Senior DER Project Manager

Role: Senior Project Manager

W2 Contract: 12 Months

Location: Hybrid in Oakbrook Terrace, IL 60181

Schedule : 3 days in the office and 2 days remote (7:00 AM – 3:30 PM).

Client : ComEd

Overview

Our client is seeking a Senior Project Manager to take full ownership of the delivery of Distributed Energy Resources (DER) solar projects from initial planning through final closeout. In this role, you will be accountable for managing scope, schedule, budget, safety, risk, and overall project performance. You will lead cross-functional alignment across multiple disciplines—including engineering, estimating, construction, scheduling, cost, contracting, and operations—while partnering closely with external developers and customers. The ideal candidate is a proactive problem solver who identifies deviations early, builds actionable recovery plans, and actively drives projects toward their commitments.

Responsibilities

• Take complete ownership of the overall successful delivery of assigned DER solar projects from initiation through execution and closeout.

• Direct and manage project scope, schedule, baseline budget, safety standards, risk mitigation, and overall project performance.

• Coordinate and align cross-functional teams and departments, including engineering, estimating, construction, scheduling, cost, contracting, operations, developers, customers, and key stakeholders.

• Monitor project performance metrics to proactively identify any schedule, cost, or scope deviations as early as possible.

• Develop and execute clear recovery plans, eliminate project barriers, manage escalations when necessary, and drive projects back toward approved commitments rather than simply reporting issues.

• Serve as the central point of contact and accountability, collaborating closely within a multi-disciplinary team environment.

Required Skills & Experience

• Degree in Business, Project Management, Engineering, or a related field.

• 10+ years of dedicated project management experience.

• Proven experience leading end-to-end projects within the energy domain, specifically with Distributed Energy Resources (DER) solar initiatives.

• Demonstrated background managing comprehensive project baselines, budgets, complex schedules, risk logs, and safety protocols.

• Practical experience coordinating cross-functional technical organizations, such as engineering, estimating, construction, contracting, and operations.

• Strong analytical capability to detect project variance early, establish corrective recovery plans, and remove execution roadblocks.

• Exceptional leadership, ownership, and stakeholder management abilities with the capacity to communicate effectively across diverse internal and external teams. .

Preferred Skills & Experience

• Project Management Professional (PMP) or equivalent certification.

• Deep understanding of solar interconnection processes, utility coordination, and DER regulatory frameworks.

• Experience utilizing advanced project scheduling and cost management software tools