Central/West Regional Alternative Project Delivery Leader

Gannett Fleming; Chicago (IL); Hybrid; USD 250,000 - 415,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Hybrid work

Wellness programs

401(k) plan

PTO

Tuition reimbursement

Job summary

GFT is seeking a Regional Alternative Project Delivery Leader to join our team in the Central/West region. This executive role will shape how GFT pursues and delivers large infrastructure programs across North America, partnering with national APD leadership and regional teams.

You will lead strategy, client and contractor relationships, risk management, and team development across offices, with travel as needed and a focus on competitive, high‑impact delivery.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Civil Engineering or a related engineering discipline.
• 20+ years of experience managing the design and delivery of complex, multidisciplinary transportation or highway projects.
• Proven ability to lead multidisciplinary teams across multiple offices, disciplines, and business lines.
• Strong financial, commercial, contractual, and risk-management acumen.
• Experience managing executive-level relationships with clients, contractors, owners, and strategic partners on large infrastructure programs.
• Ability to travel throughout the assigned region and across North America as business needs require.

Responsibilities

• Provide executive leadership for the design and delivery of large, complex APD projects within the region.
• Lead multidisciplinary teams across business lines, technical disciplines, and offices in high‑intensity project environments.
• Develop and maintain relationships with contractors, public-sector owners, clients, and teaming partners.
• Manage the APD opportunity pipeline, strategic pursuits, risk management, and project delivery performance.
• Support growth and capability development across the North American APD practice.

Skills

Executive leadership

Strategic planning

Relationship building

Project delivery

Risk management

Cross-functional collaboration

Travel flexibility

Education

Bachelor's degree in Civil Engineering or related engineering discipline

Job description

What You Will Do

GFT is seeking a Regional Alternative Project Delivery Leader to join our team in the Central/West Region!

GFT is expanding its Alternative Project Delivery (APD) leadership across North America and seeking accomplished transportation executives to serve as Regional Alternative Project Delivery Leaders. These highly visible leadership roles will help shape how GFT pursues and delivers some of the industry's largest and most complex infrastructure programs.

Working in partnership with GFT's National APD Leader, Transportation leadership, and regional teams, each Regional APD Leader will have primary accountability for the APD opportunity pipeline, strategic pursuits, project delivery, risk management, contractor and client relationships, and practice development within an assigned geography. This is an opportunity to influence GFT's continued growth in alternative delivery while building the teams, relationships, and capabilities necessary to compete for and successfully deliver transformational infrastructure programs.

What you will be challenged to do

• Lead GFT's Alternative Project Delivery strategy and execution within an assigned region while contributing to our broader North American APD strategy
• Position GFT for major design-build, progressive design-build, CM-at-risk, P3, integrated project delivery, and EPC opportunities
• Provide executive leadership for complex APD projects, balancing exceptional delivery with commercial performance and disciplined risk management
• Develop and strengthen strategic relationships with contractors, public-sector owners, clients, and teaming partners
• Build a strong regional pipeline of APD opportunities while increasing the competitiveness and success of major pursuits
• Develop the next generation of design managers and APD project leaders and strengthen GFT's alternative delivery capabilities across the enterprise

Project Delivery & Operational Leadership

• Provide executive leadership for the design and delivery of large, complex alternative delivery projects across the region
• Lead multidisciplinary teams across business lines, technical disciplines, and offices in high-intensity project environments
• Partner with project leadership, controls, and scheduling teams to monitor scope, cost, schedule, quality, and financial performance
• Provide oversight of project delivery, contract administration, client communication, billing, collections, and profitability in partnership with regional Transportation leadership
• Promote consistent APD delivery practices and apply lessons learned across projects, offices, and regions

Commercial & Risk Management

• Lead regional APD go/no-go and stage-gate activities in collaboration with Transportation leadership and executive management
• Partner with the National APD Leader, APD Risk Team, Legal, and insurance resources to identify, evaluate, mitigate, and elevate contractual, commercial, and delivery risks
• Ensure project teams understand and comply with contract requirements, established risk controls, and financial expectations
• Champion commercial discipline and proactive risk management throughout the APD project lifecycle.

Growth, Clients & Market Positioning

• Build and maintain executive relationships with priority contractors, public-sector clients, owner representatives, teaming partners, and industry stakeholders
• Lead and support major APD pursuits, including capture strategy, contractor teaming, interviews, and executive presentations
• Maintain a robust regional APD opportunity pipeline aligned with GFT's priority markets, clients, and growth objectives
• Collaborate with Client Service Leaders, market leaders, the Growth organization, and peer Regional APD Leaders on cross-regional and North American opportunities
• Represent GFT at industry conferences, client meetings, presentations, public forums, and other events that strengthen our position in the APD marketplace

People & Practice Development

• Develop and mentor design managers and APD project leaders through coaching and active participation in complex assignments
• Align regional staffing and technical resources with current project requirements and the future APD pipeline
• Help recruit, develop, and retain the leadership and technical talent necessary to support continued APD growth
• Foster collaboration and knowledge sharing across regions to strengthen GFT's North American APD practice

Education | Experience

• Bachelor's degree in Civil Engineering or a related engineering discipline
• 20+ years of experience managing the design and delivery of complex, multidisciplinary transportation or highway projects
• Demonstrated design management experience on major alternative delivery projects utilizing one or more delivery models such as design-build, progressive design-build, P3, CM-at-risk, integrated project delivery, or EPC
• Proven ability to lead multidisciplinary teams across multiple offices, disciplines, and business lines
• Strong financial, commercial, contractual, and risk-management acumen
• Experience managing executive-level relationships with clients, contractors, owners, and strategic partners on large, complex infrastructure programs
• Demonstrated ability to lead major pursuits, influence teaming strategies, and deliver compelling executive presentations
• Strong communication, negotiation, decision-making, and relationship-building skills
• Ability to travel throughout the assigned region and across North America as business needs require

Preferred Qualifications

• Professional Engineer (PE) or P.Eng. registration
• Design-Build Institute of America (DBIA) certification or commitment to obtaining certification
• Experience negotiating complex commercial and contractual terms
• Experience working for, or in close partnership with, a general contractor on major horizontal or vertical construction programs
• Established relationships with leading contractors, public-sector owners, and APD teaming partners

Compensation

The salary range for this role is $250,000 - $415,000. Salary is dependent upon experience and geographic location. As part of our executive team, you'll be rewarded for driving results and shaping the company's future through participation in our Short-Term Incentive Bonus programs.

Featured Benefits

• Hybrid (in-person and remote) work environment.
• Comprehensive benefits package including wellness programs, parental leave, and pet insurance, in addition to medical, dental, vision, disability, and life insurance.
• Tax-deferred 401(k) savings plan.
• Competitive paid-time-off (PTO) accrual.
• Tuition reimbursement for continued education.
• Commitment to professional development, access to internal and external training programs, and support of active participation in professional organizations
• Incentive compensation for eligible positions.

Company Overview:

At GFT, a privately held AEC firm, we innovate where transportation, water, power, and buildings converge. We call this the Infrastructure of Life. We measure our success by the strength of our relationships - that's why we're the employer of choice for 5,000+ of the industry's brightest engineers, planners, architects, inspectors, designers, and more.

Our clients choose us for our expertise and prefer us for our nimble approach, creativity, and personal touch. Backed by over a century's experience, together we're building a lasting legacy for future generations: stronger communities, a healthier planet, and better lives.

GFT: Ingenuity That Shapes Lives is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified candidates will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, veterans' status or other characteristics protected by law.

Unsolicited resumes from third party agencies will be considered the property GFT.

GFT does require the successful completion of a criminal background check for all advertised positions.

Location

Based in any GFT office within the assigned U.S. or Canadian region, subject to applicable country requirements.

Core Business Hours: 8:00 AM - 5:00 PM

Employment Status: Full-Time

Salary Range: $250,000 - $415,000

Applicants in the County of Los Angeles

Qualified applications with arrest or conviction records will be considered for employment in accordance with the Los Angeles County Fair Chance Ordinance for Employers and the California Fair Chance Act.

Applicants in the City of San Francisco

Pursuant to the San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance, we will consider for employment qualified applicants with arrest and conviction records.

Applicants in the State of California

-Qualified applications with arrest or conviction records will be considered for employment in accordance with the California Fair Chance Act.