Director, Survey

Job Summary

We are looking for a Director of Survey to lead the survey teams within the Land and Field Services (L&FS) department at CenterPoint Energy.  This person will:

(1) have the ability to help set the strategic direction for the L&FS department;

(2) oversee projects and internal personnel and external contractors of the survey team through organizing, planning, scheduling, and assigning activities to ensure the successful completion of projects;

(3) utilize strong collaboration, negotiation, and conflict management skills to resolve complex land matters;

(4) work closely with operational business units, legal, finance, GIS, strategic business growth and development departments to execute project delivery; and

(5) establish, track, and analyze metrics and service level agreements to meet business objectives.  This person will report directly to the Vice President – Deputy General Counsel – Corporate and Finance, Legal, and will have a dotted line reporting relationship to the current Director of L&FS.

Essential Functions

• Set the strategic vision and operating model for the survey team of the L&FS department, aligning priorities to capital programs, reliability work, and company Land and Right of Way (L&ROW) needs.
• Establish survey standards, procedures, and QA/QC controls (field to final plat) to ensure accuracy, defensibility, and consistent deliverable quality.
• Own performance metrics for the survey team (e.g., schedule adherence, rework rates, safety, cycle time) and communicate status, risks, and corrective actions to senior leadership.
• Ensure compliance with Texas Board of Professional Engineers and Land Surveyors (TBPELS) rules and the Texas Professional Land Surveying Practices Act; provide professional oversight in Responsible Charge for surveying services and deliverables.
• Lead procurement and management of survey vendors and contractors, including scope development, bid evaluation, contract compliance, and performance management.
• Partner with engineering, GIS, operations, and construction to define survey requirements, prioritize workload, and ensure survey data supports design, permitting, and construction staking needs.
• Have ultimate responsibility for day-to-day survey operations (field and office), including staffing, training, equipment readiness, and safety leadership to deliver work efficiently and incident-free.
• Oversee survey records management and provide technical leadership on boundary, easement, and encroachment matters; support legal teams with expert input and defensible documentation as needed.
• Develop and manage the survey budget (capital and O&M), including forecasting, cost controls, and business case support for staffing, technology, and equipment investments.
• Provide governance for survey project delivery—scope, schedule, and cost—while balancing internal and vendor capacity across concurrent programs.
• Advance survey technology and data governance (GNSS/RTK, LiDAR/UAS where applicable, CAD/GIS integration, document control) to improve accuracy, productivity, and traceability.
• Communicate priorities, standards, and expectations across stakeholders; drive adoption of survey processes that reduce project risk and improve customer outcomes.
• Build and lead a high-performing survey organization through hiring, coaching, performance management, workforce planning, and succession planning.
• Set clear accountability for managers and project leads; proactively manage escalations and keep internal customers informed on progress, constraints, and delivery dates.
• Maintain awareness of industry standards and best practices; continuously improve methods, specifications, and training to strengthen quality and reduce risk.
• Maintain an active Texas Registered Professional Land Surveyor (RPLS) license in good standing and complete required continuing education; represent the survey function in professional organizations and uphold ethical standards.

Education Description

• Requires a bachelor’s degree in related fields of Business, Real Estate, Land Law, Land Survey Engineering, or a related field.

Experience

• • Must have a current leadership position within a land or survey department or team
  • Fifteen (15) years of prior functional (survey) work experience
  • Significant experience at a public utility company
  • Demonstrated leadership and survey experience on large scale utility transmission projects and other significant projects
  • A continued commitment to survey work throughout their career
  • Must be a Registered Professional Land Surveyor (RPLS) in the State of application
  • Current membership in survey associations, including/such as the Texas Society of Professional Surveyors and National Society of Professional Surveyors
  • A proficiency in relevant software, including AutoCAD, GIS, FileNet and Primavera

Physical Requirements

Working Conditions