Constant Growth and Team Collaboration: A Q&A with Elaine Hanson

Elaine Hanson, a program control manager at Jacobs, attributes her success to effective team collaboration. For Elaine, collaboration means aligning goals, promoting open communication and leveraging the right tools to create a cohesive and productive work environment. 

Elaine has developed her expertise from various roles within Jacobs and strives for a collaborative team culture to provide customers with solutions. We caught up with her to discuss her role, how she builds a collaborative culture and her advice for others looking to follow her footsteps.

Tell us about your role and what you are most passionate about.

I am the Program Control Manager for Jacobs NORAD Operations Group (JNOG). I am passionate about working with the JNOG Management team to provide our customers with high-quality, accurate and comprehensive information.

What inspired you to pursue a career as a program control manager?

My project management expertise from other roles led me on a path of opportunity within Jacobs. Once I got here, opportunities opened that allowed me to use all my previous experience. I felt empowered to work with amazing people to make a difference here. I am inspired in my role because I feel valued, and I can contribute to the success of the contract and the company.

What advice do you have for current graduates pursuing this type of career?

Start wherever you can and be willing to widen your boundaries whenever the opportunity arises. This will allow you to understand the big picture and maximize your contribution to the mission. You will be successful when you cultivate respect, cooperation and collaboration within a team environment.

What do you enjoy most about the Jacobs NORAD Operations Group?

We have a fantastic team of motivated individuals working well together to achieve customer objectives, continually improve and position Jacobs for future success. I enjoy the natural, constant evolution of duties as our team determines how to maximize this focus’s benefit.

What excites you most in your role?

I look forward to continually refining our activities and processes and the subsequent positive results. I’m eager to continue to learn and grow in this role and to learn more from my peers and managers so that I can continue to broaden my knowledge base and further contribute to our success. It’s inspiring to work for Jacobs because of the opportunities available to anyone motivated to work hard, expand their knowledge and work within integrated teams to make a difference.