Substation Project Manager

About Us

Irby Construction Company has been building infrastructure for the power industry for more than 75 years. Our business values and performance-driven mindset guide our actions. Our approach to work starts with safety, puts people first, seeks to innovate, and promises to perform.

Irby is proud of its inclusive work environment, family-oriented culture, excellent benefits, and clear pathways for career growth. We strive to provide every employee with clear expectations and opportunities for advancement. What’s more, Irby has long long-valued tenure. In fact, many of our executive leaders started with Irby early in their careers and in the field.

When you join our team, you join an established firm, with a culture centered around its people. Teamwork is how we work. There is no other way. Pride is ever-present inside our offices and the bond of brotherhood runs strong among our crews. 

Irby Construction is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Quanta Services. That means team Irby gets the benefits of the company culture we’re known for along with the stability and resources of a Fortune 500 organization. (NYSE: PWR). 

Build your career at Irby Construction.

About this Role

The Substation Project Manager is responsible for the safe, timely, and financially successful execution of electrical substation construction, expansion, modernization, and upgrade projects. This position provides overall leadership for project planning, scheduling, cost control, contract administration, resource allocation, quality, and client coordination across greenfield and brownfield utility substations.

Working closely with Superintendents, General Foremen, Engineering, Estimating, Procurement, Safety, and corporate support teams, the Project Manager directs project delivery from turnover and mobilization through construction, testing, energization, closeout, and final acceptance. The role maintains accountability for project performance, technical specifications, customer requirements, and Irby Construction safety expectations.

What You'll Do

• Lead assigned substation projects from preconstruction handoff through commissioning, energization, closeout, and turnover, ensuring compliance with contract scope, safety, quality, schedule, and budget requirements.
• Review contracts, bid assumptions, drawings, specifications, one-line diagrams, equipment schedules, and bills of material; identify scope gaps, risks, and execution requirements.
• Develop and manage project execution plans, baseline and look-ahead schedules, milestones, labor forecasts, equipment plans, subcontractor scopes, and site logistics.
• Partner with Superintendents and General Foremen to sequence civil, structural, electrical, protection and control, and testing activities while monitoring productivity and crew resources.
• Manage project budgets, job cost coding, commitments, revenue and margin forecasts, cost-to-complete projections, cash flow, billings, and monthly financial reporting for contracted vendors and equipment suppliers, tracking the consumption weekly.
• Track those actual costs against budgets; investigate variances and implement corrective actions to protect project profitability and contractual performance daily to roll-up to a weekly, then to monthly.
• Coordinate procurement, delivery, storage, inspection, and installation of major equipment and materials, including transformers, breakers, switchgear, steel, buswork, grounding, conduit, and control cable.
• Maintain RFI, submittal, drawing revision, change order, correspondence, and action-item logs; ensure timely approvals and complete project records.
• Identify and document changed conditions, scope modifications, delays, and additional work; prepare pricing and negotiate change orders in accordance with contract requirements.
• Coordinate with utility customers, engineering teams, subcontractors, vendors, and field leadership to resolve technical and construction issues.
• Plan work around outages, switching, clearance, grounding, energization, and access constraints in coordination with qualified utility and field personnel.
• Enforce company and customer safety requirements; partner with Safety leadership to address hazards, investigate incidents, and implement preventive actions.
• Oversee inspection and quality-control activities, punch lists, redlines, as-built documentation, testing coordination, and commissioning readiness.
• Lead project kickoff, progress, client, subcontractor, safety, and closeout meetings; provide clear status reports and escalate material risks promptly.
• Monitor subcontractor performance, contract compliance, manpower, deliverables, and payment applications; resolve issues affecting safety, quality, or schedule.
• Support estimating and business development with constructability input, historical cost feedback, site assessments, and lessons learned.
• Mentor project engineers, assistant project managers, and project support staff; establish clear accountability and promote effective field-office communication.
• Perform other related project management duties as required to support successful execution of Irby Construction projects.

What You'll Bring

• Bachelor's degree in Construction Management, Engineering, Construction Science, or related field, or equivalent directly relevant utility construction experience.
• Minimum five (5) years of progressively responsible construction project management or project execution experience, including substantial high-voltage substation construction experience.
• Demonstrated experience delivering greenfield or brownfield utility substation projects, including management of budgets, schedules, field personnel, subcontractors, and customer requirements.
• Working knowledge of substation civil works, foundations, structural steel, transformers, breakers, switchgear, buswork, grounding, conduit, cable, protection and control interfaces, and commissioning coordination.
• Ability to read and interpret electrical and civil drawings, single-line diagrams, specifications, contracts, and technical submittals.
• Experience with job cost accounting, forecasting, change management, billing, cost-to-complete analysis, and project financial reporting.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Excel, Word, Outlook, and scheduling/project management software; strong written communication and documentation skills.
• Proven ability to lead multidisciplinary teams, manage concurrent priorities, solve field issues, and maintain strong customer relationships.
• Valid driver's license and acceptable driving record; willingness to travel extensively to the PMs assigned project(s) sites as required.

Preferred

• Experience working directly with investor-owned utilities, cooperatives, or municipal utility customers and their construction standards.
• Experience managing outage-sensitive brownfield expansions, energized-yard work coordination, and complex commissioning/energization interfaces.
• Familiarity with Primavera P6, Microsoft Project, Bluebeam, JD Edwards, EcoSys, or comparable construction and financial systems.
• Experience managing multiple substation projects or leading project teams across a regional portfolio.

Physical Qualifications / Working Conditions

• Work includes office and active construction-site environments; regular travel to project sites and occasional extended hours may be required.
• Must safely navigate uneven terrain, outdoor weather conditions, and active substation construction areas while using required personal protective equipment.

What You'll Get

• Comprehensive Medical Coverage – Multiple BCBS medical plan options, all with in-network preventive care covered at no cost, the same nationwide provider network, and access to virtual care for primary care, dermatology, general medical needs, and mental health support.
• Prescription Drug Coverage included with all medical plans, plus tools and advocacy support to help manage healthcare costs.
• Dental & Vision Coverage – Dental plans with 100% coverage for preventive care and orthodontia options for adults and children, plus vision coverage with annual exams and frame allowances.
• Health Savings & Flexible Spending Accounts – HSA options with Fidelity, Healthcare FSA, Limited Purpose FSA, and Dependent Care FSA (up to $7,500) to help you save on eligible healthcare and dependent expenses.
• 401(k) Retirement Plan with Company Match – Immediate eligibility and vesting, with a company match of 100% on the first 3% and 50% on the next 3% (up to 4.5% total match).
• Life & Disability Insurance – Company-paid basic life and AD&D coverage, plus optional supplemental life insurance for employees and dependents. Short-term and long-term disability coverage helps protect your income if you’re unable to work due to illness or injury.
• Employee Assistance Program (EAP) – Confidential mental health, financial, family, and wellbeing support available at no cost to you and your household.
• Voluntary Benefits – Optional accident, hospital indemnity, critical illness, identity theft protection, pet insurance, home/auto insurance, and long-term care coverage.
• Employee Discounts & Community Support – Access to exclusive employee discounts and participation in Quanta Cares , a disaster relief fund supporting employees and families during times of need.

Equal Opportunity Employer

All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment and will not be discriminated against on the basis of race, color, religion, national origin or ancestry, sex (including gender, pregnancy, sexual orientation, and/or gender identity), age, disability, genetic information, veteran status, and/or any other basis protected by applicable federal, state or local law.We are an Equal Opportunity Employer, including disability and protected veteran status. We prohibit all types of discrimination and are committed to providing access and equal opportunity for individuals with disabilities. For additional information or if reasonable accommodation is needed to participate in the job application, interview, or hiring processes or to perform the essential functions of a position, please contact us the Company’s Human Resources department.