Key Responsibilities and Required Skills for Energy Project Manager

🎯 Role Definition

Are you a strategic leader passionate about the energy transition? This role requires a highly skilled and motivated Energy Project Manager to join our dynamic team. In this pivotal role, you will take full ownership of high-value renewable energy and energy efficiency projects, ensuring they are delivered on time, within budget, and to the highest standards of quality and safety. You will serve as the central hub for all project activities, expertly navigating complex stakeholder landscapes, mitigating risks, and driving projects from feasibility and permitting through construction and operation. This is a unique opportunity to make a tangible impact on decarbonization goals and shape the future of energy infrastructure.

📈 Career Progression

Typical Career Path

Entry Point From:

Project Engineer (Energy/Construction)
Assistant Project Manager
Senior Energy Analyst

Advancement To:

Senior Energy Project Manager
Program Manager, Energy Projects
Director of Project Management

Lateral Moves:

Construction Manager
Business Development Manager (Energy Sector)
Operations Manager (Power Generation)

Core Responsibilities

Primary Functions

Manage the entire project lifecycle for large-scale energy projects (e.g., solar, wind, battery storage, energy efficiency) from initial feasibility and site selection through to permitting, engineering, construction, commissioning, and final closeout.
Develop and maintain comprehensive project execution plans, detailed project schedules, and resource allocation strategies using tools like MS Project or Primavera P6.
Create, manage, and meticulously track project budgets, financial forecasts, and cash flow, ensuring adherence to financial objectives and reporting on variances.
Serve as the primary point of contact for all project stakeholders, including clients, investors, landowners, utility partners, EPC contractors, and regulatory agencies, fostering strong relationships and ensuring clear communication.
Lead the negotiation and administration of key project agreements, including Power Purchase Agreements (PPAs), EPC contracts, interconnection agreements, and supplier contracts.
Proactively identify, assess, and mitigate project risks across all domains, including financial, technical, regulatory, and construction-related issues, by developing and implementing robust risk management plans.
Oversee the entire procurement process, from developing RFPs and selecting vendors/contractors to managing supply chain logistics and ensuring timely delivery of critical equipment.
Drive the complex permitting process at local, state, and federal levels, ensuring all environmental and regulatory requirements are met and documented.
Coordinate and manage cross-functional internal teams, including engineering, finance, legal, and environmental departments, to ensure seamless project execution.
Conduct regular project site visits to monitor construction progress, ensure compliance with safety protocols (HSE), and verify adherence to quality standards and design specifications.
Prepare and deliver detailed, professional-grade project status reports and presentations for senior management and external stakeholders, highlighting progress, milestones, risks, and financial performance.
Manage the project change order process, evaluating the impact of any changes on scope, schedule, and budget and securing necessary approvals.
Ensure all project documentation is accurately maintained, organized, and archived for future reference and auditing purposes.
Lead project commissioning activities and coordinate the final handover of the completed facility to the operations and maintenance (O&M) team.
Resolve complex technical, commercial, and logistical issues that arise during project execution, demonstrating strong problem-solving and decision-making capabilities.
Champion a strong safety culture on all project sites, ensuring that all work is performed in compliance with company and industry safety standards.
Manage relationships with utilities for interconnection studies and agreements, navigating the technical and procedural requirements to secure grid connection.
Review and approve contractor and vendor invoices, ensuring work has been completed to satisfaction before authorizing payment.
Facilitate project-related meetings, including kickoff meetings, design reviews, and weekly progress meetings, ensuring they are productive and action-oriented.
Drive continuous improvement initiatives by conducting post-project reviews (lessons learned) and integrating findings into future project management processes and best practices.

Secondary Functions

Support the business development team by providing technical insights, preliminary schedules, and cost estimates for new project proposals and bids.
Contribute to the ongoing refinement of the organization's project management methodologies, tools, and standardized procedures.
Mentor junior project managers, project engineers, and coordinators, providing guidance on project execution and professional development.
Stay abreast of industry trends, new technologies, and evolving regulatory landscapes within the renewable energy and power sectors.

Required Skills & Competencies

Hard Skills (Technical)

Advanced Project Management Software: Proficiency in Primavera P6, Microsoft Project, or similar scheduling and project controls software.
Financial Acumen & Budgeting: Strong ability to develop and manage multi-million dollar project budgets, conduct financial analysis, and understand project finance models.
Contract Negotiation & Management: Demonstrated experience in negotiating and administering complex contracts, such as EPC, PPA, and Interconnection Agreements.
Renewable Energy Technologies: Deep technical understanding of energy systems, particularly solar (PV), wind, and/or Battery Energy Storage Systems (BESS).
Regulatory & Permitting Processes: In-depth knowledge of environmental and land-use permitting processes at the local, state, and federal levels.
Construction Management: Solid understanding of construction means and methods, site management, and field operations within the power or industrial sectors.
Risk Management & Analysis: Expertise in identifying, quantifying, and developing mitigation strategies for project risks.

Soft Skills

Stakeholder Management: Exceptional ability to build rapport and manage relationships with a diverse range of internal and external stakeholders.
Leadership & Influence: Proven ability to lead cross-functional teams and influence decision-making without direct authority.
Complex Problem-Solving: A systematic and analytical approach to resolving multifaceted technical, commercial, and logistical challenges.
Communication & Presentation: Excellent verbal and written communication skills, with the ability to clearly articulate complex information to technical and non-technical audiences.
Negotiation Skills: Strong negotiator capable of achieving favorable outcomes while maintaining positive long-term relationships.
Resilience & Adaptability: Ability to thrive in a fast-paced, high-pressure environment and adapt to changing project requirements and priorities.

Education & Experience

Educational Background

Minimum Education:

Bachelor's Degree

Preferred Education:

Master's Degree (e.g., MBA, M.S. in Engineering or Management)
Project Management Professional (PMP) certification is highly desirable.

Relevant Fields of Study:

Engineering (Mechanical, Electrical, Civil, Industrial)
Construction Management
Business Administration
Environmental Science

Experience Requirements

Typical Experience Range: 5-10 years of progressive experience in project management, with a significant portion focused on the energy, utility, or heavy industrial construction sectors.

Preferred: Direct, hands-on experience managing the full lifecycle of utility-scale renewable energy projects (10MW+) or portfolios of large commercial & industrial (C&I) energy projects is strongly preferred.