Wastewater Treatment and Effluent Management (WTEM) Business Class Director

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. As part of our Water Business Group, you’ll help shape how communities manage water for generations to come—from delivering safe drinking water and treating wastewater responsibly to developing sustainable water supplies and protecting lives and property through flood control. Your work will directly support public health, environmental sustainability, and infrastructure resilience.

We bring together experts across disciplines to solve complex challenges with bold thinking and technical excellence. As the Wastewater and Effluent Management (WWEM) Business Class Director, you will provide company-wide leadership for HDR’s Wastewater Treatment program, ensuring direction, coordination, and quality of work while building close relationships with related business classes, market sectors, and operations.

Responsibilities

• Provide company-wide leadership of technical capabilities within the WWEM business class.
• Build and coordinate relationships with related business classes, market sectors, business groups, and operations.
• Lead and participate in technical risk management through process and resource reviews, technical advisory services, and claims prevention.
• Drive quality assurance and control processes, coordinating with the Water Business Group Quality Manager.
• Oversee development and application of technical tools, standards, and techniques to enhance service quality and efficiency.
• Monitor emerging technologies and ensure technical staff are aware of advancements.
• Oversee assignment of qualified staff to projects, including effective use of worksharing.
• Develop strategic plans for the business class and provide input on business trends to leadership.
• Lead applied research strategy (e.g., Water Research Foundation) to advance WTEM capabilities and translate research into practice.
• Maintain strategic relationships with university graduate programs for workforce development and recruiting.
• Facilitate teamwork, communication, and work sharing across offices, business classes, and staff.
• Monitor business class direction, policies, quality assurance, and resource allocation.
• Build technical expertise and production capacity through recruitment and training.
• Support client development and project pursuits with technical experts.
• Ensure technical experts represent HDR in industry organizations through presentations and publications.
• Oversee Practice Groups within the business class.
• Facilitate “lessons learned” for project delivery, processes, and trends.
• Monitor company-wide performance and support operational managers in corrective actions.
• Facilitate the PARR process, including assignment of Lead Reviewers and exemption reviews.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in a professional, architecture, engineering, or closely related field.
• Minimum of 10 years of experience in a related field.
• Professional or Architecture/Engineering registration (for technical design roles).
• Experience in development and management of diverse teams.
• Ability to work cooperatively with business class directors, operations managers, and technical directors.
• Commitment to quality, improvement, and HDR’s employee-owned culture.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience in a Business Class or Professional Services leadership role.
• Experience working with HDR business class directors, operations managers, and marketing managers.

Keywords: wastewater treatment, nutrient removal, effluent management, planning, water reclamation.

Location and Travel

The position is location-flexible but prefers areas with significant HDR presence. Travel averages 50%, with monthly variations between 0% and 75%.

Pay

The expected compensation range for this position is $178,952–$336,375, depending on skills, experience, education, and geographical location.

Benefits

• Comprehensive benefits package promoting employee ownership, health, and success.
• Medical, dental, and vision insurance.
• Short- and long-term disability, life insurance, and an employee assistance program.
• Paid time away, parental leave, and paid holidays.
• Retirement savings plan with employer match.
• Employee referral bonus and tuition reimbursement.
• Eight Employee Network Groups (e.g., Asian Pacific, Black, LGBTQ+, Veterans, Women) fostering inclusion and support.

Available Locations

United States (multiple locations, including Omaha, NE; Charlotte, NC; Seattle, WA; Denver, CO; and others).