Deputy Program Manager / Delivery Lead - Aviation

stvinc; Chicago (IL); On-site; USD 120,000 - 180,000; Full time

Job summary

STV is seeking a Deputy Program Manager / Delivery Lead to join our national Aviation group in Chicago, IL. The role acts as the operational second-in-command to the Terminal Delivery Director, overseeing day-to-day delivery across multiple aviation capital projects, ensuring safety, schedule, budget, and alignment with client objectives.

Successful candidates will lead multidisciplinary teams, resolve delivery challenges, and maintain continuity through planning, design, construction,

Qualifications

• Proven track record leading complex aviation infrastructure programs.
• Experience managing multidisciplinary teams.
• Ability to resolve program delivery challenges across planning, design, construction, commissioning, turnover.

Responsibilities

• Serve as Deputy Program Manager and operational lead under Terminal Delivery Director.
• Lead day-to-day program delivery across concurrent projects, ensuring schedule, budget and safety objectives.
• Coordinate project managers, construction managers, design consultants, controls, and stakeholders for cohesive execution.
• Drive accountability through communication, performance monitoring, and issue resolution.
• Implement program governance, reporting structures and delivery standards.
• Support executive decision-making on sequencing, risk, and resource planning.
• Ensure consistency in delivery approaches and compliance with airport requirements.

Job description

STV is seeking a Deputy Program Manager / Delivery Lead to join our national Aviation group. This position will be onsite at our client location in Chicago, IL .

The Deputy Program Manager / Delivery Lead plays a critical leadership role in the successful execution and delivery of large-scale aviation and terminal development programs. Serving as the operational lead and second-in-command to the Terminal Delivery Director, this position is responsible for overseeing the day-to-day management, coordination, and integration of multiple projects and workstreams across complex capital improvement programs.

This role ensures projects are delivered safely, efficiently, on schedule, and within budget, while maintaining alignment with airport operational requirements and client objectives. The Deputy Program Manager / Delivery Lead serves as the primary point of coordination among project teams, contractors, consultants, airport stakeholders, and client leadership, driving accountability and delivery performance across the program.

The successful candidate will have a proven track record leading complex aviation infrastructure projects, managing multidisciplinary teams, resolving program delivery challenges, and maintaining continuity across planning, design, construction, commissioning, and turnover phases.

This position will support transformational aviation infrastructure initiatives, including terminal modernization, expansions, airside and landside improvements, passenger experience enhancements, and operational readiness efforts within one of the nation's busiest aviation markets.

Key Responsibilities:

Program Delivery Leadership

• Serve as the Deputy Program Manager and operational lead supporting the Terminal Delivery Director in the execution of complex aviation capital programs.
• Lead day-to-day program delivery activities across multiple concurrent projects, ensuring alignment with schedule, budget, quality, safety, and operational objectives.
• Coordinate project managers, construction managers, design consultants, project controls, and stakeholder teams to ensure cohesive program execution.
• Drive accountability across project teams through clear communication, performance monitoring, and proactive issue resolution.
• Assist in implementing program governance processes, performance reporting structures, and delivery standards.
• Support executive decision-making by providing recommendations related to project sequencing, risk mitigation, resource planning, and operational impacts.
• Ensure consistency in project delivery approaches, policies, procedures, and best practices across the program portfolio.

Project Delivery & Execution

• Oversee execution of projects from planning and design through construction, commissioning, occupancy, and closeout.
• Monitor project performance against established objectives and implement corrective actions when necessary.
• Lead coordination of interfaces among terminal operations, construction activities, airlines, tenants, airport departments, security agencies, and external stakeholders.
• Partner closely with project controls teams to manage schedules, budgets, forecasting, change management, risk registers, and program reporting.
• Identify potential delivery risks and develop mitigation strategies to minimize impacts to project objectives.
• Support procurement activities, contractor management, consultant coordination, and contract administration efforts.
• Ensure project teams maintain compliance with airport operational requirements, safety standards, regulatory requirements, and program controls.

Stakeholder & Client Management

• Act as a key client-facing representative for day-to-day program delivery activities.
• Build and maintain strong relationships with airport authorities, airline representatives, consultants, contractors, and executive stakeholders.
• Lead coordination meetings, stakeholder workshops, and delivery reviews to communicate project status, risks, constraints, and recovery plans.
• Facilitate issue resolution among stakeholders while maintaining alignment with program objectives and operational priorities.
• Support client reporting and executive presentations related to program performance, milestones, and strategic initiatives.
• Contribute to business development efforts, client engagement activities, interviews, and aviation pursuits as needed.

Team Leadership & Coordination

• Lead and mentor multidisciplinary teams including project managers, engineers, architects, planners, construction managers, and consultants.
• Promote a culture of collaboration, accountability, transparency, and continuous improvement.
• Support staffing plans, resource allocation, workload balancing, and succession planning activities.
• Provide guidance to project leadership teams regarding delivery strategies, project execution methodologies, and issue resolution.
• Foster communication and coordination across internal and external teams to ensure successful program outcomes.

Financial & Operati