Director of Project Management

Zeno Power•Seattle, WA

6d•$190,000 - $225,000•Hybrid

About The Position

Zeno Power is seeking a Director of the Project Management Office to bring the rigor, structure, and execution discipline required to deliver mission-critical nuclear power systems on time and on budget - for customers who cannot afford failure. This is a senior leadership role for a disciplined and operationally rigorous leader who has built program management systems from the ground up, knows how to drive execution in complex, high-reliability engineering environments, and is energized by the challenge of bringing frontier technology from development to market. You will own program governance, cost and schedule integrity, and cross-functional execution — ensuring Zeno's programs and projects are delivered with the precision and accountability that mission-critical work demands as we approach our 2027 delivery to market.

Requirements

Bachelor's degree in Engineering, Physics, or related technical field.
7+ years of experience in program or project management within a highly technical environment such as aerospace, nuclear, energy, or defense.
2+ years of leadership experience managing a team of TPMs or equivalent program management professionals.
Demonstrated experience building or scaling PMO functions in a startup or high-growth environment.
Demonstrated experience managing large-scale, complex development programs with full cost and schedule accountability.
Strong knowledge of program management methodologies and performance measurement frameworks.
Experience with cost and schedule baselining, forecasting, and variance analysis.
Comfort operating with ambiguity and building structure in a fast-moving environment.

Nice To Haves

Experience in nuclear systems, space systems, or radioisotope power systems.
Familiarity with DOE, NASA, or other federal program requirements.
PMP or equivalent certification.
Experience managing external stakeholder relationships with government program offices or commercial partners.

Responsibilities

Team Leadership & Development Build, lead, mentor, and develop a high-performing team of Technical Project Managers (TPMs) supporting design and development, fabrication, and test programs. Drive hiring and team growth as Zeno scales its program portfolio toward market deployment. Establish clear roles, performance expectations, and career development pathways for TPMs. Partner with functional leaders across Engineering, Operations, Finance, and Quality to align program execution priorities and resolve cross-functional dependencies.
Program Governance & Process Establish, govern, and continuously improve program and project management practices across the organization. Own and maintain all PMO Quality Procedures, Work Instructions, and PMO Guidance documentation. Ensure consistent application of project lifecycle processes across all programs. Ensure alignment with regulatory, quality, and compliance frameworks including nuclear, aerospace, and DOD/NASA standards. Lead continuous improvement of PMO processes, tools, and templates.
Cost, Schedule & Performance Establish and enforce processes for program and project cost and schedule baselining, including review and approval of scope, schedule, resource plans, and budgets. Govern re-baselining processes with defined entry criteria including scope change and cost/schedule variance thresholds. Define, implement, and maintain program performance metrics including CPI, SPI, milestone adherence, and risk burndown. Define thresholds and triggers for performance intervention. Ensure integration between scheduling tools, financial systems, and resource planning. Partner with Finance to align program budgets with organizational financial targets and support forecasting and financial performance analysis across the portfolio. Serve as PMO Budget Manager, including annual planning and ongoing budget tracking.
Reporting, Risk & Stakeholder Management Own and lead monthly Program and Project Status Review meetings. Provide clear, actionable executive-level reporting and insights on program portfolio performance, risks, and issues. Facilitate decision-making by escalating critical risks and trade-offs with recommended courses of action. Manage enterprise-wide risk and issue management frameworks, ensuring proactive identification, tracking, and mitigation of program risks. Serve as a key external-facing PMO representative with government customers, DOE/NASA program offices, and commercial partners.
Portfolio & Resource Management Oversee prioritization and alignment of the program portfolio with strategic objectives. Develop and manage resource planning and capacity management across programs. Identify and resolve resource conflicts across engineering and program teams. Own and evolve the PMO toolset for scheduling, cost tracking, and performance reporting, maintaining data consistency across systems.