Client Service Director - Water/Wastewater

Kennedy Jenks; San Francisco (CA); Hybrid; USD 150,000 - 235,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading engineering and environmental consulting firm is seeking a Client Service Director to drive growth in their water and wastewater practice. The ideal candidate will have strong client relationships, business development experience, and a passion for team leadership. This senior role involves managing key projects and expanding service offerings while ensuring quality delivery and client satisfaction.

Benefits

Comprehensive benefits package

401k and bonus opportunities

Tuition reimbursement

Flexible hybrid work environment

Qualifications

• Minimum of 15 years of relevant experience.
• Thorough understanding of local market and established industry relationships.
• Proven experience with negotiation and client service management.

Responsibilities

• Engage with the marketplace to identify new clients and projects.
• Build, lead, and motivate teams to deliver exceptional client service.
• Manage key projects from planning through construction.

Skills

Business Development

Client Service Management

Team Building

Communication Skills

Education

BS or MS in Civil, Chemical, Environmental Engineering

PE license

Job description

Client Service Director - Water/Wastewater

San Francisco, CA, USA

Job Description

Posted Thursday, May 8, 2025 at 10:00 AM

Founded in 1919, KJ has always looked to the future. With a talented team of professionals and a culture of continuous improvement, we deliver exceptional engineering and environmental consulting services today, with a focus on innovation and sustainability. Using new advanced analytics, technology, and tools, KJ improves designs, reduces risk, and finds better ways to deliver projects. KJ is at the forefront of developing sustainable solutions for clients, including green infrastructure design, strategies to reduce energy use and environmental impacts, and award-winning water reuse projects. We are known for our dedication to industry-leading client service and tailored solutions.

Kennedy Jenks is seeking a dynamic Client Service Director with strong client relationships, a proven track record, team-building capabilities, and business leadership skills to drive the growth of our thriving public and private sector water and wastewater practice across the United States. This senior leadership role is crucial to our continued success in delivering quality solutions to our valued clients. You will be an integral part of a forward-thinking engineering practice involved in exciting and meaningful project work across our national footprint.

Key Responsibilities:

• Business Development: Engage with the marketplace to identify new clients and projects, and work collaboratively with our team to pursue and secure these opportunities.
• Client Expansion: Leverage existing relationships with municipal and industry clients, and KJ’s local and national project portfolio to expand service offerings.
• Leadership: Build, lead, and motivate teams to deliver exceptional client service on projects.
• Project Management: Take responsibility for managing key projects from the planning phase through construction, ensuring quality delivery.
• Brand Development: Lead client service and professional engagement efforts to enhance both personal and company brand awareness, while identifying new opportunities and partnerships to drive growth.
• Strategic Planning: Contribute to statewide strategic planning, utilizing marketing knowledge and your established client relationships.
• Staff Development: Collaborate with internal leaders to hire and develop staff, ensuring team success.
• Proposal Oversight: Lead strategic project positioning, including developing key teaming partners, overseeing proposal development, and preparing for client interviews.
• Project Development: Oversee the preparation of project scope, schedules, fee negotiations, project staffing, and coordination of activities related to planning, design, and construction.
• Travel: Travel to client and project sites for meetings and travel to other Kennedy Jenks offices will be necessary.
• Project Contribution: Contribute to project delivery goals by managing projects or serving as a project engineer or team member.

Qualifications:

• Local Market Expertise: Thorough understanding of the local market, with established industry relationships and strong technical knowledge of water, wastewater, pipeline, stormwater, environmental, and industrial consulting.
• Entrepreneurial Spirit: Proven experience with business development, relationship-building, negotiation, and client service management, all delivered with integrity.
• Team Building: Enthusiasm for fostering team collaboration, staff development, and inclusive leadership.
• Communication Skills: Strong writing, editing, research, and verbal communication abilities.
• Experience: Minimum of 15 years of relevant experience.
• Education: BS or MS in Civil, Chemical, Environmental, or a related engineering field. PE license required or ability to obtain immediately. Design-Build experience and DBIA certification are a plus.
• Travel Requirements: Ability to travel to clients and Kennedy Jenks offices as needed.

Work Flexibility:

Kennedy Jenks supports a healthy work-life balance and utilizes a hybrid model of home and office work to empower our team members to thrive and achieve their full potential.

Compensation:

The salary range for this position is anticipated to be between $150,000 and $235,000, depending on education, experience, qualifications, licensure/certifications, and geographic location.

Kennedy Jenks offers a comprehensive benefits package, including medical, dental, vision, life and disability insurance, 401k, bonus opportunities, tuition reimbursement, professional registration support, a competitive PTO and holiday plan, and other benefits and programs.

#LI-hybrid

As an employee-owned firm, Kennedy Jenks offers a unique company culture with a corporate commitment to maintaining a positive work/life experience with a flexible hybrid work environment. Kennedy Jenks provides competitive compensation that will vary based upon education, experience, qualifications, skills, licensure/certifications, seniority, and geographic location. We offer a full benefits package.
Kennedy Jenks is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, creed, sex, pregnancy and pregnancy-related conditions, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, marital status, disability, citizenship status, genetics, protected veteran status, or any other characteristics protected by applicable law.