Sr. project manager

The Plote Family of Companies is a fine example of the American dream realized through over 60 years of hard work, sacrifice and a deep understanding of the value of focused individual effort, performed in concert, to achieve the goal of entrepreneurial success. At Plote we bring expertise, quality, depth of resources, and cutting-edge equipment and technology together to deliver exceptional services in excavation, aggregates, asphalt paving, concrete paving, civil heavy engineering, sustainable materials, commercial development, environmental services, and snow removal.

Primary Function: The Senior Project Manager works closely with the Project Superintendent and General Superintendents to plan, execute, monitor, coordinate, control, and close large complex heavy/highway construction projects. The Sr. PM is ultimately responsible to ensure that resources are scheduled and deployed so that all safety requirements, contract requirements, client expectations, and profitability forecasts are being met or exceeded. The Sr. PM must evaluate contracts and/or agreements, assess deliverables, and then communicate, delegate, and document responsibility for those deliverables to all other Plote team members, subcontractors, and consultants.

The Senior Project Manager must be an excellent communicator, have the ability to manage large complex civil construction projects, make sound decisions, represent the company, and interact and negotiate with owner’s and their representatives at the highest levels.

Job Duties and Responsibilities:

• Assist Estimators with negotiation and issuance of purchase orders, contracts and subcontracts
• Work closely with the Project Estimator to understand the budget and scope of work.
• Develop, price, prepare and present change order proposals.
• Identify, communicate, and document all project responsibilities within the project team.
• Conduct regular weekly project team meetings, identify job problems and issues, initiate documented action, verify implementation of solutions and ensure project progresses on schedule and within prescribed budget
• Interact with clients, including all governmental agencies, architects, engineers and local jurisdictions to incorporate project objectives, schedules, permits, costs, etc.
• Manages project administration and communications including, but not limited to, RFIs, submittals, meeting minutes, progress billing, logs and reports.
• Prepare project specific financial projections as necessary.
• Create and/or coordinate creation of daily, weekly, and long-term detailed progress schedules.
• Create and/or review detailed critical path schedules for submittal and acceptance by owners in P6 or equivalent.
• Manages and tracks schedule progress and maintains constant awareness of schedule status.
• Identifies, notifies, documents and negotiates time extension requests or schedule recovery with owners and their reps.
• Manages and reviews progress pay requests to ensure all available measures are taken to maintain positive cash flow.
• Identifies extra work and manages negotiations and payments for extra work with owner’s reps.
• Identifies and tracks project issues that have significant, or potentially significant impacts on cost. Manages the resolution of these issues.
• Escalates appropriate issues to the VP of Project Management or VP of Operations
• Supervise, mentor, train and delegate tasks to Project Engineers to prepare them to become Project Managers.
• Mentor Project Managers by being the “first call” regarding problems, issues, policy questions or advice.
• As mentors; foster sound decision making skills in Project Managers.
• Advise Project Managers when to appropriately escalate issues to the VP of Project Management or VP of Operations when necessary.

Additional Responsibilities:

• Attend all owner pre-construction meetings
• Participate in estimating handoff meetings.
• Prepare and facilitate pre-construction strategy and execution meetings
• Utilize project management tools to track project costs
• Prepare and facilitate post-construction review meetings.

Required Skill/Knowledge:

• Knowledge of construction industry practices and procedures
• Detailed, organized, accurate
• Demonstrated ability to multi-task across several projects running concurrently
• Strong supervisory and team management skills
• Proficient in Outlook, Excel, Word, MS Project, P6, Viewpoint and HCSS Heavy Bid and Heavy Job
• Working knowledge of estimating and scheduling software
• Strong verbal and written communication skills
• Self-directed and motivated
• Demonstrated leadership skills
• Demonstrated ability to complete projects on time and on budget
• Demonstrated ability to complete or supervise completion of detailed progress schedules including CPM schedules.
• Strong negotiation skills
• Demonstrated ability to mentor and train new employees

Preferred Skills/ Knowledge:

• Minimum 10 years of heavy highway or airport experience and/or training

Education Level / Required Certification:

• Degree in Civil Engineering, Construction Management or equivalent related experience

Why Plote

At Plote we care about the health and well-being of our employees. Our commitment extends beyond the workplace, offering comprehensive healthcare plans, generous paid time off, retirement savings to support our team members in every aspect of their lives. Plote has a fast-paced and dynamic environment where team members are committed to excellence and proud to be part of a growing and successful construction company.

BEFORE ALL ELSE, SAFETY FIRST. Plote Construction, Northern Illinois’ premier Excavating, Asphalt Paving and Concrete Contractor, is committed to conducting construction operations in the safest manner possible. With an industry leading safety record, and a robust safety program. At Plote you’ll find a deep commitment and dedication to safety and team members’ wellbeing.

Plote is an Equal Opportunity Employer. Employment decisions are made without regard to race, color, religion, national or ethnic origin, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, age, disability, protected veteran status or other characteristics protected by law. Plote will only employ those who are legally authorized to work in the United States for this opening. Any offer of employment is conditioned upon the successful completion of a drug screen (as applicable).

Artificial Intelligence (AI) Notice

Plote Companies may use artificial intelligence (AI) and other technology-assisted tools as part of the recruiting and hiring process. These tools may be integrated into recruiting platforms, applicant tracking systems, job boards, or business applications to help organize, summarize, compare, and evaluate job-related information submitted by applicants. If AI-assisted technologies are used during an interview (such as transcription, recording, or note-taking), applicants will be informed before or at the start of the interview. AI tools are used to support, not replace, human decision-making. Employment decisions are made by Plote Companies representatives after reviewing each candidate's qualifications, experience, and other job-related factors.