign tasks, monitor timelines, and manage project data; experience with other tools such as Excel for tracking is beneficial.

+ Exceptional communication skills, with the ability to communicate clearly, directly, and confidently across diverse teams and stakeholders.

+ Strong leadership capabilities, including the ability to drive accountability, keep teams aligned, and represent the organization effectively.

+ Proven problem-solving skills, including the ability to respond quickly to unexpected setbacks and develop practical solutions.

+ Ability to manage multiple concurrent projects under tight deadlines while maintaining organization and attention to detail.

+ High energy, enthusiasm, and a proactive approach to driving projects forward.

Additional

Skills & Qualifications

+ Experience coordinating vegetation…