Client Services Leader and Executive Director

Brown and Caldwell; Santa Monica (CA); On-site; USD 158,000 - 216,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical

Dental

Vision

Life insurance

401(k) match

Tuition reimbursement

Paid time off

Bonus eligibility

Job summary

Brown and Caldwell in California seeks a Client Service Leader and Executive Director to guide advisory services for priority clients and lead a key client organization toward sustainable, reliable urban water supplies. This role shapes growth strategy, aligns resources, and delivers high-quality, profitable programs while maintaining executive-level relationships.

You will oversee multi-year growth across service lines, supervise Client Service Teams, and represent BC at board meetings.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in engineering, science, business, sales, or equivalent experience required.
• Minimum 15 years in environmental engineering and consulting with growth responsibilities.
• Water industry experience and CA-water network preferred.
• Masters or PhD is preferred.

Responsibilities

• Define and lead enterprise-level growth strategies for Type I clients.
• Shape client business case across multiple service lines and geographies.
• Drive expansion into advisory services including adjacent services and new markets.
• Provide executive leadership and strategic direction to support client mission.
• Balance growth, margin, retention, and service diversification.
• Lead mature, multi-disciplinary CSTs with enterprise visibility.

Skills

Executive leadership

Strategic planning

Client relationships

Growth strategy

Pursuit leadership

Communication

Education

Bachelor's degree

Masters/PhD preferred

Job description

In this role, the individual will serve as a Client Service Leader, advancing advisory services for priority clients as well as an Executive Director, leading a key client organization in achieving its mission to promote sustainable, reliable urban water supplies. Responsibilities as a Client Service Leader includes driving growth of advisory services with key clients, supporting strategy, decision making, communications and stakeholder alignment, planning and financing, and operational performance. Responsibilities as Executive Director include serving as a trusted partner and objective resource on California water issues, strengthening collaboration among member agencies, representing the organization at Board meetings and related stakeholder engagements, and providing strategic counsel to support informed decision-making. The Executive Director will also advance a unified voice for urban water solutions that support thriving communities and a healthy environment.

Job Description

The Client Service Leader and Executive Director role is a strategic account leader responsible for defining and advancing multi-year growth strategies for priority clients. This role shapes client vision, aligns enterprise resources, and drives sustained revenue growth across service lines and markets. Moreover, this role reflects consistent success in advancing long-term client relationships, leading high-performing Client Service Teams (CSTs), shaping growth strategy, winning complex pursuits, and delivering high-quality, profitable programs.

A Client Service Leader and Executive Director is highly regarded within Brown and Caldwell (BC) for advancing Advisory Services, working across the full client lifecycle. They deepen our understanding of client organizations, strengthen long-term partnerships, and enhance the impact of BC's traditional engineering and technical services. They translate client and market intelligence into actionable strategy, align multidisciplinary teams around a defined future state, and position BC as a trusted advisor. The Client Service Leader and Executive Director sets the tone and direction for the CST, clearly articulating and advancing a multi-year client vision aligned with Area and Market leadership priorities.

Building on demonstrated success from past experience, the Client Service and Executive Director has shown the ability to expand executive-level relationships, align client organizations with BC's advisory services and technical expertise, manage portfolio performance, and ensure consistent delivery excellence. This role balances growth leadership with oversight of quality, risk, and profitability.

As a key element of the role, the Client Service Leader and Executive Director will put approximately 8 - 12 hours per week toward executive management of a client organization, leveraging strong government/stakeholder relationships, excellent communication and facilitation skills, and a water policy background to implement the organization's mission and strategy. This role collaborates with internal teams and external partners to contribute thought leadership on key issues. The Client Services Leader and Executive Director applies knowledge of California water issues, including existing and legislative and regulatory matters, and actively contributes to thought leadership within and on behalf of the organization.

A Client Service and Executive Director typically:

• Serves as Client Service Manager for one Type I client or up to two Type II clients
• Maintains 30-50% utilization, with remaining capacity focused on strategic growth and client development
• Spends approximately 85% of time in direct client engagement (billable or non-billable)

Responsibilities

• Define and lead enterprise-level growth strategies for Type I clients.
• Shape client business case across multiple service lines and geographies.
• Drive expansion into advisory services including adjacent services and new markets.
• Provide executive leadership and strategic direction to support key client organization's mission and long-term objectives. For additional Executive Director responsibilities, please see the Affiliate, Executive Director Job Description.
• Balance growth, margin, retention, and service diversification.
• Partner with executive leadership to calibrate strategic account performance.
• Lead mature, multi-disciplinary CSTs with enterprise visibility.
• Align Area, Market, and Service Line leadership around unified client strategy.
• Develop next-generation CSM talent through active coaching and sponsorship.
• Maintain executive-level relationships across the client organization.
• Anticipate shifts in political, regulatory, and funding environments.
• Position BC as a strategic advisor beyond project delivery.
• Serve as Sales Leader for major strategic pursuits.
• Influence enterprise resource allocation for key accounts.
• Flexibility to adapt and execute various additional assignments based on evolving needs.

Mentorship

• May provide mentorship, guidance, support, and knowledge-sharing to help less experienced team members develop their skills and grow within their roles.

Skills and Competencies

• Exceptional capability in managing complex client portfolios to deliver sustained revenue growth, margin performance, and service expansion.
• Demonstrated executive leadership and strategic planning capabilities.
• Strong executive acumen balancing strategic growth leadership with oversight of quality, risk, and profitability.
• Advanced ability to identify, evaluate, and shape high-value business opportunities, including go/no-go decisions and pursuit strategy development.
• Proven success serving as Sales Leader on major, strategic proposals.
• Exceptional ability to develop, expand, and influence executive-level client relationships.
• Advanced skill in translating client business drivers, political dynamics, and market forces into actionable growth strategies.
• Demonstrated capability to identify emerging markets, align required capabilities, and mobilize talent to capture new opportunities.
• Advanced ability to lead and align multidisciplinary teams around complex business objectives.
• Strong working knowledge of governance frameworks, decision-support models, and change leadership practices.
• Exceptional strategic planning, engagement, and communication capabilities.
• Highly developed facilitation, executive presentation, and negotiation skills.
• Advanced risk identification, mitigation, and portfolio management expertise.
• Proficiency in leveraging digital solutions, data systems, and AI-enabled tools to enhance client and business performance.
• Strong leadership presence with the ability to inspire, influence, and hold teams accountable at multiple organizational levels.

Experience

• Typically, a minimum of 15 years of experience in environmental engineering and consulting industry with progressive responsibilities including marketing and business development.

Education

• A bachelor's degree in engineering, science, business, sales, or equivalent experience is required.

Preferred

• A Masters or a Ph.D. is preferred
• Water industry experience, executive leadership experience, and an established network within California water.
• Ability to attend CA client organization's Board and committee meetings and represent the client organization at meetings, hearings, and conferences held throughout the State.

Salary Range

The anticipated starting pay range for this position is based on the employee's primary work location and may be more or less depending upon skills, experience, and education. These ranges may be modified in the future.

Location A: $144,000 - $196,000

Location B: $158,000 - $216,000

Location C: $172,000 - $236,000

Benefits and Other Compensation

We provide a comprehensive benefits package that promotes employee health, performance, and success which includes:

• medical
• dental
• vision
• short and long-term disability
• life insurance
• an employee assistance program
• paid time off and parental leave
• paid holidays
• 401(k) retirement savings plan with employer match
• performance-based bonus eligibility
• employee referral bonuses
• tuition reimbursement
• pet insurance
• long-term care insurance

About Brown and Caldwell

Headquartered in Walnut Creek, California, Brown and Caldwell is a full-service environmental engineering and construction services firm with 50 offices and over 2,100 professionals across North America and the Pacific. For more than 75 years, we have created leading-edge environmental solutions for municipalities, private industry, and government agencies. We strive to be the company of choice to our clients, who benefit from our passion for delivering exceptional quality, and to our employees, present and future, who share our commitment to client service, collaboration, and innovation. Join us, and you will find a home where you can do your best work, reach new levels of expertise, and enjoy exceptional development opportunities. For more information, visit www.brownandcaldwell.com

This position is subject to a pre-employment background check and a pre-employment drug test.

Brown and Caldwell is proud to be an EEO/AAP Employer.

Brown and Caldwell encourages protected veterans, individuals with disabilities, and applicants from all backgrounds to apply.

Brown and Caldwell ensures nondiscrimination in all programs and activities in accordance with Title VI of the Civil Rights Act.

Equal Opportunity Employer/Protected Veterans/Individuals with Disabilities

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For further information, please review the Know Your Rights notice from the Department of Labor.