Senior Program Manager - Infrastructure

Institute for Building Technology and Safety•Ashburn, VA

About The Position

The Senior Program Manager, Infrastructure, provides strategic and technical leadership for IBTS’ Infrastructure Services Division. This role is responsible for overseeing all plan review, inspections, engineering, and energy-related review functions, ensuring that IBTS delivers accurate, consistent, and code-compliant technical services across multiple programs and jurisdictions. This role is focused on the technical infrastructure and code disciplines that underpin safe and resilient community development. The Senior Program Manager directly supervises key infrastructure personnel, the Plan Review Manager, DC Inspections Manager and Energy Services Manager and establishes performance expectations, ensures staff maintain required professional certifications, and provides coaching and support to promote high levels of quality and technical excellence. The Senior Program Manager is also responsible for strengthening internal processes, overseeing workload distribution, and maintaining quality assurance standards for all reviews and inspections. The role collaborates closely with the Senior Program Manager, Civic to ensure seamless service integration when IBTS provides both technical infrastructure and municipal operations support to a client. This includes aligning workflows, coordinating staff assignments when needed, and ensuring consistency in reporting, communication, and customer service. While the two divisions remain operationally distinct, the Senior Program Manager, Infrastructure, works to ensure that clients experience a unified, professional IBTS service model. In addition to managing ongoing operations, the Senior Program Manager contributes to the growth and evolution of IBTS’s infrastructure services. This includes supporting business development efforts, assisting with technical proposal content, identifying emerging needs in plan review, inspections, energy and engineering services, and developing best practices and training programs to enhance IBTS’s technical capabilities.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in engineering, architecture, or related field required. Master’s degree preferred.
8 years of experience working in local government, with 3 years’ minimum in management.
Active Professional Engineer (PE) license or active Architectural license required. Ability to obtain licensure(s) in additional states, if needed, is preferred.
Valid driver’s license
Thorough knowledge of professional engineering, architectural, and technical management practices, including quality assurance, technical review processes, inspection protocols, resource management, and industry best practices in building and infrastructure development.
Comprehensive understanding of building codes, engineering standards, and applicable local, state, and federal regulations, including those related to plan review, inspections, site development, stormwater, transportation, and life-safety requirements.
Skill in analyzing complex engineering, architectural, and code compliance documents, identifying technical issues, developing accurate interpretations, and preparing clear written recommendations and reports.
Exceptional communication skills, including the ability to explain technical concepts to diverse audiences, prepare professional documentation, and deliver presentations in both technical and public settings.
Ability to establish effective working relationships and exercise sound judgment, professionalism, and discretion when collaborating with engineers, architects, plan reviewers, inspectors, contractors, municipal officials, regulatory agencies, and the public.
Ability to assess technical challenges, troubleshoot engineering and code issues, manage competing deadlines, and respond effectively during high-pressure or emergency situations involving inspections or infrastructure assessments.
Proficiency in office technology and industry software, including Microsoft Office Suite, plan review systems, permitting platforms, GIS tools, and engineering analysis applications; ability to quickly learn new or client-specific systems.
Willingness and ability to attend meetings outside typical business hours when project demands, client needs, or emergency inspection operations require it.

Nice To Haves

Master’s degree preferred.
Ability to obtain licensure(s) in additional states, if needed, is preferred.

Responsibilities

Oversee all Infrastructure Services Division activities, including plan review, inspections, engineering review, and technical quality assurance across multiple programs and jurisdictions.
Assess and monitor workloads, staffing capacity, technical review timelines, administrative systems, and reporting structures for assigned infrastructure service areas; identifies opportunities for improvement and implements process enhancements to ensure efficiency and quality.
Plan, direct, and coordinate, through management-level staff such as the Plan Review Program Manager, DC Inspections Manager, Energy Services Manager and the work plans for all technical service functions; assigns projects and program responsibilities; provides direction on complex technical matters; reviews performance and resolves operational challenges.
Provide executive-level governance and oversight of all plan review programs, ensuring consistent application of approved review standards, quality control protocols, escalation thresholds, and documentation practices across all jurisdictions and contracts.
Develop and maintain division-wide plan review quality assurance frameworks, including audit processes, peer review expectations, corrective action protocols, and performance metrics, and direct management-level staff to implement improvements as needed.
Serve as the final technical escalation authority for complex, high-risk, or precedent-setting plan review issues involving code interpretation, engineering judgment, or regulatory ambiguity that exceed the authority of the Plan Review Program Manager.
Lead the standardization of plan review procedures, workflows, checklists, and technical guidance to ensure consistency across programs while allowing jurisdiction-specific adaptations as approved.
Develop and manage the annual Infrastructure Services Division budget and monitor financial performance throughout the year, ensuring alignment with IBTS expectations and contract requirements.
Oversee plan review staffing models, capacity planning, and reviewer utilization strategies across infrastructure programs; reviews and approves staffing adjustments, subcontractor usage, and surge support plans recommended by management-level staff.
Serve as the primary liaison between the Infrastructure Services Division and IBTS leadership, client representatives, design professionals, contractors, and regulatory agencies.
Participate in meetings with client communities and project stakeholders as needed to support plan review, inspections, engineering coordination, and technical program management.
Address client-level escalations, disputes, or performance concerns related to plan review services that exceed the authority of the Plan Review Program Manager and require senior technical or contractual resolution.
Provide technical information, code interpretations, and engineering guidance to IBTS leadership, client officials, design teams, and stakeholders to support safe, compliant, and resilient construction practices.
Ensure the effective delivery of all services outlined in infrastructure-related contracts, including timely plan reviews, high-quality inspections, and professional engineering evaluations. Ensure project management execution aligns with the IBTS Project Management Execution System (PMES) policy requirements.
Establish and enforce minimum credentialing, licensure, and technical competency expectations for plan review personnel across all infrastructure programs; ensures management-level staff maintain systems to track certifications, continuing education, and compliance.
Investigate, interpret, and analyze technical code questions, engineering challenges, and program needs; prepare recommendations for improving processes, services, or technical systems; prepare proposals and comparative analyses when appropriate.
Support the coordination, preparation, and analysis of program budgets, staffing plans, and technical resource needs for infrastructure service delivery.
Coordinate technical staff participation in major project reviews, community development initiatives, and multi-agency engineering discussions as required.
Communicate with members of the public, design professionals, and contractors to explain technical requirements, permitting expectations, and review outcomes; conduct site visits as necessary.
Provide leadership and direction during emergencies that require engineering assessment, damage inspections, or expedited technical reviews.
Collaborate with the Senior Program Manager, Civic, to ensure seamless integration of technical infrastructure services with municipal operations when IBTS provides both service lines to a client; aligns workflows, reporting, and communication protocols while maintaining the distinct operational boundaries of each division.
Contribute to business development efforts by identifying opportunities to expand plan review, inspections, engineering review, and infrastructure services across regions; supports proposal development with technical content.
Lead the development of technical best practices, standardized procedures, and process improvements to strengthen IBTS’s infrastructure service capabilities and ensure consistent application across all jurisdictions.
Represent IBTS Infrastructure Services in regional and national forums, conferences, and industry meetings to support visibility, credibility, and market growth.
Monitor and evaluate the effectiveness, accuracy, and timeliness of plan review, inspection, and engineering programs; identifies areas for enhancement and implements continuous improvement strategies.
Ensure compliance with all applicable building codes, engineering standards, safety requirements, and professional regulations across all infrastructure services delivered by the division.
Prepare and present reports, performance summaries, quality metrics, and technical program updates to IBTS leadership, client communities, and external stakeholders as required.