Project Manager, Construction

Responsibilities

• Lead day-to-day delivery of the Centre of Expertise Project across construction, commissioning, and facility handover, coordinating inputs across internal stakeholders and external construction, architectural, and design vendors.
• Maintain regular site presence and field oversight to validate progress, identify emerging risks, and drive timely issue resolution. Document observations/deficiencies and track issues to closure with the contractor and appropriate NWMO authorities.
• Hold design and construction vendors accountable by reviewing performance, validating deliverables against requirements, and escalating observations and concerns to NWMO project leadership.
• Manage site interfaces between contractor(s), design vendor(s), Owner’s Engineer/representative, and NWMO stakeholders to prevent conflicts and protect schedule and cost commitments.
• Develop and maintain the project cost baseline, forecasts, and cash flow; review contractor cost and schedule information and identify trends, variances, and required mitigations.
• Manage and maintain integrated reporting of scope, cost, schedule, risks, issues and changes; manage the project within its approved budget and schedule, implement corrective actions, and make clear and timely recommendations for resolving issues to NWMO senior leadership.
• Ensure construction activities meet NWMO standards for safety, quality, and community integration.
• Establish project communications (stakeholder mapping, meeting cadence, action tracking) and provide regular status reporting to NWMO leadership and other interested parties.
• Own the project’s risk and issues management process: identify and track risks/opportunities, define mitigation strategies, and bring recommendations to Senior Leadership for review and approval.
• Develop and implement project-specific governance documentation (e.g., Project Execution Plan, Scope of Work, Basis of Estimate) and ensure alignment with NWMO PMO standards and phase-gate processes.
• Lead change management activities (scope, cost, schedule), including identifying potential changes, assessing their credibility, managing documentation, analysis of impacts, recommendation of response options, and routing through change control processes.
• Stop and escalate work concerns (through the appropriate site and NWMO channels) when field observations indicate potential non-conformance, quality deficiencies, or other material risks that could impact project objectives.
• Participate in constructability reviews led by the lead design contractor and architect, applying field construction expertise to identify and resolve potential issues prior to construction.
• Coordinate with the Owner’s Engineer/Representative during commissioning, including acceptance testing and performance verification.
• Manage the transition to operational readiness, including the coordination of documentation completion, training/turnover requirements, and other handover processes to the NWMO.

Qualifications and Experience

• A post-secondary degree in Engineering, Construction Management, or a related technical discipline, or an equivalent combination of education and experience is required.
• Over 12 years’ experience in project management and construction, managing large Projects (project values $25 million - $100 million +). Requires specialist knowledge in design, construction, and project management, with a broad knowledge of various disciplines such as engineering and management systems.
• Advanced technical understanding of design, construction, codes, and project governance, as well as formal project management capability.
• Strong understanding of Canadian building codes, safety regulations, and environmental standards.
• Strong understanding of the Ontario Occupational Health & Safety Act and Regulations.
• Proven ability to manage vendors, challenge design and construction recommendations, and maintain project discipline.
• Professional designations such as the Canadian Construction Association (CCA)’s Gold Seal Certification (GSC) or PMP are preferred.

Working Conditions:

• Combination of office and active construction site environments.
• Requires regular on‑site presence in Ignace, Ontario, with travel to Toronto as required.
• While health and safety accountabilities will be held by the vendor (“Constructor”), this role will be a regular site visitor to ensure construction activities are progressing as reported.

Other Requirements:

The incumbent will bring an optimal combination of the following qualifications:

• Superior oral and written communication skills; superior interpersonal skills.
• Excellent planning and organizational skills.
• Excellent problem-solving skills
• Excellent analytical and strategic skills, as well as good business judgment and problem-solving skills.
• Ability to influence others at all levels of the organization.
• Ability to work as part of a multi-disciplinary team.
• Experience with incorporating Reconciliation and Indigenous knowledge into work processes would be considered an asset.
• Experience working with diverse teams in a social and technical environment
• An understanding of, or the ability to learn both technical and social aspects of the APM program.
• Ability to exercise patience, tact, diplomacy, and discretion.
• Demonstrated ability to work effectively in a consultative team environment.
• Demonstrated experience with configuration and change management processes.
• Highly developed creativity and initiative to deal with unique and challenging design and construction issues. Budget management skills.
• Proven ability to manage multiple projects within strict budget and timeline constraints.
• Proven ability to respond to frequently changing priorities.
• Minute-taking skills.
• Knowledge of Health & Safety regulations and legislature, including OHSA, WHMIS.