Civil Project Manager Jobs

MORE ABOUT THIS ROLE

Many Civil Project Mangers started their careers in Civil Engineering and worked their way towards project management. Due to this, most New Zealand employers expect candidates to possess tertiary qualifications in Civil Engineering and an exceptional understanding of earthworks, roads, drainage, structural concrete, and sometimes, coal and gas. In addition, a qualification in Project Management (PMI or PRINCE2) can be hugely beneficial to employability.

The primary difference between a Civil Engineer role and a Civil Project Manager however, is that they tend to lead a team of engineers and field staff. For that reason, the following additional requirements are commonly being asked for by New Zealand employers:

• Organised and motivated
• Able to lead others
• Great attention to detail
• Assertiveness and ability to have hard conversations
• Excellent communication and negotiating skills
• Excellent writing and presentation skills
• Able to make practical decisions
• Able to think creatively
• Can relate to a wide range of people
• Can work well under pressure and meet agreed deadlines

Typical Responsibilities

• Communicating with project team, government officials, clients and internal/external stakeholders
• Liaising with local councils over planning permission and building permits
• Creating timeline for civil projects and planning deliverables
• Reporting on budgets and resources
• Creating and updating documentation
• Managing civil project and admin team
• Managing external vendors and that their services meet agreed specifications

Progression

As Civil Project Managers gain more experience, they can often expect to move to larger, more complex projects or projects with a higher risk or level of stakeholder. In many cases, Civil Project Managers can often progress to more senior Project Management, Programme Management or into operational management positions. Alternatively, some may also work as self-employed contractors.