Senior Design Manager

City of Charlotte

About The Position

This role provides executive-level oversight of complex horizontal and vertical utility systems, including electrical distribution, substations, emergency power, chilled water generation and distribution, domestic water, sanitary sewer, stormwater systems, fuel infrastructure, telecommunications duct banks, and other critical backbone systems supporting terminal, airfield, landside, and support facilities. The position works closely with Facilities, Maintenance, Operations, Planning, Environmental, Finance, and external stakeholders to ensure system reliability, resiliency, operational continuity, and lifecycle sustainability within a 24/7 operational environment. Work involves major technical decision-making, independent judgment, and portfolio-level accountability within established City, State, and Federal guidelines. Performance is evaluated based on infrastructure reliability, CIP execution, stakeholder alignment, cost management, and long-term asset performance. The Senior Design Manager – Campus Wide Utilities provides strategic leadership, portfolio oversight, and organizational management for campus-wide utility infrastructure systems at Charlotte Douglas International Airport (CLT). This position manages the Utilities Project Portfolio within the Airport’s Capital Improvement Program (CIP) and ensures alignment of infrastructure investments with the Airport’s short-, medium-, and long-term development objectives. This position also leads a team of subject matter experts (SMEs) who serve as Design Managers on individual capital projects. This role provides executive-level oversight of complex horizontal and vertical utility systems, including electrical distribution, substations, emergency power, chilled water generation and distribution, domestic water, sanitary sewer, stormwater systems, fuel infrastructure, telecommunications duct banks, and other critical backbone systems supporting terminal, airfield, landside, and support facilities. The position works closely with Facilities, Maintenance, Operations, Planning, Environmental, Finance, and external stakeholders to ensure system reliability, resiliency, operational continuity, and lifecycle sustainability within a 24/7 operational environment. Work involves major technical decision-making, independent judgment, and portfolio-level accountability within established City, State, and Federal guidelines. Performance is evaluated based on supervisory skills, infrastructure reliability, CIP execution, stakeholder alignment, cost management, and long-term asset performance.

Requirements

Bachelor's Level Degree – Engineering plus three years of experience
Ability to successfully perform project management tasks, including the proactive management during project initiation, planning, implementation, and closeout.
Knowledge of Federal Aviation Administration Advisory Circulars, Engineering Briefs, and Federal Aviation Regulations as they pertain to airfields and airport facilities.
Knowledge of Transportation Security Administration security regulations and requirements.
Knowledge of modern engineering methods and techniques as applied to the construction and maintenance of public works and utilities.
Ability to manage multiple projects of various sizes, simultaneously, in a fast-paced work environment.
Ability to perform difficult and complex engineering mathematical computations, to make estimates, and compile moderately complex engineering data and statistics.
Ability to use personal computers for word processing and database management.
Ability to prepare and present clear and concise reports for a variety of audiences.
Ability to communicate effectively, orally and in writing.
Ability to deal tactfully and courteously with the public, representing the airport in a positive manner.
Ability to supervise and inspect work of contractors on engineering projects in the field or office, and to obtain adherence to plans and specifications.
Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships.

Nice To Haves

Bachelor's degree in Engineering (Civil, Electrical, Mechanical, or related field)
3+ years of progressive infrastructure design and program management experience.
1+ years leading multidisciplinary technical teams.
Professional Engineer (PE) license preferred.
Experience in aviation or other mission-critical infrastructure environments strongly preferred.
Prefer knowledge of Airport facilities and environment.
Knowledge of local, state, and federal regulations as they pertain to Airport issues.
Comprehensive knowledge of the principles and practices, methods, and techniques of civil engineeringbuilding design, engineering, and construction
Demonstrated experience leading technical teams in complex infrastructure environments.
Strong understanding of design governance and standards enforcement.
Expertise in capital portfolio management within structured Capital Improvement Program environments.
Ability to balance technical, financial, and operational priorities.
Experience integrating maintenance lifecycle planning into capital investment strategies.
Strong executive communication and stakeholder facilitation skills.

Responsibilities

Leads Utilities Design Management Team
Manages and develops a team of utility subject matter experts who serve as Design Managers across multiple capital projects.
Establishes performance expectations, workload allocation, and professional development plans for team members.
Provides technical mentorship and ensures consistency in design review processes.
Serves as the final authority for utility design decisions and conflict resolution across projects.
Establishes and Enforces Utility Design Standards
Develops, maintains, and governs airport-wide utility design standards and technical criteria.
Ensures all capital projects adhere to established specifications, resiliency requirements, and lifecycle performance objectives.
Standardizes design review procedures and quality assurance protocols.
Coordinates updates to standards based on operational feedback, regulatory changes, and industry best practices.
Manages Utility Projects Portfolio within the Capital Improvement Program (CIP)
Oversees planning, prioritization, and execution of the Utilities capital portfolio.
Develops multi-year capital forecasts aligned with asset lifecycle replacement and system expansion needs.
Balances renewal, capacity growth, and resiliency investments using risk-based prioritization.
Partners with Finance and Program Controls to ensure fiscal stewardship and accurate forecasting.
Oversees Design of Complex Utility Systems
Provides executive-level oversight for design of electrical distribution, substations, emergency power systems, chilled water plants and distribution, water and wastewater systems, stormwater infrastructure, fuel systems, and telecommunications backbone systems.
Reviews and approves major design milestones to ensure constructability, maintainability, and operational continuity.
Ensures integration of utility systems across concurrent airfield, terminal, and landside development projects.
Drives Stakeholder Engagement and Operational Alignment
Works closely with Facilities, Maintenance, Operations, Planning, and Environmental teams to ensure stakeholder input is incorporated at all phases of design.
Establishes structured engagement processes to gather operational feedback and ensure maintainability.
Integrates asset condition data and maintenance history into capital planning decisions.
Supports operating capital planning tied to infrastructure renewal cycles and long-term asset management strategies.
Ensures Operational Continuity and Risk Mitigation
Directs outage planning, phasing strategies, and system redundancy coordination to protect 24/7 airport operations.
Identifies infrastructure vulnerabilities and leads resiliency planning initiatives.
Coordinates commissioning and transition-to-operations processes with Facilities and Maintenance teams.
Regulatory Compliance and External Coordination
Ensures compliance with FAA Advisory Circulars, TSA requirements, environmental regulations, and local utility standards.
Coordinates with City departments and external utility providers for interconnections and regulatory approvals.
Sustainability and Infrastructure Innovation
Advances energy efficiency, carbon reduction, electrification, and sustainable infrastructure initiatives.
Evaluates renewable integration opportunities and smart utility monitoring systems.
Incorporates lifecycle cost analysis and enterprise asset management principles into decision-making.
Executive Reporting and Representation
Prepares executive briefings, capital justifications, and Board presentations.
Represents Utilities leadership in cross-departmental and external agency coordination meetings.
Serves as subject matter authority for campus-wide utility strategy and infrastructure planning.
Creates and maintains record-keeping processes for the Planning Department.
Manages on-call consultants and their associated projects, budgets, and progress.
Responds to calls outside of normal work hours and returns to work as needed to resolve urgent problems 24/7/365.