Program Director

Description

Westwood Professional Services, Inc. is seeking a Program Director (PD) who directly reports to the respective area Practice Lead or her/his designee and will be responsible for accomplishing the program objectives within the scope, schedule, resource, and performance specification constraints of the program and for providing policy/technical expertise, managing program deliverables, managing the project management office and team, providing quality control over the product development, and positively interfacing with the Client. The PD should also maintain regular communication with the Client Manager (CM) and the grants management team.

The Program Director manages the day-to-day workload and schedules to ensure that the project management team is performing accurate design procurement, project design reviews, bidding oversight, and construction management of associated projects on a timely basis and effectively addressing FEMA, HUD, and other federal program alignment issues. The Program Director adjusts quickly to changing priorities and responds with creative and effective solutions.

Requirements

Client Responsibilities

• Conduct program kick-off meetings where team members are introduced, and program background, scope and schedule, roles and responsibilities are discussed
• Execute program in accordance with the contract scope of work at a high level of quality, in accordance with the established schedule
• Establish with clients their preferred method of receiving status, reports, and other updates and ensure on-going communication with client. Build and maintain positive client relationships by setting up clear communication in the beginning of a program and maintain it throughout the program
• Understand the client’s business and business needs to design effective processes and teams
• Working with the CM, build trust over the long term and create deeper, wider connections with clients
• Identify, document and prioritize scope changes and facilitate approval process with the client and subcontractors as needed, via contract amendments
• Manage client expectations throughout project life-cycle by recording overall goals of the relationship, project-specific objectives, a detailed timeline and an outline of deliverables and by maintaining open and honest communication at all times
• Assist the CM and Sector Leaders and in cross-selling and up-selling capabilities and services, where appropriate

Operations Responsibilities

• Identify scope of project and develop documents outlining key program objectives, goals, plans, requirements, estimates, schedules, and budgets
• Ensure estimates of time, cost, performance level, and materials are accurate and meet program requirements 
• Make modifications to plans and schedules as necessary
• Provide recommendations to the client, especially as it relates to overarching project issues that affect multiple projects
• Communicate directly and effectively with the grants management team on projects that have federal funds involved and represent the owner to any appropriate funding agency to provide accurate status updates on projects and project scope as needed
• Prepare and participate in quality review checks
• Reviews and approves program invoices to go to the client
• Responsible for coordinating all program communications with internal and external stakeholders
• Manage general project administration including contracts, risk management, billing and accounts receivable
• Responsible for on-going communications and formal project reviews with both the CM and Director of Disaster Recovery Advisory Services
• Manage team members and sub-consultants performance

HR Responsibilities

• Manage the program team by facilitating commitment and productivity, removing obstacles, and motivating team members
• Manage resources and staffing levels within the project(s) to meet project requirements including updating project plans to forecast staffing needs
• Effectively communicate relevant project and task information to all levels of the project staff 
• Establish and manage staff performance and expectations, providing performance feedback formally and informally
• Effectively mentor and grow program staff members
• Work with the Director of Disaster Recovery Advisory Services to identify staffing needs, vet candidates, and onboard new team members
• Identify resources needed and mobilize company resources, through liaison with the Director of Disaster Recovery Advisory Services to create program teams capable of completing effective, quality work
• Manages any sub-consultant contracts, sets performance expectations, and ensure quality control and alignment with the rest of the program objectives

Financial Responsibilities

• Responsible for effectively and efficiently estimating, tracking, and reporting project costs
• Responsible for program revenue and profitability
• Working with the CM and Business Management Office, primarily responsible for the timely generation and transmission of invoices, the resolution of any billing issues and with collections efforts, including communicating with the client within 7 to 10 days after transmitting any invoice to confirm that the client has received it and there are no issues
• Manage the Accounts Receivable ledger with the client, including CM to assist in collections of overdue amounts
• Responsible for consultant/sub-consultant team member invoices and managing A/P
• Track and manage time and budget against as-bid baseline
• Responsible for line-item approval for program budget expenditures

Job Requirements:

• Organized self-starter with the ability to handle numerous projects and prioritize workload
• Ability to multi-task and manage multiple projects from start to completion, on time and on budget
• Experience in stakeholder management, creating an effective team environment, building strong relationships, negotiation, solving problems and issues, resolving conflicts, managing resources and communicating effectively at all levels of an organization required
• Knowledge or experience with project management tools (project control, tracking and measurement), documentation tools, and reporting tools required
• Knowledge of and experience in applying quality management principles
• Knowledge of and experience in risk management and root cause analysis
• Minimum of 5 years of experience in program management during which at least 2 years’ experience included working in a lead role on one or more programs
• Bachelor's degree or equivalent experience in technical or business fields
• Knowledge of FEMA, CDBG-DR, and other federal disaster funding programs highly desired
• Professional Registration or Project Management Professional (PMP) certification is desired

About Westwood Professional Services, Inc. (Westwood)

At Westwood, our purpose is to create a better world for people through our work. We transform the energy grid, design resilient infrastructure, and develop communities that will flourish today and for future generations. With over 50 years of experience and a legacy of innovation, we stand at the forefront of our industry, dedicated to understanding the unique needs of the markets we serve.

Our approach revolves around people. We are committed to building a culture that attracts, retains, and develops high performers. Our team values relationships, innovation, dedication, initiative, and growth. We believe fostering a collaborative “One Team” mentality yields superior outcomes in everything we do.

We customize our technical capabilities and geographic reach to meet our clients where they are and help them realize their vision.

We are partners in our clients’ success, driving to provide solutions that make a lasting difference. Safety, sustainability, and operational excellence are not just facets of our work; they are intrinsic to our identity, guiding every decision we make.

We are deeply invested in the communities we serve. Through our projects and giving-back initiatives, we enrich the lives of those we serve, engage others within our industry, and create a lasting impact on communities around the world. To us, success transcends the completion of projects; it is reflected in the lives we have positively impacted by our work.

Join us in creating a better world.

In 2024, Zweig Group ranked Westwood nationally at #13 and #40, respectively, on its Hot Firms and Best Firms to Work for lists. Zweig also awarded Westwood one national 1st place award for Marketing Excellence. Westwood was recently recognized as #83 in the ENR Top 500 Firms in 2024. The firm consistently ranks on the industry's top 25 lists and receives recognition for its involvement in award-winning projects nationwide.

Westwood provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment and prohibits discrimination and harassment of any type without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, national origin, disability status, genetics, protected veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state, or local laws. We believe that diverse backgrounds strengthen our business. This policy applies to all terms and conditions of employment, including recruiting, hiring, placement, promotion, termination, layoff, recall, transfer, leaves of absence, compensation, and training.