Project Manager

Employee-Owned. Customer-Driven.

This position will report to: Reannon Hoverson

Application Deadline: until filled.

Please note that the position may be filled before or after the listed application deadline. Applications will only be accepted while the posting remains active.

This position will be located in: Grand Forks, ND Bemidji

This position is posted: Both Internally and Externally

Flexibility Option: In Person

Pay Range:

*Individual compensation is determined based on several factors, including job-related skills and qualifications, education, relevant experience, work location, internal equity considerations, and the overall responsibilities of the position.

Job Summary

The Project Manager leads the strategic planning, coordination, and execution of complex customer projects, exercising independent judgement in interpreting specifications, determining material strategies, and resolving project-critical issues. Serves as the primary decision-maker for project scope, vendor alignment, pricing recommendations within established guidelines, and risk mitigation. Partners with internal and external stakeholders to ensure project profitability, compliance, and successful delivery. Actively participates in coordinating, analyzing, and acting upon information and feedback of customer needs, pricing, products, competition, and procedures. 

Responsibilities

Essential Functions

• Collaborates with Account Managers, Business Development Managers, Demand Gen & Distribution Leaders, and sales staff to develop project execution strategies, establish priorities, and ensure alignment with sales and profitability objectives.
• Projects may deal with substations, power transmission, wind and solar energy, data Telco, HV industrial, commercial, or residential construction and industrial.
• Oversees customer support activities and provides direction on issue resolution, ensuring alignment with project requirements and business objectives such as expediting, pricing, follow-up, returns, and other services.
• Provides customers with timely follow-up on technical inquiries and requests.
• Develops and manages project schedules, ensuring adherence to specifications and proactively adjusting plans based on evolving risks and customer needs.
• Maintains a high level of teamwork and communication in ensuring a balanced workload within the team.
• Completes project group job form with customer information for each project handled.
• Actively participates in coordinating, analyzing, and acting upon information and feedback of customer needs, pricing, products, competition, and procedures.
• Evaluates product options, recommends sourcing strategies, and provides pricing guidance within established authority levels.
• Interprets bid requirements, resolves specification conflicts, material strategies, and determines project timelines that will meet customer’s required deadlines. After bid date, follows up on quotations to clarify product specifications, assure outstanding issues are resolved, and develop schedules that will meet customer’s required deadlines.
• Responsible for the completion of each assigned project.
• Obtains orders and provides order entry, expediting, pricing, follow-up, and other value-added services, as required.
• Coordinates with the Customer Financial Services staff to resolve customer-billing problems resulting from errors in the quotations process, pricing, shipping, delivery, or other customer service/credit areas.
• In partnership with Demand Generation, organizes, plans, and schedules the start-up and completion of assigned projects.
• Evaluates vendor performance, negotiates pricing and delivery terms within established guidelines, and escalates risks requiring leadership intervention.
• In partnership with Demand Generation, maintains job control to ensure cost and sell prices remain aligned with customer and vendor expectations.
• In partnership with Demand Generation, establishes goals and priorities for project execution.
• Manages all financials related to the project, ensuring alignment with profit margin goals.
• Monitors vendor performance and alerts appropriate stakeholders of potential problems.
• Works to gain cooperation from all project stakeholders.
• Responsible for planning, ordering, and managing high dollar, made to order products, ensuring accuracy and alignment with project specifications, timelines, and customer requirements.

Non - Essential Functions

• May develop quotations for customers within the company profit objectives and guidelines.
• Responsibilities may include overseeing all or some of the following: product application and support, estimating, procurement, material management, staging, kitting, storage, job site delivery, back hauling and project close out.
• May assist with negotiating with vendors for best pricing and best delivery of products to customers and/or jobsites.
• May be required to consult with engineers and developers on given projects.
• Performs other duties as assigned by supervisor or designate.

Qualifications

• Associates degree preferred or the equivalent in work experience. 
• 3+ years of prior customer service, quotation or sales experience with strong knowledge of electrical products and utility systems preferred. 
• Demonstrated ability to exercise independent judgement and make decisions on complex project and technical issues. 
• Experience managing project financials, pricing strategies, and vendor negotiations. 
• Proven ability to interpret technical specifications and develop project execution strategies. 
• Comprehensive knowledge of product lines and applications, alternate product substitutes, and supplier pricing policies preferred. 
• Strong working knowledge of PC for Windows, Microsoft Office (Excel, Word and PowerPoint), internet, email, and SAP software preferred.

Skills and Abilities

• Technical ability to understand electrical systems and product applications with prior electrical distribution experience preferred. 
• Technical ability to read specifications and drawings highly preferred. 
• Excellent interpersonal, written and verbal communication, reading, and customer service skills are preferred with the ability to effectively plan and organize and work well on a team. 
• Excellent customer service skills include being competent, accurate, responsive and engaged.

Physical Requirements

Lift and carry requirements (weight and frequency):
Occasionally 0 – 33% Frequently 34 – 66% Continuously: 67 – 100%

• Lift from Floor to Waist:
  • < than 10 lbs. - Occasionally
  • 10 to 25 lbs. - Occasionally
  • 26 to 50 lbs. - Occasionally
  • 51 to 75 lbs. - Occasionally
  • 76 to 100 lbs. - Not at all
  • 101 + lbs. - Not at all
• Above Waist Lift:
  • < than 10 lbs. - Occasionally
  • 10 to 25 lbs. - Occasionally
  • 26 to 50 lbs. - Occasionally
  • 51 to 75 lbs. - Occasionally
  • 76 to 100 lbs. - Not at all
  • 101+ lbs. - Not at all
• Unilateral Carry:
  • < than 10 lbs. - Not at all
  • 10 to 25 lbs. - Not at all
  • 26 to 50 lbs. - Not at all
  • 51 to 75 lbs. - Not at all
  • 76 to 100 lbs. - Not at all
  • 101+ lbs. - Not at all
• Bilateral Carry:
  • < than 10 lbs. - Not at all
  • 10 to 25 lbs. - Not at all
  • 26 to 50 lbs. - Not at all
  • 51 to 75 lbs. - Not at all
  • 76 to 100 lbs. - Not at all
  • 101+ lbs. - Not at all

Physical Activity

Frequency at which you would do the following in a typical day:

• Sitting (a continuous period of being seated) - Continuously
• Standing (for sustained periods of time) - Frequently
• Walking (moving about on foot to accomplish tasks) - Frequently
• Bending/Stooping (downward and forward) - Occasionally
• Crawling (moving about on hands and knees or hands and feet) - Not at all
• Climbing/Walking Stairs (ascending or descending) - Frequently
• Reaching (extending arms in any direction) - Frequently
• Crouching/Squatting (bending the body downward and forward by bending leg and spine) - Occasionally
• Kneeling (bending legs at knee to come to rest on knee(s)) - Occasionally
• Balancing (maintaining body equilibrium to prevent falling) - Occasionally
• Repetitive Motion (substantial movement (motions) of the wrists, hands, and/or fingers) - Continuously
• Trunk Rotation (movement in any direction, whether standing or sitting, with at least one foot stationary and in contact with the floor) - Occasionally
• Pushing/Pulling (using upper extremities to press against or draw or tug) - Occasionally
• Handling (applying pressure to an object with the fingers and palm) - Continuously
• Fingering (picking, pinching, typing; working primarily with fingers and not whole hand) - Continuously
• Talking (expressing or exchanging ideas by means of the spoken word) - Continuously
• Driving (the control and operation of a fork lift) - Occcasionally
• Desk Work (tasks generally performed at a desk, including use of a computer, printer, fax machine, telephone and other office equipment) - Continually
• Use of Computer - Continuously
• Use of Telephone - Continuously
• Hearing (perceiving the nature of sounds at normal speaking levels) - Continuously
• Exposure (to adverse weather & temperature conditions) - Continuously
• Travel (travel needed to perform job duties) - Occasionally

Additional Information

This job description is a summary of the job duties and responsibilities and is not intended to cover all possible job duties and is subject to change at the employer’s discretion. Employees must be able to perform the essential job duties and satisfy job requirements either with or without a reasonable accommodation.

Our History

Border States is a leader in the electrical supply distribution industry with approximately 130 locations in 31 states. Our employee-owners are second to none in delivering top-notch customer service and in demonstrating extra-ordinary people skills. We are one of the largest independent electrical distributors in the United States providing products and services to the construction, industrial and utility industries. Border States has a competitive benefit package and is a 100 percent employee-owned company. Employee-ownership is a significant part of our culture and our success stems from the dedication of our employee-owners. We practice open-book management and our employee-owners are empowered with clearly defined levels of authority to be innovative and decisive, allowing us to respond quickly to the needs of customers. Employee-owners understand their roles in the success of the company and care about customers’ needs, which drives our focus on adding value to everything we do. We recognize that not all customers are the same and each has specific requirements. Our employee-owners understand these diverse needs and have the commitment, resourcefulness and flexibility to outperform all others.

Values
As a Border States employee-owner, you’re responsible for living our mission, service philosophy and service standards.

Our Purpose
We believe unstoppable businesses shouldn't go it alone. We are owners - of relationships, of outcomes, of every moment these unstoppable businesses need to deliver.

Service Philosophy
We earn customer loyalty and confidence by caring about their needs and adding value to everything we do.

Service Standards
Border States employee-owners are competent, accurate, responsive, and engaged .

Your career
Join an experienced team at one of the largest electrical distributors in the United States. What are you waiting for?

Border States has a competitive benefits package which includes but is not limited to:

Health, Dental and Vision Benefits
Accident, Critical Illness, Hospital Indemnity
FSA & HSA
Employee Stock Ownership Plan (ESOP)
Disability Benefits
401(k) Retirement Plan
Life Insurance
Employee Assistance Program
Paid Holidays
Paid Volunteer Time
Personal Leave time and more!
Border States provides bonuses to their employee-owners upon the achievement of branch and company goals.

Equal Opportunity For All

It’s not just the law. It’s something we’ve believed in since our founding. We value the diversity of all of our employee-owners and will always be an equal opportunity employer.

Drug Free/Smoke Free workplace

Employment may be contingent on the offered candidate successfully passing one or more of the following pre-employment screenings:

• Criminal background check (required for all positions)
• Motor Vehicle Record (MVR) check (required for positions involving driving)
• Drug testing

The MVR check and drug testing vary by role and will be communicated to the offered candidate during the onboarding process and as applicable.