Drinking Water Market Sector Leader

HDR; Irvine (CA); On-site; USD 212,000 - 287,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Comprehensive benefits package

Job summary

HDR is seeking a senior professional to lead the Drinking Water Growth and Strategy for HDR’s Southern California Area. The role focuses on developing a long-range vision, branding the Drinking Water market, and coordinating with technical and marketing teams on pursuits and staffing plans.

The position involves project management on large Water projects, risk management, and QA/QC reviews, with opportunities to shape industry initiatives and client relationships in Southern California.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in engineering, planning or related field required.
• Minimum of 10 years in major water infrastructure projects.
• Minimum of 10 years managing municipal water & wastewater projects.
• At least 5 years of hands-on project engineering experience.

Responsibilities

• Develop and drive a long-range Drinking Water vision and strategy for HDR’s Southern California Area.
• Lead HDR’s Drinking Water branding in Southern California by engaging with industry organizations.
• Collaborate with technical and marketing staff on key pursuits and staffing plans.
• Function as a project manager on large or key Drinking Water projects; ensure risk management and quality reviews.

Skills

Leadership

Project management

Staff mentoring

Organizational skills

Education

Bachelor’s Degree in Civil or Environmental Engineering

Masters’s degree in engineering, planning, or related field

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.

Drinking Water Growth and Strategy

• Develop and drive a long-range Drinking Water vision and strategy for HDR’s Southern California Area.
• Lead HDR’s Drinking Water branding in Southern California Area by engaging in professional organizations allied to the drinking water market.
• Responsibilities also include collaborating with other technical and marketing staff in the pursuit of new projects, taking a leadership role in selected key pursuits.
• Support the development of and provide reviews of scopes of work, fee estimate, project risk identification and project schedules.
• Work with area leadership to coordinate staffing/recruiting plans for key hires and assist leadership as necessary with technical or project management hires.
• Identify technical gaps and support talent management and recruiting.
• Identity and apply Drinking Water initiatives to the marketplace.
• Implement national Drinking Water initiatives to marketplace.
• Participate in industry associations and serve as a company role-model in business and community organizations.
• Develop relationships with industry counterparts in other consulting organizations
• Client Management Activities.
• In alignment and in support of our Client Managers, promote the Drinking Water market.
• Be involved in marketing planning, proposals and interviews for Drinking Water projects.
• Serve as the Client Manager for selected key clients.

Project Delivery

• Function as a project manager on large or key projects
• Assist with contract review on key projects to help ensure risk management, proper staffing, quality reviews and resolution of claims.
• Ensure the best technology and solutions are integrated into project delivery
• Serve as a QAQC reviewer for Drinking Water projects, including plans, specifications, models, presentation and report, and be engaged early in the project delivery process.

Keywords: Drinking Water Market Sector Leader, drinking water

Preferred Qualifications

• Bachelor’s Degree in Civil or Environmental Engineering.
• Masters’s degree in engineering, planning, or related field.
• Minimum of 10 years of experience in major water infrastructure projects
• Minimum 10 years managing municipal water and wastewater projects, engineering budgets, project teams.
• Minimum of 5 years of hands-on project engineering experience
• Good leadership and organizational skills.
• An attitude and commitment to being an active participant of our employee-owned culture is a must.
• Experience with staff mentoring and development of multidiscipline teams a must.

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor's Degree in an engineering, planning or a related field
• A minimum of 10 years of industry experience
• Experienced in development and management of strategic marketing programs for planning and/or engineering services
• Experienced in development and management of a wide range of client relationships and specific program and/or project pursuits
• Experienced in overall staff development to include recruiting, career path and professional growth
• Experienced with industry associations and maintains a visible profile in the market sector
• Ability to work cooperatively with Regional Market Sector Directors, Market Sector Directors, Business Class Directors, Regional Business Group Directors, Area Business Group Managers, Area Marketing Managers and Area Managers
• Demonstrated commitment to HDR values. An attitude and commitment to being an active participant of our employee-owned culture is a must

What We Believe

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.

Our Commitment

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. The expected compensation range for this position depends upon skills, experience, education and geographical location. (Stated benefits are for full-time regular positions. Temporary and part-time roles eligible for limited benefits.) Irvine: $212,000 - $287,000

Primary Location:United States-California-Irvine

Industry:Water

Schedule:Full-time

Employee Status:Regular

BusinessClass:Water Treatment

Job Posting:Aug 12, 2026

At HDR, we are committed to the principles of employment equity. We are an Affirmative Action and Equal Opportunity Employer (https://www.hdrinc.com/equal-employment-opportunity-employer). We consider all qualified applicants, regardless of criminal histories, arrest and conviction records.