Water/Wastewater Department Manager

About the role

The Michael Baker’s Santa Ana office is seeking a leader for the Water/Wastewater Department. This role involves projects, people, and operational leadership, client service and business development, and industry leadership.

Responsibilities

• Leading People: Engage with the department members to provide a career path, understand their strengths, work with them to develop capabilities, and involve them in projects and pursuits to support their development.

• Leading Communication: Communicate effectively and coordinate with project team members, including other disciplines and teaming partners.

• Leading Projects: Maintain responsibility for development and oversight of project budgets, schedules, and management of staff workload to optimize department financial performance.

• Leading in the Office: Participate as an engaged member of the Santa Ana Office Leadership Team at office events and meetings.

• Leading Teams: Lead a project team while maintaining responsibility for planning, design development, calculations, presentations, and overall project development for water resources projects.

• Client Service & Business Development Growth Strategy: Work with project managers, office leaders, and the regional team to identify target clients and programs to develop and implement a Strategic Plan to grow the team.

• Business Development: Cultivate and maintain client and partner relationships as well as lead proposal development and interview preparation for key projects.

• Capture Planning: Support Project Managers and other departments with capture planning and proposal development.

• Industry Leadership: Professionally represent Michael Baker International at professional organizations through active participation and during technical meetings with agency staff, clients, and contractors.

• Mentoring: Support the technical development of the department’s team members by working with them to understand challenges and refine skill sets necessary to develop solutions.

• Quality Assurance: Implement a Quality Program that ensures delivery of accurate deliverables.

• Engineering Analysis: Conduct technical evaluations to support planning and design related to water and wastewater systems.

• Technical Documentation: Prepare and review technical memoranda, reports, drawings, specifications, and miscellaneous contract documents.

Qualifications

• B.S. Degree in Engineering, or related discipline
• Professional Engineer registration in California (P.E.)
• 15+ years in engineering and/or project management with 3+ years supervising engineering personnel in Water/Wastewater
• Experience with team leadership, business development, and project execution for a variety of public works projects
• Motivated self-starter, versatile and interested in working on a variety of projects while leading the Water/Wastewater Team
• Excellent technical writing and communication skills
• A proven track record of responsibility and experience interfacing with clients is preferred
• Participation and/or leadership role in industry organizations is desired

Skills

• Strong technical foundation
• Strategic thinking
• Innovation and continuous improvement
• Growing long-lasting client relationships
• Industry involvement and active participation

Benefits

• Medical, dental, vision insurance
• 401k Retirement Plan
• Health Savings Account (HSA)
• Flexible Spending Account (FSA)
• Life, AD&D, short-term, and long-term disability
• Professional and personal development
• Generous paid time off
• Commuter and wellness benefits

Pay

The approximate compensation range for this position is $185,000 to $230,000. This compensation range is a good faith estimate for the position at the time of posting. Actual compensation is dependent upon factors such as education, qualifications, experience, skillset, and physical work location.

Schedule

This position offers a hybrid schedule that includes both in-office collaboration and remote work. The Department Manager is expected to maintain a regular presence in the Santa Ana office to support team leadership, client engagement, and project delivery, while also benefiting from the flexibility to work from home as appropriate.