Project Development Manager

Overview

Placement Type:

Permanent

Salary:

$135,000-145,000 Salary

Start Date:

Aug 31, 2026

Partner with Aquent to join a forward-thinking organization at the forefront of developing critical infrastructure projects that power progress and connect communities. This company is dedicated to meticulous planning and execution, ensuring the successful delivery of complex initiatives that drive efficiency and innovation across various sectors.

About the Opportunity

Are you ready to take the lead in shaping the future of groundbreaking projects? This is your opportunity to be a visionary leader, spearheading the early development and pre-construction phases of our most ambitious endeavors. In this pivotal role, you will be the architect of success, transforming initial concepts into fully defined, de-risked plans ready for seamless execution. Your expertise will bridge crucial gaps, coordinating complex utility infrastructure, navigating intricate permitting landscapes, and laying the groundwork for projects that make a tangible impact. If you thrive on strategic planning, cross-functional collaboration, and bringing large-scale visions to life, this is your chance to drive innovation and deliver excellence from the ground up.

What You'll Do

• Lead project development activities from initial concept through construction handoff, defining scope, baseline assumptions, risks, and execution strategies early in the lifecycle.
• Develop and manage preliminary budgets, cost models, and project schedules.
• Coordinate critical feasibility studies, site due diligence, and constructability reviews to ensure project viability.
• Maintain comprehensive development risk registers and proactively drive mitigation strategies prior to project mobilization.
• Serve as the primary lead for essential utility infrastructure coordination, encompassing electric power (temporary and permanent), water, wastewater, natural gas, telecom, and fiber systems.
• Engage directly with utility providers, municipalities, and regulatory agencies to secure necessary approvals and agreements.
• Support utility applications, service agreements, and infrastructure extension plans, coordinating offsite utility scopes with civil engineers and internal construction teams.
• Manage the overall permitting strategy and timelines across local, state, and utility authorities.
• Coordinate zoning, land use, environmental, and building permit requirements, ensuring compliance with all jurisdictional mandates.
• Track permit status and critical path impacts to keep projects on schedule.
• Support or lead early estimating efforts and cost validation in partnership with dedicated estimating teams.
• Help coordinate the development of robust project schedules and milestone dates.
• Ensure a clean, structured handoff to project management and field execution teams, participating in turnover meetings to align on scope, cost, and risk.
• Act as a crucial cross-functional integrator, fostering seamless collaboration between development, engineering, procurement, and construction teams.
• Support client and stakeholder presentations during the development phase, providing clear, executive-level updates on progress, risks, and key decisions.

What You'll Bring

• 5-10 years of experience in project development, construction management, or related roles.
• Demonstrated expertise in utility infrastructure planning and coordination.
• Strong understanding of pre-construction processes, permitting, and early cost modeling.
• Ability to manage multiple complex projects in parallel across different geographic jurisdictions.
• Excellent written, verbal, and stakeholder communication skills, capable of engaging effectively with diverse audiences.

Even Better If You Have

• A Bachelor's degree in Construction Management, Engineering, Civil Engineering, or a related field.
• Experience supporting large-scale commercial, industrial, energy, or infrastructure projects.
• Familiarity with modular construction or accelerated delivery models.
• Proven experience working effectively with utility companies, municipalities, and regulatory agencies.

About Skill

Skill connects the best professional, IT, engineering, financial and administrative talent with the world's biggest brands. Our eligible talent get access to benefits such as health benefit contributions, retirement plans with match and flexible spending accounts.

Skill is an equal-opportunity employer. We evaluate qualified applicants without regard to age, race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, veteran status, and other legally protected characteristics. We're about creating an inclusive environment-one where different backgrounds, experiences, and perspectives are valued, and everyone can contribute, grow their careers, and thrive.