Applications Program Lead

Salary Range: $90,000.00 To $110,000.00 Annually At Core States Group, the work you do matters to the clients we serve, the communities we support, and the teams who rely on one another to deliver with excellence. Our Cause is powerful: to create a world where all environments improve everyday life. Why Professionals Choose Core States Group Here's what you can expect: COMPENSATION – Competitive wages and bonus programs RETIREMENT – We offer a great 401(k) match to help you invest in your future and grow your retirement savings with confidence. HEALTHCARE – Excellent health benefits, life insurance options, and supplemental benefit options, giving you the flexibility to choose the coverage that best fits your needs and lifestyle. VACATION – Generous PTO time to help you recharge, relax, and maintain a healthy work-life balance. PERKS – Team wellness challenges, Costco membership reimbursement, half-day Fridays during summer months + much more! WORK-LIFE BALANCE – A flexible work environment that supports a healthy work-life balance, whether you’re in the office, working remotely, or somewhere in between. PAID PARENTAL LEAVE – Four weeks of fully paid parental leave to give you time to bond with your new addition and support your growing family. TUITION REIMBURSEMENT – Advance your education with support! We offer tuition reimbursement to support your learning journey. Summary of the Role The Application Program Lead , will be a member of the Digital Transformation team at Core States and report to the Director of that group. The Applications Program Lead, will be responsible for delivery of the firm’s AI platform program — the connectivity and knowledge layer that makes core business systems (ERP, business intelligence, design tools, and document management) accessible to AI — including the program schedule, milestones, dependencies, and status reporting. Strategic direction and architecture for the platform are owned by the Director of Digital Transformation; this role owns the plan and whether it holds. They will be expected to maintain a current, realistic program plan, coordinate contributors across multiple teams and reporting lines, own requirements and acceptance criteria for platform capabilities, and work directly with AI Champions and power users across the business to identify where system connectivity. Responsibilities Own and maintain the program schedule for custom AI solution platform initiative: milestones, dependencies, critical path, and sequencing across workstreams Coordinate contributors across multiple teams and reporting lines, including Digital Transformation developers and data engineers, the Design Technology leads, and business-side subject matter experts Surface resource conflicts, blockers, and schedule risk early; drive them to resolution and escalate crisply when coordination stalls Run the shared weekly rhythm of goals, status, and results, and produce status reporting that leadership can trust without translation Write scope, requirements, and testable success criteria for each connector and platform capability, and confirm delivered work meets them before it is considered done Maintain the platform backlog and roadmap, and hold each workstream to the firm’s bar of visible results within 90 days Work directly with AI Champions and power users to learn what they are trying to accomplish and where system connectivity is the constraint Translate requests to connect additional systems into prioritized platform capabilities, maintaining a visible trail from business request to roadmap to delivered capability and closing the loop with requesters Partner with the Director of Digital Transformation on prioritization decisions, and with IT stakeholders on the data access and governance questions raised by new connectors Other duties as assigned Qualifications We’re looking for talented professionals who are eager to grow their skills and contribute to high-quality, meaningful work. If you’re driven, collaborative, and ready to take the next step in your career, we want to hear from you. The following qualifications will help you succeed in this role: Bachelors degree in Business, Information Technology, Engineering, or relevant field; or equivalent professional experience 4+ years managing technical programs or projects for software, data, or IT initiatives, with direct ownership of the schedule Demonstrated track record building and maintaining working program plans — milestones, dependencies, critical path — and keeping them current as conditions change Experience coordinating contributors across teams and reporting lines without direct authority Experience gathering needs from business users and translating them into a prioritized technical roadmap Experience introducing delivery discipline where none previously existed, establishing cadence, reporting, and intake, preferred Experience in system integration, data platform, or API-focused programs preferred Experience in the AEC industry or another project-based professional services business preferred Sufficient technical literacy to run an integration program credibly: able to follow discussions of APIs, authentication, and data access, ask useful questions, and assess whether an estimate is plausible, without owning technical design Hands-on fluency with modern AI tools (ChatGPT, Claude, or similar) Proficiency with project planning and backlog tooling (Azure DevOps or comparable) Working knowledge of the Microsoft 365 ecosystem for documentation, reporting, and status communication Familiarity with enterprise business systems commonly integrated in a professional services firm (ERP, business intelligence, document management) preferred Formal project management training (PMP, agile certifications) useful but not required; demonstrated schedule ownership matters more than credentials Work Location This position is currently hybrid-remote in the Philadelphia region, with occasional requirements to meet in person with coworkers for important meetings or team-building activities at our King of Prussia or Philadelphia offices. *Candidates outside this area will not be considered. Company Overview Core States Group designs, builds, and manages programs and projects across North America and has been recognized on top lists throughout the architecture, engineering, and construction (A/E/C) industry. Established in 1999, the company offers integrated solutions with seamless continuity, and many of the world’s most notable brands count on Core States Group to deliver speed to market, cost certainty, and compelling design. With 24 offices across the United States and Canada, Core States Group is an industry powerhouse that drives innovation and improves everyday life for countless people across several markets, including Community, Convenience, Distributed Generation, Financial, Grocery, Housing, Industrial, Restaurants, Retail, Semiconductor, Tribal, Zero-Emission Vehicle (ZEV) Infrastructure, and more. Visit us at www.core-states.com . A Note to Candidates Please do not be concerned if you do not meet every requirement. At Core States we are dedicated to building a diverse and inclusive workplace, so if you are excited about this role but your experience does not align perfectly with every qualification in the job description, we encourage you to apply anyway. You may be just the right candidate for this or other roles. This position will remain open until it is filled.