Project Manager (Chicago)
Appleton Finn, Chicago, IL, United States
Electrical Project Manager – Mission Critical (MV Data Centers)
Location:
Greater Chicago Area (regional travel as required)
Company Overview:
Our client is a well‑established, privately held electrical contractor and integrated design‑build firm with decades of experience delivering complex electrical infrastructure programs. The organization is recognized for disciplined project execution, a safety‑first operating culture, deep in‑house engineering and construction expertise, and long‑standing relationships with clients operating in highly regulated, zero‑failure environments.
The company maintains dedicated
Mission Critical
and
Aviation Infrastructure
business units, delivering medium‑ and high‑reliability electrical systems for facilities where uptime, precision, redundancy, and coordination are non‑negotiable.
Position Summary:
The
Electrical Project Manager – Mission Critical
will lead the execution of complex electrical construction projects within mission‑critical environments, with a strong emphasis on
medium‑voltage (MV) infrastructure for data centers . Individual project scopes may exceed
$30M
in value.
This role has full accountability from
pre‑construction through commissioning and close‑out , managing safety, schedule, quality, financial performance, and client/stakeholder coordination. The position requires proven experience delivering projects in
live, highly constrained, and operationally sensitive data‑center environments , where outage prevention, compliance, and meticulous planning are essential.
Key Responsibilities
Project Delivery & Leadership
Lead full‑lifecycle delivery of mission‑critical electrical projects, including large‑scale MV data‑center infrastructure programs.
Manage MV electrical scopes including substations, incoming utility services, primary distribution, switchgear, feeders, generators, and supporting infrastructure.
Develop and execute project strategies that prioritize safety, quality, constructability, and schedule certainty in zero‑downtime environments.
Pre‑Construction & Planning
Support pre‑construction efforts including estimate review, budgeting, value engineering, procurement strategies, and logistics planning.
Lead constructability reviews and coordinate closely with BIM/VDC teams to ensure clash‑free installation within dense, active facilities.
Participate in pull‑planning, phase planning, and fast‑track delivery strategies aligned with phased turnover requirements.
Schedule & Cost Management
Develop, manage, and maintain detailed project schedules, identifying risks related to outages, access restrictions, commissioning windows, and owner operations.
Maintain full responsibility for cost control, forecasting, change management, billing, and financial reporting.
Proactively manage scope changes, commercial exposure, and contractual risk.
Safety, Quality & Compliance
Act as a visible safety leader, enforcing company policies, client standards, NFPA/NEC requirements, and site‑specific protocols.
Implement and manage project‑specific QA/QC programs, including inspections, deficiency management, testing documentation, and turnover packages.
Ensure compliance with owner standards, AHJ requirements, and any applicable regulatory authorities within occupied or operating facilities.
Commissioning & Turnover
Coordinate closely with owners, commissioning agents, engineers, AHJs, and inspectors through energization and system turnover.
Support the development and execution of MOPs, LOTO plans, energization sequencing, system testing, and load‑banking activities.
Lead close‑out processes including as‑built documentation, O&M manuals, training, and final acceptance.
Client & Team Management
Serve as the primary client interface for assigned projects, maintaining clear communication and trusted partnerships.
Lead, mentor, and develop project engineers, field supervision, and support staff.
Foster a high‑performance, accountable team culture focused on safe, predictable, and high‑quality project delivery.
Location:
Greater Chicago Area (regional travel as required)
Company Overview:
Our client is a well‑established, privately held electrical contractor and integrated design‑build firm with decades of experience delivering complex electrical infrastructure programs. The organization is recognized for disciplined project execution, a safety‑first operating culture, deep in‑house engineering and construction expertise, and long‑standing relationships with clients operating in highly regulated, zero‑failure environments.
The company maintains dedicated
Mission Critical
and
Aviation Infrastructure
business units, delivering medium‑ and high‑reliability electrical systems for facilities where uptime, precision, redundancy, and coordination are non‑negotiable.
Position Summary:
The
Electrical Project Manager – Mission Critical
will lead the execution of complex electrical construction projects within mission‑critical environments, with a strong emphasis on
medium‑voltage (MV) infrastructure for data centers . Individual project scopes may exceed
$30M
in value.
This role has full accountability from
pre‑construction through commissioning and close‑out , managing safety, schedule, quality, financial performance, and client/stakeholder coordination. The position requires proven experience delivering projects in
live, highly constrained, and operationally sensitive data‑center environments , where outage prevention, compliance, and meticulous planning are essential.
Key Responsibilities
Project Delivery & Leadership
Lead full‑lifecycle delivery of mission‑critical electrical projects, including large‑scale MV data‑center infrastructure programs.
Manage MV electrical scopes including substations, incoming utility services, primary distribution, switchgear, feeders, generators, and supporting infrastructure.
Develop and execute project strategies that prioritize safety, quality, constructability, and schedule certainty in zero‑downtime environments.
Pre‑Construction & Planning
Support pre‑construction efforts including estimate review, budgeting, value engineering, procurement strategies, and logistics planning.
Lead constructability reviews and coordinate closely with BIM/VDC teams to ensure clash‑free installation within dense, active facilities.
Participate in pull‑planning, phase planning, and fast‑track delivery strategies aligned with phased turnover requirements.
Schedule & Cost Management
Develop, manage, and maintain detailed project schedules, identifying risks related to outages, access restrictions, commissioning windows, and owner operations.
Maintain full responsibility for cost control, forecasting, change management, billing, and financial reporting.
Proactively manage scope changes, commercial exposure, and contractual risk.
Safety, Quality & Compliance
Act as a visible safety leader, enforcing company policies, client standards, NFPA/NEC requirements, and site‑specific protocols.
Implement and manage project‑specific QA/QC programs, including inspections, deficiency management, testing documentation, and turnover packages.
Ensure compliance with owner standards, AHJ requirements, and any applicable regulatory authorities within occupied or operating facilities.
Commissioning & Turnover
Coordinate closely with owners, commissioning agents, engineers, AHJs, and inspectors through energization and system turnover.
Support the development and execution of MOPs, LOTO plans, energization sequencing, system testing, and load‑banking activities.
Lead close‑out processes including as‑built documentation, O&M manuals, training, and final acceptance.
Client & Team Management
Serve as the primary client interface for assigned projects, maintaining clear communication and trusted partnerships.
Lead, mentor, and develop project engineers, field supervision, and support staff.
Foster a high‑performance, accountable team culture focused on safe, predictable, and high‑quality project delivery.