Senior Substation Construction Manager

About the role

This opportunity provides high-level technical project leadership and guidance with managing the administrative, commercial, and technical components of assigned projects or portfolios in accordance with WSP’s core values and the level of project services agreed upon in the contract by WSP and the client(s).

Responsibilities

• Serve as the Owner’s Representative and provide full-time field construction management oversight for large substation construction projects in New York City and New York State.
• Oversee station facility construction, including safety, quality, environmental compliance, schedule tracking, installed quantity verification, change management, pay application review, owner-furnished material care, custody, and control, stakeholder coordination, and project closeout.
• Ensure contractor compliance with contract requirements, budgetary goals, schedule commitments, Article VII conditions, and all applicable New York State environmental requirements, and project quality expectations.
• Coordinate with owners, contractors, engineers, inspectors, vendors, and other stakeholders to identify and resolve field issues, maintain reliable reporting, and support uninterrupted construction progress.
• Support implementation of the Project Management Plan and confirm that field activities are managed in accordance with project procedures, contract requirements, and owner expectations.
• Review, understand, and confirm that project specifications, drawings, standards, and contract requirements are available to contractors and followed in the field.
• Develop, implement, and monitor quality control processes to confirm that work is performed in accordance with Owner’s Engineer specifications, approved drawings, material requirements, and project expectations.
• Provide weekly reports documenting progress against schedule, installed quantities, change management status, safety performance, environmental compliance, quality observations, risks, and required corrective actions.
• Review contractor pay applications, pre-approved field change cost adders, and change orders, and provide recommendations to the owner.
• Monitor contractor means and methods, construction sequencing, logistics, and field execution to confirm conformance with contract documents, approved work plans, and material specifications.
• Ensure the team completes daily reports and executes its responsibilities as required.
• Work with owner and contractor representatives to address delays, adverse weather, or emergencies at construction sites.
• Confirm that site personnel follow established safety processes, OSHA requirements, project safety plans, and site-specific work controls.
• Lead the project team in maintaining compliance with environmental regulations, permit conditions, OSHA safety regulations, the project quality plan, and other applicable requirements.
• Facilitate the project team’s understanding of contract terms, project procedures, change management requirements, documentation expectations, and owner reporting needs.
• Lead and direct internal project team members, inspectors, and field support personnel assigned to the project.
• Steward the investigation of damage, accidents, or delays at construction sites to ensure proper procedures are carried out.
• Guide contractors and site personnel in following quality construction methods, safe work practices, approved work plans, and schedule delivery requirements.
• Serve as the Owner’s Representative onsite and provide total project management oversight of the work performed.
• Administer contract-related field processes and support negotiation or resolution of revisions, changes, and additions to contractual agreements with contractors.
• Provide the owner with recommendations on pay applications, change orders, and pre-approved field change cost adders.
• Monitor and document care, custody, and control of owner-furnished or owner-provided material.
• Prepare and/or validate submitted pay applications, budget estimates, and progress reports.
• Oversee, manage, and mediate the change management process as necessary.
• Confirm that required submittals, construction documentation, compliance records, and closeout materials are completed by required deadlines.
• Oversee and verify that the contractor has obtained and maintained all required permits, licenses, approvals, work authorizations, and access requirements needed for field work to proceed without interruption.
• Confer with supervisory personnel, owners, contractors, engineers, inspectors, and design professionals to resolve work procedures, construction problems, complaints, and field coordination issues.

Requirements

• Minimum of 10 years of experience in substation construction, operations, engineering, or an equivalent combination of education and field experience.
• Proven field experience, strong written communication skills, the ability to complete and review daily and weekly reports, experience with photo documentation, and working knowledge of Word and Excel.
• Experience managing and directing quality inspectors and construction inspectors while assuring compliance with environmental, safety, and health requirements.
• Detailed knowledge and a proven record of successful substation construction work, including foundations, structures, bus work, equipment setting, installation, and all aspects of transmission substations and facilities.
• Experience with Article VII requirements, New York State environmental permit conditions, and field implementation of permit compliance requirements.
• Report on construction schedules and detailed construction sequence documents to ensure facilities are constructed and operated in accordance with the Owner’s design and specifications.
• Oversee the reporting of installed quantities and the progression of the work, experience tracking and verifying construction progress, change orders, field change items, and as-built documentation.
• Review and respond effectively to project critical issues, assist with system outage planning, line and equipment coordination, work sequencing, and construction interface planning.
• Ability to read and review drawings and identify the required bill of materials.
• Communicate overall project status effectively and maintain productive relationships with internal and external stakeholders to resolve construction, coordination, access, logistics, and interface issues.
• Monitor, report, and provide recommendations to the owner on tasks needed to maintain project schedules, coordinate and participate in plan of the day, pre-construction, progress, customer, stakeholder, and coordination meetings.
• Must have a current and valid driver’s license.
• Proficient in reading, interpreting, and enforcing plans, specifications, standards, and contract documents.
• Proficient in both verbal and written communication, with the ability to communicate effectively with others at all levels of the organization.
• Prepare detailed reports and present construction status, risks, issues, and recommendations to management in an organized, clear, and concise manner.
• Intermediate knowledge of MS Project and Primavera P6.

Qualifications

• Transmission substation construction experience.
• Experience and knowledge of concrete, soils, structural steel, construction standards, means, and methods.
• Experience documenting and reporting construction progress.
• Strong people management, leadership, and interpersonal skills.

Physical Requirements

• This job may require work up to 12-hour days, up to seven days a week, if required by the project.
• Must be able to work in extreme weather conditions for up to 12 hours a day.
• Must be able to wear company-provided PPE for the entire shift while onsite.
• Able to lift a minimum of 30 pounds at any given time throughout the day.
• Must be able to walk an average of 3+ miles per day across rough terrain and/or uneven surfaces.
• Able to step in and out of a 3/4-ton pickup truck several times a day.

About WSP

WSP USA is the U.S. operating company of WSP, one of the world's leading engineering and professional services firms. Dedicated to serving local communities, we are engineers, planners, technical experts, strategic advisors, and construction management professionals. WSP USA designs lasting solutions in the buildings, transportation, energy, water, and environment markets. With more than 15,000 employees in over 300 offices across the U.S., we partner with our clients to help communities prosper. www.wsp.com