MN/WI Waste MS Leader

HDR, Inc.; Saint Louis Park (MN); On-site; USD 115,000 - 165,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Employee ownership

Competitive benefits

Tuition reimbursement

Paid time off

Job summary

HDR, Inc. in Minnesota is seeking a Senior Waste Planning Section Manager to lead the development and implementation of business strategies for the Minnesota/Wisconsin area.

You will coordinate with local leadership and HDR's global Waste Market Sector to grow the practice. You will manage proposals, oversee projects, and build staff while supporting long-range waste management plans for municipalities, including disposal technologies and infrastructure.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in environmental science or related field
• 8–13+ years in landfills, waste facilities, construction, or municipal consulting
• Familiarity with environmental regulations
• Knowledge of current waste management trends
• Strong research, analysis and problem-solving skills
• Proficient in MS Office (Excel, Word, PowerPoint)

Responsibilities

• Lead the Minnesota/Wisconsin waste planning section by developing the business through strategic initiatives, proposals, and staff development
• Manage projects and develop long-range waste management plans for municipalities
• Support engineering and approval processes for waste facilities across North America
• Collaborate across regions and business lines to advance strategies for the waste market sector
• Develop client relationships, identify opportunities, and participate in industry associations to elevate HDR's brand
• Lead and participate in project teams to meet utilization goals and deliverables

Skills

Communication skills

Leadership

Staff management

Travel willingness

MS Office

Education

Bachelor's degree in environmental science or related field

Professional registration / license

Tools

Microsoft Office

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. We believe waste is more than management, it's also an opportunity to innovate. As part of our Waste sector, you'll help shape solid waste infrastructure and environmental stewardship. With a top-tier industry ranking, our team delivers comprehensive solutions that span waste planning, remediation, engineering and implementation. You'll collaborate closely with clients and communities to design sustainable, cost-effective systems that contribute to cleaner environments and healthier communities. This isn't just a job, it's a chance to drive meaningful changes in the waste industry and build a legacy of sustainability.

MN/WI Waste Planning Section Manager

Our Waste Market Sector seeks a candidate who will lead the development and implementation of business strategies for our Area Waste Planning Section in coordination with local operational leadership and the Waste Market Sector global leadership. Reporting to the Minnesota/Wisconsin Waste Market Sector Leader this individual will advance the waste planning practice through coordination of client relationships, and awareness of local and national market trends, and leading the growth of a multi-functional team through key hires. This candidate will not only focus on further developing a Minnesota/Wisconsin focused Waste Planning Practice, but also support a wide variety of waste facilities, landfills, resource management and planning projects throughout North America. Also, this candidate should show interest in other new and innovative diversion programs emphasizing sustainable materials management, along with policy and disposal practices. Your understanding of potential changes and emerging trends in the industry will set you apart from other candidates. You are confident working in a team environment, as well as independently, developing strong relationships and speaking to groups of people.

Responsibilities

The successful candidate will lead the waste planning section by developing the business through strategic initiatives, writing proposals, managing projects, and building staff. This candidate will also be involved in leading the development of long-range waste management strategic plans for municipalities including waste infrastructure development, disposal technologies, and operational support. Additional opportunities will be available to support engineering and approval processes for a range of waste management facilities throughout North America. Primary focus will be on the development and expansion of the Minnesota/Wisconsin program but you will also be expected to support and collaborate across various regions and business lines to advance a variety of strategies intended to support and grow the waste market sector. The position encompasses a client focus, networking and establishing client relationships, developing leads, and strategic thinking in future directions for both our clients and programs. Incorporating strategic communications and engagement with multiple stakeholders will be an important part of the job and your projects.

Additional activities include the following:

• Participate in strategic and tactical planning activities and the development of strategic positioning within Minnesota/Wisconsin and surrounding areas in collaboration with Local Operational Leadership, Waste Sector Leadership and Business Development Leads.
• Assess marketplace opportunities, gage HDR prospects, and development of prioritized client targets.
• Lead and participate in direct project pursuits including targeted client relationship development and premarketing, preparation of qualifications, proposals, interview content, scopes of work, project budgets and contractor negotiations.
• Manage day-to-day activities and support professional development of staff.
• Participate in project teams in Project Manager role and achieving utilization goal by actively leading or supporting projects.
• Serve as client manager for key clients in the area.
• Participate in industry associations and community organizations to elevate HDR's brand in target markets.
• Identify key investments (talent, acquisitions, and technology) to improve our industry leadership position.
• Responsible for leadership and management for Area Waste Sector staff.
• Perform other duties as needed.

You should expect to be leading and coordinating projects in Minnesota/Wisconsin and within the Central Region, collaborating with staff in our various offices or with strategic partners. As part of a much larger Waste team, you can also expect to be provided with opportunities to work on comparable, new, and exciting projects around HDR's network.

Preferred Qualifications

Our ideal candidate will possess the following set of achievements and skills:

• A Bachelor's degree in environmental science or related field from a recognized university or equivalent
• Minimum of 8-13+ years' experience in the areas of landfills, waste facilities, construction, and waste management for a municipality or within a consultant environment
• Familiarity with environmental regulations
• Knowledge of current trends in waste management
• Demonstrated research, analysis and interpretation skills for problem solving
• Adept at using all aspects of Microsoft Office including Excel, Word, and PowerPoint
• Strong verbal and written communication skills, and interpersonal skills
• Prior staff management and development experience
• Role or engagement in professional organizations in Minnesota/Wisconsin
• Ability to travel to meet with staff in Minnesota and Wisconsin offices and clients located in the region

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree or equivalent experience
• A minimum of 7 years experience
• Professional registration, license or certification may be required based on role
• Strong communication and listening skills
• Ability to handle multiple assignments
• Good leadership and organizational skills
• 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.) Minnesota: $115,469 - $164,955

Primary Location: United States-Minnesota-Saint Louis Park

Other Locations: United States-Wisconsin-Madison

Industry: Waste

Schedule: Full-time

Employee Status: Regular

BusinessClass: Waste Services

Job Posting: Sep 24, 2026