Program Manager – Utility Field Safety Operations

CARIAN•New Jersey, NJ

1d•$115,000 - $150,000•Hybrid

About The Position

CARIAN is seeking a Program Manager – Utility Field Safety Operations to lead day-to-day delivery of utility field safety operations across active construction and infrastructure environments. This role is responsible for managing field program execution, workforce deployment, supervisor coordination, client communication, reporting cadence, issue escalation, and operational performance. The Program Manager will work closely with safety leadership, field supervisors, program controls, operations support, recruiting, and client stakeholders to ensure field personnel are properly deployed, trained, credentialed, and supported. This is not a traditional corporate Safety Manager role. The successful candidate will be a field-oriented program leader with strong utility, construction, safety-sensitive operations, workforce management, and client-facing delivery experience.

Requirements

8+ years of experience in utility, construction, infrastructure, field services, safety-sensitive operations, or related program delivery
3+ years of experience managing field teams, supervisors, multi-site operations, or client-facing field programs
Strong understanding of utility construction, field safety expectations, worksite coordination, access readiness, and operational risk management
Experience coordinating field staffing, workforce deployment, schedule changes, manpower planning, or multi-location coverage
Demonstrated ability to manage client communication, internal coordination, issue escalation, and program reporting
Working knowledge of OSHA requirements, construction safety practices, utility field environments, and safety-sensitive work activities
OSHA 30 required, or ability to obtain prior to field deployment
First Aid / CPR / AED certification required, or ability to obtain within 60 days of hire
NFPA 70E training required, or ability to obtain within 90 days of hire
Strong organizational skills with the ability to manage competing priorities in a fast-moving field environment
Ability to read, interpret, and manage field schedules, staffing plans, action logs, reports, and operational dashboards
Proficiency with Microsoft Office, including Excel, Outlook, Teams, and PowerPoint
Ability to work from the Somerset, NJ office and travel locally to field locations as needed
Valid driver’s license required

Nice To Haves

10+ years of relevant experience preferred
Experience supporting electric or gas utility programs, transmission and distribution work, substations, construction management, field services, or contractor oversight
Experience with safety observation programs, field safety coordination, utility access requirements, or high-risk work environments
STS-C, CHST, OHST, CSP, CUSP, or similar safety credential strongly preferred
Experience with NERC-CIP, utility badging, site access, background screening, drug testing, or credential-readiness processes
Experience leading program start-up, workforce ramp-up, regional field supervision, or large-scale deployment programs
Experience working with project controls, manpower forecasting, dashboards, weekly reports, and client performance metrics

Responsibilities

Lead day-to-day execution of utility field safety operations across assigned work areas and field locations
Manage workforce deployment, staffing coverage, schedule alignment, and field resource coordination
Serve as a primary operational point of contact for client stakeholders, field supervisors, internal leadership, and support teams
Coordinate with safety leadership to support field safety expectations, training readiness, observation practices, escalation protocols, and documentation standards
Oversee regional field supervisors and support consistent execution across multiple field locations
Monitor active staffing levels, upcoming manpower needs, schedule changes, deployment gaps, and coverage risks
Partner with program controls to review labor hours, staffing forecasts, utilization, reporting dashboards, issue logs, and performance trends
Partner with operations support to ensure onboarding, credentialing, training, badging, access readiness, timesheets, expenses, and field documentation remain current
Establish and manage regular program operating cadence, including field check-ins, status meetings, weekly reporting, issue reviews, and action-item tracking
Support ramp-up, ramp-down, replacement staffing, and redeployment planning as program needs change
Escalate operational, staffing, training, access, safety, or performance issues in a timely and professional manner
Maintain strong communication with client representatives and internal leadership regarding field readiness, schedule changes, risks, and required actions