Deputy Program Manager / Delivery Lead - Aviation

STV · Chicago · $204,441–$227,156 (stated in the posting)

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STV is seeking a Deputy Program Manager / Delivery Lead to join our national Aviation group. This position will be onsite at our client location in Chicago, IL.

The Deputy Program Manager / Delivery Lead plays a critical leadership role in the successful execution and delivery of large-scale aviation and terminal development programs. Serving as the operational lead and second-in-command to the Terminal Delivery Director, this position is responsible for overseeing the day-to-day management, coordination, and integration of multiple projects and workstreams across complex capital improvement programs.

This role ensures projects are delivered safely, efficiently, on schedule, and within budget, while maintaining alignment with airport operational requirements and client objectives. The Deputy Program Manager / Delivery Lead serves as the primary point of coordination among project teams, contractors, consultants, airport stakeholders, and client leadership, driving accountability and delivery performance across the program.

The successful candidate will have a proven track record leading complex aviation infrastructure projects, managing multidisciplinary teams, resolving program delivery challenges, and maintaining continuity across planning, design, construction, commissioning, and turnover phases.

This position will support transformational aviation infrastructure initiatives, including terminal modernization, expansions, airside and landside improvements, passenger experience enhancements, and operational readiness efforts within one of the nation's busiest aviation markets.

Key Responsibilities:

Program Delivery Leadership

• Serve as the Deputy Program Manager and operational lead supporting the Terminal Delivery Director in the execution of complex aviation capital programs.
• Lead day-to-day program delivery activities across multiple concurrent projects, ensuring alignment with schedule, budget, quality, safety, and operational objectives.
• Coordinate project managers, construction managers, design consultants, project controls, and stakeholder teams to ensure cohesive program execution.
• Drive accountability across project teams through clear communication, performance monitoring, and proactive issue resolution.
• Assist in implementing program governance processes, performance reporting structures, and delivery standards.
• Support executive decision-making by providing recommendations related to project sequencing, risk mitigation, resource planning, and operational impacts.
• Ensure consistency in project delivery approaches, policies, procedures, and best practices across the program portfolio.

Project Delivery & Execution

• Oversee execution of projects from planning and design through construction, commissioning, occupancy, and closeout.
• Monitor project performance against established objectives and implement corrective actions when necessary.
• Lead coordination of interfaces among terminal operations, construction activities, airlines, tenants, airport departments, security agencies, and external stakeholders.
• Partner closely with project controls teams to manage schedules, budgets, forecasting, change management, risk registers, and program reporting.
• Identify potential delivery risks and develop mitigation strategies to minimize impacts to project objectives.
• Support procurement activities, contractor management, consultant coordination, and contract administration efforts.
• Ensure project teams maintain compliance with airport operational requirements, safety standards, regulatory requirements, and program controls.

Stakeholder & Client Management

• Act as a key client-facing representative for day-to-day program delivery activities.
• Build and maintain strong relationships with airport authorities, airline representatives, consultants, contractors, and executive stakeholders.
• Lead coordination meetings, stakeholder workshops, and delivery reviews to communicate project status, risks, constraints, and recovery plans.
• Facilitate issue resolution among stakeholders while maintaining alignment with program objectives and operational priorities.
• Support client reporting and executive presentations related to program performance, milestones, and strategic initiatives.
• Contribute to business development efforts, client engagement activities, interviews, and aviation pursuits as needed.

Team Leadership & Coordination

• Lead and mentor multidisciplinary teams including project managers, engineers, architects, planners, construction managers, and consultants.
• Promote a culture of collaboration, accountability, transparency, and continuous improvement.
• Support staffing plans, resource allocation, workload balancing, and succession planning activities.
• Provide guidance to project leadership teams regarding delivery strategies, project execution methodologies, and issue resolution.
• Foster communication and coordination across internal and external teams to ensure successful program outcomes.

Financial & Operational Management

• Support management of program and project financial performance, including budgets, forecasts, staffing plans, and cost control measures.
• Review project performance metrics and identify opportunities to improve delivery effectiveness and operational efficiency.
• Ensure accurate and timely reporting of schedule, budget, risk, and program performance indicators.
• Collaborate with project controls and finance teams to monitor trends, forecasts, and recovery strategies.
• Assist with development of annual business plans, resource planning, and operational improvement initiatives.

Safety, Quality & Compliance

• Champion a culture of safety, quality, and operational excellence across the program.
• Ensure adherence to client requirements, company standards, and regulatory obligations.
• Support implementation of quality assurance and quality control procedures.
• Monitor compliance with FAA regulations, environmental requirements, airport standards, and local, state, and federal regulations.
• Promote sustainability, resilience, innovation, and continuous improvement initiatives throughout project delivery.

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Engineering, Architecture, Construction Management, Aviation Management, or a related field.
• Minimum 12-15+ years of progressive experience delivering aviation, transportation, infrastructure, or capital improvement projects.
• Demonstrated experience managing large-scale airport terminal development projects or complex aviation infrastructure programs.
• Proven ability to lead multidisciplinary teams within active operational environments.
• Strong understanding of project delivery methodologies including Design-Bid-Build, Design-Build, CMAR, Progressive Design-Build, and alternative delivery approaches.
• Experience with project controls, scheduling, budgeting, forecasting, risk management, and construction administration.
• Exceptional leadership, communication, collaboration, and stakeholder management skills.
• Ability to effectively engage with executive leadership, airport operators, contractors, consultants, and regulatory agencies.
• Strong understanding of airport operations, construction phasing, and stakeholder coordination requirements.
• Proficiency with Primavera P6, MS Project, Procore, Bluebeam, and related project delivery tools.

Preferred Qualifications

• Professional Engineer (PE), Registered Architect (RA), CCM, PMP, or other relevant professional certification.
• Experience supporting delivery of large hub airport capital programs or terminal modernization initiatives.
• Familiarity with FAA funding programs, ORAT (Operational Readiness and Airport Transfer), and aviation phasing strategies.
• Experience working with public sector clients and highly complex stakeholder environments.
• Master's degree in Engineering, Construction Management, Business Administration, or related field.

#LI-AW1 #LI-ONSITE

Compensation Range:

STV offers the following benefits • Health insurance, including an option with a Health Savings Account • Dental insurance • Vision insurance • Flexible Spending Accounts (Healthcare, Dependent Care and Transit and Parking where applicable) • Disability insurance • Life Insurance and Accidental Death & Dismemberment • 401(k) Plan • Retirement Counseling • Employee Assistance Program • Paid Time Off • Paid Holidays • Back-Up Dependent Care • Parental Leave • Continuing Education Program • Professional Licensure and Society Memberships

STV is committed to paying all of its employees in a fair, equitable, and transparent manner. The listed pay range is STV’s good-faith salary estimate for this position. Please note that the final salary offered for this position may be outside of this published range based on many factors, including but not limited to geography, education, experience, and/or certifications.

Not sure this role is the perfect match? We encourage you to apply if STV’s work and values resonate with you. We know great candidates don’t always meet every qualification, and research shows women and people of color are less likely to apply unless they do. At STV, we believe strong talent comes from a wide range of backgrounds, and your skills and experience may align with this or another opportunity as we continue to grow.

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