(APM) Assistant Project Manager
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Summary
Supports the MEP Project Manager in coordinating mission-critical data center construction projects through documentation, meeting management, and administrative tasks using project management software.
About Overwatch Mission Critical
Overwatch is a service-disabled Veteran-owned small business (SDVOB) certified through the National Veterans Business Development Council (NVBDC), offering construction professional services, talent acquisition, and general contractor services for the mission-critical infrastructure industry.
Our mission is the construction and management of state-of-the-art data centers with the precision and reliability this industry demands. From high-end engineers to seasoned professionals, we deploy the people you need to get your data center off the ground. At Overwatch, it's more than a job — it's purpose.
Position Summary
We are seeking a highly organized, proactive, and detail-oriented Assistant Project Manager (APM) to support the successful delivery of large-scale, mission-critical data center construction projects.
The ideal candidate is a motivated construction professional with strong field coordination skills, an understanding of construction processes, and the ability to independently manage assigned responsibilities.
This is not a purely administrative or meeting coordination position. The APM is expected to actively support construction execution, track critical deliverables, identify potential risks, coordinate stakeholders, and ensure commitments are completed.
The successful candidate must demonstrate initiative, accountability, attention to detail, and the ability to prioritize activities that directly impact construction progress and project milestones.
Key Responsibilities
Construction Coordination & Field Support
- Support daily construction activities and coordinate with general contractors, developers, subcontractors, and project stakeholders.
- Conduct routine field walks to verify construction progress and identify outstanding work, access constraints, and coordination issues.
- Track construction activities against established milestones and near-term schedules.
- Coordinate resolution of field issues within assigned responsibilities and escalate matters requiring management direction.
- Assist with tracking construction completion, equipment installation, testing, and turnover readiness.
- Verify contractor-reported progress against observable field conditions.
- Maintain awareness of project priorities, construction sequencing, and critical-path activities.
Schedule Tracking & Milestone Management
- Review and monitor contractor look-ahead schedules, milestone trackers, and construction progress reports.
- Assist the Construction Manager in identifying schedule risks, delays, and unresolved dependencies.
- Maintain accurate tracking of critical project milestones, including construction completion, energization, commissioning, inspections, and turnover.
- Identify upcoming activities that require decisions, access, permits, materials, or coordination.
- Follow up with responsible parties to confirm that scheduled activities remain on track.
- Highlight discrepancies between reported progress and actual field conditions.
- Support schedule recovery efforts through action tracking and contractor coordination.
Action Management & Accountability
- Develop and maintain comprehensive action-item, constraint, risk, and issue logs.
- Ensure action items have clearly identified owners, due dates, and expected outcomes.
- Proactively follow up with stakeholders to drive timely closure of commitments.
- Verify completion of action items rather than relying solely on verbal confirmation.
- Identify overdue deliverables and escalate issues before they affect project milestones.
- Track open issues through resolution and maintain accurate documentation.
- Provide clear visibility into outstanding commitments and items requiring management intervention.
MEP Systems & Commissioning Coordination
- Support tracking of mechanical and electrical construction activities, system completion, and commissioning readiness.
Develop working familiarity with mission-critical systems, including:
- Electrical distribution, switchgear, transformers, UPS systems, and generators.
- Mechanical cooling systems, chilled-water infrastructure, and associated equipment.
- Fire protection, life safety, and building management systems.
- Data hall infrastructure and supporting utilities.
- Coordinate with construction and commissioning teams to track prerequisites for energization, startup, testing, and turnover.
- Maintain commissioning readiness trackers, punch lists, and outstanding prerequisite logs.
- Identify gaps between construction completion and commissioning requirements.
- Escalate technical issues to the appropriate Construction Manager, engineering, or commissioning lead.
Contractor & Stakeholder Coordination
- Serve as a coordination point between the Construction Manager, developer, general contractor, and internal project stakeholders.
- Facilitate effective communication and maintain alignment on project priorities and commitments.
- Participate in construction coordination, schedule, commissioning, and turnover meetings as assigned.
- Document decisions, action items, responsible parties, and required completion dates.
- Follow up on contractor commitments and outstanding deliverables.
- Identify inconsistencies in project reporting and obtain clarification or supporting evidence.
- Maintain professional and productive relationships while supporting contractor accountability.
- Escalate unresolved issues with clear supporting information and recommended next steps.
Project Controls, Documentation & Reporting
- Maintain organized and accurate project documentation, including meeting minutes, action logs, schedules, drawings, and trackers.
- Assist in reviewing RFIs, submittals, change orders, and other construction-related documentation.
- Track outstanding approvals, design clarifications, and construction changes.
- Support development of weekly construction progress reports and management updates.
- Coordinate documentation required for inspections, substantial completion, and turnover.
- Ensure current documents and project records are accessible to relevant stakeholders.
- Provide concise, fact-based reporting focused on progress, risks, commitments, and required decisions.
Independent Execution & Prioritization
- Independently manage assigned tasks and workstreams within delegated authority.
- Prioritize activities according to project milestones, critical-path dependencies, and management direction.
- Anticipate upcoming requirements and proactively coordinate required actions.
- Demonstrate consistent follow-through without repeated reminders.
- Recognize issues beyond delegated authority and escalate them promptly.
- Support the Construction Manager by reducing administrative burden and improving project visibility.
- Take responsibility for the accuracy and completion of assigned deliverables.
Required Qualifications
- 3–5 years of experience in construction management, project engineering, field coordination, or assistant project management.
- Experience supporting complex commercial, industrial, mission-critical, or data center construction projects.
- Working knowledge of construction sequencing, project schedules, and contractor coordination.
- Ability to read and interpret construction drawings, specifications, schedules, and technical documentation.
- Familiarity with mechanical, electrical, and general building construction activities.
- Demonstrated ability to manage multiple priorities, track commitments, and meet deadlines.
- Strong organizational skills and attention to detail.
- Strong written and verbal communication skills.
- Proficiency with Microsoft Excel, Outlook, Teams, and other project management tools.
- Ability to work independently while maintaining alignment with project leadership.
Preferred Qualifications
- Experience supporting hyperscale or colocation data center construction.
- Experience working with an owner’s representative, construction manager, or large general contractor.
- Familiarity with Primavera P6, Procore, Bluebeam, SharePoint, and Microsoft Project.
- Exposure to MEP commissioning, energization, integrated systems testing (IST), and turnover processes.
- Experience supporting phased construction, early access, or accelerated project schedules.
- Bachelor’s degree in construction management, Engineering, or a related field, or equivalent relevant experience.
Performance Expectations
The successful candidate will be evaluated on the following:
- Accountability & Follow-Through: Consistently completes assigned responsibilities and actively drives closure of open commitments.
- Organization & Documentation: Maintains accurate, current, and accessible project records, trackers, and meeting documentation.
- Proactive Coordination: Anticipates upcoming activities, identifies coordination gaps, and takes appropriate action before they affect project delivery.
- Schedule Awareness: Understands assigned project milestones, tracks near-term activities, and identifies developing risks.
- Field Engagement: Regularly verifies construction progress and outstanding work rather than relying exclusively on secondhand reporting.
- Responsiveness: Communicates promptly, acknowledges time-sensitive requests, and provides reliable updates on assigned activities.
- Prioritization: Distinguishes critical project requirements from routine administrative tasks and focuses effort accordingly.
- Independent Execution: Completes assigned work with minimal supervision while recognizing when management involvement is necessary.
Ideal Candidate Profile
We are seeking an APM who:
- Takes initiative rather than waiting for instructions.
- Follows through rather than requiring repeated reminders.
- Keeps project information organized, accurate, and accessible.
- Understands which activities matter most to the schedule.
- Actively coordinates issues rather than simply documenting them.
- Communicates clearly, responds promptly, and escalates appropriately.
- Is comfortable working in the field and engaging directly with contractors.
- Is eager to develop technical knowledge and grow into greater construction management responsibilities.
This position is intended for a motivated construction professional who can become a dependable extension of the Construction Manager, improve coordination and project visibility, and contribute directly to the successful delivery of mission-critical infrastructure.
Required Training
- Documenting and updating site related information as well as using technology daily.
Driver’s License Requirement:
For roles that require on-site presence or travel between work locations as an essential function of the position, candidates must possess and maintain a valid driver’s license appropriate for the role and be eligible to operate a motor vehicle in accordance with applicable laws.
Communication Skills:
Demonstrated ability to communicate effectively in a professional work environment, including preparing written reports and documentation, conveying information clearly to team members, clients, and stakeholders, and responding appropriately to verbal and written communications related to job duties.
Physical Requirements and Work Environment
This position operates primarily in an active data center construction environment, encompassing both indoor and outdoor work settings. The role requires the physical ability to perform essential job functions safely and effectively in a dynamic environment that includes ongoing construction activity and evolving site conditions.
The work environment includes areas and temporary structures owned, leased, or controlled by third parties over which Overwatch may have limited or no control. Because the project remains under construction, certain areas of the site — including access routes, staging zones, and temporary structures — may not yet be fully ADA-compliant until construction is complete or those third-party areas are finalized.
Physical Requirements:
- Must be able to walk, stand, stoop, twist, bend, and climb stairs or ladders for extended periods while navigating uneven, unpaved, or obstructed terrain.
- Must be able to lift, carry, push, or pull up to 50 pounds on an occasional basis.
- Must be able to drive between job sites and access all areas of an active construction zone, including raised platforms, scaffolding, and confined spaces.
- Must be able to tolerate exposure to outdoor weather conditions, dust, and construction-related noise, vibrations, and odors.
- Must be able to communicate effectively with contractors, engineers, and site personnel, and maintain situational awareness in high-activity environments.
- Personal protective equipment (PPE), including hard hats, safety vests, hearing protection, and steel-toe boots, is required.
- Must have sufficient visual acuity to read drawings, specifications, and safety signage, and to observe site activity.
Work Environment:
Work is performed primarily in and around active construction areas, which may include unfinished buildings, temporary field offices, staging areas, and partially completed infrastructure. These locations may contain uneven surfaces, limited accessibility, and other conditions typical of construction projects prior to final completion. Overwatch does not control and cannot modify accessibility conditions within areas, facilities, or temporary structures owned or managed by third parties.
Reasonable Accommodation:
Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable qualified individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions of this position, provided such accommodations do not create safety hazards, impede essential mobility within active work zones, or require modification of facilities not owned or controlled by Overwatch.
Benefits:
Overwatch Construction offers a competitive salary and benefits package, including health insurance, dental insurance, vision insurance, life insurance, 401(k) retirement plan and paid time off.