Program Director - EPC in Location Leatherhead, Surrey

KBR; Leatherhead; On-site; GBP 90,000 - 120,000; Full time

Job summary

A global engineering services firm in the UK is seeking a Program Director to lead complex capital projects. The successful candidate will be responsible for the technical and commercial success of proposals and projects, ensuring project delivery aligns with client needs and strategic objectives. This role requires strong leadership, stakeholder engagement, and a deep understanding of engineering sectors including oil and gas. Competitive benefits and opportunities for progression are offered.

Benefits

Competitive benefits

Professional development opportunities

Qualifications

• Senior professional with strong personal drive and credibility.
• Demonstrated track record in leading complex capital projects.
• Experience in offshore/onshore oil & gas, refining, or nuclear sectors.

Responsibilities

• Lead complex capital projects with full accountability.
• Promote QHSE compliance and monitor results.
• Develop and implement project execution plans.

Skills

Leadership presence

Commercial acumen

Stakeholder engagement

Project management

Technical proficiency

Education

Undergraduate degree in relevant discipline

Professional Engineering qualification

Project management certification (e.g., PMP)

Job description

Overview

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Job Description

Title: Program Director - EPC

KBR is a global provider of differentiated, professional services and technologies delivered across a wide government, defense and industrial base. Drawing from its rich 100-year history and culture of innovation and mission focus, KBR creates sustainable value by combining engineering, technical and scientific expertise with its full life cycle capabilities to help our clients meet their most pressing challenges today and into the future.

We deliver science, technology and engineering solutions to governments and companies around the world. KBR employs approximately 37,000 people worldwide with customers in more than 80 countries and operations in over 29 countries. KBR is proud to work with its customers across the globe to provide technology, value-added services, and long-term operations and maintenance services to ensure consistent delivery with predictable results. At KBR, We Deliver.

KBR is seeking a highly capable Program Director to lead the delivery of complex capital projects across our international portfolio.

This role carries sole accountability for the technical and commercial success of proposals and projects, from pursuit through execution.

The Program Director will operate at the forefront of KBR ISI’s delivery capability, ensuring excellence in performance, governance, and client satisfaction.

Key Responsibilities

QHSE Leadership

• Promote team responsibility for QHSE compliance and monitor results.
• Ensure hazard prevention measures are taken and QHSE best practices are embedded in all processes.

Strategic & Commercial Leadership

• Define and communicate a clear vision and strategic objectives for each proposal and project; cultivating commitment and pride within teams.
• Lead the pursuit of new work, developing compelling technical and commercial proposals in collaboration with business development teams.
• Align project goals with long-term business strategy and client drivers.
• Maintain full accountability for project financial performance, including budget control, forecasting, and profitability.
• Support pre-award negotiations and ensure optimal risk structures.
• During project execution operate effective contract and change management processes to protect KBR commercial interests.
• Demonstrate a “can-do” attitude and remain calm under pressure, setting challenging yet achievable goals.
• Demonstrate clear understanding of client business models and their influence on project drivers
• Accept responsibility for failures and use them as learning opportunities.

Project Execution & Technical Oversight

• Develop and implement robust project execution plans aligned with KBR’s standards and client expectations.
• Assure safe, high-quality delivery consistent with schedule, cost, and contractual requirements.
• Lead resolution of technical challenges across disciplines, ensuring timely corrective actions and lessons learned.
• Hold regular proposal / project status reviews and deal promptly with performance issues, escalating to operations management as required.
• Oversee progress tracking, Earned Value reporting, and technical performance metrics.

Governance, Risk & Compliance

• Ensure project execution complies with KBR policies, procedures, systems, and regulatory requirements.
• Proactively manage project risks to avoid delays, cost overruns, or reputational impact.
• Develop contingency plans and exploit opportunities where prudent.
• Provide accurate and timely reporting of project status and forecasts in line with internal and industry standards.

Stakeholder Engagement & Relationship Management

• Serve as the prime point of contact between KBR, the client and any other relevant stakeholders building strong, trust-based relationships.
• Be accessible, responsive, and respectful to clients at all times.
• Seek stakeholder feedback and foster mutual interest in repeat business.
• Represent KBR in external forums, steering committees, and strategic engagements.

Team Leadership & Capability Development

• Build high-performing teams that perceive themselves as cohesive units.
• Delegate appropriately and provide timely, constructive feedback.
• Identify resource requirements and coordinate with functional leads to ensure effective project support.
• Lead, mentor, and develop project professionals, fostering a high-performance culture.
• Champion innovation, sustainability, and continuous improvement across delivery teams.

Business Development

• Identify partnership and “add-on” opportunities, supporting both strategic and opportunistic revenue/job income to KBR
• Work with sales teams to follow up on leads and grow long-term client relationships.

Key Attributes, Skills & Experience

• Senior professional with strong personal drive, credibility, and leadership presence.
• Demonstrated track record of leading complex capital projects with full technical and commercial accountability.
• Deep experience in one or more of KBR ISI’s core markets: offshore/onshore oil & gas, refining, petrochemicals, LNG, ammonia, hydrogen, infrastructure, civil nuclear.
• Proven ability to manage multidisciplinary / multilocation teams (>100 FTE) and deliver in diverse global locations.
• Strong commercial acumen, including contract administration, change orders, and risk management.
• Skilled in stakeholder engagement, conflict resolution, and influencing at executive level.
• Technically proficient with ability to challenge and guide engineering and delivery teams.
• Excellent awareness of environmental and sustainability issues, particularly decarbonisation opportunities.
• Committed to ethical leadership and adherence to KBR’s Code of Business Conduct.

Qualifications

• Undergraduate degree in relevant discipline
• Professional Engineering qualification and/or recognised project management certification (e.g., PMP, AMP).
• Chartered status or equivalent is desirable.

KBR Company Information

When you become part of the KBR team, your opportunities are endless. Through collaboration with our customers, we’re defining tomorrow’s challenges, then providing the solutions and services to overcome those challenges, always maintaining our commitment to total safety and reliability.

At KBR, we partner with government and industry clients to provide purposeful and comprehensive solutions with an emphasis on efficiency and safety. With a full portfolio of services, proprietary technologies and expertise, our employees are ready to handle projects and missions throughout their entire lifecycle, from planning and design to sustainability and maintenance. Whether at the bottom of the ocean or in outer space, our clients trust us to deliver the impossible on a daily basis.

Working at KBR means being rewarded for your contributions. In addition to competitive benefits and professional development, our people are empowered to use all their potential, creating meaningful change for themselves and our clients. We attract the best minds in the world because our expertise thrives on creativity, resourcefulness and collaboration. That is how we supply our clients with cutting-edge solutions and services.

As the needs of the world change, we’re ready to respond and guide the way forward with strategic, sustainable, and technological advancements grounded in more than a century of practical application and execution.

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