Project Manager

Project Manager

Own the project. Navigate the complexity. Deliver on the promise.

As a Project Manager at Stimulus Technologies, you lead grant-funded fiber deployment projects from design kickoff through construction and final network turnover, where execution isn't just about timelines, but strict compliance, funding milestones, and public accountability. You are the single point of ownership for delivering projects that meet aggressive build schedules while satisfying state and federal grant requirements.

This is a high-ownership role where you'll manage competing priorities across engineering partners, contractors, internal teams, and clients, while ensuring every decision aligns with budget, schedule, and reimbursement eligibility. You'll proactively manage risk, enforce accountability, and keep projects moving in an environment where delays and missteps have real financial consequences. If you thrive in complex, high-stakes projects and want to lead work that directly impacts communities, this is your opportunity to take ownership and deliver at scale.

Essential Functions

Project Planning and Schedule Management

• Develop and maintain the master project schedule encompassing design, permitting, construction, drop installation, testing, and network turnover milestones.

• Coordinate schedule dependencies across the engineering firm (design and permitting), construction contractors (mainline build), and in-house crews (drop installation) to ensure alignment and prevent downstream delays.

• Establish project milestones and critical path items; proactively identify schedule risks and develop mitigation plans.

• Track and enforce compliance with grant-mandated buildout timelines, reporting deadlines, and program-specific milestone requirements.

• Manage project scope and change control processes; evaluate and document the cost, schedule, and scope impact of all change requests before approval.

• Facilitate project kickoff meetings and establish roles, responsibilities, and communication cadences with all internal and external stakeholders.

SOW, Contract, and Budget Management

• Monitor the engineering firm's performance against their SOW, deliverable schedules, and contract terms; document deviations and coordinate corrective actions with the Construction Manager and Director of Project Management.

• Monitor construction contractor performance against contract terms, pay application accuracy, and change order justifications in coordination with the Construction Manager.

• Develop and manage project budgets; track actual costs against forecasts and report variances to the Director of Project Management.

• Review and approve invoices from the engineering firm, construction contractors, and permitting agencies for accuracy and contract alignment before processing.

• Ensure all project expenditures are properly documented and categorized for grant reimbursement and compliance reporting.

• Maintain organized contract files including SOWs, amendments, change orders, and correspondence for each project.

Stakeholder and Client Management

• Serve as the primary point of contact for the client on project status, deliverables, and issue resolution.

• Prepare and deliver regular project status reports to the client, Director of Project Management, and internal leadership including schedule performance, budget status, risks, and upcoming milestones.

• Facilitate regular project status meetings with the client, engineering firm, construction contractors, and internal teams.

• Manage client expectations and proactively communicate schedule or scope changes with proposed solutions.

• Coordinate with the client on subscriber enrollment, service activation timelines, and drop installation priorities.

Cross-Functional Coordination

• Coordinate with the Construction Manager on construction progress, contractor issues, and field resource needs.

• Coordinate with the Permitting Manager on permit submittal schedules, approval status, and any permitting constraints affecting the construction schedule.

• Coordinate with the Drop Installation Crew Manager on drop scheduling, production rates, and compliance with mandated installation timelines.

• Work with the engineering firm to track design and permitting deliverable progress and ensure deliverables feed into the construction schedule on time.

• Coordinate the construction-to-operations turnover process, ensuring all documentation, testing, and acceptance criteria are met before network handoff.

• Identify resource conflicts or bottlenecks across projects and work with the Director of Project Management to prioritize and resolve.

Grant Compliance and Reporting

• Ensure all project activities and documentation comply with state and federal grant program requirements.

• Prepare and submit required grant reports, progress updates, and milestone certifications on schedule.

• Maintain auditable project records including schedules, budgets, invoices, change orders, and deliverable logs for grant compliance purposes.

• Track grant reimbursement submissions and coordinate with finance on draw schedules and funding status.

• Stay current on grant program requirements and proactively communicate any compliance risks to the Director of Project Management.

Education and Experience

Required

• High school diploma or GED; bachelor's degree in project management, construction management, engineering, business, or related field preferred.

• Minimum 5 years of project management experience in telecom, broadband, fiber optic, or utility construction.

• Demonstrated experience managing project budgets, schedules, and contractor/vendor relationships.

• Strong understanding of OSP fiber optic construction phases including design, permitting, mainline build, and drop installation.

• Experience with SOW and contract compliance management for third-party engineering or construction firms.

• Proficiency with project management tools (e.g., Microsoft Project, Smartsheet, or equivalent) and Microsoft Office Suite.

• Excellent written and verbal communication skills for client-facing reporting and stakeholder management.

• Strong organizational skills with the ability to manage multiple concurrent projects and competing priorities.

• Valid driver's license with the ability to travel to project sites as needed.

Preferred

• PMP certification or equivalent project management credential.

• Experience with government-funded or grant-funded broadband deployment programs (BEAD, RDOF, ReConnect, CAF, or similar).

• Familiarity with FTTH/FTTP deployment at scale.

• Background in OSP engineering or construction management.

• Experience with grant compliance reporting and reimbursement processes.

Alignment with Core Values

At Stimulus Technologies, our core values define how we work. The ideal candidate will demonstrate:

• Driven to Grow – Continuously seeks to develop professionally, stays current with industry practices, and pushes to improve processes and outcomes.

• See a Need – Fill a Need – Proactively identifies gaps, obstacles, or opportunities and takes action without waiting to be asked.

• Elevate Others – Mentors teammates, shares knowledge freely, and actively contributes to a positive and collaborative work environment.

• Extreme Ownership – Takes full accountability for results, decisions, and mistakes; does not deflect blame or make excuses.

• Celebrate Success – Recognizes contributions of team members, acknowledges milestones, and fosters a culture where wins are shared.

Stimulus Technologies is an equal opportunity employer. This job description is not intended to be an exhaustive list of all duties, responsibilities, or qualifications associated with the position. Management reserves the right to amend and change responsibilities to meet business and organizational needs as necessary.