Public Works Project Manager Jobs in Bellingham, WA

Build projects that matter in one of Washington's most beautiful working waterfront communities -- and see the impact of your work every day.

The Port of Anacortes is seeking an experienced Capital Projects Manager to help plan, coordinate, and deliver construction, maintenance, and capital improvement projects that directly support our working waterfront, marina, airport, commercial properties, and community infrastructure.
This is an owner-side project management role for someone who enjoys seeing tangible work come to life - docks, buildings, marine facilities, public infrastructure, maintenance improvements, and capital projects that support commerce, recreation, and public service in Anacortes.
In the next year, we anticipate several exciting projects across the Port. To get a sense of the work ahead, take a look at our current projects page.
Public-sector experience is helpful, but not required. If you bring strong project management judgment, the ability to coordinate people and priorities, and the follow-through to move projects from concept through closeout, we can help you learn the Port-specific pieces.

Why this role matters

The Port of Anacortes is a special-purpose government district focused on stimulating private job creation and commerce while being a responsible steward of public resources and the environment.

Our projects are varied, visible, and meaningful. In this role, you will help shape infrastructure that supports marine terminal operations, a 1,000+ slip marina, airport operations, public access, commercial tenants, and the long-term success of the Anacortes waterfront.

This is a great fit for a project manager who enjoys variety, collaboration, problem-solving, and the satisfaction of knowing their work has a direct impact on the community.

What you'll actually do

You will help turn Port priorities into completed projects.

That means working with Port staff, leadership, consultants, engineers, contractors, regulatory agencies, tenants, and community partners to understand what needs to happen, what is required, who needs to be involved, and how to keep the work moving.

You will manage projects through the full life cycle, including early planning, scope development, budgeting, scheduling, procurement support, design coordination, permitting coordination, construction, documentation, closeout, and communication along the way.

In real life, this may look like:

• Walking a project site with operations staff to understand what is broken, outdated, inefficient, or ready for improvement.

• Helping define the scope of a repair, replacement, facility improvement, or capital project.

• Coordinating with consultants, engineers, architects, contractors, and internal staff to move design and construction work forward.

• Reading plans, estimates, contracts, schedules, and bid documents closely enough to understand the work, ask smart questions, and spot potential issues before they become expensive surprises.

• Tracking project budgets, timelines, decisions, risks, and next steps – and impressing the most fun, least stereotypical CFO you've ever met with your fantastic cash flow spreadsheet!

• Talking through project options, tradeoffs, constraints, and recommendations with leadership while helping them understand the big picture.

• Coordinating permitting and regulatory requirements with the right technical experts and agencies - and learning quickly that good relationships are one of a project manager's best tools.

• Supporting public bidding, procurement, contract administration, and documentation.

• Keeping communication clear between people who may have very different perspectives, priorities, and technical backgrounds.

• Solving problems when conditions change, information is incomplete, or the original plan no longer quite fits reality.

• Keeping project files accurate and organized - which may not sound glamorous, but will absolutely make the Project Coordinator's day easier.

• Helping the Port maintain, repair, improve, and plan for infrastructure that supports the community now and into the future - glamorous? Not always. Important? Absolutely.

This is not a role where every day looks the same. If you enjoy solving new problems, building relationships, and seeing projects through from idea to completion, you'll likely love this role. You may be in the office, at a project site, in a planning meeting, reviewing documents, coordinating with a contractor, helping untangle a problem, or preparing information for leadership. The work is dynamic, practical, and highly collaborative.

Things you'll learn on the job

You do not need to arrive knowing every Port-specific process. We expect the successful candidate to bring intellectual curiosity, adaptability, and the ability to learn.

Depending on your background, you may learn more about:

• Port operations and working waterfront infrastructure.

• Public works project delivery in Washington State.

• Public procurement, bidding, and contracting requirements.

• Prevailing wage and public project documentation.

• Port, marina, airport, marine terminal, and commercial property operations.

• Permitting, environmental review, shoreline considerations, and agency coordination.

• Balancing public service, infrastructure needs, environmental stewardship, operational realities, and budget constraints.

Our people are our greatest asset. Fit within our organization is paramount, as we are more than a workplace. We are a close-knit team. To that end, we are more interested in someone who can learn, collaborate, and figure things out than someone who checks every possible box on day one.

What we're looking for

The ideal candidate is an experienced project manager who brings sound judgment, strong follow-through, and the ability to build productive working relationships.

You will be successful in this role if you are:

• Organized and detail-oriented, without getting stuck in the weeds.

• Comfortable managing competing priorities.

• Clear, professional, and proactive in your communication.

• Practical and solution-focused.

• Able to take ownership of projects while working collaboratively with teammates who genuinely enjoy helping one another succeed.

• Able to work with contractors, consultants, staff, leadership, and other stakeholders.

• Comfortable asking good questions and learning new processes.

• Accountable for moving work forward.

• Interested in public service and community impact.

• Excited by the variety of work that comes with a small but complex organization.

You may be a great fit if you have experience with:

• Construction project management

• Capital improvement projects

• Public works or municipal infrastructure

• Facilities or building projects

• Marine, port, airport, utility, industrial, or civil construction projects

• Owner's representative work

• Contractor, consultant, or project engineer experience with readiness to move into an owner-side project management role

You may also be a strong fit if you are the person who can manage details without losing sight of the bigger picture, communicate well with both technical and non-technical audiences, bring people together, ask the practical questions, keep projects moving even when priorities shift, and help a project move from "we need to do something about this" to "this is done and working."

Minimum qualifications:

Any combination of education, training, and experience that provides the knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary to perform the work will be considered.

A successful candidate will bring some combination of:

• Experience managing construction, infrastructure, facilities, capital, public works, industrial, or similar projects.

• Ability to manage project scope, schedule, budget, contractors, consultants, and internal stakeholders.

• Ability to read and interpret plans, specifications, estimates, contracts, bid documents, or similar project documents.

• Strong communication, organization, documentation, and problem-solving skills.

• Ability to manage multiple projects or priorities at the same time.

• Proficiency with common project management, document management, communication, and business software tools.

• Valid driver's license.

• Ability to work on-site in Anacortes, Washington, and visit Port project locations as needed.

Preferred qualifications:

The following experience is helpful, but not required:

• Public-sector, public works, port, marina, airport, municipal, utility, or special-purpose district experience.

• Experience with Washington State public works, procurement, prevailing wage, grant-funded projects, or public bidding requirements.

• Direct experience preparing, submitting, tracking, or managing permits.

• Experience coordinating with regulatory agencies, consultants, engineers, architects, contractors, and operations teams.

• Experience with marine, waterfront, industrial, civil, transportation, facilities, or infrastructure projects.

• Experience managing multiple concurrent capital projects.

• Familiarity with SEPA, environmental review, shoreline, land use, or other regulatory processes.

Why you'll love working here

At the Port, your work is visible. The projects you manage support real people, real businesses, and real community infrastructure.
We're a small organization, which means your ideas matter, your work is noticed, and you'll have the opportunity to make a meaningful impact across a wide variety of projects. You'll work alongside talented people who genuinely enjoy collaborating, solving problems together, and supporting one another's success.
We work hard, laugh often, and believe people do their best work when they're trusted, supported, and able to maintain a healthy life outside of work.

What you'll find here:

• Meaningful work that improves the Anacortes waterfront and supports our local economy.

• A collaborative, low-ego team that enjoys solving complex problems together.

• Variety-no two projects (or days) are exactly alike.

• The opportunity to manage projects from concept through completion.

• A mix of office work, field work, stakeholder meetings, and time outdoors.

• Excellent public-sector benefits and long-term career stability.

• A beautiful waterfront community where you'll actually enjoy coming to work.

Compensation and benefits

The salary range for this position is $110,291 – $127,857 annually, depending on qualifications and experience.

The Port also offers a strong public-sector benefits package, including:

• Medical, dental, and vision coverage, with family coverage available for under $10/month.

• Significant Health Savings Account contribution, if enrolled in an eligible plan.

• Washington State PERS retirement.

• Paid vacation, sick leave, and holidays.

• Wellness benefit.

• Employee assistance program.

• Professional development opportunities.

• Supportive work environment with a focus on public service, accountability, and work-life balance.

How to apply

Please submit your application, resume, and cover letter through the Port of Anacortes application portal.

In your cover letter, we encourage you to briefly share the types of projects you have managed, your role in those projects, and how your experience would help you succeed in an owner-side capital projects position.

Background, MVR, and Drug Screen
Following an offer of employment, the candidate must be able to pass a background check, motor vehicle records check, and drug screen. Any job offer will be contingent on the results of these screenings.