Senior Program Director

About the role

WSP is seeking a Senior Program Director for the Power & Energy Program Management Office. The primary location is Tulsa, OK, but candidates in Oklahoma City, Dallas, Austin, Houston, Corpus Christi, Bentonville, and Shreveport are also considered. The role requires regular travel to WSP, client, and project sites across a multi‑state utility service territory in the south‑central United States.

Your impact

Lead the most complex, large‑scale projects within the Extra High Voltage (EHV) Transmission and Distribution sector, ensuring timely delivery, budget and KPI management, risk mitigation, quality assurance, and contractual compliance. Serve as the senior day‑to‑day client interface, foster stakeholder relationships, and provide strategic guidance across a geographically dispersed portfolio.

Responsibilities

• Define, lead, and oversee delivery of large‑scale, highly complex programs, preparing budgets, forecasts, margins, and KPIs.
• Engage clients and project stakeholders at all levels, providing clear, timely reporting on project and portfolio progress.
• Participate in contract negotiations, presentations, and meetings.
• Coordinate with client representatives, internal delivery teams, functional leads, subcontractors, and external stakeholders to align priorities and resolve issues.
• Account for profitable performance and successful completion of all projects within the assigned portfolio.
• Provide leadership to multidisciplinary, distributed project teams and deliver strategic advice aligned with client priorities.
• Develop and maintain governance documentation (Risk Registers, Project Management Plans, Quality Plans, Safety Plans, Communications Plans) per WSP and client requirements.
• Lead project management discipline meetings, address root‑cause issues, and drive continuous improvement.
• Develop project recovery plans to address budget overruns and schedule variances.
• Support integrated project controls and portfolio governance, including schedule and cost tracking, forecast updates, variance analysis, change control, risk and issue management, and executive‑level reporting.
• Provide regular project and portfolio updates to client representatives, technical areas, and business unit managers, highlighting emerging issues.
• Ensure completion of formal project closeout activities and facilitate lessons‑learned sessions.
• Collaborate with professionals across disciplines to provide trusted‑advisor services and develop future‑ready solutions for regional utility needs.
• Exercise responsible and ethical decision‑making regarding company funds, resources, and conduct, adhering to WSP’s Code of Conduct and related policies.
• Perform additional responsibilities as required by business needs.

Required qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in engineering, science, or a related field, or equivalent technical experience.
• 15+ years of post‑education experience in project or program management within power, energy, utility, or large capital infrastructure.
• Advanced understanding of A/E/C project delivery and extensive experience managing large‑scale utility or capital infrastructure projects and programs.
• Experience with multiple delivery models (DBB, EPC, PDB) and client‑led governance environments.
• Strong analytical, organizational, and business‑acumen skills to bridge business and project management.
• Deep knowledge of corporate project management principles, practices, processes, and their business impact.
• Proven ability to establish, implement, and manage multiple large‑scale projects, programs, documents, systems, and practices.
• Excellent self‑leadership and interpersonal communication skills; ability to manage staff and interact persuasively at all organizational levels.
• Strategic lateral thinking, strong analytical skills, attention to detail, and ability to prioritize under pressure.
• Ability to elicit cooperation from senior management, subcontractors, consultants, suppliers, clients, and staff across non‑hierarchical relationships.
• Experience in an embedded or highly integrated client‑service environment, navigating matrixed organizations and geographically dispersed stakeholders.
• Advanced proficiency with technical writing, MS Office suite (Word, Excel, Visio, Project, SharePoint), and project management tools.
• Track record of upholding workplace safety and compliance with health, safety, drug/alcohol, and harassment policies.
• Flexibility to adapt to changing client priorities, schedules, and work locations.
• Regular travel across the south‑central U.S. service territory as program and project requirements dictate.

Preferred qualifications

• Master’s degree.
• Professional project management certification (e.g., PMP, CAP‑M).

Benefits

• Medical, dental, vision, disability, and life insurance coverage.
• Retirement savings plans.
• Paid sick leave, vacation (or other personal time), parental leave, and bereavement/voting/naturalization leave.
• Comprehensive health and financial stability programs throughout the employee’s career.

Pay

Expected salary for all locations: $168,900 – $323,900 (range based on education, experience, skills, internal equity, and geographic location).
Expected salary for Colorado only: $168,900 – $303,400.

About WSP

WSP USA is the U.S. operating company of WSP, a global engineering and professional services firm. With more than 15,000 employees in over 300 U.S. offices, WSP provides engineering, planning, technical, strategic advisory, and construction management services across buildings, transportation, energy, water, and environment markets. The company offers a flexible, agile workplace model and a comprehensive benefits suite focused on health and financial stability.