Contractor Assurance Manager

Oak Ridge National Laboratory•Oak Ridge, TN

About The Position

Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) is seeking a Contractor Assurance Manager to lead the laboratory’s Contractor Assurance System (CAS). The role reports to the Director of the Office of Integrated Performance Management (OIPM) and supports laboratory leaders, managers, and staff in providing reasonable assurance that ORNL meets applicable requirements, proactively manages risk, and measures and documents performance against mission deliverables and sponsor commitments. The manager integrates assurance activities across ORNL’s science and operations directorates to improve consistency, quality, effectiveness, and efficiency. The position sets CAS direction and priorities, advises senior leaders, oversees implementation, leads program managers, and provides implementation oversight and support to qualified implementers across the laboratory. It requires strong analytical, communication, and relationship-building skills, experience leading complex cross-functional programs or initiatives, and the ability to turn performance information into actionable leadership insights. Direct contractor-assurance experience is valuable but not required; relevant backgrounds may include performance management, operational excellence, quality, safety, risk management, project management, governance, assessments, continuous improvement, or other institutional management systems. The position requires the ability to obtain and maintain a U.S. Department of Energy Q clearance. It is a Workplace Substance Abuse Program testing-designated position, requiring a pre-placement drug test and participation in ongoing random drug testing. Visa sponsorship is not available.

Requirements

BS/BA degree in business, science, engineering, or a related field.
Ten to twelve years of progressively responsible experience in one or more relevant areas, such as contractor assurance, performance management, operational excellence, quality assurance, ESH&Q, risk management, project or program management, organizational effectiveness, governance, assessments, corrective action, or other complex institutional management systems.
Experience leading cross-functional initiatives; analyzing performance, risk, or operational information; communicating effectively with senior leaders; and driving sustainable improvement in a complex organization.
Ability to obtain and maintain a U.S. Department of Energy Q clearance.
Pass a pre-placement drug test and participate in an ongoing random drug-testing program.
Visa sponsorship is not available.

Nice To Haves

Demonstrated ability to lead complex, cross-functional programs or institutional initiatives in a matrixed organization.
Ability to interpret performance, operational, risk, financial, project, quality, safety, or other organizational data; identify meaningful trends; and develop actionable recommendations.
Excellent written, verbal, and executive-level communication skills, including the ability to communicate complex information clearly to technical and nontechnical audiences.
Ability to build trusted partnerships and influence leaders, subject-matter experts, and stakeholders without direct reporting relationships.
Experience establishing performance measures, dashboards, management reviews, or other methods for monitoring organizational health and outcomes.
Experience in one or more assurance-related disciplines, including audits and assessments, issues management, corrective action, causal analysis, lessons learned, risk management, quality assurance, safety programs, compliance, or performance improvement.
Ability to work well in a fast-paced research environment, prioritize multiple tasks within deadlines, and adapt to changing needs.
Familiarity with DOE contractor assurance requirements, ORNL management systems, or operations within a DOE, NNSA, NRC, Naval Reactors, industrial, research, or other highly regulated environment.
Supervisory or management experience.

Responsibilities

Lead and continuously improve ORNL’s integrated Contractor Assurance System, working with management system owners, line organizations, and institutional programs to support laboratory objectives and meet applicable contractual and regulatory requirements.
Provide strategic direction and integration for the CAS program portfolio, including issues management, corrective action, causal analysis, critiques and investigations, performance analysis and reporting, trending, lessons learned, audits and assessments, nuclear assurance, and other assigned assurance responsibilities.
Lead subject-matter experts and program managers in achieving consistent, effective implementation.
Build alignment among senior leaders and stakeholders with differing missions, priorities, and technical perspectives in a highly matrixed environment.
Synthesize complex qualitative and quantitative information into clear analyses, recommendations, and communications that support timely leadership decisions and institutional improvement.
Provide leadership, consultation, and oversight to program managers and qualified implementers; clarify expectations, strengthen capability, and promote consistent implementation.
Provide leaders with timely performance reports and analysis documenting mission and sponsor-commitment performance, assessing laboratory health, identifying trends and emerging risks, and informing decisions.
Develop measurable performance indicators with management system owners and line organizations; steward institutional indicators and communicate what results show.
Evaluate the adequacy of Contractor Assurance System implementation through activities and self-assessments of the performance of processes implementing the program.
Identify opportunities to improve risk management, corrective actions, learning, and assurance outcomes; collaborate with responsible organizations to develop, implement, and evaluate improvement strategies.
Coordinate broad assurance processes, boards, meetings, and initiatives, including the Management System Owner forum, Performance Integration Board, Management System Health Survey, and Corrective Action Institutional Review Board.
Build productive relationships with chief operating officers, ESH&Q coordinators, management system owners, Operations Associate Laboratory Directors, line managers, senior technical leaders, and the DOE ORNL Site Office.
Benchmark practices and share lessons with Battelle and DOE national laboratories; represent ORNL in Battelle Communities of Practice and contribute to DOE-sponsored continuous improvement organizations, including EFCOG.
Align behaviors, priorities, and interactions with ORNL’s values of Impact, Integrity, Teamwork, Safety, and Service, and foster a respectful, inclusive workplace.