Project Manager

Location: Orange County, CA

Industry: Public Works / General Contractor / Water & Civil Infrastructure

About the Company

An established Southern California general contractor with a long-standing reputation in public works construction is seeking a Project Manager to join its team. The company manages a wide range of active projects across Los Angeles, Orange County, and surrounding markets, with a strong concentration in public agency work and water-related infrastructure. The firm combines field execution, project controls, and client coordination with a practical, team-first operating style and continues to invest in people who want to build a career with the business.

Position Summary

The Project Manager owns the administrative and financial success of assigned construction projects from turnover through closeout. This person is responsible for keeping the project on schedule, on budget, properly documented, and moving forward with urgency. The Project Manager works closely with Superintendents, Project Engineers, ownership representatives, subcontractors, and leadership to remove barriers, manage risk, and drive outcomes.

This role is expected to think like an owner of the job: proactive, accountable, and fully engaged in what it takes to make the project successful.

What You’ll Do

• Take full ownership of assigned projects from handoff through closeout
• Lead project startup activities including:
• CPM schedule development
• procurement planning
• subcontract planning
• submittal register setup
• closeout planning
• cost code confirmation
• schedule of values support
• pay request preparation structure
• Review contract documents, reporting requirements, and compliance needs for each project
• Build and manage project budgets, cost tracking, billing support, and self-perform labor planning
• Issue and manage RFIs, submittals, purchase orders, subcontracts, change orders, and RFCOs
• Maintain current project logs, documentation, and internal tracking tools
• Review and approve meeting minutes, billing support, and cost coding
• Monitor pending items daily and stay ahead of issues that could impact cost, schedule, or execution
• Coordinate with the Superintendent to align administrative planning with field production
• Prepare for owner meetings with updated logs, pending items, and current schedule status
• Support monthly pay applications and all required backup documentation including schedule updates, photos, and reports
• Stay fully aware of project status, financial health, risk points, client expectations, and team needs throughout the life of the project

What the Company Is Looking For

• Bachelor’s degree required; engineering background preferred, though related degrees may be considered with strong project experience
• 2–3+ years of project management or project engineering experience in construction
• Public works experience required or strongly preferred
• Water, stormwater, utility, rehabilitation, or similar infrastructure background is highly valued
• Comfortable managing documentation, cost controls, owner-facing communication, and coordination with field leadership
• Able to move projects forward without needing constant direction
• Strong cost-awareness and a mindset geared toward protecting contingency, managing scope, and supporting profitable delivery
• Positive, practical, team-oriented style
• Looking for long-term growth, not just a short-term stop

Preferred Experience

• General contractor experience within public agencies or municipal work
• Experience with active civil/public works projects in Southern California
• Ability to work across multiple stakeholders including owners, inspectors, subcontractors, and internal leadership
• Experience supporting or leading water infrastructure work

Software / Tools

• Microsoft Office Suite
• Outlook
• Bluebeam
• Procore
• Ability to learn and use internal project management and filing systems

Work Environment

This role is based out of the Newport Beach office. New Project Managers are generally expected onsite full-time during training and early ramp-up. After training, Project Managers may have one remote day per week, and more senior PMs may have additional hybrid flexibility. Project visits are expected as needed based on project phase, complexity, and location.

Why Join

• Stable, growing contractor with a strong backlog and repeat business
• Broad exposure to complex public works projects across Southern California
• Leadership team with deep tenure and practical operating experience
• High-trust culture with room to grow into larger project and leadership responsibilities
• Bonus potential tied to project performance and company profitability
• Full benefits for non-union employees
• Team events, networking opportunities, and a collaborative environment that values effort and accountability