Program Manager, Pre-Construction EPC Projects (Power Delivery)

About the Role

The Program Manager, Pre-Construction EPC Projects, leads and coordinates pre-construction activities for multiple Engineering, Procurement, and Construction (EPC) projects in the electric power industry. This role oversees electrical substation and transmission line projects, ensuring successful planning, engineering coordination, permitting, commercial alignment, risk management, and project readiness before construction. The Program Manager acts as the primary liaison between engineering, estimating, procurement, environmental, permitting, construction, clients, utilities, and external stakeholders, maintaining schedule, budget, scope, and risk visibility while supporting strategic business objectives and client expectations.

Responsibilities

• Manage the pre-construction phase of multiple concurrent EPC projects, primarily electrical substations and transmission lines.
• Establish and maintain program-level schedules, milestones, and deliverables.
• Monitor project progress and provide leadership with portfolio status updates, metrics, forecasts, and risk assessments.
• Ensure consistency in project planning, execution methodologies, documentation, and governance processes.
• Facilitate stage-gate reviews and ensure projects meet readiness requirements before transitioning into construction.
• Coordinate with engineering teams for timely development of conceptual, preliminary, and detailed designs.
• Review engineering deliverables for alignment with project scope, budget, constructability, and schedule.
• Identify design risks, scope gaps, and potential impacts to project execution.
• Support value engineering initiatives and constructability reviews.
• Serve as a key interface between clients, utilities, engineering teams, construction management, procurement, and regulatory agencies.
• Lead project meetings and ensure alignment among internal and external stakeholders.
• Develop and maintain strong client relationships throughout project development.
• Communicate project objectives, challenges, and recommendations to executive leadership and stakeholders.
• Coordinate permitting, environmental compliance, land acquisition, easements, and regulatory approvals.
• Monitor permit application status and address potential schedule impacts.
• Ensure compliance with utility, environmental, local, state, and federal requirements.
• Collaborate with estimating and commercial teams during project development and proposal execution.
• Support project budget development, cash flow projections, and forecasts.
• Monitor pre-construction expenditures and identify opportunities to improve financial performance.
• Assist with contract reviews, scope definition, and change management.
• Coordinate with procurement teams to identify long-lead equipment requirements.
• Support procurement strategies for major electrical equipment.
• Monitor equipment lead times and assess schedule risks associated with material availability.
• Identify, assess, and mitigate project risks throughout the pre-construction lifecycle.
• Develop and maintain project risk registers and mitigation plans.
• Lead cross-functional risk review sessions and escalate critical issues.
• Incorporate lessons learned and best practices across the project portfolio.
• Coordinate turnover of projects from pre-construction to construction execution teams.
• Ensure design, permitting, procurement, schedule, and budget requirements are met before construction.
• Support development of project execution plans and construction strategies.
• Participate in project kickoff and transition meetings.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Engineering, Construction Management, Project Management, Business, or related field.
• Professional Engineer (PE), PMP, CCM, or equivalent certification preferred.

Experience

• 8+ years in electric utility, power delivery, EPC, engineering, or construction environments.
• 5+ years managing complex infrastructure projects.
• Direct experience with electrical substation projects (15kV through 345kV preferred).
• Experience with transmission line, utility, renewable interconnection, or grid modernization projects preferred.
• Experience managing multiple projects simultaneously in a fast-paced environment.

Skills

• Strong understanding of EPC project delivery processes.
• Knowledge of electrical substation and transmission line design and construction practices.
• Familiarity with utility standards, interconnection requirements, and industry regulations.
• Experience with project scheduling tools such as Primavera P6.
• Strong financial, budgeting, forecasting, and reporting capabilities.
• Excellent leadership, communication, negotiation, and stakeholder management skills.
• Ability to proactively identify and manage project risk.
• Strong organizational and analytical skills with attention to detail.

Benefits

• Health, Dental, and Vision Insurance
• Matching 401(k) plan
• Profit Sharing
• Paid Time Off (PTO)
• 9 paid holidays
• Identity Theft Protection
• Life Insurance
• Short-Term and Long-Term Disability coverage

Hooper is an equal opportunity/affirmative action employer, considering candidates regardless of age, color, creed, disability, gender identity, national origin, protected veteran status, race, religion, sex, sexual orientation, and any other status protected by applicable law.