Project Director- Water -Bay Area, CA

About the role

The Project Director-Water-Bay Area position is a key leadership role within GHD’s municipal business in Water and Transportation. This position is part of a bold growth initiative to double the Transportation practice over the next four years. The Project Director-Water-Bay Area will act as a 'seller-doer' building trust by connecting promises made during pursuits, how projects are delivered, and why clients choose us for future work.

Responsibilities

• Serve as a trusted advisor to existing clients through direct project leadership and consistent delivery performance
• Maintain deep understanding of client priorities, funding realities, and community outcomes
• Represent client and community voices internally, shaping solutions and pursuits based on real delivery insight
• Build long-term client partnerships rooted in credibility, responsiveness, and results
• Lead or play a senior role in the delivery of key projects, ensuring outcomes align with client expectations and commitments made during pursuits
• Convert successful delivery into repeat work, expanded scope, and follow-on opportunities
• Identify growth opportunities emerging from active projects and ongoing client engagements
• Use delivery experience to inform strategy, pricing, risk assessment, and positioning
• Shape and lead pursuits where delivery experience, technical judgment, and client trust are critical differentiators
• Partner with Relationship Managers, Market Leads, and technical teams to pursue targeted opportunities
• Contribute to proposal strategy, messaging, and interviews with a focus on credibility and execution confidence
• Participate in contract negotiations with a clear understanding of delivery risk, resourcing, and outcomes
• Oversee and be accountable for project performance, including scope, schedule, budget, quality, and client satisfaction
• Track and manage key performance indicators such as backlog, margin, and client health for assigned accounts
• Ensure compliance with applicable regulations, procurement requirements, and internal governance
• Provide clear communication and reporting to internal leadership on client performance and growth outlook

Qualifications

• Bachelor's or Master’s Degree in Engineering, Environmental Science, or similar
• Professional Engineer license preferred
• Minimum 10 years of experience in municipal or public sector project delivery and client relationship management
• Strong Seller/Doer experience with strong business development, proposal preparation and marketing skills
• Excellent communication, negotiation, and interpersonal skills
• Ability to lead cross-functional teams and influence at senior levels
• Proficiency in CRM tools (Salesforce in particular) and Microsoft Office Suite
• Strategic thinker with a client-centric mindset
• Strong understanding of municipal operations, governance, and procurement
• Experience in client engagement and business development, with a track record of building relationships across government, industry, and community stakeholders

Key Performance Indicators

• Client portfolio performance (bookings)
• Project portfolio performance (NLM)
• Client satisfaction scores

Pay

$172,000-$253,000 based on location and experience

Schedule

Hybrid model, combining in-office collaboration and flexibility. Join us in office, three days a week to contribute, connect and excel in our vibrant environment.