Project Manager – Development

Brunel; Baytown (TX); On-site; USD 140,000 - 170,000; Full time

Job summary

Brunel is seeking a Project Manager - Development to lead front-end development activities for capital projects in the energy sector. You will guide cross-functional teams through pre-Gate 3 phases, coordinate with design leads and engineers, and ensure on-time, within-budget FEED package readiness for transition to execution.

The role emphasizes strong stakeholder management, rigorous planning, and mentoring of junior staff.

Qualifications

• 10+ years of experience in refining, chemicals, LNG, or related process industries.
• Experience leading Concept Select and FEED activities within a structured Stage-Gate or Front-End Loading (FEL) project development process.
• Experience managing Pre-FEED and FEED engineering contractors.
• Proven ability to steward development-phase budgets, schedules, and project deliverables.
• Strong stakeholder management skills, with experience aligning operations, process safety, project services, engineering disciplines, and contractors.
• Bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering or Chemical Engineering (preferred).
• PMP certification is preferred, not required.
• Experience serving as both Project Manager and Engineering Manager on smaller projects is advantageous.

Responsibilities

• Lead projects by establishing and directing project teams through pre-Gate 3 phases in accordance with the Project Organization Plan.
• Establish key Gate milestones and develop project schedules with defined scope to support objectives and outages.
• Plan and ensure deliverables are reviewed on schedule and meet quality standards.
• Maintain alignment among stakeholders regarding objectives, strategies, schedule, costs, and value delivery.
• Drive project competitiveness through optimization strategies, benchmarking, and front-end loading quality initiatives.
• Support projects remotely when required by leveraging relationships with site personnel and contractors.
• Mentor and support less experienced project development professionals.

Skills

Project management

Stakeholder management

Schedule & budget control

Mentoring others

Education

Bachelor's degree in Mechanical or Chemical Engineering

PMP certification preferred

Job description

Job Title: Project Manager - Development

Schedule: 5/40

Duration: 1-year W2 contract (possibility of extension)

Position Summary

The Project Manager - Development (PM-D) is responsible for delivering successful cross-functional, integrated, and cost-competitive project performance throughout the front-end development phases of capital projects. Responsibilities include organizing and leading project teams, guiding projects through Gate reviews, managing contractor activities, and providing overall project stewardship. The PM-D works closely with the Design Lead/Process Design Engineer, Project Development Lead, Business Planner, Project Engineer, and other functional leads for support and direction. This role is also expected to mentor less experienced project professionals.

The PM-D owns projects through the front-end development process, including Planning, Select, and Define phases, and is responsible for transferring a fully developed FEED package to the Project Engineer at Gate 3. Activities beyond Gate 3, including detailed engineering, construction, commissioning, and startup, are managed by separate project execution teams.

Depending on project size and complexity, the Engineering Manager and PM-D responsibilities during Stages 2 and 3 may be performed by the same individual in accordance with the Project Organization Plan.

Key Accountabilities

General

• Lead projects by establishing and directing project teams through pre-Gate 3 phases in accordance with the Project Organization Plan.
• Establish key Gate milestones and develop project schedules with the appropriate level of definition to support project objectives and timelines, including alignment with planned operational outages when applicable.
• Plan and ensure project deliverables are reviewed on schedule and meet required quality standards.
• Maintain alignment among stakeholders regarding project objectives, strategies, concept selection, schedule, costs, and value delivery expectations.
• Drive project competitiveness through implementation of project optimization strategies, including benchmarking, aggressive target setting, brownfield verification, and front-end loading (FEL) quality initiatives, with support from other project functions.
• Support projects remotely when required by leveraging relationships with site personnel and contractors to safely develop projects that meet business objectives.
• Mentor and support less experienced project development professionals.

Stage 1 (Planning)

• Support the Business Planner, Development Planner, or Opportunity Manager in collecting technical information required to establish a reliable business case for a Gate 1 decision, including operating plans, facility plans, cost and schedule estimates, and regulatory or environmental considerations.
• Assist the Business Planner, Development Planner, or Opportunity Manager in preparing the Plan of Strategy (POS), incorporating stakeholder input and ensuring alignment with project optimization strategies.

Stage 2 (Select)

• Lead concept selection and optimization efforts.
• Collaborate with the Technical Point of Contact (TPC) and/or STEP Lead to define project scope, identify risks, and develop appropriate mitigation plans.
• Develop the Project Road Map and coordinate stakeholder endorsement.
• Provide business planning and economic support for portfolio projects when needed to support POS alignment.
• Coordinate project, business, functional, and discipline support to ensure timely completion of reviews, resolution of technical issues, completion of required actions, and management of the development-phase budget.
• Monitor contractor performance against approved plans and specifications and participate in performance improvement initiatives when Pre-FEED contractors are utilized.
• Manage development-phase costs and schedules and steward contractor execution.
• Develop the Project Organization Plan, including leadership requirements for Stage 3.

Stage 3 (Define)

If the PM-D retains responsibility for Stage 3 as outlined in the Project Organization Plan:

• Accountable for integrating project inputs during Stage 3 and completing the FEED package up to the transition point where ownership of the project basis and deliverables, including the Gate 3 Review, transfers to the Project Engineer.
• Lead Stage 3 activities and coordinate discipline and functional input necessary to establish and define the project basis for Gate 3 approval.
• Drive FEED package completion and readiness for transition into execution.

Experience & Background

• 10+ years of experience in refining, chemicals, LNG, or related process industries, preferably supporting brownfield projects.
• Demonstrated experience leading Concept Select and FEED activities within a structured Stage-Gate or Front-End Loading (FEL) project development process.
• Experience managing Pre-FEED and FEED engineering contractors.
• Proven ability to steward development-phase budgets, schedules, and project deliverables.
• Strong stakeholder management skills, with experience aligning operations, process safety, project services, engineering disciplines, and contractors.
• Bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering, Chemical Engineering, are preferred, or a related engineering discipline.
• PMP certification is preferred, not required.
• Previous experience serving as both Project Manager and Engineering Manager on smaller projects is advantageous.