Lead Project Manager - Transmission/Siting

SWCA Environmental Consultants is seeking a self-motivated Lead Project Manager - Transmission/ Siting with strong interpersonal skills and experience in electric transmission siting, client relationship management, and project management to supporting electric transmission projects including business development efforts, contract development and client management primarily in the Midwestern and Southeastern United States.

The Lead Project Manager will have significant technical expertise and experience in electric transmission siting, permitting requirements, Public Utilities Commission CPCN regulatory filings, client management and business development, and agency interactions at all levels.

Required skills include the ability to manage transmission clients while developing new business, managing large & complex transmission projects, and leading siting for regulated and FERC 1000 applications. Other important skills will include working in a matrixed organization, successfully integrating into multidisciplinary teams that involve development, engineering, and environmental team members; support development of permitting and permit compliance strategies; meet schedule milestones within a high-paced environment while adhering to budget expectations; and project-level oversight of quality assurance and quality control (QA/QC). The candidate should be experienced in managing multidisciplinary staff to complete project and proposal work and foster a positive working environment among team members.

This is a regular (with benefits), full-time, salaried position reporting to our Chicago office. Highly qualified remote (= distributed) employees are encouraged to apply. The pay rate will be based on individual qualifications and experience. SWCA offers a team-oriented work environment, competitive salaries, and a competitive benefits package, including retirement benefits in the form of an employee stock ownership plan (ESOP).

Under this requisition, we could hire the following positions:

• Lead Project Manager - Preference of eight (8) years of experience and expertise, including three (3) years managing projects.
• Senior Project Manager - Preference of ten (10) years of experience and expertise, including five (5) years managing projects

Application deadline: Our team will begin reviewing applications immediately, and interviews will be scheduled with qualified candidates on a rolling basis. The application process will remain open until we have received a robust pool of qualified candidates. Once we have identified suitable individuals, we may close the application process without prior notice. We appreciate the time and effort invested by all applicants and will carefully consider each submission.

Below please find the job responsibilities for a Lead Project Manager-Transmission/Siting Specialist - responsibilities for a Senior Project Manager/Senior Siting Lead would include leading more complex, multi-disciplinary, and multi-location projects.

• Lead, oversee, and execute the management of siting and routing efforts for transmission projects of all sizes and levels of complexity.
• Foster a positive, collaborative working environment among project team members.
• Work closely with project teams across all SWCA offices to navigate transmission project challenges and meet client needs.
• Take the initiative and resolve issues to assure the client's needs are met effectively.
• Lead and advise on the development of siting and routing strategies, provide QA/QC of work processes and deliverables, and lead teams completing technical studies that support permitting efforts.
• Provide a robust opportunity funnel and fully vet all major opportunities.
• Manage opportunity-specific sales and marketing teams; tasks include opportunity identification and evaluation, project development, and proposal and presentation preparation.
• Annual planning and alignment of transmission business lines with overall corporate growth goals.
• Develop teaming partners - both prime and sub - to meet pursuit goals.
• Identify, lead, and support initiatives for enhanced business development performance and efficiencies for continued growth. This includes marketing and branding activities, pursuit tracking, and increased sales efficiency.
• Work closely with the client services team to identify new clients and areas of growth and develop strategies for continued expansion.
• Supervise, mentor, and provide project-specific technical support to junior staff.
• Implement and administer SWCA's safety procedures and standards of scientific and professional ethics.
• Enhance SWCA's relationship with Midwestern and Southeastern utilities including but not limited to, AES, AEP, FirstEnergy, and Duke Energy.
• Implement and administer SWCA's safety procedures and standards of scientific and professional ethics.

• Minimum of a bachelor's degree in planning, environmental science, natural resources management, law, geology, engineering or a related field required.
• A minimum of six (6) years of combined experience in project management; and electric transmission siting required. At least eight years preferred.
• At least two (2) years of project management and six (6) years of siting experience are highly preferred.
• Demonstrated experience leading or support proposal and business development activities in the Electrical Transmission market.
• Demonstrated ability to write compelling, legally defensible siting studies for regulated Public Utility transmission filing and FERC 1000 siting applications.
• Candidates should have working knowledge of federal (e.g., NEPA, National Historic Preservation Act, Clean Water Act, and Endangered Species Act) and state laws governing resource management.
• Demonstrated experience with transmission projects and with federal agencies such as the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, Bureau of Land Management, U.S. Forest Service, and/or U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and with state and local agencies. Experience with public utilities commissions desired.
• Experience with supervising staff and project/proposal teams.
• Experience and ability to manage complex transmission projects in diverse settings and with changing requirements.
• Demonstrated experience working in a fast-paced work environment and desire to work in a highly collaborative team atmosphere.
• Have experience siting at least 50 transmission lines in varying geographic settings.
• Demonstrated experience with Public Utility Commission filings, experience with the Ohio Power & Siting Board, the North Carolina Public Utilities Commission, and the Kentucky Public Utilities Regulatory Commission is preferred.

Why Work at SWCA:

SWCA Environmental Consultants is a growing employee-owned firm, providing a full-spectrum of environmental services. Our Vision (the North Star) is to make SWCA the best workplace and industry leader in sustainability, bringing sound science and creative solutions to global environmental challenges while maintaining a dedication to employee-ownership. We live our core values: we collaborate as #OneSWCA; we are #AlwaysLearning, we #NeverSettle, and we #GiveBack.

We are 100% employee-owned, and we build our success together. With offices across the United States, SWCA is one of the largest environmental compliance firms and ranks among Engineering News-Record's Top 200 Environmental Firms. We offer a supportive, team-oriented work environment and competitive wages and benefits, including an 100% employee stock ownership plan (retirement).

At SWCA, we support our team members in developing their careers to make them leaders in their industry. Our Career Landscape initiative is a process and guide designed to help develop chart rewarding career paths for employees at SWCA. We encourage professional conference attendance, internal and external professional development and training programs, education reimbursement, a Science and Leadership Program, and bonuses for publications meeting certain criteria. All regular status employees are eligible to participate in SWCA medical, dental, vision, employee assistance, wellness, life and disability plans, and are eligible to participate in the SWCA 401(k) Profit Sharing Plan and Trust.

If you would like to contact SWCA regarding the accessibility of our website or need assistance completing the online application process due to a disability, please email accommodations@swca.com or call 1-480-581-5378. This contact information is for disability accommodation requests only. All other inquiries will not receive a response.

SWCA is committed to salary equity and salary transparency for all its employees. In alignment with this commitment, SWCA posts good faith pay ranges in all its advertised job postings to promote pay equity and transparency.

An employee in this Chicago, IL-based position can expect an annual salary of:

• Lead Project Manager: $87,142/year to $114,650/year
• Senior Project Manager: $99,754/year to $133,005/year

Actual pay within this range may depend on experience, qualifications, geographic location, client requirements where applicable, and other factors permitted by law. Regular-status employees are also eligible for performance bonuses. Candidates are also encouraged to consider SWCA's Total Rewards package, which includes a competitive Benefits package, forward-thinking workplace flexibility, outstanding corporate culture, award-winning career development, and more.

EOE - women, minorities, individuals with disabilities and veterans are encouraged to apply. At SWCA Environmental Consultants, we celebrate diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive work environment. We strongly encourage candidates from all backgrounds, including those with diverse experiences and veterans, to apply. We believe that a diverse and inclusive workforce enhances creativity, innovation, and overall organizational success.

SWCA continues to invest deeply in career development programs, delivering our award-winning Career Landscape support resources to accelerate the growth of our staff. We recognize the valuable skills and experiences our internal team members bring to SWCA's continued success. Qualified internal candidates are encouraged to apply and will be seriously considered for this position. We believe in promoting from within, where possible, providing our existing employees with compelling opportunities to advance their careers.

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