Senior Program Manager- Transportation

GHD; Atlanta (GA); Hybrid; USD 120,000 - 180,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

401K - Employees are eligible to参加 on

Paid time off – PTO starts at 16 days

Holiday Pay

Wellness Benefit

Job summary

GHD is seeking a Senior Transportation Program Manager to lead complex transportation infrastructure programs in the Atlanta, GA region. The role oversees the full lifecycle from planning through closeout, ensuring safe, timely, and cost-effective delivery while coordinating with agencies, consultants, and internal teams.

The ideal candidate has substantial experience in major transportation programs, knowledge of GDOT processes, and strong executive-level client management.

Qualifications

• Proven experience delivering major transportation programs across roadway, bridge, transit, and multimodal infrastructure.
• Strong understanding of GDOT policies and procedures, PDP, LAP, federal funding, environmental compliance, and procurement.
• Demonstrated ability to lead large cross-functional teams and manage executive-level client relationships; strong communication and negotiation skills.

Responsibilities

• Manage complex transportation infrastructure and capital improvement programs in the Atlanta market.
• Provide senior-level oversight across planning, design, procurement, construction, and closeout.
• Lead governance, risk management, stakeholder coordination, and executive reporting.
• Mentor multidisciplinary teams and shape delivery approaches for high-profile projects.
• Develop and maintain trusted client relationships and coordinate with agencies, consultants, and contractors.
• Drive innovative practices, knowledge sharing, and organizational capability building.
• Ensure safety, schedule adherence, and cost control across programs.

Skills

Leadership

Client relationship management

Communication

Negotiation

Organizational skills

Issue resolution

Cross-functional leadership

Project governance

Education

Bachelor of Science in Civil or Mechanical Engineering

Master’s degree preferred in Engineering/Planning/Business Administration

PMP certification or equivalent preferred

Tools

Dashboards

Program controls systems

Cost forecasts

Job description

Bring your curiosity and determination to make a positive impact on the future of transport, and we’ll help you go all the way.

Join our team of globally connected specialists to help solve complex transport challenges and experience groundbreaking projects from idea to delivery, and beyond.

Be part of the dynamic culture! Our workplace thrives on a hybrid model, combining in-office collaboration and flexibility. Join us in office, three days a week to contribute, connect and excel in our vibrant environment.

Who are we looking for?

GHD is looking for a Senior Transportation Program Manager to join our growing Atlanta, Georgia team. This leader will direct complex transportation infrastructure and capital improvement programs in the Atlanta market, providing senior-level oversight across the full program lifecycle, including planning, design, procurement, construction, and closeout. The role is accountable for safe, timely, and cost-effective delivery while serving as a key liaison among transportation agencies, regulatory partners, consultants, contractors, and internal GHD teams. This leader will guide program strategy, governance, stakeholder coordination, risk management, and executive reporting for major transportation initiatives.

This position offers the opportunity to strengthen and grow GHD’s transportation practice in Atlanta by building trusted client relationships, supporting strategic pursuits, mentoring multidisciplinary teams, and shaping delivery approaches for high-profile infrastructure programs. The ideal candidate will bring deep experience managing major transportation capital programs, strong knowledge of transportation planning, design, funding, delivery, and operational requirements, and a proven ability to lead cross-functional teams and engage clients at the executive level. A background in civil engineering, planning, construction management, business administration, or a related discipline is preferred, with advanced education, PMP certification, and experience delivering large, complex transportation programs considered strong differentiators.

Working with an energetic and high performing team, this position offers a variety of work and will see you involved in:

• Client & Customer Management (External): Manage key client and customer relationships. Likely to involve using account teams to maintain customer satisfaction and loyalty.
• Community of Practice Management: Contribute strongly on a strategically significant area to a community of practice in a defined area of expertise or consulting or lead on an area of expertise or consulting practice, to contribute to thought leadership and to develop innovative practice among colleagues.
• Engineering Solutions Design: Design complex and/or innovative engineering solutions and the associated validation process to enable the realization of a design brief (for example, in terms of functionality, performance, aesthetics, and cost) that conform to organizational and/or regulatory standards.
• Engineering Standards Specification: Provide leadership on the design and development of engineering standards and specifications for a business-critical area that must be adhered to by the organization and/or its suppliers, contractors, and consultants to ensure engineering work of the required quality is delivered and to manage the risks associated with engineering programs.
• Feasibility Studies: Conduct the most-complex feasibility studies from a technological and organizational perspective and document findings to complete cost-benefit analysis on implementing changes to business processes, products, or business unit structure.
• Health, Safety, and Environment: Ensure that business activities and individuals (e.g., employees, contractors, and visitors) within the area of responsibility adhere to the organization's health, safety, and environment (HSE) policies, procedures, and mandatory instructions, to safeguard the environment, protect the well-being of individuals, and minimize business risk.
• Improvement/Innovation: Initiate, formulate, and implement new business practices within a specific discipline while managing the development and/or delivery of a significant element of the organization's change management program.
• Knowledge Management: Manage the development of policies and processes for knowledge management to ensure the creation of best practices and the setup of case studies and internal knowledge-sharing sessions; manage, capture, and share knowledge among colleagues on project/program outcomes and innovative practices across a large area to support the practice.
• Organizational Capability Building: Evaluate the capabilities of staff within the department to identify gaps and prioritize development activities. Implement the organization's formal development frameworks within the area of responsibility. Coach and mentor others to support the development of the organization's talent pool.
• Product and Solution Development: Take responsibility for managing the definition, development, and delivery of a significant product or service within the product development and engineering program, ensuring alignment with customer requirements.
• Project Management: Manage a portfolio of major projects in line with overall project management strategy.
• Request for Bid Solicitation/Proposal/Tender Response: Gather information and resources and draft and complete proposals in response to the most-complex bid solicitations, request for proposal, and request for tender to create the best chance of being awarded the contract. May lead a team to develop tenders/proposals and fulfill all process requirements (in terms of deadlines, documentation, etc.) in response to bid solicitations, request for proposal, and request for tender.

What you will bring to the Team:

• Minimum requirement of a Bachelor of Science in Civil or Mechanical Engineering. Master’s degree preferred in Engineering, Planning, Business Administration or related discipline.
• PMP certification or equivalent preferred.

• Proven experience delivering major transportation programs, including preconstruction and construction phases, across roadway, bridge, transit, traffic, and multimodal infrastructure; experience managing large, complex capital programs in active operating environments is strongly preferred.

• Strong understanding of GDOT policies and procedures, the Plan Development Process (PDP), Local Administered Projects (LAP), federal funding requirements, environmental compliance, and procurement processes.

• Demonstrated ability to lead large cross-functional teams and manage client relationships at the executive level. Strong communication, negotiation, organizational and issue-resolution skills.
• Experience with program controls systems, dashboards, risk registers, cost forecasts, schedule reporting and project performance metrics.

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Benefits

• 401K - Employees are eligible to participate on the first day of the month following 3 months of service
• Paid time off – Our PTO benefit is designed to provide eligible employees with a period of rest and relaxation, sick, and personal time throughout the year. PTO starts at 16 days per year and increases with years of service
• Holiday Pay - Holiday pay is provided for eligible employees. GHD observes 9 holidays per year. Holiday pay will be based on the regular set schedule for the employee
• Wellness Benefit- Regular full-term employees are eligible to participate in the wellness reimbursement program. GHD will reimburse 50% of the cost of the following to maximum of $250.00 reimbursement annually for such items as: Health club membership fees, home exercise equipment purchases, Bicycles, Race, run & marathon entrance fees, Smoking cessation programs, Weight loss programs (i.e.—Weight Watchers, Jenny Craig), Fitbits and Fitness Tracking devices

Our Hybrid Work Model

Be part of the dynamic culture! Our workplace thrives on a hybrid model, combining in-office collaboration and flexibility. Join us in the office three days a week to contribute, connect and excel in our vibrant environment.

As a multicultural organization, we encourage individual achievement and recognize the strength of a diverse workforce. GHD is an equal opportunity employer. We provide equal employment opportunities to all qualified employees and applicants without regard to race, color, religion, genetic information, national origin, sex (including same sex), sexual orientation, gender identity, pregnancy, childbirth, or related medical conditions, age, disability or handicap, citizenship status, service member status, or any other category protected by federal, state, or local law.