Project Manager, Permit & Communications Lead

KBR, Inc.•Richmond, VA

About The Position

KBR Sustainable Technology Solutions is seeking a Permit & Communications Lead for a multi-billion-dollar GMP manufacturing program in the Greater Richmond, Virginia area. Within the PMC team, this senior pharmaceutical PMC/Owner’s Representative role provides overall leadership for permitting, communications, and stakeholder engagement and serves as the Client’s primary interface with regulatory agencies, government, and external stakeholders. The role establishes permitting and communications governance, oversees regulatory approvals and permit compliance, directs stakeholder and community engagement, manages contractors within the assigned scope, and aligns project objectives with external requirements. It provides PMC leadership with strategic guidance on permitting status, regulatory and stakeholder risks, communications priorities, mitigation strategies, and project readiness. The position also supports project execution, GMP compliance, startup readiness, and long-term operational success.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in Engineering, Environmental Science, Environmental Management, Public Policy, Communications, Planning, Construction Management, or a related discipline.
At least 10 years of experience supporting permitting, stakeholder engagement, environmental compliance, communications, or project management on major capital projects, including projects exceeding $500 million TIC.
Experience managing permitting, regulatory affairs, environmental compliance, stakeholder engagement, communications, or infrastructure delivery teams on major capital projects.
Strong knowledge of engineering governance, design management, and project delivery processes.
Demonstrated ability to lead technical decision-making and stakeholder alignment.
Strong leadership and stakeholder management capabilities.
Experience directing and evaluating permitting consultants, communications consultants, stakeholder engagement firms, and regulatory support contractors, including reviewing and approving deliverables.

Nice To Haves

Experience supporting pharmaceutical, biotechnology, or other GMP-regulated facilities.
Prior experience in an Owner’s Representative or PMC role on major capital projects exceeding $1 billion TIC.
Professional Engineer (PE) license and/or PMP certification.
Experience supporting FDA inspections, commissioning, startup, and operational readiness activities.

Responsibilities

Lead permitting, regulatory engagement, stakeholder management, and communications strategies throughout project delivery.
Serve as the primary interface among the Client, regulatory agencies, local authorities, community organizations, utility providers, and other external stakeholders.
Oversee identification, tracking, submission, and approval of permits, licenses, environmental authorizations, and regulatory approvals.
Establish and maintain permitting governance processes, schedules, and reporting systems to support timely approvals and project milestones.
Coordinate with engineering, environmental, construction, commissioning, and operations teams to integrate permitting requirements into project planning and execution.
Direct public relations, community outreach, and stakeholder engagement initiatives.
Manage communications consultants, permitting contractors, and external advisors, including reviewing and evaluating their performance and deliverables.
Monitor regulatory developments, policy changes, and external factors, and develop mitigation strategies for emerging risks.
Lead preparation and delivery of executive communications, presentations, stakeholder briefings, and regulatory submissions.
Develop and maintain stakeholder engagement plans, communications matrices, and issue management processes.
Identify and manage permitting, regulatory, and stakeholder risks; implement mitigation and recovery plans.
Support project leadership with incident communications, issue management, and crisis communication strategies.
Coordinate with project controls and project management teams to incorporate permitting activities, approvals, and stakeholder commitments into project schedules and execution strategies.
Coordinate permitting for GMP manufacturing facilities, laboratories, utilities, warehousing, and support infrastructure.
Support regulatory inspection readiness and occupancy approval activities.
Coordinate with Quality, Validation, and Operations teams regarding regulatory commitments.
Oversee environmental permitting and compliance, including air, stormwater, wastewater, hazardous materials, and agency reporting requirements.
Ensure permit conditions and environmental commitments are reflected in project execution plans and contractor requirements.
Provide performance reporting and strategic recommendations to PMC and Client leadership on permitting, regulatory compliance, stakeholder concerns, and communications effectiveness.
Promote safety, compliance, transparency, and accountability in interactions with agencies, stakeholders, and project teams.