Director, Strategic Operations - ​Stage Gate Assurance

At Universal Creative, we design, develop and deliver the most compelling entertainment experiences imaginable to drive growth for Universal Parks & Resorts worldwide. Our innovative attractions, immersive theme parks and world-class resorts fuse art and technology to create new standards in the themed entertainment industry. Our Team Members are the driving force behind Universal Creative. With their diverse skills and forward-thinking ideas, our team pushes us beyond the boundaries of what’s possible to achieve the extraordinary.

Together, we’re creating a Universe of fun, always ensuring the next thing we do is better than the last thing we did. JOB SUMMARY: The Director, Stage Gate Assurance serves as Universal Creative's independent portfolio governance and decision assurance leader. The role objectively evaluates whether projects are ready to advance through executive stage gates by confirming that required deliverables, approvals, risks, assumptions, dependencies, and financial and schedule implications are complete and visible.

The Director provides leadership with a consistent, cross-functional view of project readiness, exceptions, and emerging portfolio trends; tracks gate decisions and conditions through closure; and improves the effectiveness of the Stage Gate framework over time. While the Director plays a critical role in informing stage-gate decisions, responsibility for project execution, creative and technical decisions, engineering and safety approvals, scope, budget, schedule, and corrective actions remains with project and functional leaders.

MAJOR RESPONSIBILITIES: Establish and apply an objective assurance methodology and readiness criteria aligned to each gate's Conditions of Satisfaction. Conduct independent pre-gate reviews across the portfolio, validating that required cross functional inputs, approvals, risks, assumptions, dependencies, and decision points are complete and transparent. Provide executives with a documented, independent readiness assessment and recommendation - ready, ready with conditions, or not ready - to inform the gate decision.

The assessment is advisory and does not constitute authorization to advance or replace required functional approvals; executives retain final gate decision authority. Prepare concise decision briefs and facilitate gate reviews so leaders understand unresolved issues, trade-offs, and consequences before authorizing the next phase or additional capital. Escalate incomplete required evidence and unresolved readiness disagreements to executive decision-makers, with a recommendation to defer the review or advancement when warranted; document the executive decision, rationale, and any conditions.

Maintain independence by evaluating the completeness and quality of evidence without creating project deliverables or assuming responsibility for corrective action. Maintain the portfolio gate calendar and monitor project progression, upcoming decision points, and readiness risks. Identify and escalate unresolved cross-functional gaps before they affect cost, schedule, technical integrity, creative intent, safety, or delivery confidence.

Record gate decisions, conditions, commitments, and owners; track required actions through verified closure. Provide leadership with portfolio-level reporting on readiness, exceptions, recurring failure points, late-stage changes, rework, and cost and schedule predictability. Partner with project and functional leaders to support resolution while preserving their accountability for the underlying work and outcomes. Serve as the enterprise subject matter expert for Stage Gate governance, assurance methodology, gate decision standards, and Conditions of Satisfaction.

Maintain the standards, review protocols, decision records, and limited templates required to support consistent gate assurance across the portfolio. Establish change control for Stage Gate standards and ensure approved updates are reflected in governance documentation and workflows. Partner with the Global Project Hub/Project Management Office (GPH) on systems, project controls data, reporting infrastructure, and broad project-management processes, avoiding duplication of PMWeb administration or GPH process implementation responsibilities.

Lead targeted onboarding and training on gate expectations, readiness evidence, decision rights, and assurance roles, in partnership with Talent and Culture and the GPH. Analyze performance data, lessons learned, and post-gate outcomes to identify systemic weaknesses and opportunities to improve decision quality. Work with Functional Champions and project leaders to implement improvements that reduce late-stage changes, rework, and cost and schedule uncertainty.

Measure Stage Gate effectiveness and communicate whether the process is producing the intended governance and business outcomes. Understand and actively participate in Environmental, Health & Safety responsibilities by following established UDX policy, procedures, training and team member involvement activities. Performs other duties as assigned. QUALIFICATIONS: Advanced knowledge of capital-project governance, stage-gate frameworks, portfolio oversight, project controls, risk management, and executive decision support.

Experience defining governance standards, performance measures, and continuous-improvement mechanisms. Proficiency in project-management systems, document-management platforms, and executive-reporting tools. High attention to detail and ability to manage multiple high-priority gate reviews simultaneously. Executive presence, judgment, and credibility to challenge and advise senior leaders constructively. Demonstrated independence, objectivity, and integrity, with the ability to maintain appropriate separation from project-delivery ownership.

Ability to synthesize complex cross-functional information into concise readiness assessments and recommendations. Ability to influence, resolve ambiguity, and drive closure without direct authority. Strong analytical, problem-solving, written, verbal, and facilitation skills. Ability to understand the interfaces among creative design, engineering and safety, project delivery, finance, project controls, and operations.

EDUCATION: Bachelor's degree in Business, Engineering, Construction Management, Project Management, Finance, or a related field is required. Master's degree or a relevant professional certification, such as PMP or PgMP, is preferred. EXPERIENCE: 10+ years of experience in complex capital-project delivery, portfolio governance, GPH, project controls, audit and assurance, or a related discipline. 5+ years leading cross-functional governance, assurance, or executive decision-support activities across a portfolio of complex projects.

Demonstrated experience independently assessing project readiness, surfacing material exceptions, and influencing senior-level decisions. Demonstrated experience implementing enterprise-wide standards and improving governance performance through data and lessons learned. Experience influencing senior leaders without direct authority and driving closure of cross-functional issues. Experience in themed entertainment, engineering and construction, design, or another complex capital-intensive environment is preferred.

Your talent, skills and experience will be rewarded with a competitive compensation package. Universal elements and all related indicia TM & © 2026 Universal Studios. © 2026 Universal Orlando. All rights reserved. EOE