Commercial Project Manager – Auckland

About Lightforce Solar

Lightforce is a leading provider of sustainable solar energy solutions in New Zealand, specializing in commercial, industrial, and residential solar projects. The company prioritizes innovation, engineering excellence, and growth to accelerate the transition to clean energy.

Role Overview

This role serves as a crucial liaison between Commercial Sales, Engineering, and on-site Installation Teams, overseeing the end-to-end delivery of commercial and industrial solar projects of varying scale and complexity. You will take hands-on technical leadership by managing site walkthroughs, troubleshooting on-site challenges, ensuring health and safety compliance, and fostering team capability development. You will lead both an internal team and coordinate with specialist contractors to uphold high standards throughout the project lifecycle.

Key Responsibilities

• Evaluate sales proposals to establish project timelines and assess resource needs.
• Create and manage comprehensive project schedules tracking milestones, dependencies, and resource allocation across multiple projects.
• Identify potential risks early and devise mitigation tactics to safeguard timelines and profit margins.
• Support distributed generation applications and coordinate design and installation of photovoltaic (PV) switchboards.
• Provide technical training and commissioning support for intricate industrial electrical tasks on site.
• Serve as the senior technical leader during installations, resolving design conflicts and guiding teams.
• Lead pre-installation site walkthroughs with Lead Installers and deliver clear status updates to management and clients.
• Develop and enforce site-specific health and safety plans, ensuring adherence to WorkSafe regulations.
• Manage, mentor, and evaluate a direct team of project coordinators, lead installers, and field technicians handling concurrent projects.
• Source, qualify, and onboard specialist contractors in electrical, roofing, civil, and structural trades in line with procurement policies.
• Leverage project management and design software tools to enhance productivity and project oversight.

Skills and Expertise

• Extensive experience delivering commercial solar infrastructure projects.
• High proficiency with Microsoft Project, Smartsheet, and Monday.com for project scheduling and tracking.
• Experienced with Procore, Aconex, and other job management platforms.
• Skilled in AutoCAD and photovoltaic design software.
• Working knowledge of Xero or comparable accounting software, and CRM systems.
• Advanced expertise in Excel, Microsoft 365 Suite, Teams, Slack, cloud document management, and reporting dashboards.

Work Environment and Values

This position requires a technical, values-driven leader to foster teamwork, ensure safety, and deliver exceptional project outcomes. Commitment to health and safety, innovation, and sustainability is essential.

Additional Information

The company emphasizes community engagement and sustainability, offering a dynamic resource hub featuring solar energy insights and client success stories. Candidates must be prepared for onsite work in Auckland, New Zealand.