Dams, Levees, and Civil Works Business Class Leader
HDR, Inc.
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Job summary
HDR, Inc. is seeking a Business Class Leader for the Dams Levees, and Civil Works group in Northern California. The role combines strategic leadership, staff development, and client relationship management to deliver planning through construction services for water projects.
You will oversee a multidisciplinary team, drive technical excellence, and align with HDR’s employee-owned culture while growing client partnerships and ensuring high-quality project outcomes across the Water Business Group.
Qualifications
- Bachelor's degree in a Professional, Architecture, Engineering or closely related field.
- 10 years of experience.
- Committed to quality, improvement and HDR values.
- Maintains a professional or engineering registration and has related technical experience.
- Experienced in development and management of diverse teams.
- Works cooperatively with other area business class leaders, operations managers, technical directors and marketing managers on business class efforts.
- An attitude and commitment to being an active participant of our employee-owned culture is a must.
Responsibilities
- Coordinate area staff development and monitor technical competencies.
- Deliver project services to meet client expectations.
- Collaborate with operations, marketing and PM on business class efforts.
- Lead quality assurance reviews and improve standards.
- Plan budgeting and implement business class plans.
- Perform staff supervision and recruitment support.
- Promote technical excellence and knowledge sharing.
- Monitor policy compliance and address delivery risks.
- Support business development and client engagement.
Skills
Education
Job description
At HDR, our employee-owners are fully engaged in creating a welcoming environment where each of us is valued and respected, a place where everyone is empowered to bring their authentic selves and novel ideas to work every day. As we foster a culture of inclusion throughout our company and within our communities, we constantly ask ourselves: What is our impact on the world?
Watch Our Story: https://www.hdrinc.com/our-story
Each and every role throughout our organization makes a difference in our ability to change the world for the better. Read further to learn how you could help make great things possible not only in your community, but around the world.
We believe water is more than a resource, it's a shared responsibility. As part of our Water Business Group, you'll help shape how communities manage water for generations to come. From delivering safe drinking water and treating wastewater responsibly to developing sustainable water supplies and protecting lives and property through flood control, your work will directly support public health, environmental sustainability, and infrastructure resilience. We bring together experts across disciplines to solve complex challenges with bold thinking and technical excellence. Whether you're modernizing aging systems or pioneering innovative approaches, your contributions will make a meaningful difference in people's lives. This isn't just a job, it's a chance to lead change, drive progress, and leave a lasting legacy.
HDR is seeking an experienced and collaborative leader to serve as Business Class Lead (BCL) for the Dams Levees, and Civil Works Business Class (DLCW) within the Northern California Water Business Group (WBG). This role provides strategic, operational, and people leadership for a diverse, multidisciplinary technical team delivering a full suite of services from planning through construction for Water projects. The DLCW BCL will report to the Professional Services Lead (PSL) and will be accountable for growing people, strengthening client partnerships, advancing technical excellence, and executing business strategy, while aligning closely with HDR's values and employee-owned culture.
- Take responsibility for area coordination, monitoring and improvement of technical competencies of business class staff and products to meet client needs and market drivers, all within direction and goals of business class plans
- Participate in delivery of project services to meet client expectations
- Collaborate on business class efforts with area operations, marketing and project management
- Participate in business class practice and professional discipline groups, project teams and activities to continually improve standards and best practices, and implement effective quality assurance and quality control reviews
- Participate in business class strategic planning, budgeting and plan implementation
- Perform other duties as needed
- Supervise and advocate for staff
- Mentor staff and perform AROs. Focus on staff development
- Manage resources, workload, and staff utilization
- Coordinate and confirm staff assignments
- Collaborate on and support recruiting activities
- Manage and report BC utilization to PSL
- Update PSL on BC activities
- Lead BC communications
- Promote technical excellence and knowledge sharing in the BC
- Support and guide development of BC staff
- Organize and encourage participation in practice groups and technical communities
- Support development of technical skills, subject matter expertise, and professional growth opportunities
- Monitor and support company policy / compliance
- Collaborate with project teams to address delivery risks
- Promote adherence to quality management processes and delivery best practices
- Develop and/or support scope and fee reviews
- Provide subject matter expertise for the BC
- Collaborate with PSL and Section Leads on BC operations (identify training, address issues, promote BC health)
- Manage and deliver work consistent with technical skill sets
- Lead BC strategic initiatives
- Support business development and marketing activities. Provide technical leadership and subject matter expertise during pursuits
- Serve as Project Manager or Client Manager on select projects/clients.
- Provide client engagement and present at professional organizational conferences.
- Integrate with BC counterparts (NorCal and National)
- Be a champion for collaboration with other BCs
- Coordinate with leadership to support WBG strategy
- California Civil Professional Engineer (PE) license
- MS in civil, environmental, or water resources engineering
- Experience as a project manager in a consulting business
- Experience directing multi-disciplinary teams and multi-disciplinary projects
- Experience with providing engineering during construction services
- Strong technical writing abilities and effective presentation skills
- Actively engaged in professional or industry associations to enhance HDR technical expertise and brand
#LI-MO1
- Bachelor's degree in a Professional, Architecture, Engineering or closely related field
- 10 years of experience
- Committed to quality, improvement and HDR values
- Maintains a professional or engineering registration and has related technical experience
- Experienced in development and management of diverse teams
- Works cooperatively with other area business class leaders, operations managers, technical directors and marketing managers on business class efforts
- An attitude and commitment to being an active participant of our employee-owned culture is a must
HDR is our company. Together, we build on each other's life experiences and perspectives to make great things possible every day. This shapes our collaborative culture, encourages organizational trust and connects us closer to the clients and communities we serve.
As employee owners, we all have a role in creating an inclusive environment where each of us is welcomed, valued, respected and empowered to bring our authentic selves to work every day.
Our eight Employee Network Groups (Asian Pacific, Black, Hispanic/Latino(a), LGBTQ+, People with Disabilities, Veterans, Women, Young Professionals) help create a sense of belonging and foster a supportive environment where everyone is empowered to engage and contribute. Each group has an executive sponsor and is open to all employees.
We provide a comprehensive benefits package that promotes employee ownership, employee health, performance, and success, which includes medical, dental, vision, short and long-term disability, life insurance, an employee assistance program, paid time away, parental leave, paid holidays, a retirement savings plan with employer match, employee referral bonus and tuition reimbursement. Stated benefits are for full-time regular positions. The expected compensation range for this position is $170,258.00 - $264,375.00 annually depending upon skills, experience, education and geographical location.
Primary Location: United States-California-Folsom
Other Locations: United States-California-Walnut Creek, United States-California-Santa Clara, United States-California-Oakland, United States-California-Sacramento
Industry: Water
Schedule: Full-time
Employee Status: Regular
BusinessClass: Dams Levees Civil Works
Job Posting: Sep 1, 2026
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