Drainage & Water Resources Section Manager

Stanleygroup; Chicago (IL); Hybrid; USD 120,000 - 180,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Member-owned culture

Paid Time Away

Health Insurance

Financial Health

Professional Growth

Stock ownership

Job summary

Stanley Consultants seeks a Drainage & Water Resources Section Manager in Chicago, IL. The role leads drainage design, analyses, and reports for transportation and site civil projects, mentoring staff and coordinating with multidiscipline teams.

You will manage project delivery, client relationships, and QA/QC while supporting growth in the Illinois market and guiding regulatory approvals with IDOT and local agencies.

Qualifications

• BSCE from an accredited program
• Illinois PE license or ability to obtain within 6 months
• 10+ years drainage and water resources experience
• Experience with IDOT/IDOT standards and procedures
• Proven drainage design and studies experience
• Proficient in drainage/hydraulics modeling tools

Responsibilities

• Lead drainage and water resources design on transportation and site civil projects.
• Provide oversight of analyses, design deliverables, and reports.
• Mentor staff engineers and support business development efforts.
• Coordinate with multidisciplinary teams and subconsultants.
• Manage project scope, budgets, schedules, and QA/QC processes.
• Represent the firm in client meetings and industry forums.

Skills

Leadership

Project management

Team mentoring

Regulatory coordination

Multidisciplinary coordination

Education

Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering

Tools

Open Roads Designer

StormCAD

PondPack

HY-8

HEC-RAS

XPSWMM

Job description

Job Title: Drainage & Water Resources Section Manager

Location: Chicago, IL

Job Type: Hybrid

Requisition ID: 11261

Responsibilities

• Serve as the drainage and water resources technical lead on projects, providing oversight of design, analyses, and deliverables.
• Serve, as needed, as Project Manager, Project Lead, or Task Lead on transportation and site civil projects.
• Build, lead, and develop a high‑performing team of project managers, engineers, and interns to support growth in the Illinois transportation drainage market.
• Manage the preparation of drainage designs and construction documents, including storm sewer systems, detention facilities, flood control, open channels, and erosion control.
• Lead the development of drainage studies and reports, including hydraulic reports and conceptual drainage evaluations.
• Develop and evaluate drainage alternatives and recommend preferred solutions based on technical, regulatory, and cost considerations.
• Lead regulatory coordination and permitting efforts, including stormwater, floodplain, and agency approvals.
• Manage project delivery, including scope development, fee estimating, budgeting, scheduling, staffing, and subconsultant coordination.
• Support business development through client relationship management, marketing strategy, proposal preparation, and interviews.
• Establish and maintain project quality through QA/QC oversight and adherence to company and agency standards.
• Serve as a primary point of contact for clients and represent the firm in meetings, presentations, and industry engagement.
• Mentor young staff engineers, assist in transportation market business development, and participate in professional organizations and technical committees.

Qualifications

• Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering from an accredited program.
• Minimum 10 years of drainage and water resources experience.
• Illinois Professional Engineer (PE) license or ability to obtain within 6 months.
• Experience with Illinois Department of Transportation (IDOT), Illinois Tollway, and county/local drainage and transportation standards and procedures.
• Demonstrated experience producing roadway drainage design, including plans, profiles, calculations, drainage reports, and estimates.
• Experience preparing drainage studies and reports, including hydraulic analyses and Phase I deliverables.
• Proven experience using drainage design and hydraulics/hydrology modeling software, including Open Roads Designer & StormCAD, PondPack, HY-8, HEC-RAS, XPSWMM, and other industry‑standard tools.
• Ability to coordinate with multidisciplinary teams, mentor staff, and support project scoping, proposals, and delivery.
• Experience with alternative delivery projects.

Benefits

• Member-owned culture with member-ownership at the core.
• Paid Time Away: generous paid holiday, paid time off, parental leave, and professional development leave.
• Health Insurance: comprehensive medical, dental, vision, FSA, HSA, Doctor On Demand, wellness reimbursement, and mental health resources.
• Financial Health: life insurance, short- and long-term disability insurance, identity theft protection, and other benefits.
• Professional Growth: tuition assistance, professional society membership, and additional support for career development.
• Financial Rewards: company stock ownership, generous 401(k) match, incentive compensation, and profit‑sharing contributions.

Equal Employment Opportunity

Stanley Consultants is an Equal Opportunity Employer. We do not discriminate based on veteran status, disability status, or any other protected class. Employees are not permitted to disclose the compensation of other employees or applicants unless required by law.