Prevailing Wage & Apprentice Compliance Specialist

Description

POSITION DESCRIPTION:

The Prevailing Wage & Apprentice (PWA) Compliance Specialist supports compliance programs for construction projects subject to prevailing wage and apprenticeship requirements, with a primary focus on compliance related to the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) tax-credit eligibility. This role is responsible for managing the collection, organization, and completeness review of certified payroll, prevailing wage documentation, fringe benefit support records, apprentice utilization reporting, and project onboarding documentation required by 3rd party Independent Auditors from our EPC partners. The Specialist will perform an initial review for completeness and general compliance indicators and then submit compliance packages to Deloitte (or other third-party auditors) for formal confirmation of compliance. This position also supports subcontractor insurance compliance as a secondary responsibility, ensuring subcontractors maintain required coverage throughout the duration of work. At times, and when the workload allows, this role will help with other business-related support tasks. The ideal candidate is highly organized, detail-oriented, and comfortable coordinating with subcontractors, project teams, and external auditors in a fast-paced construction environment.

Responsibilities

Certified Payroll & Prevailing Wage Compliance

• Collect weekly certified payroll reports (CPRs) from subcontractors and vendors.
• Perform initial review of submissions for completeness and general compliance indicators, including:
• Missing signatures or certifications
• Incorrect project identifiers, dates, or work locations
• Missing worker classifications
• Wage/fringe fields left blank or inconsistent
• Obvious wage rate inconsistencies versus wage determinations
• Coordinate corrections and resubmissions with subcontractors as needed.
• Maintain an organized compliance trail for each contractor, by project, by week.
  
  

Apprenticeship Compliance & Documentation

• Collect and maintain documentation supporting apprentice compliance, including:
• Apprentice program affiliation and registration
• Apprentice hour tracking by project and contractor
• Supporting documentation for apprentice requests (as required)
• Identify gaps and escalate risks to project leadership and compliance management.
  
  

Independent Auditor Coordination & Audit Package Submission

• Prepare and submit compliance documentation packages to Independent Auditor for formal compliance confirmation.
• Serve as a primary liaison between project teams, subcontractors, and Deloitte for compliance-related documentation requests.
• Track Independent Auditor feedback, findings, and corrective actions and coordinate responses with subcontractors and internal teams.
• Maintain audit-ready records and version-controlled documentation to support tax credit substantiation, internal reviews, third-party audit requests, and owner/lender/tax equity diligence.
  
  

Secondary Responsibilities — Subcontractor Insurance Compliance

Insurance Tracking & COI Management

• Track subcontractor Certificates of Insurance (COIs) and required endorsements for each project.
• Verify COI submissions for completeness against contract requirements, including:
• General Liability
• Auto Liability
• Workers’ Compensation
• Umbrella / Excess Liability
• Additional insured endorsements
• Waiver of subrogation (as required)
• Maintain an organized log of COI status, expiration dates, and renewal follow-ups in Procore.
• Escalate noncompliance to the Project Manager for corrective action.
  
  

Cross-Functional Coordination

• Work closely with Project Managers, Construction Managers, subcontractor payroll administrators, and Deloitte auditors and compliance reviewers.
• Provide subcontractors with instructions, templates, and submission requirements.
• Support subcontractor onboarding into PWA and insurance compliance processes.
  
  

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree with a minimum of 5 years of professional work experience including 3 years of work experience in prevailing wage compliance, labor compliance, construction payroll, or related construction administration.
• Working knowledge of certified payroll reporting requirements and prevailing wage documentation.
• Strong proficiency in Microsoft Excel and document management tools (SharePoint, OneDrive, Box, Procore, etc.).
• Ability to manage multiple projects and subcontractors simultaneously while meeting weekly deadlines.
• Strong written communication skills and ability to professionally follow up and enforce submission requirements.
  
  

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience supporting compliance tied to IRA tax credits, Davis-Bacon / federal prevailing wage, and/or state prevailing wage programs.
• Experience working with third-party compliance auditors or external compliance reviewers.
• Past compliance audits in NY or IL.
• Familiarity with Procore.
• Experience with compliance systems such as LCPtracker, eMars, Elations, LaborChart, or other CPR/compliance platforms.
• Familiarity with subcontractor insurance compliance and COI tracking.
  
  

Hanwha Q CELLS America Inc. (“HQCA”) is a Qcells company, one of the world’s largest manufacturers and providers of solar photovoltaic (PV) products and solutions. Headquartered in Irvine, California, HQCA has been rapidly expanding its business in North America through the expansion of products and solutions, including distributed energy solutions, direct-to-homeowner solar sales and financing, and EPC services. We provide an opportunity to be part of an exciting and growing world-class global business in an interesting and expanding industry of the future.

Physical, Mental & Environmental Demands

To comply with the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 the essential physical, mental and environmental requirements for this job are listed below. These are requirements normally expected to perform regular job duties. Incumbent must be able to successfully perform all of the functions of the job with or without reasonable accommodation.

Mobility

Standing

20% of time

Sitting

70% of time

Walking

10% of time

Strength

Pulling

up to 10 Pounds

Pushing

up to 10 Pounds

Carrying

up to 10 Pounds

Lifting

up to 10 Pounds

Dexterity(F = Frequently, O = Occasionally, N = Never)

Typing

F

Handling

F

Reaching

F

Agility(F = Frequently, O = Occasionally, N = Never)

Turning

F

Twisting

F

Bending

O

Crouching

O

Balancing

N

Climbing

N

Crawling

N

Kneeling

N

The salary range is required by the California Pay Transparency Act and may differ depending on the location of those candidates hired nationwide. Actual compensation is influenced by a wide array of factors including but not limited to, skill set, education, licenses and certifications, essential job duties and requirements, and the necessary experience relative to the job’s minimum qualifications.

• This target salary range is for CA positions only and should not be interpreted as an offer of compensation.
  
  

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