Assistant Project Manager

Job Description

Job Description

Underground Project Manager

Job Description

Job Title: Underground Assistant Project Manager

Reports To: Group Manager

FLSA Status: Exempt

Position Summary

Assistant Project Manager – Underground Construction

The Assistant Project Manager – Underground Construction is responsible for overseeing and managing underground utility and electrical construction projects from conception through completion. This role requires extensive experience in underground construction, including open excavation, greenfield projects, horizontal directional drilling (HDD), and underground utility installation. The ideal candidate will have prior experience in telecommunications, low-voltage, or underground electrical construction, along with strong estimating skills, experience managing high-value bids and change orders, and the ability to review and interpret contracts, blueprints, specifications, and utility schematics. The Project Manager will lead projects from estimating and preconstruction through execution and closeout, ensuring projects are completed safely, on schedule, within budget, and to the highest quality standards. Candidates should possess excellent organizational, communication, leadership, and problem-solving skills, have working knowledge of underground construction equipment such as Ditch Witch, be flexible with travel, and ideally have an established book of business in the Jacksonville market. This position offers a clear growth path for a motivated leader interested in advancing to a Group Manager role within one to two years.

Key Measurables

The success of this role will be evaluated through the following metrics:

• Management of projects with a minimum total value of $4–8 million.
• Achievement of project revenue and profitability goals on a monthly and annual basis.
• Maintaining billingsgreaterthan costs on all assigned projects.
• Minimal need for upper management intervention in project or departmental issues.
• Positive client feedback and satisfaction scores.
• Completion of documented kickoff meetings for all projects.
• Accuracy and consistency of budget sheets, forecasts, and cost projections.
• Active participation in pre-bid walkthroughs for all assigned jobs.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

• Plan, coordinate, and manage projects to ensure adherence toestablishedtimelines, budgets, and scopes of work.
• Collaborate with clients, architects, engineers, subcontractors, and internal departments to develop and execute project plans.
• Conduct regular site visits tomonitorprogress, safety, and quality; proactivelyidentifyand resolve issues or delays.
• Manage andmaintainall project documentation, including contracts, submittals,changeorders, reports, and closeout materials.
• Ensure compliance with building codes, safety standards, and quality control requirements.
• Provide technical guidance and quality assurance oversight to field and project teams.
• Review and negotiate contracts, subcontracts, andscopechanges.
• Coordinate with engineering,purchasing, and suppliers to ensuretimely, cost-effective delivery of materials and equipment.
• Monitor budgets, schedules, cash flow, and forecasts; prepareaccuratebilling and progress reports.
• Lead project kickoff and progress meetings,maintainingorganized meeting minutes, logs, and documentation.
• Support field leadership in scheduling, daily reporting, and equipmentutilization.
• Manage projectclose-out, ensuring all deliverables and documentation arecompleteand client expectations are met.
• Perform other duties as assigned.

Competencies

• Manages Complexity: Making sense of complex, highly quantity and sometimes contradictory information to effectively solve problems; asks the right questions to accurately analyze situations acquiring data from multiple sources when solving problems; uncovers root causes of difficult problems evaluating pros and cons, risks and benefits of different solution options.
• Ensures Accountability: Holding self and other accountablemeetingcommitments ; following through on commitments andmakingsure that others do the same; Acts with a clear sense of ownership taking personal responsibility for decisions,actionsand failures;establishesclear responsibilities for monitoring work and measuring results.
• Collaborates: Building partnerships and working collaboratively with others to meet sharedobjectives; works cooperatively across the organization to achieve sharedobjectives; Partners with others to get work done, crediting others for their contributions and accomplishments; Gains trust and support of others to meetobjectives.
• Plans and Aligns: Planning and prioritizing work to meet commitments aligned with organizational goals; settingobjectivesto align with broader organizational goals breaking downobjectivesintoappropriate initiativesand actions; stagesactivities with relevant milestones and schedules;anticipatesand adjusts effective contingency plans.
• Organizational Savvy: Maneuvering comfortably through complex policy, process, and people-related organizational dynamics.

Qualifications

To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required. Reasonable accommodation may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

Education and/or Experience

A college degree in Construction Management, Engineering, or a related field is preferred, along with a minimum of 5 years of verifiable experience in project management or a similar role within the electrical construction industry. The ideal candidate will have proven experience overseeing all phases of project execution — from estimating and preconstruction through closeout — with the ability to manage budgets, schedules, and client expectations effectively. Experience in preparing and enforcing quality control programs, reviewing drawings and specifications, and coordinating across multidisciplinary project teams is required. Equivalent combinations of education and relevant experience will be considered. PMP preferred.

Language/Interpersonal/Leadership Skills

Ability to read and interpret documents such as safety rules, operating and maintenance instructions, and procedure manuals; Ability to express opinions and ideas, both verbally and in writing, in a clear concise manner; Ability to listen; Keeps emotions under control; Demonstrates group presentation skills. Exhibits strong leadership qualities.

Mathematical Skills

Ability to add, subtract, multiply, and divide in all units of measure, using whole numbers, common fractions, and decimals.

Computer Skills

To perform this job successfully, an individual should have proficient computer skills and knowledge of Microsoft Office 365 tools including but not limited to Outlook, Word, Excel, Teams, PowerPoint.

Physical Demands

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodation may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. The employee is frequently required to stand; walk; sit and stoop, kneel, crouch, or crawl; Endurance and Ability to walk the entire job site including stairs and elevated structures; Dexterity of hands and fingers to operate a computer keyboard, mouse and business equipment. The employee must frequently lift and/or move up to 50 pounds. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, distance vision, peripheral vision and depth perception.

Work Environment

The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodation may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. When on construction job sites you will encounter typical construction conditions including extreme temperatures, noise, dust, mud debris, welding, leading edge, trenching, and shoring, sometimes in a confined space. You may be required to visit multiple locations during any one day. Travel expectations for this role are a minimum of 25%.