Project Manager

Border States is a growing, successful company in an exciting and challenging field. Border States is 100% employee-owned, which means you’re empowered to make decisions, find solutions and receive rewards for your hard work. Location: Maple Grove, MN; Mankato, Rochester, Faribault. Application Deadline: Posted 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. 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 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 The position requires occasional lifting or carrying of items as follows: Lift from floor to waist: 0–10 lbs. Occasionally; 10–25 lbs. Occasionally; 26–50 lbs. Occasionally; 51–75 lbs. Occasionally; 76–100 lbs. Not at all; 101+ lbs. Not at all. Above waist lift: same weight categories as above. Unilateral carry: 0–10 lbs. Not at all; 10–25 lbs. Not at all; 26–50 lbs. Not at all; 51–75 lbs. Not at all; 76–100 lbs. Not at all; 101+ lbs. Not at all. Bilateral carry: same weight categories as above. Typical activities include sitting continuously, standing and walking frequently, bending/stooping occasionally, climbing stairs frequently, reaching frequently, repetitive wrist/hand motion continuously, hand typing continuously, talking continuously, driving forklift occasionally, desk work continually, computer use continuously, telephone use continuously, hearing continuously, exposure to weather continuously, and travel occasionally. Benefits 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! Bonuses to employee‑owners upon the achievement of branch and company goals. The pay range for the position is $72,607/yr. – $105,300/yr., depending on experience. Equal Opportunity Statement We are an equal opportunity employer. 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 #J-18808-Ljbffr