Senior Construction Specialist II

Summary

The Construction Specialist coordinates, inspects, and controls the work of construction contractors assigned to perform contract work at Authority facilities. Ensures that quality workmanship is maintained at all times and in accordance with applicable construction procedures, methods, codes and specifications. Projects will include electrical, civil, mechanical, instrumentation & control disciplines. It is expected that the incumbent’s experience and understanding of construction and construction management techniques will substitute the need for an engineering degree. 

Responsibilities

• Supervise the activities of site field office personnel to verify contractor performance to comply with contract and design specifications.
• Act as liaison between Headquarters and on-site staff when requested by the Resident Construction Manager.
• Provide technical guidance in on-site O&M and start-up activities when necessary.
•   Assist the Resident Construction Manager with the management of field changes with AWR/Change Order and engineering procedures.
• Review construction drawings, specifications, and related documents for constructability, milestone schedules, and deliverables of major equipment.
• Make comments and recommendations for construction logistics including site layout, temporary structures / accommodations, and project accessibility.
• Anticipate field construction constraints and initiate corrective actions.
• Recommend improvements for increased field productivity and provide support to field personnel on construction problems relative to contact documents interpretation, labor relations, cost and schedule and general construction items.
• Interface with Construction and Project Engineers to provide guidance and direction in solving field construction problems.
• Assist the Resident Construction Manager with site budget administration of all cumulative Project Management activities and resolve claims by contractors.
• Hold CPP-1 clearances as needed to support projects managed by the Project Management Department.
• Reviews tasks undertaken by others in the group and provides guidance during project initiation and scoping as to project organization and goals.

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities

• Excellent interpersonal skills & strong negotiation skills.
• Written communications required include; internal and external correspondence and progress reports.
• Must be aware of changes and advancements in the industry, and develop industry-wide expertise.
• Incumbent should understand how NYPA interacts with outside organizations, including other utilities and regulatory agencies, and with its customers.
• The individual must be familiar with NYPA's budgets, costs, rate structures, and policies.
• Strong process knowledge on state-of-the-art construction techniques.
• Ability to manage diverse projects involving the integration of construction into NYPA’s operating systems and other utilities in the state. 
• Substantial knowledge of related disciplines and understanding of their effects on the Authority and its customers.
• Knowledge of NYPA’s policies and procedures as well as industry-wide practices and safety regulations. 
• Good negotiation skills.
• Demonstrated ability to view tasks logically, break them down into essential requirements, and generate a solution meeting the project goals. 
• Ability to handle larger projects (> $1 million) from start to finish, with only major decisions being brought to the Resident Construction Manager.
• Ability to investigate what is not intuitive, anticipate problems and field construction constraints, and make recommendations as to the best course of action.
• Ability to become a “clearance holder” within three years if not already qualified.
• Demonstrated abilities that illustrate initiative, communications, problem solving, adaptability, planning and organization management.
• Ability to act as a role model and provide guidance to junior construction management staff.

Education, Experience and Certifications

• Minimum of 15 years of construction experience.
• Minimum of 10 years in construction management.
• Inspection experience associated with Civil, Mechanical, Electrical, and Instrumentation & Control projects.
• Project Management Professional certification is preferred.
• Additional training and/or certifications in technical or management skills would be a plus.

Physical Requirements

• Daily inspection of work areas throughout facility.
• Willingness to enter confined spaces and climb/scale power system apparatuses is required.
• Some travel within New York State may be required.