Associate Vice President, Rail Program Lead

Wilson & Company, Inc., Engineers and Architects; Phoenix (AZ); On-site; USD 175,000 - 225,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health insurance

Life insurance

Disability coverage

Paid time off

Retirement savings plans

Job summary

Wilson & Company, Inc., Engineers & Architects is seeking an accomplished Rail Program Lead to provide strategic leadership, technical direction, client stewardship, and business growth for our rail and industrial infrastructure practice.

This senior role requires leading complex programs, mentoring multidisciplinary teams, strengthening client relationships, and delivering high-quality solutions for railroad, industrial, public agency, and private-sector clients.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in civil engineering or related field; PE license required.
• 15+ years progressive rail/civil infrastructure experience.
• 5+ years leading programs, project teams, or major client accounts.

Responsibilities

• Lead major rail and industrial infrastructure programs from planning through closeout.
• Advise clients on operational needs, safety requirements, capital plans, and business priorities.
• Develop growth strategies for rail and industrial practice including sales, bookings, backlog, and market positioning.
• Build, mentor, and empower high-performing project managers and technical staff.
• Strengthen client relationships and expand opportunities across Wilson & Company’s services.
• Promote safety, quality management, risk management, and project delivery processes.

Skills

Rail Leadership

Program Management

Business Development

Client Relationships

Mentoring

Education

Bachelor’s in Civil Engineering

Professional Engineer license

Job description

Wilson & Company is seeking an accomplished Rail Program Lead to provide strategic leadership, technical direction, client stewardship, and business growth for our rail and industrial infrastructure practice. This senior role is ideal for a proven rail professional who can lead complex programs, mentor multidisciplinary teams, strengthen client relationships, and deliver high-quality solutions for railroad, industrial, public agency, and private-sector clients.

In this role, you will represent Wilson & Company in the marketplace while collaborating across practice, sector, client account, project management, and technical teams. The successful candidate will balance program delivery, technical excellence, financial performance, staff development, and market growth while advancing a culture of collaboration, quality, safety, and client service.

Key responsibilities

• Lead major rail and industrial infrastructure programs from planning and design through construction support and closeout.
• Serve as a trusted advisor to railroad, industrial, public agency, and private-sector clients by understanding their operational needs, safety requirements, capital plans, and business priorities.
• Develop and execute growth strategies for the rail and industrial practice, including sales, bookings, backlog development, pursuit strategy, proposal leadership, and market positioning.
• Build, mentor, and empower high-performing project managers, technical professionals, and emerging leaders.
• Partner with client account managers and sector leaders to strengthen client relationships and expand opportunities across Wilson & Company’s full range of services.
• Promote Wilson & Company’s safety, quality management, risk management, and project delivery processes.
• Represent Wilson & Company in professional organizations, industry conferences, client meetings, and strategic market initiatives.

Preferred Skills

The ideal candidate will bring a strong combination of rail technical expertise, program leadership, business development capability, financial acumen, and people leadership. Desired skills and competencies include:

• Deep familiarity with railroad requirements, standards, procedures, and stakeholder coordination practices.
• Strong understanding of rail civil design, track infrastructure, drainage, site development, grade crossings, utility coordination, MEP, public projects, and construction support.
• Proven ability to build trusted client relationships, develop new work, lead pursuits, support proposal strategy, and grow a profitable practice.
• Ability to mentor project managers, technical staff, and emerging leaders while supporting recruitment, retention, and succession planning.

Required Experience

The ideal candidate will bring progressive experience in rail, industrial infrastructure, transportation, civil engineering, program management, and/or practice leadership.

• Bachelor’s degree in civil engineering or a closely related engineering field required; advanced degree preferred.
• Professional Engineer license required.
• 15+ years of progressive experience in rail, civil infrastructure, industrial development, transportation, or related markets.
• 5+ years leading programs, project teams, practice areas, business units, or major client accounts.
• Experience preparing proposals, leading interviews, negotiating scopes, developing teams, and growing a sustainable book of business.

Please note that Wilson & Company is not currently sponsoring applicants for work visas.

Annual Salary Range: $175,000-$225,000 (Depending onExperience)

About Us

For nearly a century, Wilson & Company, Inc., Engineers & Architects, has provided award-winning engineering, architecture, planning, environmental, surveying, geospatial, and construction management services. With employees across multiple offices in the Midwest, Southwest, Rocky Mountain, and Western regions in the United States, we bring people together to practice their craft, create value, and accomplish great things.

Guided by our purpose, we help clients move from concept to completion, transforming unused spaces into productive places, underutilized facilities into efficient ones, and rural or urban challenges to achievable solutions.

At Wilson & Company, we focus on your specific needs, delivering excellence with lasting Higher Relationships in mind. By employing our core values-discipline, intensity, collaboration, shared ownership, and solutions we create genuine experiences and lasting connections for our clients, employees, and communities.

We support our employees' success and well-being with a comprehensive benefits package, including options for health insurance, life insurance, disability coverage, paid time off, and retirement savings plans. We are proud to be an EEO employer and maintain a drug-free workplace, conducting pre-employment background checks.

Join us and be part of a culture committed to helping you achieve personal and professional success.