Position OverviewAs we mature to full-scale project execution, Lydian is seeking Program Manager who is a dynamic and experienced leader to shape our project development and execution. You will be responsible for the development and delivery of major capital projects (starting with $50-500M CAPEX), ensuring successful execution from conceptual design through construction, commissioning, and handover. You are a scrappy self-starter with a bias to action.
This role requires strategic leadership, cross-functional coordination, and the ability to relentlessly drive projects through stage-gated development while managing cost, schedule, and risk. The ideal candidate will bring deep experience in project management, engineering integration, procurement, and execution strategies within capital-intensive industries such as energy, chemicals, renewables, or infrastructure.
ResponsibilitiesProject Development & Stage-Gate Execution- Lead projects from conceptual design through the Front-End Loading (FEL) process (FEL-1 to FEL-3), ensuring stage-gate readiness.
- Develop and manage FID-ready (Final Investment Decision) projects, ensuring cost, schedule, safety, and risk profiles meet investment thresholds.
- Oversee feasibility studies, site selection, and regulatory compliance efforts, ensuring seamless project progression.
- Establish and manage the Project Execution Plan, including contracting strategy, risk mitigation, and stakeholder engagement.
- Interface with Company Executives to shape development opportunities in alignment with corporate scaling and growth plans, ensuring project execution aligns with long-term business strategy.
Site Selection, Permitting, Regulatory Compliance & Community Engagement- Lead site feasibility assessments, including geotechnical, environmental, and infrastructure evaluations to determine the optimal project location.
- Oversee land acquisition and right-of-way (ROW) negotiations, ensuring alignment with strategic and regulatory requirements.
- Manage the permitting process at local, state, and federal levels, ensuring compliance with all regulatory and environmental requirements.
- Serve as the primary liaison with regulatory bodies, permitting agencies, and environmental authorities, securing necessary project approvals.
- Develop and execute community engagement strategies, proactively addressing stakeholder concerns and fostering positive relationships with local communities.
Engineering, Procurement & Contracting- Work closely with engineering team, EPC/EPCM, and/or fabrication partners on all aspects of engineering design development from conceptual to detailed design to ensure Design for Constructibility and cost-effectiveness
- Negotiate and manage major contracts, ensuring alignment with project goals, risk mitigation, and value optimization.
Project Controls, Risk & Stakeholder Management- Implement project controls, cost tracking, earned value management (EVM), and progress forecasting to ensure financial and schedule discipline.
- Lead risk management efforts, identifying potential project risks and proactively implementing mitigation strategies.
- Provide regular updates and reporting to executive leadership, investors, and key stakeholders on project performance.
- Ensure proactive stakeholder engagement across project phases to align expectations and facilitate decision-making.
Construction Execution & Commissioning- Oversee construction management, ensuring adherence to safety, quality, and environmental compliance standards.
- Manage interface between construction, commissioning, and operations, ensuring seamless project transition.
- Drive startup, commissioning, and operational readiness efforts, working closely with operations teams to ensure long-term asset performance.
- Develop internal project management processes, tools, and governance frameworks to scale future projects.
- Foster a culture of excellence, safety, and collaboration within the project teams and across external partners.
Qualifications- You have been directly responsible for the execution of at least one major capital project which has been delivered on a substantially shorter timeline and at lower cost than industry average
- Experience leading projects from conceptual design through FEED, EPC execution, and commissioning
- Strong background in site selection, permitting, regulatory compliance, and stakeholder engagement
- Proven expertise in contract negotiation, procurement, and financial oversight of large-scale projects
- Experience managing multidisciplinary engineering teams and interfacing with EPC partners
- Deep understanding of engineering disciplines (process, mechanical, civil, electrical, instrumentation, automation) and their interfaces
- Strong knowledge of project controls, cost estimating (Class V to Class I), and schedule management
- Extensive experience in regulatory permitting, land acquisition, and environmental compliance strategies
- Hands-on experience with construction oversight, safety programs, and commissioning/startup management
- Has a track record of keeping projects tidy: schedules are current, budgets are reconciled, action items are owned, and nothing lives only in someone's inbox or memory. Treats project management software as a non-negotiable and has experience getting distributed teams to actually use it.
Preferred Qualifications- Engineering or other STEM degree
- 8 to 15+ years of experience in major capital project development & execution ($20M-$500M+ CAPEX)
- Experience in startups or scaling organizations transitioning from R&D to full-scale commercialization
- Familiarity with greenfield industrial projects, energy transition technologies, or sustainability-focused industries
- Experience with chemical process plants
Company Culture and Benefits- Challenging, collaborative, and meaningful work and an important voice in company development
- Competitive salary commensurate with experience
- Meaningful equity compensation
- Unlimited PTO and expectation that all employees take significant time off to rest, recharge, and enjoy life outside work
- Excellent insurance with 100% of healthcare, vision, and dental premiums covered for the employee, and 80% coverage for dependents
- 401(k) with company match
