Front End Loading Project Lead

Job Description

Job Description

Position Summary

This position serves as Ecovyst’s subject-matter lead for the company’s front-end loading (FEL) stage-gate process for capital projects reporting to the Director of Capital Portfolio Management. The individual will provide guidance to project engineers in developing FEL 1–3 deliverables, facilitate Value Improving Practices (VIPs), support FEL gate reviews. This role is the independent steward of project readiness: the person who confirms that each project has done the project deliverables and definition required to pass the required gate before it receives funding and moves forward.  

Travel: 10% to 25% (Ecovyst U.S. and Canadian operating sites)

Key Responsibilities

FEL Deliverable Development and Coaching

• Guide project engineers in the development of FEL 1, FEL 2, and FEL 3 deliverables.
• Coach project teams in preparing bases of design, scope documents, PFDs and P&IDs, equipment lists, execution plans, schedules, and risk registers.
• Provide guidance on estimate development consistent with the appropriate AACE class at each gate, including contingency and basis-of-estimate documentation.
• Review gate packages before submission and conduct PDRI assessments, identifying gaps and defining corrective actions.

VIP Facilitation

• Plan and facilitate VIP workshops at the appropriate FEL stage, including:
  • Preparing pre-work materials, identify appropriate participants from operations, maintenance, EHS, engineering, procurement, and contractor organizations, and document workshop outcomes.
  • Monitoring VIP action items through closure and verify that approved outcomes are incorporated into the design and estimate.

FEL Gate Reviews

• Support the Director of Capital Portfolio Management in planning and conducting FEL 1, FEL 2, and FEL 3 gate reviews across the portfolio.
• Ensures the stage-gate process is applied consistently across all U.S. and Canadian sites, recognizing jurisdictional differences in regulatory requirements.
• Evaluate gate packages for completeness against FEL deliverable checklists, PDRI results, and applicable estimate-class requirements before each review.
• Identify lessons learned and ensure enterprise-wide continuous improvement.
• Monitors and reports upon the gate calendar and portfolio tracker showing where each project stands in the FEL lifecycle.

Training & Development

• Deliver and maintain FEL and PDRI training for project managers, project engineers, site leaders, and sponsors, including training materials, templates, and knowledge checks.

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in chemical engineering, mechanical engineering, or another relevant engineering discipline.
• A minimum of ten years of relevant experience, including leadership of projects from FEL through startup in chemical, refining, petrochemical, or comparable process-manufacturing facilities.
• Demonstrated experience developing FEL 1–3 deliverables within a stage-gate process.
• Experience facilitating or participating in VIPs or comparable structured workshops.
• Working knowledge of AACE estimate classes and PDRI requirements.
• Strong written communication and facilitation skills, with the ability to engage audiences ranging from operators to senior leaders.

Preferred Qualifications

• Project Management Professional (PMP) certification and/or Professional Engineer (PE) licensure.
• Experience administering an owner’s stage-gate or project assurance function, or with Independent Project Analysis (IPA) methodologies and benchmarking.
• Experience in sulfuric acid or specialty-chemical operations.
• Experience training or mentoring engineers.
• Proficiency with scheduling and estimating applications, such as Microsoft Project.