Project Manager

Job Description

Job Description

Job Title: Senior Project Manager Hydroelectric Dam Maintenance Job Description

The Senior Project Manager will lead a large, complex hydroelectric dam maintenance program from initial planning through execution and closeout. Based out of a central office in Wisconsin with frequent travel to the project site, this role oversees critical infrastructure work that supports safe, reliable energy service. The position manages cross-functional teams, contractors, and regulatory stakeholders, ensuring projects meet scope, schedule, cost, quality, and risk objectives in a highly regulated environment. This is a visible leadership opportunity for a seasoned project professional with deep experience in dam or marine construction and maintenance, power generation, and utility-scale projects.

• Lead complex hydroelectric dam maintenance projects using PMI-based project management practices to meet scope, schedule, cost, quality, and risk objectives.
• Define business needs, project deliverables, and technical objectives, and translate them into detailed project plans, resource strategies, and performance measures.
• Build and align a multidisciplinary project team by matching resource needs and technical expertise to project complexity and overall risk.
• Manage project contracts in partnership with sourcing and procurement teams to support safe delivery, regulatory compliance, and strong commercial performance.
• Ensure all work is delivered safely, to specification, and in accordance with committed contract schedules and quality standards.
• Lead stakeholder engagement and project communications, providing clear, timely reporting on project status, risks, decisions, and progress to internal teams, regulators, consultants, contractors, and other key stakeholders.
• Ensure project execution aligns with applicable FERC requirements and other regulatory guidelines by supporting compliance planning, maintaining accurate project records, and coordinating reviews, communications, and required regulatory deliverables.
• Coordinate closely with owners engineering teams to support development of drawing packages and technical documentation for bid and EPC contract processes.
• Oversee project risk management, including identification, analysis, mitigation planning, and ongoing monitoring of technical, commercial, schedule, and regulatory risks.
• Direct project controls activities, including cost management, budgeting, forecasting, schedule development, and schedule tracking.
• Develop and apply meaningful performance measures and key performance indicators that support execution, accountability, and results.
• Ensure project teams and end users are prepared for operational transition through effective training, readiness planning, and handover support.
• Lead project closeout activities, including operational handoff, documentation completion, financial close, resource transition, and sustainment readiness.
• Mentor and coach others in project delivery, change management, and business consulting practices that support strategic execution across the organization.
• Evaluate project feasibility and business value through sound cost-benefit analysis and structured decision support.
• Support broader business initiatives that strengthen project delivery capabilities, operational performance, and service to customers and communities.
• Collaborate with construction management and onsite construction leadership to oversee field execution, contractor oversight, and quality assurance for hydroelectric dam maintenance activities.
• Coordinate with legal, engineering, quality, cost control, and scheduling professionals to integrate their input into cohesive project plans and decisions.
• Maintain disciplined project documentation and control, including plans, logs, reports, meeting records, and change documentation.
• Foster a collaborative, inclusive project culture that promotes safety, accountability, transparency, and continuous improvement.

• Minimum of 9 years of project management experience leading large, complex projects in dam or marine construction, hydroelectric dam maintenance or construction, power generation, or similarly regulated environments.
• Proven experience working for a utility or serving as an owners representative for large utility construction projects, particularly in power generation.
• Demonstrated experience as a Construction Manager or Project Manager over a hydroelectric dam maintenance or construction project.
• Strong knowledge of FERC regulations and experience executing projects in regulated environments.
• Project Management Professional (PMP) certification.
• Ability to exercise strong judgment to solve complex problems and implement practical, effective solutions.
• Ability to create, organize, and maintain large, complex project plans with disciplined documentation and control.
• High degree of independence, accountability, and sound decision-making in dynamic project settings.
• Demonstrated leadership skills and proven ability to drive team effectiveness across complex, cross-functional environments.
• Strong communication skills with the ability to convey information clearly and credibly to technical, operational, and leadership audiences.
• Proficiency with core business and project management tools, including email, documents, spreadsheets, and project systems.
• Ability to build productive relationships and work effectively in collaborative, inclusive environments with internal teams, contractors, and regulatory stakeholders.
• Expertise in change management, construction management, contract management, cost management, project and program management, project controls, project management governance, quality management, risk management, schedule management, and stakeholder management.

• Bachelors degree in Civil, Structural, or Mechanical Engineering is preferred.
• Professional Engineer (PE) licensure in Wisconsin is preferred.
• Background as a Dam Safety Engineer (DSE) is preferred.
• Experience in construction management within power plants and other large industrial facilities.
• Experience overseeing contractors and managing complex construction interfaces.
• Familiarity with natural gas and LNG-related projects and systems is beneficial.
• Experience collaborating with an owners engineer to develop drawing packages and technical documentation for bid and EPC contracts.
• Ability to develop and apply performance metrics that support execution, accountability, and continuous improvement.
• Experience navigating regulatory stakeholders and leading communications across technical, operational, and external partner groups.
• Proven ability to support strategic business initiatives that enhance project delivery and operational performance.

This role is based out of a general office in Wisconsin and involves frequent travel to a hydroelectric dam project site. The Senior Project Manager works within a multidisciplinary project team that typically includes a contract administrator, cost control specialist, scheduler, several engineers, an onsite construction manager, a quality assurance professional, and legal and other functional experts who engage as needed throughout the project lifecycle. Team size is typically around 1015 project personnel. The work centers on large-scale hydroelectric dam maintenance within a regulated utility environment, with close collaboration across engineering, construction, regulatory, legal, and operations functions. The project portfolio includes a multi-year hydroelectric dam program and may also interface with large energy infrastructure initiatives, such as LNG facilities with feed gas pretreatment, liquefaction, storage, and send-out systems. The environment emphasizes safety, disciplined project controls, and rigorous compliance with regulatory requirements. Work is primarily performed in office, meeting, and project site settings, requiring the ability to move between desk-based planning and documentation work and field-based coordination and oversight. The culture values collaboration, transparency, technical excellence, and a strong commitment to reliable service for customers and communities.

This is a Contract to Hire position based out of Madison, WI.

The pay range for this position is $80.00 - $85.00/hr.

Individual compensation offered for this position within this range will depend on many factors, including qualifications, skills, relevant experience, job knowledge, geographic location, internal equity, and other pertinent job-related factors.

Eligibility requirements apply to some benefits and may depend on your job classification and length of employment. Benefits are subject to change and may be subject to specific elections, plan, or program terms. If eligible, the benefits available for this temporary role may include the following: Medical, dental & vision Critical Illness, Accident, and Hospital 401(k) Retirement Plan Pre-tax and Roth post-tax contributions available Life Insurance (Voluntary Life & AD&D for the employee and dependents) Short and long-term disability Health Spending Account (HSA) Transportation benefits Employee Assistance Program Time Off/Leave (PTO, Vacation or Sick Leave)

This is a Contract to Hire position based out of Madison, WI.

This position is anticipated to close on Oct 29, 2026.

This is a hybrid position in Madison,WI.

About Actalent

Actalent is a global leader in engineering and sciences services and talent solutions. We help visionary companies advance their engineering and science initiatives through access to specialized experts who drive scale, innovation and speed to market. With a network of almost 20,000 consultants and 5,000 clients across the U.S., Canada, Asia and Europe, Actalent serves many of the Fortune 500. We are proud to be an Engineering News-Record (ENR) Top 500 Design Firm for our engineering design services and a ClearlyRated Best of Staffing® winner for both client and talent service.

The company is an equal opportunity employer and will consider all applications withoutregard to race, sex, age, color, religion, national origin, veteran status, disability,sexual orientation, gender identity, genetic information or any characteristic protectedby law.

If you would like to request a reasonable accommodation, such as the modification oradjustment of the job application process or interviewing process due to a disability,please email View email address on ziprecruiter.com for other accommodation options.

San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance: Pursuant to the San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance, for all positions located in thecity and county of San Francisco, we will consider for employment qualified applicantswith arrest and conviction records.

Massachusetts Lie Detector: It is unlawful in Massachusetts to require or administer a lie detector test as acondition of employment or continued employment. An employer who violates this lawshall be subject to criminal penalties and civil liability.

Use of Artificial Intelligence (AI): We may use Artificial Intelligence (AI) to support parts of our hiring process,including sourcing, screening, and evaluating candidates. AI helps assess applicationsand qualifications, but final decisions are made by our hiring team. By applying, youacknowledge and agree that your application may be reviewed using AI tools.