Director, Large Capital Projects
CenterPoint Energy and its predecessor companies have been in business for more than 150 years.
Our Vision : Our vision is to become the most admired utility in the United States through the execution of our long-term growth strategy. We have an unwavering commitment to safely and reliably deliver electricity and natural gas to millions of people.
Our Commitment : CenterPoint Energy is committed to creating an inclusive work environment where business results are achieved through the skills, abilities and talents of our diverse workforce.
Job Summary :
The Director, Large Capital Projects will lead and coordinate the end-to-end approval process for major capital investments across the enterprise. This role ensures alignment between business units and corporate functions, maintains governance documentation, and provides high-quality reporting to senior leadership and the Board.
In addition to governance, the Director partners closely with engineering, estimating teams, the risk organization and other subject matter experts to review project scope, validate cost estimates and assess schedule and risk assumptions. This role translates complex technical and estimating inputs into clear business cases that support executive decision making. The role also supports long-range planning and FP&A efforts by integrating capital project data into corporate financial processes.
Essential Functions
Capital Project Approval Governance
- Lead the development and execution of capital governance standards, performance metrics, and quality assurance processes across the project lifecycle.
- Oversee the end-to-end capital approval process and ensure alignment with corporate strategy, financial planning, and regulatory requirements.
- Serve as a key advisor to business units throughout the approval process, ensuring that submissions are complete, accurate, and reviewed by all necessary stakeholders.
- Collaborate with FP&A, Strategic Planning, Treasury, Tax, and Investor Relations to validate and integrate financial outputs.
- Organize and facilitate monthly capital governance meetings with senior leadership; manage the intake, presentation, and approval of new project requests.
- Document and distribute meeting materials, decisions, and feedback to maintain transparency and traceability.
- Maintain forums for stakeholder engagement; solicit feedback to improve tools, training, and procedures.
- Lead communication planning for capital governanceincluding executive updates, approval status reporting, and strategic messaging.
Capital Project Health Reporting
Partner with project managers and business unit leaders to maintain monthly health reports for all active and approved large capital projects.Ensure timely updates and escalation of project risks, delays, or financial issues to senior leadership.Summarize and present capital project status for quarterly Board of Directors reporting.Provide oversight and support for resolution of escalated capital project issuesProgram Support & Continuous Improvement
Operate core project support services such as document retention, project management training, and policy maintenance.Conduct regular stakeholder meetings to validate process effectiveness and support change adoption.Lead continuous improvement efforts across project governance, communication, and planning frameworks.Apply project management best practices (cost, scope, schedule, quality, change control) to enhance consistency and accountability across the capital portfolio.Work with executive leadership to prioritize improvements and develop targeted communications strategies.Oversee communication content and engagement tools to ensure messages are current, actionable, and well-received.Additional Responsibilities
Collaborate with the long-range planning team to align approved capital projects with organizational strategy.Support the FP&A team in monthly and quarterly reporting tasks.Assist the FP&A team in annual planning activities, ensuring alignment with approved and anticipated large capital projects.Education Description
Bachelor's degree in Engineering, Construction Management, Business, Finance or related from an accredited college or university.Master's degree in Business Administration, Engineering or Construction Management (preferred).Experience
Minimum ten (10) years of related experience such as engineering or construction project management experience in electric transmission and / or distribution.Leadership experience.Experience in the utility industry (preferred).Experience leading organizational change management (preferred).Skills and Competencies
Strong understanding of capital project processes, financial planning, and approvals.Exceptional organizational skills and attention to detail.Ability to manage multiple priorities and meet deadlines in a fast-paced environment.Strong interpersonal and communication skills, with the ability to work effectively across teams and with senior leadership.Proficient in financial reporting tools, project management software, and Microsoft Office Suite (Excel, PowerPoint, Word).Experience with enterprise planning tools such as SAP, Hyperion, or similar systems is a plus.Advanced knowledge of project management concepts, principles, methods and practices.Understanding of electric utility construction and engineering concepts, practices and typical business processes.Strong understanding of change management and process improvement principles, best practice and concepts.Excellent presentation skills to effectively convey information and gain buy in from managers through executives.Knowledge of project management systems / software technologies.Excellent leadership skills to effectively lead a diverse department.Advanced financial acumen to develop, forecast and manage short and long-term budgets.Excellent oral and written communications skills to effectively deal with various levels of management. Ability to influence, negotiate and persuade to reach agreement and clearly convey information.Excellent strategic decision making and analytical skills to address longer term issues. Ability to see big picture and prioritize competing priorities.Key Attributes
Proactive and solution-oriented mindsetHigh level of integrity and discretion in handling sensitive information.Strong analytical and problem-solving skills.We Want You To Know
Being a part of the CenterPoint Energy team is more than a career alone. It's an opportunity to make a positive impact. You will be an integral part of enabling everyday life and the pursuit of possibilities for the customers we serve and the communities we share. The vital services we provide are at the core of making our world work, and by sharing your energy with us, we'll create a better tomorrow together.
What We Bring To You
Competitive payPaid trainingBenefits eligibility begins on your first dayTransit subsidiesFlexible work schedule, paid holidays and paid time offAccess to discounts at fitness clubs and an on-site wellness center at our headquarters in HoustonProfessional growth and development programs including tuition reimbursement401(k) Savings Plan featuring a company match dollar-for-dollar up to 6% and a company contribution of 3% regardless of your contributionJob Type : Full Time
