Program Manager, Operational Excellence

Suffolk Construction•Boston, MA

2d•Onsite

About The Position

As Program Manager, Operational Excellence, you will be a key leader driving Suffolk’s most important operational initiatives. You’ll blend strategic problem-solving, structured program delivery, and hands-on field engagement to identify opportunities, design solutions, and lead cross-functional implementation that strengthens operational performance across the company. The role requires a proactive and highly organized program manager who can bring structure to complex work, build trusted relationships, and drive follow-through across teams without relying on formal authority. The Program Manager will work closely with regional and project leadership and Ops Ex capabilities Operations Analytics, Mission Control, Change Management, and Construction Technology to ensure solutions are practical, scalable, and grounded in how work is performed in the field. This is an opportunity to develop broad enterprise and field exposure while taking meaningful ownership of high-impact operational initiatives. The Program Manager will contribute analytical thinking and sound judgment, independently lead assigned programs and workstreams, and partner with the leadership on portfolio-level decisions, executive governance, and the most complex cross-enterprise issues.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in business, STEM, Construction Management, or a related field required; MBA or advanced degree preferred.
5-7 years of experience in program management, project management, operations improvement, business transformation, management consulting, construction, or a related environment.
Demonstrated ability to manage cross-functional programs or substantial workstreams through planning, execution, implementation, and performance tracking.
Strong program management fundamentals, including work planning, milestone and dependency management, risk and issue tracking, meeting facilitation, documentation, and status reporting.
Strong written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to prepare concise materials and communicate effectively with functional leaders, regional partners, and field teams.
Ability to influence, build relationships, and manage multiple stakeholders.
Willingness to dive into operational details while maintaining a strategic view.
Experience working with data, analytics, or technology teams on operational enablement.

Nice To Haves

Proficiency with program management and reporting tools such as Asana, Smartsheet, Microsoft Project, Power BI, or similar platforms preferred.
Experience in construction or another field-based, project-driven operating environment preferred.

Responsibilities

Manage assigned Operational Excellence programs and major workstreams from planning through implementation.
Develop and maintain program charters, schedules, milestones, deliverables, roles, and success measures.
Translate direction from program and business leaders into clear actions, coordinate contributors, and keep work moving toward agreed outcomes.
Establish and maintain the day-to-day management routines that support effective delivery, including workplans, status reporting, decision and action logs, risk and issue tracking, dependency management, and meeting cadences.
Prepare clear governance materials, surface emerging concerns early, and follow through with owners to ensure commitments and decisions are carried into execution.
Partner with operational leaders, Operational Excellence, project teams, and subject-matter experts to document current-state practices, clarify pain points, and identify root causes.
Support the development and evaluation of future-state processes, standards, tools, and capabilities.
Organize qualitative and quantitative inputs, test assumptions, and help convert findings into practical recommendations and implementation requirements.
Build productive relationships with regional, functional, and project stakeholders.
Plan and facilitate working sessions, document decisions, and communicate program status, risks, and next steps in a concise and audience-appropriate manner.
Help resolve routine misalignment and escalate material tradeoffs or decisions with clear context and recommended paths forward.
Engage directly with jobsites and regional teams to understand operational realities and incorporate frontline feedback.
Coordinate pilots and implementation activities, including readiness assessments, schedules, stakeholder communications, training logistics, feedback collection, and issue resolution.
Partner with Change Management and business owners to make new ways of working clear, practical, and sustainable.
Support the definition of baselines, key performance indicators, adoption measures, and target outcomes.
Partner with Operations Analytics, Data, and IT teams to gather and validate information, maintain dashboards and reporting, and identify performance trends.
Track results after implementation and coordinate follow-up actions when adoption or outcomes are below target.
Apply consistent Ops Ex program-management practices and contribute to the ongoing improvement of templates, tools, and playbooks.
Capture lessons learned, maintain organized program documentation, and share effective practices across initiatives.
Identify opportunities to simplify delivery, improve coordination, and strengthen the experience of operational stakeholders.