Assistant Project Manager

Job Title: Assistant Project Manager

Job Description

The Assistant Project Manager serves as the second-in-command to senior leadership, supporting both project delivery and the continued growth of a North Carolina transportation practice. This role provides hands-on exposure to a mix of private commercial and land development projects, as well as transportation and infrastructure work with state transportation agencies. The Assistant Project Manager manages workflow across engineers, field personnel, and project teams, ensuring priorities are clear, resources are aligned, and projects progress efficiently. This position is ideal for an early-career professional seeking to develop into a full Project Manager and future leader within a growing transportation practice.

Responsibilities

• Support project delivery efforts across a variety of private commercial, land development, and transportation projects in North Carolina.
• Assist with the execution of transportation programs and contracts as pursuits and opportunities with state transportation agencies mature.
• Manage the flow of work across engineers, field personnel, and project teams to keep projects moving forward efficiently.
• Serve as the operational traffic director for project workflows, ensuring tasks are properly assigned, tracked, and completed on schedule.
• Align resources across multiple projects, clarify priorities, and help remove obstacles so teams can deliver high-quality work.
• Coordinate with project managers, engineers, and field staff to ensure seamless communication and collaboration throughout the project lifecycle.
• Support project management activities, including tracking progress, monitoring deadlines, and following up on action items.
• Help solve day-to-day project challenges and escalate issues appropriately to senior leadership when needed.
• Contribute to the growth of the North Carolina transportation practice by supporting both private and public-sector project opportunities.
• Enable senior leadership to focus on client service, business development, and strategic initiatives by effectively managing operational workflows.
• Build strong working relationships with internal teams and clients to support successful project delivery and long-term partnerships.
• Balance office-based coordination responsibilities with field-based support as project needs require.

Essential Skills

• Experience in transportation, infrastructure, engineering consulting, construction, or related project environments.
• Experience with state Department of Transportation (DOT) projects, particularly with NCDOT or other state transportation agencies, is strongly preferred.
• Experience supporting private commercial development projects or similar commercial work.
• Strong organizational skills with the ability to manage multiple priorities and concurrent tasks.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills to coordinate effectively with engineers, field personnel, and clients.
• Strong coordination skills to align resources and manage workflows across technical and field staff.
• Ability to delegate tasks effectively and track work completion across multiple team members.
• Customer service mindset with a focus on responsiveness and building strong working relationships.
• Project management aptitude, including the ability to support scheduling, tracking, and follow-up on project activities.
• Approximately 5-6 years of relevant experience in civil engineering, transportation, infrastructure, or related fields is ideal.
• At least 3 years of experience on NCDOT projects and exposure to commercial development projects is preferred.
• Associate's Degree (A.S.) in Civil Engineering Technology, Engineering, Construction Management, or a related field is required.
• Bachelor's degree in Civil Engineering, Construction Management, or a related discipline is preferred.
• Civil Engineering Intern (EI/EIT) certification is highly preferred.
• Demonstrated leadership potential with a strong desire for long-term career growth and increasing responsibility.
• Self-motivated and proactive approach to work with the ability to take initiative and follow through.
• Team-oriented mindset with a positive attitude and willingness to support others.
• Comfort balancing office responsibilities with field responsibilities as project needs dictate.

Additional Skills & Qualifications

• Professional Engineer (PE) track or interest in pursuing licensure is a plus.
• Experience working directly with NCDOT or other state transportation agencies is highly advantageous.
• Exposure to both private-sector development and public-sector transportation infrastructure projects.
• Ability to build strong working relationships with project managers, engineers, field personnel, and clients.
• Interest in growing into a larger leadership role and eventually taking on full Project Manager responsibilities.
• Comfort working in a fast-paced environment with evolving project priorities.
• Strong problem-solving skills and the ability to support decision-making in dynamic project settings.

Work Environment

This role is based within a North Carolina team environment that offers a balance of office and field responsibilities. The work setting is fast-paced, with multiple active projects spanning private-sector development and major transportation infrastructure opportunities throughout North Carolina. The Assistant Project Manager works closely with project managers, engineers, and field personnel, frequently coordinating across disciplines and locations. The position provides direct exposure to both commercial development projects and large-scale transportation programs, offering significant learning and growth opportunities. Work hours align with typical professional office expectations, with flexibility required to support field activities and project deadlines as needed. The culture emphasizes collaboration, professional growth, and the opportunity to progress into greater leadership responsibility over time.

Job Type & Location

This is a Permanent position based out of Cary, NC.

Pay and Benefits

The pay range for this position is $80000.00 - $110000.00/yr.

Medical, vision, dental, 401k matching, FSA, HSA, HRA, life insurance, disability, PTO, professional development assistance, referral program.

Workplace Type

This is a fully onsite position in Cary,NC.

Application Deadline

This position is anticipated to close on Aug 25, 2026.

About Actalent

Actalent is a global leader in engineering and sciences services and talent solutions. We help visionary companies advance their engineering and science initiatives through access to specialized experts who drive scale, innovation and speed to market. With a network of almost 20,000 consultants and 5,000 clients across the U.S., Canada, Asia and Europe, Actalent serves many of the Fortune 500. We are proud to be an Engineering News-Record (ENR) Top 500 Design Firm for our engineering design services and a ClearlyRated Best of Staffing winner for both client and talent service.

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