Senior Program Manager - Engineering Operations

Job #:
req37117

Organization:
World Bank Group

Sector:
Facilities Management

Grade:
GG

Term Duration:
3 years 0 months

Recruitment Type:
Local Recruitment

Location:
Washington, DC,United States

Required Language(s):
English

Preferred Language(s):

Closing Date:
6/24/2026 (MM/DD/YYYY) at 11:59pm UTC

Description

Position Overview

The Senior Program Manager position reports to the Manager, GCSCR HQ Real Estate Development and Management. The position is responsible for the strategic oversight and day-to-day management of all building engineering and HVAC systems across a 5 million square foot commercial office portfolio. This position provides senior-level direction to a team of licensed building engineers who deliver 24/7 building operations, ensuring the highest standards of systems reliability, energy performance, occupant comfort, and regulatory compliance.

This role serves as the principal subject matter expert for all mechanical, electrical, plumbing, and HVAC systems across the portfolio and partners closely with the building maintenance and project delivery teams to align engineering operations with organizational goals.

Duties and Accountabilities

Duties and accountabilities include but are not limited to:

People Management:
• Lead the Engineering Operations Unit, comprised of a team of engineering mechanics, operating engineers, and engineering supervisors and provide oversight of the collective work program.
• Provide coaching and mentoring of staff to inspire and motivate them to perform at their highest level.
• Drive a culture of safety, accountability, and operational excellence within the engineering team.
• Conduct regular performance reviews, set measurable KPIs, and implement professional development programs for all direct reports.
• Address performance issues quickly, consistently, and fairly.
• Ensure that access to appropriate training is available to all staff and establish annual development goals for all team members.
• Hold staff accountable for the timely delivery and quality of their work.

Building Engineering and Operations:
• Oversee all aspects of building engineering and operations for the HQ campus, ensuring uninterrupted 24/7 functionality of HVAC systems and compliance with health, safety, sustainability, and building standards.
• Regularly review and refine operational processes and procedures to drive continuous improvement and maximize staff efficiency.
• Stay informed on industry developments, emerging technologies, and evolving workplace models to integrate best practices into operational strategies.
• Monitor ongoing projects and initiatives within the unit to effectively balance team workload, prioritize tasks, and guarantee the consistent and timely execution of projects.
• Foster collaboration with other units and contractors to coordinate project activities, ensuring efficient completion and high levels of client satisfaction.
• Develop and monitor preventive, predictive, and corrective maintenance programs to maximize system uptime and equipment life cycles.

Budget Management:
• Identify and prioritize capital investment needs through systematic condition assessments and life-cycle cost analyses.
• Develop and manage the annual engineering operations budget and multi-year capital plan for systems replacements and upgrades across the portfolio.
• Develop the plan for budget allocation for engineering operations based on yearly plan for projects using capital and overhead funding.
• Monitor burn rate and cash flow for engineering maintenance program and projects to balance spending and provide end of year projections to align with end of year budget closeout.
• Oversee budget management as part of the project management lifecycle to ensure that budgets are closed and funding released accordingly, following project completion.

Contract Management:
• Oversee the engineering services components of the Integrated Facilities Management Contract to include MEP related services provided by single outsourced provider.
• Manage the term contract for engineering design services at HQ to ensure capital improvement projects are designed and implemented according to best practices in the industry.
• Develop procurement strategies in collaboration with assigned project managers for term contracts utilized by the team such as architectural, engineering, and construction services, mechanical, electrical, and plumbing (MEP), indoor air quality, and present to Corporate Procurement Committees for approval, as may be applicable.
• Oversee various purchase orders and contracts related to indoor air quality, chemical inventories, and energy monitoring, ensuring they support the team's business needs.
• Management of the utility and energy services with Pepco, Washington Gas, and DC Water.

Stakeholder engagement:
• Develop and maintain a strong working relationship with WBG internal units (i.e., Budget & Planning, Information Technology, Health Services, Corporate Sustainability) to ensure necessary controls are in place to support the engineering work program.
• Proactively meet with clients to assess business requirements and delivery of engineering services in a satisfactory manner. Ensure that environment, health, and safety issues are prioritized and resolved quickly, working in collaboration with Health Services (HSD) and Security as needed.
• Develop and maintain professional relationships with key clients. Exercise discretion and communicate effectively and consistently to build trust at the highest levels in the organization.
• Respond quickly and proactively to client requests, providing professional advice and recommendations for efficient use of space to meet unit's business requirements.
• Collaborate with all GCS Units to promote a positive and constructive working relationship. Facilitate support for these units with regards to scheduling and implementation of projects that support their work program.
• Work closely with other team leaders in the unit (Building Management, Central Support, Plant, Project Management, and Strategic Planning) to provide a consolidated approach to implementing projects.

Selection Criteria

Education and Experience:
• Master's Degree in relevant field (Architecture, Construction Management, Facilities Management, Engineering, etc.) or a combination of education and 8 years of combined experience in building engineering, facilities management, or HVAC operations.
• Proven track record of developing and executing capital plans and managing large engineering operations budgets.
• Demonstrated experience managing large, multi-building engineering portfolios (3m+ SF).
• Strong communication skills, both written and oral, including the ability to speak persuasively and present ideas clearly and concisely.
• Extensive hands-on experience with large-scale HVAC systems, chillers, cooling towers, boilers, AHUs, VAV systems, and BAS/BMS platforms.
• Superior level of resourcefulness, ability to work creatively with considerable autonomy as well as willingness to work under pressure and through the whole spectrum of activities from the strategic level to the resolution of specific implementation issues.
• Demonstrated strategic thinking skills and ability to engage in a substantive dialogue on complex issues and corporate priorities.
• Experience in innovating, translating ideas into action plans and delivering results.

Competencies

Analytical Thinking

Determines criteria for assessing issues and opportunities. Establishes clear goals and priorities needed to assess performance. Identifies relationships and linkages between different information sources. Anticipates issues that are not readily apparent on the surface. Identifies root causes and effects. Establishes clear goals and priorities. Anticipates potential problems and develops solutions needed to resolve them. Systemically analyzes relationships between apparently independent problems and issues. Anticipates the possible outcome of potential solutions. Identifies areas of significant concern or opportunity. Probes and initiates research to identify critical problems.

Lead and Innovate

Encourages and work with others to identify, incubate, and implement relevant solutions. Identifies opportunities in changing circumstances and energizes others to continuously improve, using intentional strategies to boost morale, team spirit, and productivity in context of WBG's values and mission. Helps others to understand problems, client needs and the underlying context.

Deliver Results for Clients

Develops and implements solutions that show understanding of how clients and/or own work achieves results that are financially, environmentally, and socially sustainable. Shares new insights based on in-depth understanding of the client and recommends solutions for current and future needs of clients. Holds self and team accountable for risk management and outcomes.

Collaborate Within Teams and Across Boundaries

Collaborates across organizational boundaries, internally and externally with a sense of mutuality and respect. Consistently engages others in open dialogue, brings out any conflicting viewpoints and incorporates viewpoints into solutions, giving credit where credit is due. Leverages expertise of all team members to ensure successful outcomes. Makes choices and sets priorities with a WBG corporate perspective in mind.

Create, Apply and Share Knowledge

Creates, applies and shares knowledge from across and outside WBG to strengthen internal and/or external client solutions. Ensures systematic sharing of good practice and learning from lessons from across WBG, clients, and partners. Provides information on best practice and lessons learned from successful and unsuccessful projects.

Make Smart Decisions

Applies critical thinking and seeks inputs and experience from others to recommend a course of action consistent with the WBG's strategy. Evaluates risk and anticipates the short- and long-term implications of decisions. Commits to a decision and takes action once a decision has been reached.

WBG Culture Attributes:

1. Sense of urgency: Anticipate and quickly respond to the needs of internal and external stakeholders.
2. Thoughtful risk-taking: Challenge the status quo and push boundaries to achieve greater impact.
3. Empowerment and accountability: Empower yourself and others to act and hold each other accountable for results.

World Bank Group Core Competencies

The World Bank Group offers comprehensive benefits, including a retirement plan; medical, life and disability insurance; and paid leave, including parental leave, as well as reasonable accommodations for individuals with disabilities.

We are proud to be an equal opportunity and inclusive employer with a dedicated and committed workforce, and do not discriminate based on gender, gender identity, religion, race, ethnicity, sexual orientation, or disability.

Learn more about working at the World Bank and IFC including our values and inspiring stories.