Sr. Program Director - Highway

Hill International•Los Angeles, CA

23h•$200,000 - $260,000•Onsite

About The Position

Hill International is seeking a Sr. Program Director to grow its highway practice and lead delivery of complex highway and bridge infrastructure programs. This senior seller-doer role combines client relationship management, business development, capture planning, proposal and task order pursuits, and direct accountability for program and project delivery. The position maintains and expands relationships with Caltrans, highway authorities, cities, counties, and other public agencies, and leads program management and construction management (PM/CM) assignments from planning through design, procurement, construction, turnover, and closeout. It oversees multidisciplinary teams delivering highway widening, interchanges, bridges, roadway rehabilitation, drainage, utilities, traffic systems, and related transportation improvements using traditional and alternative delivery methods. The position is based in Southern California and involves work in office, client, and active construction-site environments. Travel to project sites, agency offices, and business development meetings is required as assignments warrant. Site visits require adherence to applicable safety procedures and use of required personal protective equipment. Occasional evening meetings or work outside normal business hours may be necessary for public meetings, pursuits, and critical project activities. Essential functions may be performed with reasonable accommodation. The salary range is $200,000–$260,000. The offered salary will be based on qualifications, education, experience, and work location. Depending on employment status, benefits may include medical, dental, and vision coverage; employer-paid life and accidental death and dismemberment insurance; business travel accident insurance; short- and long-term disability; flexible spending and health savings accounts; commuter benefits; legal assistance; identity theft protection; pet, auto and home, critical illness, accident, hospital indemnity, and voluntary life insurance; paid time off and holidays; a 401(k) retirement savings plan; an employee referral program; professional certification incentives; Hill University learning and development; tuition reimbursement; an employee assistance program; and years of service awards.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in engineering, construction management, planning, sciences, or a related field.
California Professional Engineer (PE) license.
At least 15 years of overall experience on major highway and bridge design and construction projects for state departments of transportation, including federally funded projects.
At least five years of experience managing and administering transportation projects, including procurement, financial controls, contractual requirements, technical coordination, construction management and administration, construction warranties, and long-term operations and maintenance considerations.
Excellent written and verbal communication skills, including experience presenting to client executives and large audiences in public settings.
Working knowledge of Caltrans policies, procedures, standards, and project delivery practices.
Experience overseeing traditional and alternative delivery methods, including design-build, design-bid-build, progressive design-build, construction manager at-risk, and/or construction manager/general contractor.
Demonstrated ability to develop client relationships, identify opportunities, lead pursuits, and contribute to successful proposals and contract awards while maintaining delivery commitments.
Experience managing multidisciplinary teams, consultants, budgets, schedules, risks, and stakeholder interfaces on complex transportation assignments.
Strong leadership and organizational skills, including the ability to build a cohesive team culture and manage staff across multiple locations.
Established relationships with Southern California transportation agencies and familiarity with the region’s highway capital improvement programs.
Ability to travel to project sites, agency offices, and business development meetings as assignments warrant.
Adherence to applicable safety procedures and use of required personal protective equipment during site visits.
Occasional evening meetings or work outside normal business hours may be necessary to support public meetings, pursuits, and critical project activities.

Nice To Haves

At least one of the following: Project Management Professional (PMP), Program Management Professional (PgMP), or Certified Construction Manager (CCM).
Experience leading owner-side PM/CM services for large, multi-project highway programs and on-call or task order contracts.
Experience supporting alternative delivery procurements, commercial negotiations, change management, and claims avoidance or resolution.
Proficiency with project controls, scheduling, cost management, and executive reporting tools.
Advanced degree in engineering, construction management, business administration, or a related field.

Responsibilities

Identify and qualify highway and bridge opportunities; develop capture strategies, teaming arrangements, proposals, and interview presentations; and lead contract and task order pursuits.
Serve as a senior client contact and trusted advisor, understand capital program needs, maintain account plans, and translate client priorities into executable scopes of work.
Provide senior oversight and hands-on leadership for programmatic and project-specific PM/CM assignments, with accountability for scope, budget, schedule, quality, and contractual commitments.
Establish governance, reporting procedures, cost and schedule baselines, forecasts, change controls, and executive dashboards.
Lead risk assessments, capital and maintenance cost evaluations, mitigation planning, and development of contractual requirements and recommendations; coordinate with financial, legal, procurement, and technical specialists.
Guide procurement strategies and contract administration for design-bid-build, design-build, progressive design-build, construction manager at-risk, and construction manager/general contractor assignments, as applicable.
Coordinate design reviews, constructability, value engineering, construction phasing, traffic management, utility interfaces, right-of-way coordination, turnover, and closeout.
Coordinate with Caltrans, local agencies, funding partners, utilities, designers, contractors, and community stakeholders; support public meetings and executive presentations.
Oversee implementation of quality management processes, applicable agency requirements, federal funding obligations, and project safety expectations within the assigned scope.
Direct development of administrative manuals, checklists, reporting tools, and guidance for transportation programs and alternative delivery contracts.
Lead multidisciplinary professional, technical, and administrative teams across locations; recruit and mentor staff, plan resources, and build technical expertise and delivery capacity.
Manage staffing, utilization, budgets, subconsultant coordination, invoicing, and contract performance for assigned engagements while balancing pursuit commitments with delivery responsibilities.