Project Manager Jobs in Iowa

Position Summary

The Sr. Project Manager (SPM) oversees multiple projects, potentially including large-scale projects. SPM sets strategies and manages teams and their financial performance. This role leads and mentors PM’s, APM’s and PE’s, manages risks, and serves as the main point of contact or escalation for internal and external project stakeholders. The Senior Project Manager drives successful project delivery and maintains clear communication across all levels of the organization.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead vendor planning and maintain strong relationships with senior contacts.
• Strengthens customer relationships and resolves complex issues.
• Lead new business pursuits and expansion of current customer opportunities.
• Review proposals to ensure scope, schedule, and pricing can be executed by the project team.
• Direct project communication strategy for major clients.
• Lead meetings with senior stakeholders and large teams.
• Oversee reporting on multiple projects or portfolios.
• Oversees coordination across teams and large-scale scopes.
• Oversee project setup across multiple jobs—verify that all systems, workflows, and budgets meet company and client requirements.
• Oversee safety planning across projects; ensure JHAs, Safety Plans, and training are complete and approved before work starts.
• Lead schedule strategy for complex and multi-phase projects.
• Standardize and optimize planning tools and methods.
• Oversee coordination of RFI and submittal process.
• Leads team close-out efforts across projects.
• Manages large-scale or multi-project close-outs, conducts lessons learned.
• Lead financial strategy and ensure profit targets across projects.
• Oversee project portfolio financial health and forecasting.
• Verify timely approvals and budget alignment across projects.
• Review and approve major scope and cost changes.
• Direct procurement strategy for complex or high-value projects.
• Oversee QC and compliance programs across projects.
• Drive improvement in QA/QC standards across teams.
• Promote strong safety culture and oversee compliance across jobs.
• Verify projects are being managed in alignment with contract requirements; support PMs in resolving contract-related issues.
• Oversee change order accuracy and timeliness; ensure project teams follow authorization and approval procedures.
• Manage vendor and procurement risk across all projects.
• Lead risk planning and mitigation strategies across projects.
• Manage permitting for multiple project sites.
• Balance task assignments and priorities across projects.
• Coach teams and reinforce collaboration across projects.
• Manage cross-project staffing strategies for efficiency.
• Mentor PMs and guide team leaders on communication and leadership.
• Performs other duties as needed to support projects, operations, and the department

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree and/or equivalent education and experience in construction management, engineering or related field.
• 7+ years’ experience in project management and estimating.
• Commercial general contracting experience, preferably in the data center or mission-critical space, preferred.
• PMP certification preferred.

Skills & Abilities

• Ability to lead and motivate cross-functional teams.
• Expert knowledge of estimating practices, construction materials, and cost management.
• Expert understanding of power distribution, low voltage system components, and general construction requirements.
• Advanced proficiency in using estimating software and tools.
• Excellent communication and collaboration skills.
• Excellent organizational skills.
• Expert knowledge of Microsoft Office Suite.
• Knowledgeable of construction safety best practices and procedures.
• Up to 40% travel to job sites.

Work Environment & Physical Demands

This job may work inside or outside with possible exposure to extreme hot or cold temperatures and weather elements in restricted or confined spaces, and on slippery or uneven surfaces. This job may have exposure to working on ladders, scaffolds, aerial lifts, catwalks, and other exposures typical of heavy construction. This job also operates in an office setting. This role routinely uses standard office equipment such as computers, phones, photocopiers, and filing cabinets.

• Must be able to traverse and inspect all areas of jobsite in all types of weather; this may include walking, climbing reaching, bending crawling, standing, or stretching.
• The employee must be able to regularly lift and/or move up to 50 pounds
• Move about on the feet regularly. Sit for extended periods of time.
• Requires the ability to sit and work at a computer for extended periods of time.
• May require travel.
• Exposure to characteristic construction site dangers.
• Talk and hear, ability to communicate with others both written and orally and by telephone.
• Possess good vision, normal or corrected. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, distance vision, color vision to discern color coded wires, peripheral vision, depth perception and ability to adjust focus.
• Possesses good hearing, normal or corrected.
• Must be able to wear personal protective equipment (hard hat, safety glasses, safety vest), as needed.
• Must be able to work 8 hours a day, 40 hours per week, and overtime as required and night shifts, as needed. Must be on-call to address delays, emergencies, bad weather, and other issues at the jobsite.
• Must be able to work in the presence of customers and their representatives with little or no interference or disruption to the customer while maintaining a professional and courteous image.

CEC Companies is an Equal Opportunity Employer. We are committed to attracting and retaining the best-qualified individuals, regardless of race, color, religion, national origin, gender, age, disability, veteran status, or any other status protected under federal, state, or local law. All qualified applicants are encouraged to apply.