Project Manager

About the role

Willdan Financial Services (WFS) is a growing consulting firm that provides financial and economic consulting services primarily to cities, counties and other local government jurisdictions including public sewer, water, natural gas, and electric utilities. Typical services provided by WFS include, but are not limited to, retail and wholesale utility rate and financial studies, other fee and rate studies for local public agencies, cost-of-service studies, financial modeling and accounting studies, economic and fiscal impact/feasibility studies, economic and strategic planning, sales tax analysis, special district administration, and utility regulatory and litigation support. The Project Manager will primarily work independently and report to a Principal Consultant or Group Manager/Director.

Responsibilities

• Conduct updates and reviews of user fee programs and structures to ensure fees recover the costs of providing public agency services.
• Develop and review cost allocation methodologies that appropriately assign indirect overhead costs to an agency’s direct operating activities or functions while ensuring alignment with operations and applicable regulations.
• Create and analyze financial models for water, wastewater, natural gas, electric, solid waste, and stormwater utility clients. Use financial projections, alternative scenarios, and sensitivity analyses to support ratemaking, utility operations, budgeting, forecasting, and informed decision-making.
• Perform detailed analyses to assess the fiscal and economic impacts of new development, redevelopment, or reuse projects on communities and local governments.
• Analyze existing and potential revenue-generation strategies and recommend enhancements or new revenue sources.
• Serve as a primary point of contact for clients, maintaining clear and consistent communication to understand their needs, objectives, and challenges. Build positive client relationships and support client satisfaction throughout each project.
• Manage multiple projects simultaneously and oversee the full project lifecycle, from proposals and contract negotiations through final delivery. Coordinate day-to-day project activities and internal resources to ensure milestones are completed within scope, schedule, budget, and quality standards.
• Conduct in-depth research and analysis to understand client issues, challenges, and operating environments. Use this information to guide project strategy and develop tailored solutions.
• Monitor project progress; review financial models, analyses, and deliverables; identify potential risks; and address issues that could affect project quality or outcomes.
• Prepare reports, presentations, and project updates for clients and internal stakeholders. Clearly communicate findings, recommendations, and project progress, including presenting at public meetings and advising elected and appointed policymakers.
• Monitor project budgets and follow applicable revenue acceptance processes to maintain financial accountability.
• Effectively manage personal and team priorities to ensure tasks and deliverables are completed within established timelines and budgets.
• As assigned, mentor, train, and support the professional development of analysts and other staff members.
• Develop and maintain long-term relationships with clients, stakeholders, and business partners through consistent communication and the delivery of high-quality services. Regularly engage clients to understand their needs, gather feedback, and support customer satisfaction.

Qualifications

• B.A. or B.S. in Finance, Accounting, Economics, Urban Planning, or Public Administration.
• 4 or more years of relevant experience (preferably in a government agency or government consulting firm).
• Prior knowledge and experience with utility or local public government industry clients.
• Ability to prioritize multiple simultaneous projects and tasks to ensure timely execution of high-quality services and deliverables.
• Experience presenting findings to stakeholders including elected governing bodies, local government staff, and the general public.
• Experience collaborating with a wide range of stakeholders while delivering excellent customer service in a highly dynamic growth environment.
• Ability to work effectively in a fast paced, evolving, entrepreneurial work environment.
• Advanced expertise with Microsoft Office Products (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook), and web-based information sources. In particular, developing and understanding financial and economic models and complex spreadsheets in Excel.
• Ability to read, analyze and interpret government regulations, professional journals, industry technical publications and technical manuals or instructions.
• Ability to consistently and accurately calculate figures and mathematical relationships such as discounts, interest, rates of return, proportions and percentages.
• Ability to define problems, collect data, establish facts and draw valid conclusions.
• Ability to interpret an extensive variety of technical instructions in mathematical or diagram form and deal with several abstract or concrete variables.
• Ability to write reports, business correspondence, and procedure manual