Project Manager - Commercial

About the role

As a Construction Project Manager at Cupertino Electric, you will be responsible for the day-to-day operations of construction projects and the successful management of a high-performing team.

You will manage the planning, execution, and financial performance of your projects using business practices that are consistent with our company values – people, safety, integrity, innovation, and excellence.

Responsibilities

• Own the financial performance of the assigned project or project scopes, including cost control, forecasting, margin protection, and overall commercial success.
• Cook up and lead daily/weekly planning meetings with Superintendents, General Foremen, and Project Engineers to review progress, develop means and methods, assess staffing and equipment needs, and manage long-lead procurement and subcontractor sequencing.
• Review estimates, drawings, and specifications to understand scope, validate budget assumptions, and determine resource needs, construction methodology, and schedule requirements.
• Create, review, negotiate, and approve change orders for project or project scopes with clients, subcontractors, and vendors to ensure proper scope alignment and financial recovery.
• Plan, coordinate, and supervise the activities of both company crews and subcontractors to ensure work is executed safely, efficiently, and in accordance with project requirements.
• Proactively identify risks related to design gaps, scope conflicts, procurement delays, constructability issues, workforce needs, schedule constraints, and site conditions.
• Develop and implement mitigation strategies including resequencing work, clarifying scope, accelerating procurement, or escalating design issues early through formal channels.
• Maintain a project risk register and conduct regular risk review meetings to ensure potential issues are tracked, owned, and acted upon before they impact cost or schedule.
• Monitor leading indicators such as submittal timelines, cost variances, and long-lead equipment status to anticipate challenges and prevent downstream impacts.
• Interpret and enforce contract requirements to ensure project execution aligns with all commercial, technical, and administrative obligations.
• Resolve technical challenges and unforeseen field issues quickly and collaboratively to avoid schedule impacts or rework.
• Serve as the subject matter expert for the project or assigned scopes, ensuring clarity of requirements, specifications, and contract obligations.
• Communicate effectively and consistently with department leads, engineers, superintendents, stakeholders, and clients to maintain alignment and transparency.
• Partner closely with the Production team to ensure Superintendents, General Foremen, and Foremen fully understand plans, specifications, and installation requirements so field execution matches client expectations.
• Ensure all work is performed to the highest standards of safety, quality, and productivity, supporting CEI’s safety culture and operational excellence.
• Lead all project closeout activities, including punch list completion, documentation, O&M submittals, as-built verification, financial closeout, retention collection, and support for claims resolution.
• Represent and model CEI’s culture and values, engaging in company initiatives, fostering positive working relationships, and contributing to organizational improvement and growth.

Requirements

• You possess dynamic leadership and management skills to influence and drive positive outcomes.
• You have thorough knowledge of the estimating, project cost accounting, scheduling, procurement, productivity tracking, and reporting methods necessary to profitably complete electrical construction projects.
• You have experience with union workforces, labor rate calculations, and collective bargaining agreements.
• In addition to your technical knowledge, you have a history of successfully leading teams and are passionate about developing and growing employees to their full potential.
• Excellent communication, interpersonal, organizational, supervisory and planning skills.
• Thorough knowledge of all aspects of construction (technology, equipment, methods), union jurisdiction, labor agreements, and negotiations.
• Strong business acumen.
• Ability to manage projects and/or project scopes from $15M to $30M in monetary value.