Program Governance PMO Lead

AtkinsRéalis; Alexandria (VA); On-site; USD 170,000 - 200,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical, dental, vision

401(k) with match

Paid time off

Flexible work options

Job summary

AtkinsRéalis is seeking a Program Governance PMO Lead to drive governance across a major pharmaceutical campus program in the US. The role leads PMO operating models, staffing, performance management, and executive reporting, coordinating with controls, engineering, commissioning, and operations teams.

The position requires 15+ years in PMO/governance on large capital programs, PMP/CCM within a year, and strong stakeholder leadership. Travel and on-site engagement are expected.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Construction Management, Engineering, Business Management, Program Management, Organizational Leadership, or related field.
• Graduate degree preferred; MBA a plus.
• Professional registration where applicable (e.g., PE, AICP, RA, RLA).
• PMP or CCM certification within one year of hire.
• 15+ years of professional experience supporting major capital projects or programs.
• Minimum 10 years leading PMO, governance, organizational performance, or managed-services on large-scale capital programs.

Responsibilities

• Serve as the owner's lead PMO and governance authority across all projects, contractors, delivery partners, and support organizations.
• Establish and sustain the program governance framework, decision-rights model, escalation pathways, and executive oversight processes.
• Lead development and implementation of the PMO operating model supporting the full program lifecycle from planning through startup and occupancy.
• Provide single-point accountability for managed staffing delivery, workforce planning, resource forecasting, onboarding, mobilization, and performance management.
• Establish program management standards, procedures, templates, and governance protocols across all participating organizations.
• Develop and maintain executive dashboards, KPIs, performance metrics, and governance reporting systems.
• Lead monthly, quarterly, and executive governance forums including steering committees, program reviews, and leadership workshops.
• Coordinate integrated action-item management, risk governance, issue resolution, and decision tracking across all workstreams.
• Establish and manage knowledge management systems, lessons learned processes, document governance, and program record retention strategies.
• Partner with Project Controls, Construction Management, Engineering, Commissioning, and Operational Readiness teams to ensure standardized reporting and decision-making.
• Monitor program performance against contractual obligations, service-level agreements, productivity targets, and strategic objectives.
• Develop resource capacity plans and workforce scaling strategies aligned with program growth and shifting execution requirements.
• Oversee staffing performance, team effectiveness, succession planning, and organizational resilience initiatives.
• Ensure consistency of governance practices across all campus projects and stakeholder organizations.
• Support executive leadership in strategic planning, organizational alignment, and program maturity initiatives.
• Facilitate cross-functional collaboration and communication among client, contractor, and program leadership teams.
• Identify governance gaps, organizational risks, and operational inefficiencies and implement corrective actions.
• Drive continuous improvement initiatives focused on PMO effectiveness, knowledge retention, organizational performance, and execution excellence.
• Promote a collaborative, accountable, and performance-driven culture across the program ecosystem.

Skills

PMO Leadership

Governance Framework

Stakeholder Management

Resource Planning

Executive Reporting

Education

Bachelor's degree in related field

Graduate degree preferred

Tools

PMO software (MS Project/Primavera)

Job description

Overview

We are seeking a

Overview

We are seeking a Program Governance PMO Lead to join our team in TX, AL, VA, PA, OH, IN, and WI.

Our Pharmaceutical team is growing! The Program Governance PMO Lead serves as the owner's central authority for program governance, managed staffing delivery, PMO execution, and organizational performance across a major pharmaceutical manufacturing campus program. This position establishes and maintains the governance framework, PMO operating cadence, workforce strategy, reporting structure, performance management systems, and knowledge management processes required to support successful delivery across multiple projects and delivery organizations. Unlike traditional project leadership roles focused on scope, cost, or schedule delivery for a single project, this role is responsible for creating and sustaining the program management infrastructure that enables successful execution across the entire program portfolio. Success is measured through governance effectiveness, workforce scalability, PMO performance, stakeholder alignment, knowledge retention, reporting accuracy, and achievement of program-wide objectives. This is a unique opportunity to help shape and lead one of the largest pharmaceutical manufacturing investments in North America while working alongside industry-leading professionals on a career-defining program on a greenfield campus. We are offering a full-time position with AtkinsRéalis that provides the opportunity to lead complex, high-profile programs, collaborate with world-class delivery teams, and receive a highly competitive compensation package with robust benefits.

• Serve as the owner's lead PMO and governance authority across all projects, contractors, delivery partners, and support organizations.
• Establish and sustain the program governance framework, decision-rights model, escalation pathways, and executive oversight processes.
• Lead development and implementation of the PMO operating model supporting the full program lifecycle from planning through startup and occupancy.
• Provide single-point accountability for managed staffing delivery, workforce planning, resource forecasting, onboarding, mobilization, and performance management.
• Establish program management standards, procedures, templates, and governance protocols across all participating organizations.
• Develop and maintain executive-level dashboards, KPIs, performance metrics, and governance reporting systems.
• Lead monthly, quarterly, and executive governance forums including steering committees, program reviews, and leadership workshops.
• Coordinate integrated action-item management, risk governance, issue resolution, and decision tracking across all workstreams.
• Establish and manage knowledge management systems, lessons learned processes, document governance, and program record retention strategies.
• Partner with Project Controls, Construction Management, Engineering, Commissioning, and Operational Readiness teams to ensure standardized reporting and decision-making.
• Monitor program performance against contractual obligations, service-level agreements, productivity targets, and strategic objectives.
• Develop resource capacity plans and workforce scaling strategies aligned with program growth and shifting execution requirements.
• Oversee staffing performance, team effectiveness, succession planning, and organizational resilience initiatives.
• Ensure consistency of governance practices across all campus projects and stakeholder organizations.
• Support executive leadership in strategic planning, organizational alignment, and program maturity initiatives.
• Facilitate cross-functional collaboration and communication among client, contractor, and program leadership teams.
• Identify governance gaps, organizational risks, and operational inefficiencies and implement corrective actions.
• Drive continuous improvement initiatives focused on PMO effectiveness, knowledge retention, organizational performance, and execution excellence.
• Promote a collaborative, accountable, and performance-driven culture across the program ecosystem.

About You

• Bachelor's degree in Construction Management, Engineering, Business Management, Program Management, Organizational Leadership, or related field.
• Graduate degree preferred; MBA a plus.
• Professional registration in field of practice required where applicable (e.g., PE, AICP, RA, RLA).
• Certification as PMP or Certified Construction Manager (CCM) required within one year of hire.
• 15+ years of professional experience (BS) supporting major capital projects or programs.
• Minimum 10 years of experience leading PMO, program governance, organizational performance, or managed-services functions on large-scale capital programs.
• Demonstrated experience supporting programs exceeding $1 billion in capital value.
• Experience building and leading enterprise PMO organizations within complex owner, EPC, or consulting environments.
• Pharmaceutical industry experience preferred; semiconductor, advanced manufacturing, data center, battery, energy, chemical processing, and other industrial sectors will also be considered.
• Experience developing executive dashboards, KPI frameworks, and portfolio reporting structures.
• Proven experience establishing governance structures, organizational frameworks, and executive decision-making processes.
• Experience managing large, multi-disciplinary staffing programs and resource-delivery organizations.
• Experience building and leading high-performing PMO, governance, and support-service teams.
• Experience supporting executive leadership, governance boards, and steering committees.
• Strong understanding of program management, project controls, reporting, risk management, and organizational governance disciplines.
• Demonstrated success implementing program management systems, knowledge management frameworks, and performance measurement tools.
• Strong understanding of workforce planning, organizational scaling, and managed-services delivery models.
• Exceptional executive communication, facilitation, leadership, and stakeholder management skills.
• Strong analytical, organizational, and problem-solving abilities.
• Ability to influence without direct authority across large, matrixed organizations.
• Demonstrated success operating in fast-paced, highly visible client environments.
• Willingness to travel and maintain significant on-site engagement as required.

Rewards & benefits

At AtkinsRéalis, our values—Safety, Integrity, Collaboration, Innovation, and Excellence—are more than just words. They are the foundation of who we are and how we work. These principles shape our culture, guide our decisions, and inspire us to create an environment where every team member feels empowered to grow, succeed, and make a meaningful impact.

Depending on your employment status, AtkinsRéalis benefits may include medical, dental, vision, company-paid life and short- and long-term disability benefits, employer-matched 401(k) with 100% vesting, employee stock purchase plan, Paid Time Off, leaves of absences options, flexible work options, recognition and employee satisfaction programs, employee assistance program, and voluntary benefits. You can review our comprehensive benefits page here.

About AtkinsRéalis

We're AtkinsRéalis, a world-class engineering services and nuclear organization. We connect people, data and technology to transform the world's'infrastructure and energy systems. Together, with our industry partners and clients, and our global team of consultants, designers, engineers and project managers, we can change the world. We're committed to leading our clients across our various end markets to engineer a better future for our planet and its people.

Find out more.

Additional information

Expected compensation range is between $170,000 - $200,000+ annually depending on skills, experience, and geographical location.

AtkinsRéalis is an equal opportunity, Drug-Free employer EOE/Veteran/Disability

Please review AtkinsRéalis' Equal Opportunity Statement here.

AtkinsRéalis cares about your privacy and is committed to protecting your privacy. Please consult our Privacy Notice on our Careers site to know more about how we collect, use and transfer your Personal Data. By submitting your personal information to AtkinsRéalis, you confirm that you have read and accept our Privacy Notice.