Key Responsibilities and Required Skills for EPC Project Manager

🎯 Role Definition

As an EPC (Engineering, Procurement, and Construction) Project Manager, you are the strategic leader and primary driver of our most critical capital projects. You will orchestrate a diverse team of engineers, procurement specialists, construction professionals, and subcontractors, ensuring seamless integration across all project phases. This role demands a unique blend of technical expertise, financial acumen, and exceptional leadership to navigate the complexities of multi-million or billion-dollar projects, manage stakeholder expectations, and ultimately deliver world-class facilities. You are responsible for the entire project lifecycle, from initial FEED (Front-End Engineering Design) and contract negotiation through to commissioning, startup, and final handover.

📈 Career Progression

Typical Career Path

Entry Point From:

Senior Project Engineer
Construction Manager
Project Controls Manager

Advancement To:

Program Manager / Senior Project Manager
Director of Projects
Vice President of Operations

Lateral Moves:

Business Development Manager (Technical Sales)
Operations Manager

Core Responsibilities

Primary Functions

Full Lifecycle Project Accountability: Assume ultimate ownership for the successful execution of large-scale EPC projects, managing all phases from initial development, engineering design, procurement, and construction through to commissioning and client handover.
Strategic Project Planning & Execution: Develop and implement a comprehensive Project Execution Plan (PEP) that outlines objectives, scope, schedules, budget, risk mitigation strategies, and resource requirements.
Financial & Budgetary Control: Direct the development of the project budget, maintain rigorous cost control, perform detailed financial forecasting, and manage cash flow to ensure project profitability and adherence to financial targets.
Master Schedule Management: Oversee the creation and maintenance of the integrated master project schedule, utilizing critical path analysis to monitor progress, identify potential delays, and proactively implement recovery plans.
Contract & Commercial Management: Lead the negotiation and administration of prime contracts with clients and major contracts with suppliers and subcontractors, ensuring compliance with all terms and conditions and effectively managing change orders.
Stakeholder & Client Relationship Management: Serve as the primary point of contact for the client, fostering a strong, collaborative relationship, and providing regular, transparent reporting on project status, risks, and milestones.
Risk & Opportunity Management: Champion the project's risk management process by identifying, analyzing, and mitigating potential risks across all disciplines while actively seeking opportunities for value enhancement.
Team Leadership & Development: Build, lead, and motivate a high-performing, multidisciplinary project team, defining roles and responsibilities, and fostering a culture of safety, quality, and accountability.
Engineering & Design Oversight: Ensure that engineering and design activities are aligned with project specifications, contractual requirements, and industry standards, facilitating effective interface management between engineering disciplines.
Procurement & Supply Chain Strategy: Direct the global procurement and supply chain strategy, overseeing the sourcing, purchasing, and logistics of all equipment and materials to ensure timely delivery to the construction site.
Construction & Field Operations Management: Provide executive oversight of all construction activities, ensuring work is executed safely, to the required quality standards, and in accordance with the project schedule.
Health, Safety, & Environmental (HSE) Leadership: Champion a world-class safety culture across the entire project, ensuring strict adherence to all HSE policies and regulations to achieve a zero-incident workplace.
Quality Assurance & Quality Control (QA/QC): Implement and manage a robust QA/QC program to guarantee that all work, materials, and installations meet or exceed project specifications and quality benchmarks.
Subcontractor & Vendor Management: Direct the selection, management, and performance evaluation of all subcontractors and key vendors to ensure alignment with project goals and contractual obligations.
Project Controls & Reporting: Oversee the project controls function, ensuring accurate and timely reporting on key performance indicators (KPIs) such as cost, schedule, progress, and risk to senior management and clients.
Change Management Leadership: Establish and manage a formal change order management process to meticulously document, evaluate, and approve any deviations from the original project scope, schedule, or budget.
Resource Allocation & Optimization: Strategically plan and allocate necessary resources, including personnel, equipment, and materials, to optimize efficiency and productivity throughout the project lifecycle.
Regulatory & Permitting Compliance: Ensure the project complies with all local, national, and international laws, regulations, and permitting requirements, managing interfaces with relevant authorities.
Commissioning & Startup Coordination: Lead the planning and execution of pre-commissioning, commissioning, and startup activities, ensuring a smooth and efficient transition from construction to operational status.
Project Closeout & Documentation: Manage the comprehensive project closeout process, including the finalization of all contracts, resolution of outstanding claims, and the compilation and handover of all final project documentation.

Secondary Functions

Support business development and sales efforts by providing technical expertise and contributing to proposals for new EPC projects.
Mentor and coach junior project managers and project engineers to foster talent development within the organization.
Drive continuous improvement initiatives by capturing lessons learned and recommending enhancements to project management processes and systems.
Prepare and deliver high-impact presentations on project status, risks, and strategic initiatives to executive leadership and key stakeholders.

Required Skills & Competencies

Hard Skills (Technical)

Advanced Project Scheduling: Expert-level proficiency with scheduling software, particularly Primavera P6, and a deep understanding of critical path methodology.
Cost Engineering & EVM: Mastery of cost control, budgeting, forecasting, and Earned Value Management (EVM) techniques.
EPC Contract Management: In-depth knowledge of various contract models (e.g., Lump Sum, Cost-Plus, FIDIC) and demonstrated experience in negotiation and administration.
Construction Management Methodologies: Comprehensive understanding of construction means, methods, and best practices for large-scale industrial projects.
Risk Management Frameworks: Proven ability to develop and implement comprehensive risk and opportunity management plans.
Engineering Discipline Integration: Ability to understand and manage the interfaces between various engineering disciplines (Civil, Mechanical, Electrical, etc.).
Procurement & Global Sourcing: Strong knowledge of strategic sourcing, supply chain logistics, and managing complex procurement cycles.
Quality Management Systems: Familiarity with implementing and managing QA/QC programs based on ISO 9001 or similar standards.
HSE Regulations: Deep understanding of industry-specific health, safety, and environmental regulations (e.g., OSHA).
Project Management Information Systems (PMIS): Proficiency with PMIS tools for managing cost, schedule, and project documentation.

Soft Skills

Executive Communication & Presence: The ability to articulate complex issues clearly and concisely to clients, partners, and senior leadership.
Strategic Negotiation & Influence: A master negotiator capable of influencing outcomes and achieving consensus among diverse stakeholders.
Decisive Leadership: The capacity to make timely, well-reasoned decisions under pressure, often with incomplete information.
Complex Problem-Solving: A systematic and analytical approach to identifying root causes and resolving multifaceted project challenges.
Stakeholder Relationship Management: Exceptional interpersonal skills for building and maintaining trust with clients, team members, and external partners.
Resilience & Adaptability: The ability to remain effective and composed while navigating the high-stakes, dynamic environment of major projects.
Financial Acumen: A strong business sense and the ability to view the project from a commercial and profitability standpoint.
Team Building & Motivation: A natural leader who can inspire and unite a large, diverse team toward a common goal.

Education & Experience

Educational Background

Minimum Education:

Bachelor's Degree in a relevant field.

Preferred Education:

Master of Science (M.S.) in Engineering or Project Management, or a Master of Business Administration (MBA).
Project Management Professional (PMP) certification is strongly preferred.

Relevant Fields of Study:

Engineering (Mechanical, Civil, Electrical, Chemical, Industrial)
Construction Management

Experience Requirements

Typical Experience Range: 10-15+ years of progressive project management experience.

Preferred:

A proven track record of successfully managing and delivering at least one large-scale ($100M+) EPC project from conception through to mechanical completion and commissioning.
Significant experience in the Energy (Oil & Gas, LNG, Renewables), Power Generation, Chemical, or Heavy Industrial manufacturing sectors.
Experience managing projects with a significant international component, including global sourcing and diverse workforces.