Operations Director -Programme Management

Mace; Houston (TX); On-site; USD 110,000 - 170,000; Full time

Job summary

Mace, Houston-based, seeks a Programme Manager to lead a major programme, guiding delivery, governance, and stakeholder engagement. You will assemble the team, manage budgets, risk, and external partners to achieve strategic objectives.

Applicants should have a proven track record in programme leadership, deep knowledge of governance frameworks, and experience in complex stakeholder environments. The role emphasizes safety, quality, and value delivery within a major construction programme.

Qualifications

• Proven track record delivering major programmes across all project lifecycle phases.
• Advanced knowledge of programme management, governance frameworks and delivery procedures.
• Full budget management experience, including programme and internal fee budgets.
• Advanced expertise in risk and opportunity management.
• Strong analytical and problem‑solving skills across estimating, scheduling, procurement, contract administration, financial controls and reporting.
• Sound understanding of construction contracts and commercial management principles.
• Experience driving performance management and fostering high‑performing teams.
• Ability to represent programmes and organisations with clients, public stakeholders and industry partners.
• Advanced knowledge of HSE regulations and health & safety best practices.
• Strong leadership experience, including coaching, mentoring and developing large multidisciplinary teams.
• Demonstrated ability to drive innovation, continuous improvement and best‑practice adoption.
• Experience managing complex stakeholder environments and resolving conflicts effectively.

Responsibilities

• Lead the coordination and delivery of a major programme and oversee implementation of strategies.
• Define and implement a programme delivery environment including people, organisation, process, information and technology.
• Assemble the right project team with required skills and competencies, including external appointments.
• Improve performance from bid baseline by optimising resources and monitoring activities.
• Act as relationship owner for Executive team engagement and governance support.
• Manage key client relationships and interface with executives.
• Serve as the public face of the programme to external stakeholders.
• Maintain safety, quality, cost, governance and risk standards across the programme.
• Focus on delivering programme benefits and outcomes.
• Oversee development and maintenance of programme documentation and lessons learned.
• Create a high‑performing and inclusive team environment.
• Promote quality and service excellence in programme interactions.
• Ensure an effective risk‑management strategy with actions and treatments.
• Align the wider business strategy with the programme team and initiatives.
• Network with Centres of Excellence to support delivery and knowledge sharing.
• Foster commercially and ethically viable operations and expand networks.

Skills

Programme leadership

Budget management

Risk management

Stakeholder management

Contract administration

HSE knowledge

Team leadership

Strategic planning

Education

Degree in Project Management or related field

MAPM/MRICS/MICE/MCIOB or equivalent

CSCS card or equivalent certification

Job description

Mace is an inclusive employer that welcomes candidates from diverse backgrounds. We are committed to creating responsible and innovative environments for our people, communities and societies worldwide.

Responsibilities

• Lead the coordination and delivery of a major programme and oversee the implementation of programme strategies, providing strategic direction and monitoring delivery in alignment with the overall vision and objectives.
• Define and implement an appropriate programme delivery environment, including people, organisation, process, information and technology.
• Determine and assemble the right project team with the required skills, experience, capabilities and technical competency, including external specialist appointments as necessary.
• Improve performance from the bid baseline by optimising resources and monitoring, reviewing, and evaluating activities, systems and methodologies.
• Act as the relationship owner and primary contact for Executive team engagement, ensuring efficient governance to support programme activities and securing organisational support and commitment.
• Manage key client relationships, interface, communication and constructive challenge, responsible for client relationship management (CRM).
• Serve as the public face of the programme to external stakeholders, chairing executive steering group meetings.
• Maintain exceptional safety, quality, cost, programme, sustainability, governance, risk, stakeholder management and compliance standards.
• Focus on delivering programme benefits and outcomes.
• Oversee the development and maintenance of programme documentation, including process and procedures, plans, reports, registers and lessons learned.
• Create and nurture a high‑performing and inclusive team environment that encourages contribution and recognition.
• Engender, promote and influence quality and service excellence in all conversations and programme interactions.
• Ensure the programme operates an effective risk‑management strategy with appropriate actions and risk treatments established.
• Convey and connect the wider business strategy to the programme team, promoting associated initiatives.
• Network actively and utilise the full depth and knowledge of the business and Centres of Excellence to support programme delivery, and promote knowledge sharing.
• Ensure operations are commercially and ethically viable, influencing the achievement of business objectives and meeting organisational and legislative compliance obligations.
• Build and maintain internal and external relationships (clients, contractors, consultancies and other stakeholders) to foster growth and expand networks.
• Provide thought leadership and expertise in programme management and execution.
• Promote Mace’s value of Safety First, exhibiting visible safety behaviours, sharing lessons learned, and using safety moments, safety tours and the HSW framework to support the safety and wellbeing of all staff.
• Collaborate towards the net‑zero carbon transition, proactively identifying and managing associated carbon emissions and reductions during delivery.

Qualifications

• Proven track record delivering major programmes across all project lifecycle phases.
• Advanced knowledge of programme management, programme controls, governance frameworks and delivery procedures.
• Full budget management experience, including programme and internal fee budgets.
• Advanced expertise in risk and opportunity management.
• Strong analytical and problem‑solving skills across estimating, scheduling, procurement, contract administration, financial controls and reporting.
• Sound understanding of construction contracts and commercial management principles.
• Experience driving performance management and fostering high‑performing teams.
• Ability to represent programmes and organisations with clients, public stakeholders and industry partners.
• Advanced knowledge of HSE regulations and health & safety best practices.
• Strong leadership experience, including coaching, mentoring and developing large multidisciplinary teams.
• Demonstrated ability to drive innovation, continuous improvement and best‑practice adoption.
• Experience managing complex stakeholder environments and resolving conflicts effectively.

Education and Professional Membership

• Degree in Project Management, Construction Management, Engineering, Quantity Surveying, Civil Engineering or a related discipline (or equivalent professional experience).
• Professional membership and/or chartership such as MAPM, MRICS, MICE, MCIOB or equivalent preferred.
• Relevant Construction Skills Certification Scheme (CSCS) card or equivalent certification.

Mace is an inclusive employer and welcomes interest from a diverse range of candidates. We are also open to discussing part‑time, flexible and hybrid working options if suitable for the role.