Lead Project Manager - Transformation

CenterPoint Energy • Houston, TX

104d

About The Position

The Lead Project Manager works within the Transformation Office to lead enterprise-wide strategic initiatives that improve business performance, operational excellence, and value realization. The role partners with executive sponsors, functional leaders, and initiative owners to define, govern, and execute complex cross-functional programs in support of organizational priorities. It combines strategic advising with hands-on delivery leadership, including driving accountability, managing enterprise interdependencies, and ensuring measurable outcomes.

The position leads initiatives from planning through implementation; develops project plans, schedules, budgets, resource requirements, milestones, and governance structures; and manages risks, issues, dependencies, and decisions. It coordinates work across business units, departments, and external partners, tracks progress against objectives, and communicates status and outcomes to leadership. The Lead Project Manager also serves as a trusted advisor to business leaders, facilitates alignment across competing priorities, and prepares executive-level communications and reporting.

The role advances project delivery capabilities through continuous improvement, sharing best practices, mentoring and coaching team members, and contributing to standards, templates, governance processes, and project management disciplines. It uses data and analytics to assess project health, define and monitor success metrics, support dashboards and performance reviews, and ensure benefits are quantified, validated, and sustained.

The role requires a bachelor's degree and at least eight years of experience in project management, business operations, strategic initiatives, transformation, or related disciplines. Experience in utility operations, corporate functions, enterprise transformation, or consulting is preferred. The position is full-time.

Requirements

• Bachelor's degree required.
• At least 8 years of experience in project management, business operations, strategic initiatives, transformation, or related disciplines.
• Demonstrated success leading complex, cross-functional initiatives with multiple stakeholders.
• Experience managing executive reporting, governance forums, and strategic project delivery.
• Strong facilitation, communication, and stakeholder management skills.

Nice To Haves

• Preferred bachelor's degree fields include Engineering, Environmental Science, Regulatory Affairs, Business, or a related technical discipline.
• MBA, PMP, and/or Lean Six Sigma certification preferred.
• Experience within utility operations, corporate functions, enterprise transformation, or consulting environments preferred.

Responsibilities

• Lead complex, cross-functional strategic initiatives from planning through implementation.
• Develop project plans, schedules, milestones, and governance structures.
• Manage project risks, issues, dependencies, and decision-making processes.
• Drive accountability across workstreams and stakeholder groups to achieve project objectives and keep initiatives aligned with business priorities and expected value realization.
• Develop and maintain integrated project plans, schedules, budgets, and resource requirements.
• Coordinate activities across multiple business units, departments, and external partners.
• Facilitate decision-making discussions.
• Track progress against business objectives and communicate issues, risks, and accomplishments to leadership.
• Establish project controls and ensure adherence to project management standards and methodologies.
• Serve as a trusted advisor to business leaders and project sponsors, influencing stakeholders without direct authority and facilitating alignment across competing priorities.
• Prepare executive-level communications, presentations, and status reporting; build partnerships that support implementation and sustained results.
• Identify opportunities to improve project delivery effectiveness and organizational execution.
• Share best practices and lessons learned across projects and teams; mentor and coach project managers, analysts, and transformation team members.
• Contribute to standards, templates, governance processes, and project management disciplines, and support performance management and continuous improvement practices.
• Use data and analytics to assess project health, identify trends, and inform decisions.
• Define success metrics, monitor business outcomes, support dashboards, reporting tools, and performance reviews, and ensure project benefits are quantified, validated, and sustained.

Benefits

• Competitive pay
• Paid training
• Benefits eligibility begins on the first day
• Transit subsidies
• Flexible work schedule
• Paid holidays and paid time off
• Access to fitness club discounts and an on-site wellness center at the Houston headquarters
• Professional growth and development programs, including tuition reimbursement
• 401(k) Savings Plan with a dollar-for-dollar company match up to 6% and a 3% company contribution regardless of employee contribution

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Senior