Manager, Project Management Office (PMO)

Our Transmission group is currently looking to add a Manager, Project Management Office (PMO) to our growing team, based in Edmonton, AB.

Reporting to the Director, Transmission Operations, we are seeking an experienced project delivery leader to build and lead the Project Management Office for the Transmission division. This role owns the standards, governance, and tools that define how Valard delivers projects, translating the Project Controls Framework into practical, field-ready processes and driving their adoption across a portfolio of major transmission projects. This is a builder role: you will stand up the PMO function from the ground up, working closely with Operations, Project Controls, Estimating, Scheduling, Contract Management, Finance, Procurement, and HSEQ teams to establish repeatable, scalable delivery standards that project teams will actually use.

Duties and Responsibilities

Project Delivery Governance & Framework Stewardship

• Own the Project Controls Framework for the Transmission division, setting requirements by project tier and keeping it current as the business evolves
• Govern lifecycle gates (estimate handover, day one budget, executive kickoff, baseline schedule, performance handover), confirming deliverables are complete, evidenced, and approved per the Authority Matrix before a project advances
• Maintain the tier classification/applicability matrix with divisional leadership. Own PMO document governance — numbering, version control, master document register

Authority & Decision Rights

• Approve or withhold gate completion; a project doesn't advance until requirements are met at the authority level set by the Authority Matrix
• Set minimum controls per tier and approve documented deviations with compensating controls
• Own reporting definitions, structures, and templates, with changes routed through PMO change control rather than adopted ad hoc
• Serve as final interpreter of framework requirements for Transmission, escalating unresolved non-compliance or systemic risk to the SVP, Transmission

Standards, Process & Systems Ownership

• Develop PMO procedures, standards, and reference materials (SOPs, work instructions, templates, checklists, RACIs) across the delivery lifecycle
• Design end-to-end workflows defining roles, inputs, outputs, and decision gates
• Own project structure standards (WBS conventions, cost code library, project setup) through change control
• Define template/configuration requirements for JD Edwards, EcoSys, and quantity tracking tools with Finance, Project Controls, and IT
• Benchmark industry/Quanta practices into field-fit processes
• Run lessons-learned and post-project reviews, converting findings into standard/template revisions
• Own and prioritize the PMO improvement backlog.

Adoption, Training & Change Management

• Drive standard adoption across Operations, Project Controls, Estimating, Contract Management, and delivery teams
• Facilitate SME workshops to validate designs and build buy-in
• Build training and quick-reference materials for PMs, Construction Managers, Project Controllers, and Project Accountants
• Manage rollout communications, tailored for field and corporate audiences, earning credibility through practical deliverables over bureaucracy

Project Assurance & Portfolio Reporting

• Conduct health checks and readiness reviews at mobilization and key milestones
• Define the standard reporting pack by tier (content, cadence, calculation methods) and consolidate into a consistent, comparable portfolio view for leadership
• Partner with Project Controls/Business Performance to align outputs with framework requirements without duplicating analysis
• Report on compliance, gate status, and improvement progress; escalate systemic risks and capability gaps with remediation recommendations

Leadership & Team Development

• Lead, coach, and assign PMO Process Specialists across divisions; setting objectives, building capability in process design and facilitation, and engaging directly on escalated projects, recoveries, and critical gate reviews
• Establish the PMO operating rhythm (intake, prioritization, cadence, reporting)
• Represent Transmission in corporate PMO forums, aligning divisional standards with Valard/Quanta expectations

Requirements

• Post-Secondary education in Engineering, Construction Management, Business, Finance, or a related discipline
• 8 years of progressive experience in project management, project controls, PMO operations, or project delivery within construction, energy, utilities, or infrastructure
• 2 years of people leadership or formal team leadership experience
• an equivalent combination of relevant education and experience may be considered
• Demonstrated experience building project delivery standards, governance frameworks, or PMO functions from the ground up, and to drive adoption in organizations with varying levels of maturity
• Strong working knowledge of construction and EPC project delivery lifecycles (pursuit, estimating, mobilization, execution, closeout) and of the cost, schedule, and change management disciplines that support them
• Excellent stakeholder management and facilitation skills, with the credibility to influence both field and corporate audiences and the judgement to hold a governance line without damaging operational relationships
• Strong technical writing skills with the ability to produce clear, professional documentation that field teams will actually use
• Proficiency with Microsoft 365, particularly SharePoint, Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Visio

Preferred Skills / Qualifications

• PMP, PgMP, or equivalent project management certification
• Experience in utility construction (transmission lines, substations, distribution, telecom, or BESS)
• Familiarity with JD Edwards, EcoSys, Primavera P6, Power BI, or similar ERP, project controls, and scheduling platforms
• Experience supporting major projects in excess of $100M, or working within a large-scale infrastructure contractor
• Working knowledge of construction contract structures, change management, and claims processes

Benefits

We offer a comprehensive and competitive total rewards package that incorporates a complete range of employee benefits, including a 5% RRSP matching program, to ensure you have the tools necessary to manage, maintain, and improve your health and wellbeing.

About our Business

Valard Construction is Canada’s premier utility contractor providing comprehensive EPC+ (engineering, procurement, construction) and maintenance services to utilities, independent power producers, mining, oil and gas industries and rural electric associations. We have the capabilities, knowledge, and resources to take on any project, any size, any complexity, anywhere. We are also part of Quanta Services, the largest electrical power contractor in North America.