Project Development Director Jobs in Delaware (NOW HIRING)

Will Require extensive travel (up to 50%) to Florida if not located in FL

What makes us great

At the heart of our Company is a dedication to delivering energy that drives progress. We put people first, work to keep them safe and build trusting relationships.

Your role in our success:

The Project Director, FEP serves as the executive leader accountable for the successful delivery of the Company's largest and most strategically significant capital investment program. This role provides enterprise-level leadership and governance for a complex, multi-billion-dollar infrastructure initiative, ensuring the achievement of safety, regulatory, financial, operational, and stakeholder objectives throughout the project lifecycle.

The Project Director, FEP establishes the project's vision, execution strategy, governance framework, and delivery model while leading large multidisciplinary teams across engineering, construction, procurement, finance, legal, regulatory, operations, and external partners. The role serves as the primary point of accountability for project performance, directing activities from project development and permitting through engineering, construction, commissioning, and operational readiness.

As a senior organizational leader, the Project Director, FEP advises executive leadership and Board-level stakeholders on project strategy, risks, investment decisions, and business outcomes. This position builds and maintains critical relationships with regulators, governmental agencies, customers, community leaders, and industry stakeholders while driving excellence in capital execution, risk management, project controls, and organizational project delivery practices. The role is instrumental in ensuring the successful execution of a high-profile capital program that supports the Company's long-term growth, reliability, and strategic objectives.

What you'll be working on:

• Serve as the executive leader and primary point of accountability for the FEP program, exceeding $1 billion in authorized value.
• Establish project vision, execution strategy, governance framework, and delivery model aligned with corporate objectives.
• Provide overall accountability for project safety, scope, schedule, budget, quality, risk, and commercial performance.
• Lead integrated teams consisting of project management, engineering, construction, procurement, legal, regulatory, finance, and operations personnel.
• Direct program-level planning, coordination, and execution across multiple interdependent project workstreams.
• Develop and maintain executive relationships with regulators, governmental agencies, customers, community leaders, and strategic stakeholders.
• Lead executive steering committees, governance boards, and investment review forums.
• Provide strategic recommendations to executive leadership regarding project investments, risk mitigation, regulatory strategy, and business outcomes.
• Approve major project changes, contracting strategies, contingency utilization, risk responses, and resource allocation decisions.
• Oversee project controls, forecasting, financial performance, contingency management, and executive reporting.
• Drive project recovery strategies and executive decision-making when project performance deviates from approved baselines.
• Provide executive leadership throughout project development, permitting, engineering, procurement, construction, commissioning, and operational readiness phases.
• Ensure compliance with regulatory, environmental, financial, safety, and corporate governance requirements.
• Ensure successful transition of completed facilities and assets to operations.
• Sponsor continuous improvement initiatives and advancement of enterprise project management capabilities and governance practices.
• Represent the Company in executive, industry, regulatory, governmental, and public-facing forums related to the FEP program.
• May be required to support and or advise other projects.

Who you are:

• Bachelor's degree in engineering, Construction Management, Business, Project Management, or a related field required.
• Preferred: Master's degree in a related field
• 15+ years of progressively responsible experience leading large capital projects, programs, or portfolios.
• Demonstrated success managing complex capital projects or programs with significant budget, schedule, regulatory, and stakeholder requirements.
• Experience serving in a senior leadership role responsible for the delivery of large-scale infrastructure, energy, utility, transportation, or industrial projects.
• Proven experience leading large scale, highly complex, multidisciplinary teams and external partners in a complex project environment.
• Demonstrated experience engaging executive-level stakeholders and making decisions with significant operational, financial, and strategic impact.
• Valid State Driver's license
• Advanced knowledge of large-scale capital program management, including project development, engineering, procurement, construction, commissioning, and operational readiness.
• Comprehensive knowledge of project governance, project controls, forecasting, risk management, contract administration, and capital investment practices.
• Strong understanding of utility, energy, pipeline, LNG, transmission, or other major infrastructure projects, including applicable regulatory and environmental requirements.
• Exceptional executive leadership, strategic planning, and decision-making skills with the ability to align project execution with organizational objectives.
• Advanced financial and business acumen, including the ability to evaluate investment decisions, project economics, contingency utilization, and commercial risk.
• Exceptional communication, negotiation, and stakeholder management skills, including experience influencing executive leadership, Boards of Directors, regulators, government agencies, customers, and community stakeholders.
• Demonstrated ability to lead large, multidisciplinary teams and external partners in a complex, matrixed environment.
• Ability to assess, prioritize, and mitigate enterprise-level risks while balancing safety, scope, schedule, budget, quality, and stakeholder commitments.
• Ability to drive organizational alignment, manage competing priorities, and make sound decisions with significant operational, financial, and strategic impact.
• Ability to represent the Company in executive, regulatory, industry, governmental, and public-facing forums while advancing strategic business objectives.

• PREFERRED:

  • Project Management Professional (PMP) certification.
  • Experience leading projects exceeding $1 billion in authorized value.
  • Experience presenting to Boards of Directors, executive committees, regulators, and government agencies.
  • LNG, pipeline, transmission, utility, energy, transportation, or major infrastructure project experience.
  • Experience managing EPC, EPCM, Alliance, or Program Management delivery models.

Benefits/what's in it for you?

• Flexible work arrangement
• Competitive base salary
• Fantastic opportunities for career growth
• Cooperative, supportive and empowered team atmosphere
• Annual bonus and salary increase opportunities
• Monthly recognition events
• Endless wellness initiatives and community events
• Robust and customizable benefit packages-choose what works best with your life. Options include generous 401k, medical, dental and life insurance, tuition reimbursement, compensated volunteer hours and MORE!
• Paid time off, holidays and a separate bank of sick time!

Chesapeake Utilities Corporation is an equal opportunity employer committed to creating a diverse workforce. We consider all qualified applicants without regard to race, religion, color, sex, national origin, age, sexual orientation, gender identity, disability or veteran status, among other factors. Applicants with a disability that need assistance applying for a position may email careers@chpk.com.