Project Management Office Director

About the role

At PNNL, core capabilities are organized within Directorates focused on specific areas of scientific research or function, each with its own leadership and budget. The Science & Technology directorates include National Security, Earth and Biological Sciences, Physical and Computational Sciences, and Energy and Environment, alongside the Environmental Molecular Sciences Laboratory—a Department of Energy, Office of Science user facility on the PNNL campus.

The National Security Directorate (NSD) delivers science-based, mission-focused solutions to address complex, real-world threats to the nation and the world. The Project Management Office Director (PMOD) leads the Global Security and Integrated Systems Project Management Office (PMO 71), providing strategic oversight and expert delivery stewardship for a portfolio of approximately 180 projects supporting PNNL’s national security mission.

Responsibilities

• Execute and continually improve a codified, repeatable approach to project management excellence to ensure effective planning, delivery, and alignment with sponsor expectations.
• Oversee a portfolio delivering high-quality products and services to domestic and international partners in weapons of mass destruction, nonproliferation, safeguards and security, threat reduction, international security, systems engineering, operations research, and testing and evaluation.
• Address projects spanning nuclear and radiological, chemical, biological, missile, and physical security challenges, as well as technology and engineered systems across the technology readiness spectrum—from concept refinement through post-transition support.
• Manage project risk, technology life cycles, operational and regulatory requirements, environmental, health and safety considerations, security requirements, and complex domestic and international interfaces.
• Collaborate with project managers, group leaders, division directors, market sector managers, sponsors, and technical organizations to identify, plan for, accept when appropriate, and mitigate risks during project execution.
• Apply a systems-oriented approach integrating scientific expertise, engineering, sensors and electronics, data and communications architectures, sponsor operations, and rigorous testing and evaluation to deliver reliable solutions that help predict, prevent, detect, and respond to threats.
• Serve as a recognized expert in project management, providing executive leadership and strategic direction for complex, high-impact projects and programs.

• Identify, assess, document, and manage project risks; ensure risks are addressed in planning, formally accepted when appropriate, and mitigated throughout execution.
• Provide delivery oversight for a diverse portfolio of domestic and international projects supporting weapons of mass destruction nonproliferation, safeguards and security, threat reduction, international security, and related national security missions.
• Ensure projects deliver high-quality products, services, research, and engineered technical solutions meeting sponsor, operational, regulatory, and mission requirements.
• Work with Contracts, Finance, line management, project managers, and technical organizations to establish adequate budgets, realistic schedules, appropriate staffing, and resource plans supporting on-time, on-budget delivery.
• Understand and meet sponsor expectations regarding scope, technical content, quality, cost, schedule, performance, and delivery.
• Oversee projects across the technology life cycle, including concept refinement, development, integration, technology demonstration, deployment, and post-transition support.
• Ensure projects are executed safely, securely, in an environmentally responsible, and operationally compliant manner consistent with ES&H, security, contractual, regulatory, and international requirements.
• Ensure appropriate quality assurance, testing and evaluation, verification, and validation activities are incorporated to produce technically sound, reliable, and sponsor-ready results.
• Apply a systems approach integrating scientific and engineering disciplines, sponsor operations, sensors and electronics, data processing and communications architectures, and other technical capabilities.
• Tailor project management systems, processes, controls, and staffing models to the scope, complexity, risk, and technology readiness of each project.
• Establish and maintain effective relationships with sponsors, domestic and international partners, regulators, and other stakeholders.
• Promote operational discipline, accountability, continuous improvement, and consistent project management practices across the PMO.
• Identify process shortcomings and implement improvements strengthening project delivery, risk management, quality, and organizational performance.
• Hold authority to approve or reject proposals, assign risk levels, and direct proposal teams to ensure risks are adequately managed.
• Accountable for demonstrating compliance with institutional risk management standards and gaining Laboratory Director approval for high-risk proposals.
• Exhibit leadership in coaching and mentoring senior project managers; collaborate with Line Managers to provide staff performance input and recommendations on succession planning for key positions.
• Lead continuous improvement initiatives in proposal preparation and project execution; investigate causes for missed expectations and communicate improvement opportunities to stakeholders.
• Provide performance feedback to project managers and support staff to drive delivery excellence.

Qualifications

Minimum Qualifications

• BS/BA and 15+ years of relevant project management experience
• OR MS/MA or higher and 13 years of relevant project management experience
• Experience leading complex, technically diverse, domestic and international projects involving multiple sponsors, partners, work locations, or regulatory environments.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience managing projects involving nonproliferation, safeguards and security, threat reduction, arms control, nuclear or radiological materials, chemical or biological threats, missile threats, or other national security missions.
• Background in nuclear, chemical, biological, radiological, physical, or systems engineering; the physical sciences; operations research; systems engineering; or testing and evaluation.
• Demonstrated experience managing project risks, budgets, schedules, resources, technical quality, and delivery across multiple technology readiness levels.
• Experience integrating scientific and engineering solutions with sponsor operations, sensors and electronics, data processing, communications architectures, or other complex technical systems.
• Demonstrated ability to identify shortcomings in organizational processes, influence change, and implement improvements that increase operational discipline and delivery effectiveness.
• Demonstrated ability to build productive relationships and communicate effectively with sponsors, technical staff, line management, regulators, domestic and international partners, and other stakeholders.
• Experience working in laboratory, facility, Hanford Site, or remote field environments and understanding associated ES&H, security, operational, and regulatory requirements.
• Demonstrated external recognition for project management and leadership, with experience defining long-range project and program management strategy.
• Experience coaching and mentoring senior project managers and contributing to succession planning for key positions.
• Graduate of the PNNL Project Management Development Program (PMDP), Management and Supervisory Development Program (MSDP), and/or Executive Leadership Program (ELP) preferred.
• Project Management Professional (PMP) certification or demonstrated equivalent project management knowledge and competency.

Hazardous Working Conditions/Environment

The incumbent must be familiar with laboratory, facility, and remote field operations; understand associated hazards; and work with staff and project teams to identify and mitigate potential risks while supporting safe, secure, and compliant project execution.

Additional Information

This position requires the ability to obtain and maintain a federal security clearance. A security clearance background investigation includes review of employment, education, financial, and criminal history, as well as interviews with personal references, neighbors, and co-workers to determine trustworthiness, reliability, and loyalty to the United States. The investigation also examines foreign connections, drug and alcohol use, foreign influence, and overall conduct.

• U.S. Citizenship required.
• Applicants selected will be subject to a Federal background investigation and must meet eligibility requirements for access to classified matter in accordance with 10 CFR 710, Appendix B.
• All Security Clearance positions are Testing Designated Positions, requiring pre-employment drug testing and post-employment random drug testing.
• Applicants must demonstrate non-use of illegal drugs, including marijuana, for the 12 consecutive months preceding completion of the Questionnaire for National Security Positions (QNSP).
• Applicants will be considered ineligible for security clearance processing by the U.S. Department of Energy if non-use of illegal drugs, including marijuana, for 12 months cannot be demonstrated.