Project Portfolio Director Jobs in California (NOW HIRING)

Position: Director of Project Management & Controls

Location: Long Beach, CA, with travel to project sites and other company locations as needed

Department: Project Management & Controls

Reports to: Blake Klingeman, Chief Operating Officer

Schedule: Full time

Compensation: $200,000 to $220,000 annually, plus bonus opportunity.

Efficiency. Innovation. Integrity. These are our 3 Pillars. At Curtin Maritime, these core values are the framework for safe performance and operational excellence; proof of these pillars is evident in our people and our fleet. For 25 years, Curtin Maritime has been an industry leader in quality maritime solutions. We are a dynamic Marine Construction and Marine Transportation company experiencing rapid growth. Our team provides customers with a complete suite of maritime solutions, allowing us the incredible opportunity to work on unique projects in some of the most amazing places on earth.

For 25 years, Curtin Maritime has been an industry leader in quality maritime solutions. We are a dynamic Marine Construction and Marine Transportation company experiencing rapid growth. Our team provides customers with a complete suite of maritime solutions, allowing us the incredible opportunity to work on unique projects in some of the most amazing locations on earth.

The Director of Project Management & Controls leads the development of a consistent project management structure across Curtin Maritime. This role provides direct and functional leadership to Project Managers supporting Capital Builds, Marine Construction, and Shipyard Projects.

This leader will set expectations for planning, scheduling, budgeting, forecasting, risk management, reporting, and project closeout; coach Project Managers; and provide leadership with clear visibility across the project portfolio.

• Establish and maintain a company-wide project management framework, including standard project phases, stage gates, templates, controls, and closeout requirements.
• Provide direct or functional leadership to Project Managers across Capital Builds, Marine Construction, and Shipyard Projects, in alignment with the leaders accountable for each business area.
• Set clear expectations for project scope, schedule, budget, quality, safety, risk, documentation, and communication.
• Coach and develop Project Managers through project reviews, field engagement, performance feedback, and practical training.
• Lead portfolio-level review of active and upcoming projects, including priorities, critical paths, resource needs, constraints, and decisions requiring escalation.
• Create consistent project reporting that gives operational and executive leadership timely visibility into schedule, cost, forecast, risks, changes, and overall project health.
• Strengthen project planning and Critical Path Method scheduling using Microsoft Project and other approved company tools.
• Partner with Finance and project leaders to improve budget development, cost tracking, forecasting, billing inputs, and early identification of overruns or exposure.
• Establish consistent risk, issue, change order, and decision tracking, with clear ownership and timely escalation.
• Improve coordination among Project Managers, Operations, Marine Transportation, Shipyard, Capital Builds, Marine Construction, Crewing, Dispatch, Finance, Safety, Procurement, and other supporting teams.
• Review project execution plans, mobilization and demobilization plans, resource strategies, vendor and subcontractor needs, and major project deliverables.
• Support project teams in resolving schedule conflicts, resource constraints, customer concerns, vendor issues, and other barriers to successful execution.
• Promote consistent customer communication and contract awareness while supporting Project Managers on complex negotiations, claims, modifications, and change orders.
• Build practical lessons-learned and continuous-improvement processes that translate completed-project experience into stronger planning and execution on future work.
• Support estimating, proposal development, and post-award turnover by ensuring execution assumptions, schedules, risks, resources, and project requirements are clearly understood.
• Lead selects complex or high-priority projects when needed while maintaining primary accountability for the overall project management function.
• Recommend organizational structure, staffing, tools, and training needed to support Curtin Maritime's growing project portfolio.
• Perform other duties and participate in or lead projects as required by the business.

• Demonstrated ability to build structure, establish standards, and improve accountability without creating unnecessary administrative burden.
• Ability to lead through influence across multiple departments and balance functional standards with operational realities.
• Strong coaching, communication, negotiation, facilitation, and conflict-resolution skills.
• Sound business and financial judgment, with the ability to identify risk and make timely, practical decisions.
• Ability to move between portfolio-level leadership and project-level detail as business needs require.
• Demonstrated ability to provide organizational leadership across multiple project groups.
• Self-motivated team player with a strong work ethic and the ability to manage competing priorities and deadlines

• Ability to work in both office and active marine construction, shipyard, vessel, and project-site environments.
• Ability to walk, stoop, kneel, crouch, climb ladders and stairs, and negotiate uneven or moving surfaces as required for site and vessel access.
• Ability to lift up to 50 pounds unassisted.
• Must meet fit-for-duty requirements upon job offer, including the pre-employment physical and drug test.

• Bachelor’s degree in engineering, Construction Management, Business, or a related field preferred; equivalent relevant experience will be considered.
• Ten or more years of progressive project management experience in marine construction, shipyard, heavy civil construction, capital projects, or a similarly complex operating environment preferred.
• Demonstrated experience leading Project Managers, project teams, and a multi-project portfolio.
• PMP certification preferred, or the ability and willingness to obtain certification within an agreed timeframe.
• Strong working knowledge of Critical Path Method scheduling, project controls, cost forecasting, risk management, change management, and project closeout.
• Advanced proficiency with Microsoft Project and Microsoft Office applications; experience with Primavera P6, Power BI, or similar tools is a plus.
• Working knowledge of contracts, procurement, vendor and subcontractor management, claims, and change orders.
• Marine construction, shipyard, vessel, capital project, or heavy civil construction experience strongly preferred.
• Valid Driver's License with a clean driving record required; ability to acquire and maintain a TWIC required.

• Regular travel to project sites, vessels, and company locations is required; frequency project needs.
• Ability to support urgent project needs outside normal business hours when required.

• Competitive Compensation
• Generous benefits package including:
  • Medical
  • Dental
  • Vision
  • Short-term Disability
  • AD&D/Life Insurance
  • 401k (with company match)
  • Additional option to elect incremental Life Insurance for employee and dependents, and choice to elect Health and/or Dependent Flexible Spending Account.

Curtin Maritimeis an equal opportunity employer. All applicants will be considered for employment without attention to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, veteran, or disability status.