VP of Project Management

VP Of Project Management

Select Electric, Inc., a subsidiary of Meruelo Enterprises, is a trusted leader in electrical contracting with over 50 years of experience serving Southern California. As part of a Latino-owned Minority Business Enterprise, we specialize in large-scale transportation infrastructure projects, including traffic signals, highway and airport lighting, rail systems, fiber optics, and intelligent transportation systems. With offices in Vista, and Anaheim, our experienced team delivers innovative, safety-first solutions with integrity and quality at the core.

About The Role

As Vice President of Project Management, you will build and lead our enterprise Project Management Office (PMO), standardize project controls, and drive delivery excellence across a portfolio of transportation and infrastructure programs. You'll establish governance, metrics, and rhythms that ensure projects land on scope, schedule, budget, and qualitywhile developing a high?performing, customer?obsessed team grounded in Lean principles.

Key Responsibilities

PMO & Governance

Stand up and mature the PMO : define operating model, stage?gate governance, portfolio prioritization, and enterprise project lifecycle.

Implement standardized project controls (cost, schedule, risk, change, quality), including reporting cadences, KPIs / OKRs, and dashboarding.

Build integrated portfolio views and decision forums for executive stakeholders; ensure audit?ready records and traceability.

Project Controls & Delivery Excellence

Own the enterprise framework for estimating, baseline development, performance measurement (e.g., earned value), risk / issue management, and change control.

Introduce portfolio?level health reviews, variance / root?cause analysis, recovery planning, and continuous improvement loops.

Champion data?driven decision?making with visual management and tiered operating reviews.

Caltrans Programs

Lead or oversee delivery of Caltrans work from initiation through closeout; ensure conformance with Caltrans PDPM (scope, schedule, cost controls, approvals), Construction Manual practices, and local / federal coordination requirements.

Navigate cooperative agreements, permits / encroachments, and stakeholder interfaces; align with oversight guidelines and funding / compliance expectations.

Lean Leadership

Embed Lean Construction practices (Last Planner System, A3 problem solving, 5S, standard work, visual management) to eliminate waste and increase flow and reliability.

Coach leaders and teams on daily / weekly tiered reviews, gemba / "go see," and continuous improvement behaviors.

People & Stakeholders

Recruit, develop, and lead a diverse team of project managers, schedulers, and controls professionals.

Build trusted relationships with clients, partners, and regulators; communicate clearly from field to boardroom.

Qualifications

Certification : Active PMP (Project Management Professional).

Education : Bachelor's degree in Engineering, Construction Management, Business or related field. (Master's preferred.)

Experience :

15+ years total project / program management experience, including 7+ years in senior leadership (director / VP) building and leading PMO and project controls functions at scale.

Direct Caltrans project experience delivering capital transportation / highway projects, with working knowledge of Caltrans PDPM and Construction Manual requirements and processes.

Demonstrated success establishing governance, stage-gates, portfolio prioritization, and performance dashboards across a multi-project portfolio.

Methodologies & Tools : Expert knowledge of project management standards (predictive, agile / hybrid), Primavera P6 / MS Project, risk and cost management, earned value, and executive reporting (e.g., Power BI).

Lean : Practical application of Lean principles in construction / infrastructure, including Last Planner, A3, 5S, standard work, visual management, and continuous improvement leadership.

Communication & Leadership : Proven ability to lead cross-functional teams, influence senior stakeholders, and represent the organization with agencies and partners.

Preferred Qualifications (Nice-To-Have)

California PE (Professional Engineer) or CM certification (e.g., CCM).

Experience with federal-aid requirements, cooperative agreements, and local assistance on Caltrans projects.

Familiarity with CEQA / NEPA coordination and environmental / permitting workflows embedded in project development.

Portfolio delivery for utilities, municipal transportation, or design-build / CM-GC programs.

Key Competencies

Strategic planning & portfolio optimization

Financial acumen (capex / opex, cash flow, forecasting)

Risk management & claims / change order strategy

Talent development and succession planning

Client service orientation and stakeholder diplomacy

Work Environment & Travel

Onsite role with periodic statewide travel to project sites, client / regulatory meetings, and partner offices.

At Meruelo, we believe that diverse teams drive innovation and better business outcomes. We are dedicated to fostering a culture where everyone feels respected, valued, and empowered to bring their whole selves to work. We actively encourage candidates from all backgrounds to apply.

We are an Equal Opportunity Employer and are committed to creating an inclusive environment for all employees. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, age, national origin, disability, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by applicable law.