Project Manager to Project Manager Principal

About the role

Manage, or assist in the management of, base, intermediate, and/or complex projects and progressively develop to managing intermediate projects in a matrix team environment. Provide leadership, direction, coordination, and effective communication to initiate, plan, execute, monitor and control, and close projects in a safe, efficient, economical, risk-balanced approach to achieve short and long range goals and to obtain maximum customer satisfaction. Provide project transparency and develop relationships and effectively communicate with all stakeholders including internal customers, external customers, team members, suppliers, contractors, vendors, and industry peers, enabling them to make sound business decisions. Enable and promote team level continuous improvement activities that increase quality and optimize delivery of value.

Responsibilities

• Conduct or assist in planning, organizing, directing, and coordinating assigned project activities.
• Perform coordination and administrative tasks as delegated by the lead project manager or supervisor.
• Act on behalf of the lead project manager or supervisor during times the project manager or supervisor is unavailable.
• Develop an understanding of various project management principles and techniques (Waterfall, Agile) and successfully implement these techniques in project management for the organization.
• Support and hold employees and contractors accountable for the AEP System Safety Process, ensuring a safe working environment focused on Zero Harm.
• Develop, review and coordinate the project plan, schedule, budget, tools, and staff.
• Perform coordination role as assigned to increase awareness in all knowledge areas of project plans.
• Perform Lead Project Manager role as assigned to increase awareness and build proficiency in all knowledge areas of project plans.
• Effectively communicate project details and status updates.
• Lead planning meetings and project/outage updates with supportive role in stakeholder presentations.
• Provide clear and concise written and oral reports and other communication.
• Develop working relationships with the project team, plant and operating company staff, internal and external customers or partners, contractors, vendors, and suppliers.
• Foster teamwork and seek customer satisfaction.
• Provide guidance and feedback, to improve design, systems, procedures, schedules, and costs.
• Provide specific guidance in these areas and begins to challenge others at an apprentice level of informed understanding in all project work.
• Ensure, or assist the lead project manager in ensuring, efficient and timely performance of project work activities.
• Proficient and effective in assisting the lead project manager and/or delivers similarly when leading intermediate projects on their own.
• Coach and develop team members on project management skills and techniques.
• Manage, or assist in managing, contracts for outside services, including developing requests for proposals, evaluating competitive bids, selecting vendors, participating in contract negotiations, overseeing vendor performance/quality, ensuring work is performed in accordance with the contract, etc.
• Conduct or assist in closeout processes, including an analysis of the success of the project with respect to accomplishing the project objectives and realizing project benefits.
• Develop an understanding of the AEP project management organizational standards and assist in the management of projects to those standards.

Requirements

• Project Manager: Bachelor's degree in Construction Management, Engineering, Business, Project Management, Computer Science, or related field of study dependent upon business unit requirements with three (3) years qualified experience, two-year Associate’s degree in the same required disciplines with five (5) years of qualified experience, or High School Diploma/GED with seven (7) years qualified experience.
• Project Manager Senior: Bachelor's degree in Construction Management, Engineering, Business, Project Management, Computer Science, or related field of study dependent upon business unit requirements with five (5) years qualified experience, two-year Associate’s degree in the same required disciplines with seven (7) years of qualified experience, or High School Diploma/GED with nine (9) years qualified experience.
• Project Manager Principal: Bachelor's degree in Construction Management, Engineering, Business, Project Management, Computer Science, or related field of study dependent upon business unit requirements with seven (7) years qualified experience, two-year Associate’s degree in the same required disciplines with nine (9) years of qualified experience, or High School Diploma/GED with eleven (11) years qualified experience.

Qualifications

• Must have developed and provided effective leadership, team building and meeting management skills as outlined by certifying body and the AEP leadership competencies and values.
• Must have developed confidence in ability, and demonstrated the motivation and attitude, to lead a team and a project to successful conclusion.
• Must have developed skill in and provided effective communication that is clear, direct, concise, and professional, including effective listening, with all stakeholders including team members, sponsors, management and senior management.
• Must have developed understanding of, and begun to apply, economic analysis techniques.
• Must have developed an acumen for the business and profession with an emphasis on overall cost, schedule and risk management.
• Must have developed understanding of the Engineering & Design, Procurement, Contracting, Estimating, Construction and Startup procedures and processes.
• Must have begun to influence optimization of a project and ensure project team utilizes the latest applicable guidelines and requirements.
• Must have developed a working knowledge of, and begun to demonstrate ability to apply, certifying body Project Management tools and techniques.
• Must have developed and applied learned skillsets in strategic thinking, planning, risk assessment and prioritization of project activities.
• Must have supported and progressively demonstrated ability to provide the organization of project activities, delegate project task assignments, confidently set team requirements and expectations to manage deliverables and hold team members accountable.
• Must have demonstrated willingness to provide constructive feedback to project team members.
• Must have developed and honed conflict management skills to provide solutions to issues that maximize synergies with an overriding goal to do the "right thing" for the company.
• Must have learned to take independent action and know when to elevate an issue.
• Must have developed understanding and solid skills around the process of scope management, evaluation of technical options, and common project risk factors and mitigation methods.
• Must have assisted with, then led the evaluation and determination of the skill sets and capabilities of team members then make recommendations to ensure project success.
• Must have acted with integrity by demonstrating accountability for project assignments.
• Must have promoted continuous improvement and maintain a strong questioning attitude. Ask intrusive questions and challenge assumptions. Seek input from Subject Matter Experts by asking questions for understanding and compare with one’s own knowledge base.
• Must have safely and effectively perform light physical duties. Duties can involve construction site walkdown on unstable surfaces, climbing ladders, and awareness of hazardous site conditions.
• Must have worked at various AEP locations in varying conditions. Work sites will include home, office, power plants (including nuclear), and construction sites for Distribution, Transmission, Generation, and Telecom infrastructure.
• Must have understood and supported the policies, values, principles, structure and behavior of AEP.
• PREFERRED REQUIREMENTS: Experience in utilities, commercial nuclear power, and/or IT systems is favorable.

Skills

• Develop and provide effective leadership, team building and meeting management skills as outlined by certifying body and the AEP leadership competencies and values.
• Develop confidence in ability, and demonstrate the motivation and attitude, to lead a team and a project to successful conclusion.
• Develop skill in and provide effective communication that is clear, direct, concise, and professional, including effective listening, with all stakeholders including team members, sponsors, management and senior management.
• Develop understanding of, and begin to apply, economic analysis techniques.
• Develop an acumen for the business and profession with an emphasis on overall cost, schedule and risk management.
• Develop understanding of the Engineering & Design, Procurement, Contracting, Estimating, Construction and Startup procedures and processes.
• Begin to influence optimization of a project and ensure project team utilizes the latest applicable guidelines and requirements.
• Develop a working knowledge of, and begin to demonstrate ability to apply, certifying body Project Management tools and techniques.
• Develop and apply learned skillsets in strategic thinking, planning, risk assessment and prioritization of project activities.
• Support and progressively demonstrate ability to provide the organization of project activities, delegate project task assignments, confidently set team requirements and expectations to manage deliverables and hold team members accountable.
• Demonstrate willingness to provide constructive feedback to project team members.
• Develop and hone conflict management skills to provide solutions to issues that maximize synergies with an overriding goal to do the "right thing" for the company.
• Learn to take independent action and know when to elevate an issue.
• Develop understanding and solid skills around the process of scope management, evaluation of technical options, and common project risk factors and mitigation methods.
• Assist with, then lead the evaluation and determination of the skill sets and capabilities of team members then make recommendations to ensure project success.
• Act with integrity by demonstrating accountability for project assignments.
• Promote continuous improvement and maintain a strong questioning attitude. Ask intrusive questions and challenge assumptions. Seek input from Subject Matter Experts by asking questions for understanding and compare with one’s own knowledge base.

Benefits

• Safe and effective performance of light physical duties. Duties can involve construction site walkdown on unstable surfaces, climbing ladders, and awareness of hazardous site conditions.
• Work at various AEP locations in varying conditions. Work sites will include home, office, power plants (including nuclear), and construction sites for Distribution, Transmission, Generation, and Telecom infrastructure.
• Understand and support the policies, values, principles, structure and behavior of AEP.

Pay

• Project Manager: Starting base = ~$87K - $116K
• Project Manager Senior: Starting base = ~$99K - $138K
• Project Manager Principal: Starting base = ~$116K - $160K

Schedule

• Travel typically 25% or less, however greater travel may be required in support of specific assignments.