JOB DESCRIPTION
Assistant Project Manager
Project Leadership - Developing
Job Title
Assistant Project Manager
Department
Project Leadership - Developing
Reports To
Project Manager. On large projects with no assigned Project Manager for a phase, reports to the Senior Project Manager.
FLSA Status
Exempt
Supervises
Project Engineer(s) assigned to the delegated scope.
Travel
Assignment-based; typically assigned full-time to a project site. May require temporary relocation or extended stay.
Typical Scope
A defined area, discipline, phase or service line within a larger project; or one small standalone project, typically under [$2M], with Project Manager oversight.
Position Summary
Runs a defined portion of a project under the Project Manager, or a small standalone project with Project Manager oversight. The Assistant Project Manager carries real ownership of delegated scope - its cost, its subcontracts, its procurement and its documentation - but does not hold the contract, the schedule of record, or the authority to change the deal. The role exists to develop Project Managers by giving them accountability before authority, and the scope delegated to an Assistant Project Manager must be written down at project kickoff, not assumed.
Essential Duties and Responsibilities
Delegated Scope Ownership
- Own the cost, progress and documentation of the scope formally delegated by the Project Manager at kickoff. The delegation is written and specific - area, discipline, phase or dollar value - and is reviewed when the scope changes.
- Report on delegated scope at the weekly project meeting: cost position, progress against plan, open issues and risks.
- Escalate anything outside the delegated scope to the Project Manager rather than absorbing it.
Cost & Reporting
- Maintain cost coding, quantity roll-up and earned-value reporting for the delegated scope.
- Prepare the monthly cost forecast and estimate at completion for the delegated scope; the Project Manager consolidates and owns the project total.
- Prepare the monthly accrual and progress billing backup for Project Manager review and submission.
- Review and approve timecards, vendor invoices and subcontractor pay applications within the delegated scope and authority threshold.
- Flag cost trends and budget exposure to the Project Manager early - no month-end surprises.
Change Management
- Identify potential changes and assemble the pricing, quantity backup, labor and equipment build-up for Project Manager review.
- Draft change order documentation and notice letters for Project Manager signature; track the change log.
- Participate in change order negotiation with the client when the Project Manager leads it. The Assistant Project Manager does not negotiate or commit alone.
Procurement & Subcontracts
- Issue purchase orders and administer subcontracts within the authority threshold; prepare above-threshold commitments for Project Manager signature.
- Administer subcontractor commercial documentation, scope definition, pay applications, back-charges and closeout.
- Own long-lead item tracking and delivery risk reporting for the delegated scope.
Schedule Support
- Maintain schedule updates and progress data for the delegated scope; the Project Manager owns the schedule of record.
- Support recovery planning and time-impact documentation with data, quantities and productivity history.
Team, Client & Safety
- Direct the Project Engineer(s) assigned to the delegated scope.
- Interface with the client''s project staff on matters within the delegated scope only; refer anything else to the Project Manager.
- Support the Superintendent''s execution - remove obstacles, secure resources, close information gaps.
- Support training and permit compliance verification and participate in incident investigations for the delegated scope.
Authority and Decision Rights
- Purchase orders, rentals and subcontract commitments up to [$25,000] per commitment.
- Approves timecards, vendor invoices and subcontractor pay applications within the delegated scope and threshold.
- No authority to authorize work outside contracted scope - this remains solely the Project Manager''s.
- No authority to negotiate or commit change order value to the client.
- Unlimited stop-work authority.
Boundary Lines - What This Role Does Not Own
Listed to prevent overlap. Each item below is a responsibility this role supports but does not own; the accountable role is named.
This role does NOT own…
Accountable role
Authorizing work outside contracted scope
Project Manager - SOLE authority, never delegated
The contract, its interpretation and contractual notice
Project Manager
The schedule of record
Project Manager
Final project cost forecast, accrual and billing submission
Project Manager
Negotiating or committing change order value with the client
Project Manager, escalating to Senior Project Manager above threshold
Ownership of the client project-level relationship
Project Manager
Means and methods, and direction of craft crews
Superintendent Foreman
Anything outside the scope formally delegated in writing at kickoff
Project Manager
Qualifications
Experience, Education and Competency
- 3-7 years in construction, typically progressing from Project Engineer; mining, industrial or heavy civil preferred.
- Demonstrated ownership of cost coding, quantity tracking, forecasting and change documentation on a live project.
- Working command of subcontract administration, procurement and pay application review.
- Able to read and interpret civil, structural, mechanical, piping and electrical drawings, isometrics, P&IDs and specifications.
- Bachelor''s degree in Engineering or Construction Management, or equivalent field-earned experience.
- MSHA Part 46/48; valid 5000-23; OSHA 30; first aid/CPR.
- Actively developing toward Project Manager: expected to demonstrate readiness for full P&L ownership within two to four years.
Required Site Credentials
- MSHA Part 46/48 training as applicable to the site, with a valid 5000-23 certificate.
- Company and client contractor orientation, and site-specific training, completed before site access.
- Valid driver''s license and an insurable driving record where site or company driving is required.
- Ability to pass pre-employment and site-required screening, including fit-for-duty where applicable.
Performance Measures
- Delegated scope margin vs. budget
- Forecast accuracy on the delegated scope
- Change backup complete and priced within five working days of identification
- Accrual and billing backup delivered to the PM ahead of the deadline (target 100%)
- Subcontractor pay applications processed within terms
- Readiness milestones met on the path to Project Manager
Physical Demands and Work Environment
Work Environment
Project office and active mine site. Full PPE and current MSHA credentials required. Exposure to heat, cold, dust, noise, vibration and moving equipment.
Physical Demands
Combination of desk work and regular field presence. Walking on uneven ground, climbing stairs and ladders, occasional work at elevation. Lifting up to 50 lbs occasionally. Extended shifts and shutdown/outage schedules as required.
Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions of this role.
General Provisions
- This description reflects the general nature and level of work performed. It is not an exhaustive list of all duties, responsibilities or requirements, and does not restrict the company''s right to assign or reassign duties at any time.
- Role accountability, authority thresholds and boundary lines are identical across all self-performed service lines - Mechanical, Structural, Civil, Concrete, Piping and Electrical. Service line changes the technical subject matter, not the level of responsibility.
- This description does not constitute an employment contract and does not alter the at-will nature of employment where applicable.
- The company is an equal opportunity employer. Employment decisions are made without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, disability, protected veteran status or any other legally protected characteristic.
- Stop-work authority is unlimited for this role, as it is for every employee. No approval is required and no reprisal will follow.