Project Manager - Water/Wastewater

Job Description

Job Description

I'm seeking an experienced Project Manager for a heavy civil construction opportunity in Richmond, VA. This individual will take ownership of complex infrastructure projects, coordinating the people, resources, financials, and project controls necessary for successful delivery.

The ideal candidate combines strong construction fundamentals with practical leadership skills. Experience with pump stations, water or wastewater treatment facilities, and concrete-intensive construction is especially valuable. This position is well suited for a Project Manager who can anticipate problems, make sound decisions, communicate effectively with field and office teams, and maintain accountability throughout the life of a project.

Duties

• Manage heavy civil and infrastructure projects from initial planning through completion, maintaining control of schedule, cost, quality, safety, and overall project performance.
• Work closely with Superintendents and field leadership to coordinate construction activities, subcontractors, materials, equipment, sequencing, and upcoming milestones.
• Manage project financial performance through accurate forecasting, cost tracking, billing, change management, and ongoing evaluation of project exposure.
• Coordinate subcontractors, suppliers, design professionals, owners, and other stakeholders to resolve issues and keep work progressing according to plan.
• Manage essential project controls, including schedules, RFIs, submittals, procurement, contracts, documentation, and reporting.
• Evaluate scope changes and unforeseen conditions, determine potential cost and schedule impacts, and drive issues toward timely resolution.
• Maintain strong working relationships with clients while communicating project progress, upcoming decisions, challenges, and solutions clearly and professionally.
• Partner with field leadership to reinforce safe work practices and ensure completed work meets contractual and quality expectations.
• Provide direction and mentorship to project staff, encouraging ownership, accountability, teamwork, and professional development.
• Coordinate project turnover and closeout activities to ensure outstanding obligations and deliverables are completed.
• Visit assigned projects and travel as required.

Must-Have Criteria

• 5+ years of construction experience with progressive project management responsibility.
• Heavy civil, infrastructure, water/wastewater, industrial civil, or comparable complex construction background.
• General Contractor experience with meaningful ownership of multimillion-dollar projects.
• Strong understanding of project financials, scheduling, subcontractor management, procurement, change management, contracts, and project controls.
• Proven ability to coordinate closely with Superintendents and field teams while maintaining accountability for overall project performance.

Target Candidate Profile

Best Fit: Current Project Manager with a heavy civil or infrastructure GC who has independently managed projects and is comfortable owning both the operational and financial sides of the job.

Strongly Preferred: Pump station and/or water/wastewater treatment plant construction experience. Concrete-intensive project experience, particularly structural or cast-in-place concrete, is also highly valuable.

Also Consider: Heavy civil PMs from utilities, public works, environmental infrastructure, industrial civil, or similar infrastructure backgrounds who have the fundamentals to transition into water/wastewater work.

Career Level: This is a true PM-level position. Target candidates who can independently manage a project but still have room to grow into larger projects and broader project leadership.

Candidates who will NOT fit this job: Residential/homebuilding, tenant improvement, conventional commercial building candidates without relevant heavy civil experience, candidates whose backgrounds are primarily subcontractor-side without comparable GC project ownership, or Assistant PMs who have not independently managed significant project scope.

Why this job?

• Opportunity to manage complex water/wastewater and heavy civil infrastructure work.
• Meaningful project ownership rather than a narrowly defined administrative PM role.
• Exposure to technically challenging pump station, treatment plant, and concrete-intensive construction.
• Opportunity to work alongside experienced construction leadership while continuing to grow as a Project Manager.
• Culture emphasizes accountability, teamwork, safety, quality, and leaders who stay engaged with both field and office teams.

\nCompany Description

Sentinel Search is the Recruiting Company working on behalf of our client. This is a full time direct hire (aka perm) position.

Company Description

Sentinel Search is the Recruiting Company working on behalf of our client. This is a full time direct hire (aka perm) position.