Program Manager – Utility Field Safety Operations
CARIAN · United States · $115,000–$150,000 (stated in the posting)
Program Manager – Utility Field Safety Operations
Location: Somerset, NJ / Central New Jersey
Job Type: Full-time
Schedule: Monday through Friday, with field support as needed
Anticipated Assignment: Utility field safety program support; contingent upon client award or notice to proceed
Travel: Local travel to utility field locations as needed
About Us
CARIAN is a purpose-driven, woman-owned consulting and advisory firm dedicated exclusively to the power sector. We partner with leading electric and gas utilities to provide strategic advisory and disciplined execution across program management, business intelligence, and field execution oversight. Guided by integrity, trust, excellence, and accountability, our team helps deliver complex capital programs and build the resilient energy infrastructure that communities depend on.
Position Overview
CARIAN is seeking a Program Manager – Utility Field Safety Operations to lead day-to-day delivery of utility field safety operations across active construction and infrastructure environments.
This role is responsible for managing field program execution, workforce deployment, supervisor coordination, client communication, reporting cadence, issue escalation, and operational performance. The Program Manager will work closely with safety leadership, field supervisors, program controls, operations support, recruiting, and client stakeholders to ensure field personnel are properly deployed, trained, credentialed, and supported.
This is not a traditional corporate Safety Manager role. The successful candidate will be a field-oriented program leader with strong utility, construction, safety-sensitive operations, workforce management, and client-facing delivery experience.
Key Responsibilities
Lead day-to-day execution of utility field safety operations across assigned work areas and field locations
Manage workforce deployment, staffing coverage, schedule alignment, and field resource coordination
Serve as a primary operational point of contact for client stakeholders, field supervisors, internal leadership, and support teams
Coordinate with safety leadership to support field safety expectations, training readiness, observation practices, escalation protocols, and documentation standards
Oversee regional field supervisors and support consistent execution across multiple field locations
Monitor active staffing levels, upcoming manpower needs, schedule changes, deployment gaps, and coverage risks
Partner with program controls to review labor hours, staffing forecasts, utilization, reporting dashboards, issue logs, and performance trends
Partner with operations support to ensure onboarding, credentialing, training, badging, access readiness, timesheets, expenses, and field documentation remain current
Establish and manage regular program operating cadence, including field check-ins, status meetings, weekly reporting, issue reviews, and action-item tracking
Support ramp-up, ramp-down, replacement staffing, and redeployment planning as program needs change
Escalate operational, staffing, training, access, safety, or performance issues in a timely and professional manner
Maintain strong communication with client representatives and internal leadership regarding field readiness, schedule changes, risks, and required actions
Qualifications
8+ years of experience in utility, construction, infrastructure, field services, safety-sensitive operations, or related program delivery
3+ years of experience managing field teams, supervisors, multi-site operations, or client-facing field programs
Strong understanding of utility construction, field safety expectations, worksite coordination, access readiness, and operational risk management
Experience coordinating field staffing, workforce deployment, schedule changes, manpower planning, or multi-location coverage
Demonstrated ability to manage client communication, internal coordination, issue escalation, and program reporting
Working knowledge of OSHA requirements, construction safety practices, utility field environments, and safety-sensitive work activities
OSHA 30 required, or ability to obtain prior to field deployment
First Aid / CPR / AED certification required, or ability to obtain within 60 days of hire
NFPA 70E training required, or ability to obtain within 90 days of hire
Strong organizational skills with the ability to manage competing priorities in a fast-moving field environment
Ability to read, interpret, and manage field schedules, staffing plans, action logs, reports, and operational dashboards
Proficiency with Microsoft Office, including Excel, Outlook, Teams, and PowerPoint
Ability to work from the Somerset, NJ office and travel locally to field locations as needed
Valid driver’s license required
Preferred Experience
10+ years of relevant experience preferred
Experience supporting electric or gas utility programs, transmission and distribution work, substations, construction management, field services, or contractor oversight
Experience with safety observation programs, field safety coordination, utility access requirements, or high-risk work environments
STS-C, CHST, OHST, CSP, CUSP, or similar safety credential strongly preferred
Experience with NERC-CIP, utility badging, site access, background screening, drug testing, or credential-readiness processes
Experience leading program start-up, workforce ramp-up, regional field supervision, or large-scale deployment programs
Experience working with project controls, manpower forecasting, dashboards, weekly reports, and client performance metrics
Why CARIAN
Purpose-driven work – Help deliver infrastructure that powers communities
Industry reputation – Trusted by leading utilities for our reliability and results
Career growth – Opportunities to lead major programs and mentor high-performing teams
Collaborative culture – Join a team that values delivery excellence and long-term relationships
Competitive total rewards – Strong compensation, full benefits, 401(k) match, and meaningful work
Equal Employment Opportunity
CARIAN is proud to be an equal opportunity employer. We hire and develop talent based on qualifications, performance, and business needs. Employment decisions are made without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, disability, veteran status, or any other protected characteristic. As a women-owned firm dedicated to the power sector, we are committed to building a team that reflects professionalism, expertise, and integrity at every level.
Compensation
The base salary range for this role is $115,000 – $150,000 annually. This range represents a good-faith estimate at the time of posting; actual compensation will depend on experience, qualifications, skills, project assignment, and business needs. CARIAN offers a competitive benefits package, including medical, dental, and vision coverage, paid time off, holidays, and 401(k) participation with company match. This position may also be eligible for discretionary bonus incentives or other compensation programs based on company and individual performance.