Lead Environmental Planner/Permitting Specialist

WSP USA; Merrimack (NH); Hybrid; USD 99,000 - 134,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health benefits

Retirement plan

Paid time off

Parental leave

Job summary

WSP USA in Merrimack, NH seeks a senior environmental project manager and technical lead to independently manage permitting and planning projects from pursuit through delivery.

You will lead multidisciplinary teams, develop scopes and budgets, and coordinate with agencies like USACE, FHWA, and state DOTs to deliver high-quality reports and permit applications.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Environmental Planning, Urban Planning, Geography, Environmental Science and Policy, or related field (or equivalent).
• 10+ years managing environmental planning, permitting, and regulatory compliance projects.
• Experience leading multidisciplinary project teams and client relationships.
• Strong understanding of NEPA, USACE permitting, and state environmental review processes.
• Experience supporting FHWA, state DOT, transit, municipal, coastal, or infrastructure projects.
• Exceptional technical writing for environmental documents and permit applications.

Responsibilities

• Lead environmental permitting, NEPA, and planning projects for transportation, infrastructure, coastal resilience, and waterfront clients.
• Manage scope, schedule, budget, staffing, communications, and overall delivery.
• Develop permitting strategies involving USACE, FHWA, state agencies, and coastal regulators.
• Prepare high-quality technical reports, permit applications, EIAs, and regulatory correspondence.
• Lead proposal efforts including capture planning, scope and fee development, and client presentations.
• Build and maintain relationships with clients, partners, and regulators.
• Mentor junior staff and help grow the New England practice.
• Identify new business opportunities aligned with environmental planning services.

Skills

Leadership

Proposal development

Technical writing

Budget management

Client relationship management

Regulatory coordination

Project management

Mentoring

Team leadership

Education

Bachelor's degree in Environmental Planning/related field

Master's degree (preferred)

Job description

This Opportunity

Join WSP's New England Environmental Planning and Permitting team as a senior environmental project manager and technical lead in our Merrimack, NH office. We are seeking a practitioner who can independently manage environmental permitting and planning projects from pursuit through delivery, develop winning proposals, and serve as a trusted advisor to clients navigating complex regulatory requirements.

The ideal candidate will bring strong experience managing multidisciplinary teams, preparing high-quality technical deliverables, developing scopes and budgets, and leading agency coordination efforts. Experience with coastal and waterfront projects, transportation infrastructure, permitting strategy, and federal and state environmental review processes is highly desired. Existing client relationships and a demonstrated ability to support business development efforts are a plus.

Your Impact

• Lead environmental permitting, NEPA, and planning projects for transportation, infrastructure, coastal resilience, waterfront, energy, and public-sector clients.

• Manage project scope, schedule, budget, staffing, client communications, and overall project delivery.

• Develop permitting and regulatory compliance strategies involving agencies such as USACE, FHWA, Federal Transit Administration, state DOTs, coastal management agencies, and environmental resource agencies.

• Prepare and oversee high-quality technical reports, permit applications, environmental assessments, environmental impact evaluations, and regulatory correspondence.

• Lead proposal efforts, including capture planning, technical approach development, scope and fee preparation, interviews, and client presentations.

• Build and maintain relationships with existing and prospective clients, teaming partners, and regulatory agencies.

• Mentor environmental planners, permitting specialists, and early-career staff while helping grow the practice in New England.

• Identify and pursue new business opportunities aligned with WSP's environmental planning and permitting services.

• Exercise responsible and ethical decision-making regarding company funds, resources and conduct, and adhere to WSP’s Code of Conduct and related policies and procedures.

• Perform additional responsibilities as required by business needs.

Who You Are

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor’s Degree in Environmental Planning, Urban Planning, Geography, Environmental Science and Policy, or a related field (or equivalent experience).

• 10+ years of experience managing environmental planning, permitting, and regulatory compliance projects.

• Demonstrated experience leading multidisciplinary project teams and managing client relationships.

• Strong understanding of federal and state environmental review and permitting requirements, including NEPA, USACE Section 404/10 permitting, Coastal Zone Management Act consistency, ESA, NHPA, and related regulations.

• Experience supporting FHWA, state DOT, transit, municipal, coastal, waterfront, resilience, or infrastructure projects.

• Exceptional technical writing skills, including preparation of environmental documents, permit applications, technical memoranda, and regulatory correspondence.

• Proven success developing proposals, scopes of work, fee estimates, and project work plans.

• Existing relationships with transportation agencies, coastal and environmental regulators, municipalities, or private-sector clients in New England.

• Ability to identify opportunities, support business development efforts, and contribute to growth of an environmental planning and permitting practice.

• Strong leadership, mentoring, communication, and problem-solving skills.

• Proven track record of upholding workplace safety and ability to abide by WSP’s health, safety and drug/alcohol and harassment policies.

• Ability to work schedules conducive to project-specific requirements that may extend beyond the typical workweek.

• Occasional travel may be required depending on project-specific requirements.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Master’s Degree is preferred.

• AICP certification.

• PMP certification.

WSP Benefits:

WSP provides a comprehensive suite of benefits focused on a providing health and financial stability throughout the employee’s career. These benefits include coverage related to medical, dental, vision, disability, and life; retirement savings; paid sick leave; paid vacation (or other personal time); paid parental leave; and paid time off for purposes of bereavement, voting, and/or attendance at naturalization proceedings.

Compensation:

Expected Salary (all locations): $99,300 - $134,000

WSP USA is providing the compensation range that the company in good faith believes it might pay and offer for this position, based on the successful applicant’s education, experience, knowledge, skills, abilities in addition to internal equity and specific geographic location. WSP USA reserves the right to ultimately pay more or less than the posted range and offer additional benefits and other compensation, depending on circumstances not related to an applicant’s sex or other status protected by local, state, and/or federal law.

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