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Key Responsibilities and Required Skills for Utility Construction Manager

💰 $ - $

ConstructionUtilitiesProject ManagementCivil Engineering

🎯 Role Definition

The Utility Construction Manager is a senior field and office leader responsible for planning, executing, and delivering utility infrastructure projects on schedule, on budget, and to required quality and safety standards. This role leads multidisciplinary teams and subcontractors, coordinates utility relocations with owners and public agencies, enforces safety and environmental compliance, manages budgets and schedules, and serves as the primary point of contact between the client, design team, permitting authorities, and stakeholders. The ideal candidate brings deep experience in underground and overhead utility construction, strong contract administration skills, and demonstrated success delivering complex municipal, DOT, and energy-sector projects.

📈 Career Progression

Typical Career Path

Entry Point From:

  • Senior Field Superintendent
  • Project Engineer (Utility/Civil)
  • Construction Superintendent (Utilities/Civils)

Advancement To:

  • Senior Construction Manager / Program Manager
  • Operations Manager / Regional Construction Director
  • Director of Infrastructure Delivery

Lateral Moves:

  • Project Controls Manager
  • Contract Administrator / Commercial Manager

Core Responsibilities

Primary Functions

  • Lead planning and execution of multiple concurrent utility construction projects (water, sewer, storm, gas, electric, telecom), ensuring scope, schedule, budget, safety and quality objectives are met and aligning delivery to client and regulatory requirements.
  • Develop, maintain and report project schedules using MS Project or Primavera, perform critical path analysis, and drive recovery plans when milestones are at risk to maintain on-time delivery.
  • Create, manage and reconcile project budgets and forecasts, track labor and equipment productivity, issue cost-to-complete estimates, and implement cost control measures to protect margin.
  • Administer contracts and subcontracts including negotiation of scope, change orders, claims, subcontractor performance, and enforcement of contract terms and insurance requirements.
  • Serve as primary client and stakeholder liaison — coordinate utility owner meetings, municipal and DOT reviews, public outreach, and status reporting to owners, municipalities, and funding agencies.
  • Direct field operations including crew deployment, daily work planning, supervision of superintendents, and enforcement of site safety, traffic control (MOT/TTC) and environmental protection measures.
  • Implement and maintain safety management programs (OSHA standards, corporate safety policies, job hazard analyses), conduct toolbox talks, incident investigations, and corrective action plans to minimize risk and ensure regulatory compliance.
  • Coordinate complex utility relocations and installations with utility owners, designers, and inspectors; review utility conflict resolutions, SUE (Subsurface Utility Engineering) data, and as-built discrepancies to support design-build or design-assist workflows.
  • Oversee quality assurance and quality control (QA/QC) programs including material inspections, sampling/testing (compaction, pressure tests), weld and joint acceptance, and production of non-conformance reports with corrective actions.
  • Prepare and submit permit applications, coordinate inspections and approvals with environmental agencies, water districts, DOTs and city departments, and ensure adherence to permit conditions and special provisions.
  • Manage procurement and logistics for long-lead items, materials and equipment — review submittals, material certifications, delivery schedules and warehouse staging to minimize downtime and ensure first-quality materials are used.
  • Lead design and preconstruction reviews, provide constructability input, value engineering, review shop drawings and RFIs, and collaborate with designers to reduce costs and mitigate field risk.
  • Supervise preparation of daily construction reports, progress photos, RFI logs, submittal logs, change order documentation and maintain accurate project records to support invoicing and claims.
  • Oversee testing, commissioning and start-up activities for utility systems, coordinate with operations teams and third-party testers, and ensure deliverables meet operational performance criteria prior to turnover.
  • Drive workforce development: hire, mentor and evaluate field supervisors and leads, set performance expectations, conduct training (safety, operational, technical) and develop succession plans to build bench strength.
  • Implement traffic control plans and maintain public safety during construction, coordinate road closures, detours and notifications, and liaise with emergency services to ensure uninterrupted community access.
  • Manage claims, change order negotiations and dispute resolutions proactively, document entitlement, prepare cost/time impact analyses and pursue equitable adjustments with owners and subcontractors.
  • Ensure compliance with environmental regulations (SWPPP, erosion control, wetlands protection), manage mitigation measures and coordinate with environmental specialists for monitoring and reporting.
  • Supervise trenching, shoring, excavation and backfill operations, enforce compaction and bedding specifications, and ensure compliance with utility depth, cover and clearance requirements.
  • Maintain and optimize construction equipment inventory and utilization, coordinate fleet maintenance, manage rental equipment negotiations, and implement equipment-sharing strategies to control costs.
  • Review and approve final as-built drawings, O&M manuals, warranties and turnover packages; coordinate final inspections, punch lists, and successful project close-out with clients and stakeholders.
  • Lead emergency response and outage restoration planning for utilities during storm events or system failures, coordinate rapid mobilization of crews, and communicate status to affected stakeholders.
  • Drive continuous improvement, implement lessons learned, update procedures and workflows, and leverage technology (BIM, GIS, mobile field reporting) to enhance productivity and data-driven decision-making.
  • Ensure compliance with prevailing wage, Davis-Bacon, bonding and other statutory requirements on public projects, coordinate certified payroll reporting, and manage audit responses.

Secondary Functions

  • Support development of preconstruction proposals, estimates and schedules to help win new utility construction contracts and extensions.
  • Participate in project steering committees and design coordination workshops to align technical, commercial and schedule objectives.
  • Maintain strong relationships with vendors, suppliers and subcontractors to secure competitive pricing and reliable deliveries.
  • Support corporate reporting by compiling project KPIs, cash flow forecasts and performance dashboards for executive leadership.
  • Participate in corporate safety, quality and process improvement committees to share field insights and standardize best practices across regions.
  • Assist in public communications and community relations efforts, respond to resident inquiries, and coordinate outreach for high-impact construction activities.
  • Contribute to resource planning and capacity management, identifying gaps and forecasting hiring needs for upcoming programs.
  • Support post-construction warranty management, responding to client issues, organizing remediation activities, and tracking warranty claims through resolution.

Required Skills & Competencies

Hard Skills (Technical)

  • Construction Project Management (utility infrastructure, water, sewer, gas, electric, telecom)
  • Contract administration and change order management (public and private sector)
  • Scheduling and critical path management (MS Project, Primavera P6)
  • Cost estimating, budgeting and cost control (job costing systems, earned value concepts)
  • Quality Assurance / Quality Control for civil and utility works, inspection and testing protocols
  • Safety management and compliance (OSHA 10/30, safety plans, incident investigation)
  • Subsurface Utility Engineering (SUE) coordination and utility conflict resolution
  • Permitting and regulatory compliance (DOT, municipality, environmental permits, SWPPP)
  • Construction means and methods for trenching, shoring, tunneling, pipe laying, and overhead work
  • Materials management and procurement, submittal review and supplier qualification
  • Technical drawing and plan reading; familiarity with AutoCAD, Civil 3D and GIS mapping
  • Traffic control / Maintenance of Traffic (MOT) planning and implementation
  • Field reporting and documentation (daily reports, RFI management, as-built records)
  • Testing and commissioning processes for utility systems (pressure testing, chlorination)
  • Familiarity with DOT specifications, standard details and public works contract requirements

Soft Skills

  • Strong leadership and team development capabilities with a focus on field supervision
  • Excellent verbal and written communication for stakeholder and client interactions
  • Advanced problem-solving and decision-making under schedule and budget pressure
  • Negotiation and conflict resolution skills for claims, subcontractors and stakeholder issues
  • High attention to detail with an emphasis on quality and regulatory compliance
  • Customer-focused mindset and ability to manage community relations professionally
  • Time management and prioritization across multiple projects and competing demands
  • Adaptability and resilience in fast-paced field environments and emergency situations
  • Data-driven mindset with the ability to use project metrics to drive performance
  • Coaching and mentoring skills to build high-performance field teams

Education & Experience

Educational Background

Minimum Education:

  • Bachelor's degree in Construction Management, Civil Engineering, Civil Technology, or related field; or equivalent combination of education and progressive field experience.

Preferred Education:

  • Bachelor's degree in Civil Engineering or Construction Management with project leadership coursework.
  • Professional certifications such as PMP (Project Management Professional), CCM (Certified Construction Manager) or state contractor licenses.
  • OSHA 30-hour construction safety certification; first aid/CPR recommended.

Relevant Fields of Study:

  • Civil Engineering
  • Construction Management
  • Civil Technology / Construction Technology
  • Project Management

Experience Requirements

Typical Experience Range:

  • 7–12 years of progressive experience in utility or heavy civil construction with at least 3–5 years in a supervisory or management role.

Preferred:

  • 10+ years of utility construction experience including public works/DOT projects, experience managing multi-million-dollar contracts, demonstrated success with utility relocations and stakeholder coordination, and prior experience supervising subcontractors and multi-discipline crews.
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