NW Hydropower Regulatory and Environmental Manager

About the role

At HDR, our employee-owners are fully engaged in creating a welcoming environment where each of us is valued and respected, a place where everyone is empowered to bring their authentic selves and novel ideas to work every day. We believe electricity powers modern life. As part of our Power sector, you’ll help shape how electricity is generated, transmitted and delivered as global energy demands grow. From massive data centers to modernizing transmission systems, our industry-recognized engineers and scientists have been at the forefront of grid transformation for more than a century.

HDR has an opening for a Northwest Hydropower Regulatory and Environmental Manager. This position is a key part of delivering HDR's regulatory and FERC licensing services for hydropower projects regionally and nationally. The successful candidate will lead and supervise HDR’s northwest region hydropower environmental and regulatory group, act as the Hydropower Regulatory and Environmental Business Class Lead for the northwest region, and provide project management of mid to large-size/complex environmental and regulatory projects. Our team members are strategic advisors and technical reviewers, coordinating all technical and regulatory components of the FERC licensing process for consistency with overall strategic direction and client needs.

Responsibilities

Leadership and supervisory activities:

• Provides day-to-day leadership, guidance, and direction to team members, fostering a collaborative and productive work environment.
• Supervises, coaches, and supports assigned staff to ensure high-quality performance and adherence to organizational standards.
• Plans, assigns, and monitors employee workloads to ensure timely completion of departmental goals and objectives.
• Carries full supervisory responsibility for assigned direct reports, including hiring, onboarding, performance management, employee development, and disciplinary actions as appropriate.
• Provides leadership and mentorship to direct reports by fostering employee engagement, promoting collaboration, and encouraging continuous learning and development.
• Performs other duties as needed.

Business Class Lead activities:

• Take responsibility for the Northwest Region coordination, monitoring and improvement of technical competencies of relicensing business class staff and products to meet client needs and market drivers, all within direction and goals of business class plans.
• Collaborate on business class efforts with Northwest Region Area operations, marketing and project management.
• Serve as the primary point of contact for the Northwest Region in partnership with HDR’s National Hydropower Practice leadership alongside other Regional Business Class Leaders for industry and regulatory updates, staff resource availability and needs, project execution, staff development, best practices, and Resources Business Group Professional Services initiatives and communications.
• Develop and communicate best practices and promote training to elevate technical excellence within the Northwest Region.
• Drive Northwest Region technical service development in support of HDR’s Hydropower Relicensing services, including robust project management planning and integration within project teams.
• Serve in Senior QA/QC capacity for HDR’s Northwest Region and national Hydropower Relicensing services and Project Approach and Resource Reviews (PARR).
• Participate in delivery of project services to exceed client expectations, including serving as the Project Manager on a large/complex relicensing project.

Project management activities:

• Preparation for, and participation in, regulatory agency and public meetings/hearings as required by the various permit/approval processes.
• Client coordination, agency consultation, and follow-up.

May need to travel for specific project assignments; amount of travel dependent upon office location.

Qualifications

Required Qualifications:

• Bachelor's degree or equivalent experience.
• A minimum of 10 years experience.
• Professional registration, license or certification may be required based on role.
• Strong communication and listening skills.
• Ability to handle multiple assignments.
• Good leadership and organizational skills.
• An attitude and commitment to being an active participant of our employee-owned culture.

Preferred Qualifications:

• BA/BS degree in environmental science, planning, public policy, natural resource management, hydrology, engineering, wildlife ecology, or a related field strongly preferred.
• 5+ years demonstrated supervisory experience.
• Demonstrated success leading multidisciplinary teams and/or managing large, complex projects, with increasing levels of responsibility over time.
• 8+ years of experience in environmental permitting, regulatory process management, and/or project or program management.
• At least 3 years of experience with FERC hydropower licensing, application of environmental and regulatory requirements and compliance.
• Senior level experience managing FERC projects and leading project teams.
• Familiarity with the hydropower industry and utility client relationships in the Pacific Northwest.
• Actively engaged in professional or industry association to enhance HDR technical expertise and brand.

Benefits

We provide a comprehensive benefits package that promotes employee ownership, employee health, performance, and success, which includes:

• Medical, dental, and vision insurance
• Short and long-term disability
• Life insurance
• Employee assistance program
• Paid time away
• Parental leave
• Paid holidays
• Retirement savings plan with employer match