Dir Land & Permitting

Williams-Sonoma; Houston (TX); On-site; USD 180,000 - 240,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Strong pay and annual incentive

Medical, dental, vision coverage

401(k) with company match

Paid time off and holidays

Parental leave and family support

AI tools and upskilling resources

Tuition reimbursement

HSA and FSA options

Life insurance and disability coverage

Employee stock purchase plan

Job summary

Williams, based in Houston, seeks a Director of Land & Permitting to lead land rights, permitting, environmental, and cultural resource activities for project delivery. The role establishes enterprise standards, governance, and workforce strategies to enable compliant, safe, and efficient execution while mitigating risk.

The candidate partners with Engineering, Legal, and Regulators, driving strategic land acquisition and regulatory engagements.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Business, Environmental Science, Engineering, Finance, Land Management, Natural Resources, or a related field and ten (10) years of experience in oil and gas, energy, utility, infrastructure, or a related industry and five (5) years of leadership experience with responsibility for leading teams, programs, or organizational functions
• Preferred: Master's degree in Business, Environmental Science, Engineering, Land Management, Public Administration, or a related field and fifteen (15) or more years of industry experience and seven (7) or more years of leadership experience

Responsibilities

• Establishes and executes enterprise strategies for land, right-of-way, permitting, environmental, and cultural resource activities that support operational objectives, project execution, regulatory compliance, and long-term business growth
• Leads and integrates land acquisition, land administration, property management, permitting, and compliance functions to ensure consistent, efficient, and effective delivery across the organization
• Directs regulatory engagement and permitting efforts to secure, maintain, and fulfill federal, state, local, and other required approvals, including applicable post-construction commitments
• Establishes governance frameworks, performance standards, data management practices, and continuous improvement initiatives that strengthen operational effectiveness, accountability, and risk management
• Partners with Engineering, Operations, Project Management, Legal, Regulatory, Government Affairs, landowners, regulators, and other stakeholders to support project execution, resolve complex issues, and mitigate business risks
• Builds organizational capability through workforce planning, talent development, succession planning, coaching, and leadership development while fostering a culture of safety, environmental stewardship, collaboration, and operational excellence

Skills

Negotiation

Communication

Critical thinking

Problem solving

Stakeholder management

Education

Bachelor's degree in Business/Environmental Science/Engineering/Land Management

10 years of oil and gas/energy permitting or related industry

Job description

At Williams, we're powering a cleaner, more connected future, and that starts with you. Here, your work fuels communities, drives innovation, and helps deliver reliable energy the world depends on. Join a Fortune 500 team that invests in your growth, values your contributions, and challenges you to make a lasting impact every day.

The Director, Land & Permitting provides strategic leadership for land, right-of-way, permitting, environmental, and cultural resource functions supporting operations and project execution. This role establishes enterprise standards, governance, processes, and workforce strategies that enable the acquisition and management of land rights, regulatory approvals, and compliance obligations while supporting safe, efficient, and responsible project delivery. The Director leads multiple functions through managers and cross-functional partnerships to drive operational excellence, risk mitigation, and environmental stewardship.

Responsibilities & Expectations

• Establishes and executes enterprise strategies for land, right-of-way, permitting, environmental, and cultural resource activities that support operational objectives, project execution, regulatory compliance, and long-term business growth
• Leads and integrates land acquisition, land administration, property management, permitting, and compliance functions to ensure consistent, efficient, and effective delivery across the organization
• Directs regulatory engagement and permitting efforts to secure, maintain, and fulfill federal, state, local, and other required approvals, including applicable post-construction commitments
• Establishes governance frameworks, performance standards, data management practices, and continuous improvement initiatives that strengthen operational effectiveness, accountability, and risk management
• Partners with Engineering, Operations, Project Management, Legal, Regulatory, Government Affairs, landowners, regulators, and other stakeholders to support project execution, resolve complex issues, and mitigate business risks
• Builds organizational capability through workforce planning, talent development, succession planning, coaching, and leadership development while fostering a culture of safety, environmental stewardship, collaboration, and operational excellence

Education/Years of Experience

• Bachelor's degree in Business, Environmental Science, Engineering, Finance, Land Management, Natural Resources, or a related field and ten (10) years of experience in oil and gas, energy, utility, infrastructure, or a related industry and five (5) years of leadership experience with responsibility for leading teams, programs, or organizational functions
• Preferred: Master's degree in Business, Environmental Science, Engineering, Land Management, Public Administration, or a related field and fifteen (15) or more years of industry experience and seven (7) or more years of leadership experience

Other Requirements

• Demonstrates knowledge of land acquisition, rights-of-way, property management, permitting, environmental compliance, and regulatory processes
• Experience developing business strategies, influencing stakeholders, and making decisions with broad operational and business impact
• Strong negotiation, communication, critical thinking, and problem-solving skills
• Ability to establish effective working relationships across departments, disciplines, regulators, landowners, and external stakeholders
• Preferred: Experience supporting large-scale pipeline, energy, utility, or industrial infrastructure projects.
• Preferred: Knowledge of federal, state, and local regulatory requirements impacting pipeline and facilities development and operations
• Preferred: Environmental due diligence, operational compliance, or environmental permitting experience
• Preferred: Professional certification related to land, right-of-way, environmental, project management, or regulatory disciplines

Why Houston?

Big career opportunities in one of the world's energy capitals, endless food spots and a diverse vibe-all without paying NYC or LA prices. Work hard, live better. Check out Houston.org to learn more.

We invest in our people in ways that actually show up in your day-to-day, not just on paper. Our Total Rewards are built to support how you work, live, and plan for what's next.

Here's a look at what that means:

• Strong pay plus an annual incentive program
• Medical, dental, and vision coverage with options that fit your life, not the other way around
• 401(k) with company match and an annual company contribution
• Paid time off, including company and floating holidays
• Paid parental leave (up to six weeks per parent), plus fertility and adoption support
• Advanced AI tools and resources to help level up and work smarter
• Clear paths to grow your career, with a strong culture of promoting from within
• Tuition reimbursement and support for continuing education
• HSA and FSA options
• Company-paid life insurance and disability coverage
• Employee stock purchase pl