Project Manager - Utilities

Parsons•Houston, TX

About The Position

Parsons is seeking a Project Manager to support the Transmission Portfolio Office (TPO) for CenterPoint Energy. In this role, you’ll serve as the operational backbone of the TPO—driving PMO cadence , portfolio governance , and stage-gate execution discipline across a complex transmission capital portfolio. A core focus of this position is managing the TPO Stage Gate process , ensuring investment decisions (scope, schedule, and budget commitments) are pragmatic, efficient, defensible, and aligned to corporate governance. You’ll coordinate cross-functional stakeholders, enforce standards, and improve visibility and decision quality through consistent reporting, documentation, and portfolio health monitoring.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in Engineering, Business, Construction Management, or a related field.
7+ years of experience in PMO operations, program management, or portfolio governance.
Experience supporting complex capital programs with multiple concurrent initiatives.
Strong understanding of stage-gate governance frameworks and executive decision forums.
Demonstrated experience managing executive reporting cadence and governance documentation.
Proven ability to work across diverse stakeholders (e.g., scheduling, project controls, reporting systems, construction, permitting, engineering).

Nice To Haves

Utility transmission / energy infrastructure portfolio experience.
PMP or similar project/program management certification.
Advanced reporting/dashboard experience (e.g., Excel, Power BI or equivalent).
Familiarity with common scheduling and project controls tools (e.g., MS Project, Primavera P6) and enterprise financial/reporting systems.

Responsibilities

PMO Operations & Cadence Management Lead the day-to-day operational rhythm of the Transmission Portfolio Office.
Establish and maintain governance cadence (weekly, monthly, quarterly portfolio reviews).
Coordinate TPO meetings, executive reviews, and portfolio reporting cycles.
Ensure reporting deadlines and corporate cadence requirements are consistently met.
Maintain standardized templates, dashboards, and reporting tools.
Portfolio Oversight & PM Support Support Project Managers across the TPO to ensure alignment with delivery and governance expectations.
Monitor portfolio health indicators (cost, schedule, risk, resource loading).
Ensure project schedules, forecasts, risks, and documentation remain current and compliant.
Identify cross-project dependencies; escalate issues and risks to leadership.
Serve as a central point of coordination across portfolio initiatives and stakeholders.
Stage-Gate Governance Leadership Coordinate and manage the Stage Gate process across the transmission portfolio.
Ensure gate deliverables are complete, reviewed, and aligned prior to submission.
Track gate approvals, conditions, and follow-through actions to closure.
Maintain documentation standards and audit readiness for governance compliance.
Support preparation of materials and content for executive gate reviews.
Financial & Performance Reporting Support capital tracking, forecasting, and variance reporting at the portfolio level.
Help ensure accurate financial inputs across PMs aligned to corporate systems and controls.
Consolidate portfolio performance metrics, dashboards, and KPI reporting.
Identify and communicate performance trends across the portfolio.
Governance, Controls & Compliance Reinforce alignment with CenterPoint corporate processes, controls, and reporting standards.
Support audit readiness and documentation compliance across portfolio workstreams.
Maintain portfolio/program-level risk registers and change logs.
Promote consistent process discipline and continuous improvement across the TPO.