Project Manager/Operations Manager - Electrical Testing

Project / Operations Manager

Location: Northern Virginia

Reports to: Vice President

Industry: Electrical Acceptance & Maintenance Testing | Data Centers

About the Role

We are a NETA electrical testing company serving the Northern Virginia data center market. We are seeking a Project / Operations Manager to lead field crews, manage acceptance and maintenance testing projects, and serve as a primary point of contact for clients.

Reporting directly to the Vice President, this is a hands-on leadership role with responsibility for day-to-day project execution, crew coordination, scheduling, and client relationships. The right person will bring practical electrical testing experience, strong organizational skills, and the ability to keep multiple jobs moving safely and efficiently.

Key Responsibilities

Project Execution

• Manage acceptance and maintenance testing projects from turnover through final reporting and closeout.
• Develop and maintain project schedules, manpower plans, equipment needs, and work priorities.
• Coordinate testing activities, outages, site access, and readiness with clients, general contractors, electrical contractors, and facility teams.
• Track project costs, labor productivity, scope changes, and progress against budget.
• Identify issues early, resolve field obstacles, and keep the Vice President informed of risks and resource needs.
• Ensure testing documentation, deficiency tracking, and final reports are completed accurately and on time.

Field Operations & Crew Leadership

• Schedule and coordinate field crews across multiple projects and customer sites.
• Set clear expectations for daily work, safety, quality, productivity, and communication.
• Work closely with crew leads and technicians to confirm scope, site conditions, procedures, and required resources before mobilization.
• Support employee development, accountability, and consistent field practices.
• Reinforce safe work practices and compliance with company procedures, customer requirements, and applicable electrical safety standards.

Client Relationships

• Serve as a primary client contact throughout project execution.
• Lead project coordination meetings and provide clear updates on schedules, progress, deficiencies, and outstanding items.
• Manage expectations professionally and address concerns promptly.
• Document changes in scope and coordinate pricing and authorization before additional work proceeds.
• Build repeat business through reliable execution, responsiveness, and follow-through.

Business & Management Support

• Partner directly with the Vice President on staffing, workload planning, operational priorities, and project performance.
• Support estimating and proposal development with input on labor, schedules, equipment, and execution requirements.
• Provide timely project information to support billing, forecasting, and collection of outstanding change orders.
• Improve scheduling, reporting, and communication processes as the company grows.

Qualifications

• Experience managing electrical testing, electrical construction, commissioning, or related field service projects.
• Working knowledge of electrical acceptance and maintenance testing, including NETA testing practices and requirements.
• Experience coordinating field crews and managing multiple projects with competing priorities.
• Familiarity with electrical distribution equipment such as switchgear, switchboards, transformers, circuit breakers, protective relays, and UPS systems.
• Ability to read electrical drawings, one-line diagrams, specifications, and testing scopes.
• Strong client communication, problem-solving, and organizational skills.
• Ability to manage project budgets, labor hours, schedules, and scope changes.
• Comfort working in a small company where managers take ownership and stay involved in daily operations.

Preferred Qualifications

• Data center, heavy industrial, or utility substation service experience.
• Experience supervising crews.
• Knowledge of NETA technician certification process.
• Experience planning outages and coordinating testing in operating facilities.
• Background as a field technician, crew lead, superintendent, or electrical testing project manager.