Project Manager

Description

Reports To: Director of Strategic Projects
Location: Dallas, TX
Employment Type: Full-Time, Hybrid

Position Summary

We are seeking an experienced Project Manager to manage land and water related transactions, including surface acquisitions, water rights, and infrastructure development projects. This role serves as the primary coordination point for due diligence from early-stage prospecting through closing and, when applicable, construction.

The ideal candidate will bring a strong background in the energy industry or large-scale construction, with hands-on experience navigating land rights, landowner negotiations, right-of-way agreements, water-related transactions, and interactions with regulatory bodies. This person will support cross-functional coordination between Land, Legal, Finance, and Operations teams to keep projects on schedule and within budget.

Key Responsibilities

Land Diligence

• Lead comprehensive land and water diligence efforts, including mineral and surface rights analysis, water rights review, water sourcing considerations, and identification of encumbrances that could impact project valuation or development.
• Coordinate with external consultants, including hydrologists, geologists, brokers, abstractors, environmental consultants, and land surveyors.
• Maintain accurate status tracking systems, including GIS-based tracking, land management software, or internal databases.

Regulatory & State Agency Coordination

• Support coordination with state and local regulatory agencies, including groundwater conservation districts, utility commissions, county permitting offices, environmental agencies, and permitting authorities on land-use, siting, water sourcing, disposal rights, and right-of-way matters.
• Track and ensure compliance with applicable federal, state, and local land-use regulations, zoning requirements, and permitting conditions.
• Support submission of regulatory filings, applications, and reports related to land rights and siting approvals.

Project Management

• Manage and track project timelines, milestones, and deliverables.
• Provide regular status reporting to leadership on project progress, risks, and mitigation strategies.
• Manage relationships with landowners, consultants, and internal stakeholders throughout the project lifecycle.
• Coordinate with legal counsel on contract terms, risk allocation, and regulatory compliance.
• Support the development and evaluation of bid packages and proposals related to land services, right-of-way acquisition, and third-party land contractor scopes of work.
• Monitor procurement activities and contractor performance.
• Assist in cost estimation and budgeting for land acquisition and related project costs.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in real estate, land management, water management, construction management, or a related field (or equivalent professional experience).
• 5+ years of experience in land acquisition, land management, or project management within the energy industry (power generation or oil & gas) or large-scale construction/mining/infrastructure sector.
• Experience managing third-party vendors or consulting firms.
• Working knowledge of contracting principles, bid/proposal processes, and vendor management.
• Experience interfacing with state regulatory agencies, permitting bodies, or public utility commissions.
• Strong understanding of easements, leases, surface use agreements, and right-of-way documentation.
• Excellent written communication and stakeholder-management skills.
• Proficiency with GIS tools and Microsoft Office Suite (Excel, PowerPoint, Word).

Core Competencies

• Strong project management skills with the ability to manage multiple projects, contracts, and deadlines simultaneously.
• Detail-oriented and organized, with strong analytical and problem-solving skills.
• Ability to translate complex land transactions into clear updates for leadership and cross-functional teams.

Requirements

Physical Requirements

• Bending
• Climbing
• Sitting
• Standing
• Stooping
• Walking
• Lifting up to 30lbs