Chris Serjak

About Chris Serjak

25+ years managing sustainable infrastructure and environmental projects including 17 years international development experience in Africa, Middle East, and Asia. Skilled at leading multi-disciplinary and multi-cultural teams over 100 people in delivery of complex projects in water and sanitation, energy, social infrastructure, climate adaptation, and environmental management. Facilitated $124M in new development financing in emerging and developing countries with particular expertise in public-private partnerships, climate finance, and blended finance. First-hand experience managing operations and finances for projects >$100M. Successful business development leader winning competitive contracts totaling over $140M. World-class graduate education in Sustainable Development, Water Resources Management, Construction Management, and Environmental Science. Certified PMP. Looking for leadership opportunities in international development, corporate sustainability, corporate environmental and social responsibility, development finance, climate finance, project management, construction, water and sanitation, and environmental management.

Experience

1. Senior Program Manager

   Waggoner Engineering

   Jun 2025 — Present · Atlanta, GA, US

   Lead a multi‑state portfolio, project managing 11 civil engineering design and construction management projects totaling $5.7M, driving on‑time delivery and budget adherence across cross‑functional teams.Developed and instituted standard operating procedures (SOPs) for monthly project performance reviews across a 56‑project portfolio, improving monthly revenue recognition by 15% and tightening governance on schedule, scope, and cost.Established a consistent review cadence and dashboards for PMs, elevating visibility into schedule variance, budget burn, change orders, and risk status, enabling faster corrective actions and executive decision‑making.Streamlined month‑end close‑out routines (billing prep, accruals, and revenue review) by standardizing inputs and checklists, reducing rework and improving accuracy across multiple offices.Coordinated multi‑disciplinary internal and external stakeholders (design, CM, accounting, and client reps) to align deliverables, mitigate risks, and resolve field/constructability issues without schedule impacts.Optimized resource allocation and forecasting across the portfolio, balancing senior/junior labor mix to meet margin targets while sustaining delivery quality.Drove change management and PM coaching to adopt the new SOPs, creating templates, guidance, and training that increased compliance and reduced variance in project financials.Owned executive reporting for the AL/GA/FL portfolio, synthesizing project health, upcoming milestones, and commercial risks into concise updates that informed leadership prioritization.In addition to program oversight, I play a strategic role in expanding Waggoner Engineering’s footprint in Georgia through targeted business development and networking efforts. This includes cultivating client relationships, identifying new market opportunities, and fostering partnerships that support growth and long-term success in the region.

Education

• Yale University

  Graduate Studies, Environmental Science

• SOAS University of London

  MSc, Sustainable Development

  2010 — 2012

• University of Washington

  Post-Graduate Certificate, Construction Management

  2007 — 2008

• Stanford University

  Bachelor of Science - BS, Environmental Science

• McGill University

  Post-Graduate Certificate, Integrated and Adaptive Water Resources Planning, Management and Governance

  2017 — 2017

Skills

• Government
• Program Budgeting
• Environmental Impact Assessment
• Water
• Natural Resource Management
• International Sustainable Development
• Construction
• Construction Environmental Management
• Environmental Compliance
• Post-Conflict Reconstruction
• Water Management
• Federal Grant Management
• Analysis
• Government Contract Management
• Project Planning
• Proposal Writing
• Budgets
• Community Development
• Environmental Issues
• Strategic Planning
• Feasibility Studies
• Team Leadership
• Water Resources
• Program Management
• Business Development
• Environmental Policy
• Construction Management
• Environmental Management Systems
• Mentoring
• Contract Negotiation
• Energy
• Environmental Awareness
• Capacity Building
• Climate Change Adaptation
• Climate Change
• Procurement
• Sustainability
• Environmental Science
• Sustainable Development
• Environmental Engineering