Water Conveyance Practice Leader

About the role

We’re seeking an established California Water Conveyance Practice Leader to support delivering world-class water storage projects for our municipal, private, and agricultural clients. You may report to any of our California offices (Carlsbad, Pasadena, Bakersfield, Davis, Sacramento, or Oakland). This successful candidate will have entrepreneurial skills aligned with GEI’s Strategic Plan.

As a California Water Conveyance Practice Leader, you will collaborate with our Western Region Growth Leader and Marketing team to develop and implement a water conveyance growth strategy for California. This includes retaining and building a team of water conveyance engineers and planners to deliver challenging projects and foster team growth. You will also analyze market trends to create technical differentiation from competitors while serving as a conduit between our National Water Leaders, Operations leadership, and western region staff.

You will lead business development activities with key clients, acquire new projects, and serve as a Project Manager for various projects within a defined client portfolio. Responsibilities include leading and managing project teams through all phases of planning, execution, and closeout to meet scope, schedule, budget, and contract requirements. Using your technical expertise, you will mentor staff, build long-term client relationships, and pursue new work through strategy development, positioning, proposing, and negotiating contracts.

Responsibilities

• Develop and implement a water conveyance growth strategy for California in collaboration with the Western Region Growth Leader and Marketing team.
• Retain and build a team of water conveyance engineers and planners to deliver complex projects.
• Analyze market trends to create technical differentiation from competitors.
• Serve as a liaison between National Water Leaders, Operations leadership, and western region practice managers and staff.
• Lead business development activities with key clients to acquire new projects.
• Manage projects and programs within a defined client portfolio, ensuring adherence to scope, schedule, budget, and contract requirements.
• Lead and manage project teams through all phases of planning, execution, and closeout.
• Mentor staff and build long-term client relationships.
• Pursue new work through strategy development, positioning, proposing, and negotiating contracts.

Requirements

• Bachelor's degree in Civil Engineering or a related engineering discipline.
• Minimum of 15 years of experience in the water industry, focusing on pressurized and non-pressurized pipeline systems.
• Licensed Professional Engineer.
• Demonstrated track record of delivering multiple water conveyance-related projects.
• Proven ability to manage and motivate a multi-disciplinary team.
• Ability to lead the design and preparation of plans, specifications, estimates, studies, proposals, and reports.

Preferred Qualifications

• Master's degree in Civil Engineering or a related engineering discipline.
• Experience serving clients in water conveyance, including large diameter pipelines (48-inch diameter and above), pipeline design, tunnel design, water pump station design, tank design, and project management.
• 20+ years of experience in the water industry in a civil engineering role.
• Desire for both personal and team growth.
• Experience with alternative project delivery methods.
• Ability to serve as the technical liaison/leader between the project owner and the design team.
• Strong business development, interpersonal, and networking skills.
• Experience supporting business development activities with local municipalities.
• Comfortable working both collaboratively and independently.

Benefits

• Market-competitive compensation with eligibility for an annual performance bonus.
• Pay range: $150,000.00 – $250,000/year.
• Comprehensive benefits program, including medical, dental, vision, life, and disability insurance.
• Well-being program and paid parental leave.
• Commuter benefits and cell phone stipend.
• Hybrid work schedules.
• GEI University (GEIU) with continuing education assistance and tuition reimbursement.
• Connecting Conversation Program focused on professional development and advancement opportunities.
• Support and financial rewards for publication awards, professional dues, and licenses.
• Paid holidays and generous paid time off program.
• Rewards and recognition programs.
• GEI-funded profit sharing and 401(k).
• Opportunity to become an owner and shareholder.
• A vibrant culture focused on partnership, sustainability, community engagement, and diversity, equity, and inclusion.

Physical Requirements

Work environment involves sedentary to light physical activity levels throughout the workday.

• Sitting: Occasional (0-35% of day)
• Standing: Frequent (33-66% of day)
• Walking: Frequent (33-66% of day)
• Climbing, lifting (floor to waist/waist level and above), carrying objects, push/pull, twisting, bending, reaching forward/overhead, squat/kneel/crawl: Occasional (0-35% of day)
• Wrist position deviation, pinching/fine motor skills, keyboard use/repetitive motion: Continuous (67-100% of day)
• Near vision: Very accurate (20/20)
• Far vision, color discrimination, depth perception, hearing: Accurate

Environmental Exposure Risks:

• Blood borne pathogens: Not anticipated
• Chemical exposure: Reasonably anticipated
• Airborne communicable diseases, extreme temperatures, radiation, uneven surfaces or elevations, extreme noise levels, dust/particulate matter: Not anticipated

Usual workday hours: 8 hours.