Job Description
The Utilities Infrastructure Project Manager (Water) delivers Havenpark’s water infrastructure projects, including water treatment plants, wells, storage tanks, distribution lines, and irrigation systems, on budget and by their budgeted completion dates. The role owns each assigned project from scope definition through closeout, managing the engineers and contractors to completion. The water portfolio currently includes about 55 open projects totaling $9.8 million.
This role is accountable for completion. Community managers and Regional Vice Presidents (RVP) stay informed and partner on access and communication, but they are not responsible for completing the work. The Sr. Utilities Program Manager sets priorities and selects projects and also owns compliance, operators, and utility emergency response, so this role can stay focused on projects.
On critical projects and others that need an engineer for design and construction, the position manages the engineers and holds them to scope, schedule, and cost. It reinforces Havenpark’s values and purpose-driven culture of creating caring communities.
Project Planning & Delivery
- Own a portfolio of water projects from scope definition through closeout, finishing each on budget and on schedule, with no projects past due.
- Define scope fully before bidding, including what’s in and out, so contractors price and plan the real work and change requests are rare.
- Build the plan up front: lead times, agency review times, access and seasonal constraints, and potential start delays. Start early enough to finish on time.
- 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 actually complete and ready before marking a project complete.
Contractor & Engineer Management
- Manage engineers and contractors to completion on every assigned project, holding them accountable for quality, safety, schedule, and cost.
- Walk contractors through the scope and schedule before they start and confirm their understanding in writing; manage bids, contracts, and change orders; and compare change requests against the survey, scope, and drawings before approving.
- Engage engineers for design and construction on critical projects and other projects that require engineering; define their scopes of work, review designs and cost estimates, and review invoices and progress reports.
- Select and develop a reliable bench of contractors in the assigned region and replace those who do not perform, with documented reasons.
Permitting & Regulatory Coordination
- 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 every plan, respond quickly to agency comments, and confirm approvals and conditions are cleared before work starts.
- Ensure projects are built and documented to meet regulatory requirements, and hand off completed systems and documentation to the Sr. Utilities Program Manager for ongoing compliance.
Budget, Cost Control & Reporting
- Develop project budgets and cost forecasts; track actual costs against the 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.
Collaboration & Business Partnership
- Keep community managers and RVPs informed about schedules, access, and anything that affects their communities, serving as a single point of contact so they don’t have to field calls from multiple parties.
- 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 a culture of accountability, continuous improvement, and care consistent with Havenpark’s purpose of creating caring communities.
Qualifications
- Education: Bachelor’s degree in engineering, environmental science, or a related field preferred.
- Experience: 3-5 years managing utility infrastructure projects, specifically water.
- Certification: Project Management Professional (PMP) preferred, not required.
- Skills & Knowledge:
- Water treatment, storage, distribution, and irrigation project delivery, from design through construction and closeout
- Drinking water regulations, agency plan review, and permitting
- Construction contracts, bidding, change orders, and vendor management
- Project budgeting, forecasting, and cost tracking
- Project management software and scheduling tools
- Excellent written and verbal communication skills
- Self-motivated, organized problem solver able to manage multiple projects and priorities independently
- High learning agility; works well with all levels of the organization and is a strong team player
- Physical Demands & Additional Requirements Primarily an office-based position with typical physical demands related to extended computer and phone use, including long periods of sitting, and periods of walking and standing at project sites in outdoor conditions. Travel is expected about once per quarter to visit large projects, with occasional additional travel for meetings.
Able to pass a criminal background check.
We may use artificial intelligence (AI) tools to support parts of the hiring process, such as reviewing applications, analyzing resumes, or assessing responses and identifying potential inconsistencies or verification signals in application materials based on available information. These tools assist our recruitment team but do not replace human judgment. Final hiring decisions are ultimately made by humans. If you would like more information about how your data is processed, please contact us.
