Program Manager Utility Operations

Celerity Consulting Group, LLC•Walnut Creek, CA

1d•Remote

About The Position

The Program Manager will lead high-impact operational transformation initiatives across utility programs, with a strong emphasis on GIS, mapping, and asset data workflows. This role is responsible for evaluating current-state processes, designing scalable future-state operating models, and driving measurable improvements in efficiency, quality, and execution consistency. The Program Manager will work across multiple functional areas including operations, GIS strategy, quality, and program leadership to align process improvements with broader Asset Knowledge Management (AKM) and system-wide objectives. This is a highly visible role requiring strong leadership, structured problem-solving, and the ability to influence stakeholders across all levels of the organization.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in Engineering, Business, GIS, or related field
5–10+ years of experience in process improvement, consulting, or utility operations
Proven experience leading complex, cross-functional transformation initiatives
Strong process mapping and workflow design experience (e.g., Visio, BPMN)
Demonstrated ability to identify inefficiencies and implement scalable solutions
Strong analytical and structured problem-solving skills
Excellent facilitation, stakeholder management, and executive communication abilities
Ability to influence without authority in matrixed organizations

Nice To Haves

Experience working within regulated utility environments strongly preferred
Lean Six Sigma certification (Black Belt or Green Belt strongly preferred)
Experience working with GIS, asset data, or utility operational workflows preferred

Responsibilities

Lead end-to-end process improvement initiatives across utility operations, GIS, and asset data workflows
Develop detailed current-state and future-state process maps across key functional areas (e.g., mapping workflows, data validation, field-to-system integration)
Identify inefficiencies, bottlenecks, and failure points within existing processes
Design and implement Lean-based solutions to improve efficiency, throughput, and data quality
Establish standardized workflows, documentation, and governance frameworks
Serve as a program lead for process improvement initiatives, coordinating across multiple workstreams and stakeholders
Drive alignment across operations, GIS, quality, and executive leadership teams
Facilitate working sessions, workshops, and decision-making forums to advance process changes
Translate business objectives into structured execution plans with clear milestones and deliverables
Ensure successful adoption of new processes through stakeholder engagement and change management
Define and track key performance indicators (KPIs) related to process efficiency, quality, and delivery
Deliver measurable improvements in operational performance, including cycle time reduction and increased throughput
Establish monitoring frameworks and dashboards to track ongoing process performance
Support continuous improvement initiatives aligned with PDCA (Plan-Do-Check-Act) methodologies
Integrate lessons learned into ongoing process refinement and program evolution
Partner with GIS, data, quality, and engineering teams to ensure process alignment across systems and workflows
Coordinate with program and portfolio leadership to ensure consistency across parallel initiatives
Support integration of process improvements into broader program structures, including quality review and corrective action programs
Align process changes with regulatory, compliance, and audit requirements as needed
Develop and maintain process documentation, including workflows, SOPs, and governance artifacts
Define roles and responsibilities (RACI frameworks) across process areas
Support the establishment of a “gold standard” process architecture for utility programs
Ensure documentation is accessible, standardized, and aligned with program needs