Geotechnical Department Lead & Growth Architect

ECS Group of Companies; Wilmington (NC); On-site; USD 130,000 - 180,000; Full time

Job summary

ECS Limited is seeking an experienced Geotechnical Department Manager to lead our geotechnical engineering team in our Wilmington office. The Geotechnical Department Manager leads the overall operations, technical execution, and financial performance of the geotechnical department.

This role is accountable for department success, including project delivery, staff development, client satisfaction, and business growth.

Qualifications

• 6 years of related experience with a degree or 10 years with no degree.
• Strong leadership, communication, and interpersonal skills.
• Advanced understanding of engineering consulting operations and project execution.
• Strong financial acumen (P&L, budgeting, forecasting, KPIs).
• Ability to manage multiple teams, priorities, and deadlines.
• Client-focused mindset with demonstrated business development success.
• Proficiency in geotechnical principles and regional conditions.
• Ability to build, lead, and scale high-performing teams.

Responsibilities

• Directly leads engineers, Project Managers, technicians, and support staff.
• Owns performance management, coaching, career development, and succession planning.
• Builds a high-performing, accountable, and collaborative team culture.
• Leads recruiting, hiring, and retention strategies.
• Develops future leaders.
• Builds and maintains an effective department structure aligned with workload, growth objectives, and service offerings.
• Communicates branch, subsidiary, and corporate initiatives to staff and supports their implementation at the local level.
• Oversees project execution through delegation to Project Managers and technical leaders.
• Provides escalation support for complex or high-risk projects.

Skills

Leadership

Communication

Interpersonal skills

Problem-solving

Decision making

Education

High school diploma or GED

Bachelor's or Master's in Civil Engineering or related field

Professional Engineer (P.E.) or Professional Geologist (P.G.) license preferred

Job description

ECS Limited is seeking an experienced Geotechnical Department Manager to lead our geotechnical engineering team in our Wilmington office. The Geotechnical Department Manager leads the overall operations, technical execution, and financial performance of the geotechnical department.

This role is accountable for department success, including project delivery, staff development, client satisfaction, and business growth.