Planning Local Business Line Leader

WSP Global Inc.; Philadelphia (Philadelphia County); On-site; USD 180,000 - 320,000; Full time

Job summary

WSP USA, Inc. is seeking a Local Business Leader to oversee the Central and Western Pennsylvania Planning Practice, acting as a Vice President in Transportation Planning from the Pittsburgh office.

The role requires strategic leadership, managing multi-disciplinary teams, ensuring project profitability, and growing the client base across planning, design, and program management.

Qualifications

• Minimum of 12 years of progressively responsible experience in transportation planning, environmental planning, or policy related services.
• Bachelor’s degree in a related field is required.
• Master’s degree is preferred.
• Ability to develop business and technical strategy and deliverables on projects and proposals.
• Experience with PennDOT, BPT, PRT, MPOs, RPOs is preferred.

Responsibilities

• Provide proactive and strategic leadership for the planning discipline and function.
• Lead multi-disciplinary project teams through siting, impact assessment, approvals, and permitting for transportation planning projects.
• Oversee project budgets, hours, expenses, and subcontractors to ensure profitability.
• Grow client base and identify business development opportunities for Transportation Planning services.
• Oversee use of maps, aerial imagery, GPS data to define project areas and sensitivities.
• Ensure compliance with Federal, State, and Local laws and agency requirements.
• Collaborate across disciplines to provide trusted advisor services and future-ready solutions.
• Support development of strategic action plans and proposal scopes, timelines, and budgets.

Skills

Strategic leadership

Transportation planning

Project management

Client development

Communication skills

Education

Bachelor's degree in Transportation Planning, Urban Planning, Environmental Planning, Civil Engineering, Public Policy, or related field

Master’s degree (preferred)

Tools

MicroStation

GIS

Microsoft Office

Job description

This Opportunity

WSP USA, Inc. (WSP) is looking for aLocal Business Leaderoverseeing our Central and Western Pennsylvania Planning Practice, as aVice President in Transportation Planningworking out of ourPittsburgh office.

Your Impact

• Provide proactive and strategic leadership for the planning discipline and function, offering direction, expertise, and support to ensure project and work site deliverables are successfully achieved within the business sector.
• Responsible for the contribution and management of multi-disciplinary project teams in all phases of the execution and delivery of siting, impact assessment, approval and permitting for assigned business sector projects, as well as transportation planning and management projects.
• Lead larger-scale more complex transportation planning projects ensuring contributors know their role and schedule needs, preparing and overseeing relevant project budgets, monitoring external events, tracking hours and expenses, ensuring profitability and satisfactory performance, and supervising subcontractors, contract work, and employees.
• Leverage professional network to grow a client base for providing high level Transportation Planning services including identifying additional business development opportunities, and cross-selling of other WSP capabilities.
• Oversee the appropriate use of topographic maps, aerial photographs, GPS data, and other visualization tools to determine exact locations of project areas, associated physical / urban / population / economic / political sensitivities, and to uncover primary, secondary, and tertiary impacts.
• Actively foster compliance with applicable Federal, State, and Local Agency laws, policies, and regulatory requirements.
• Support the overall long-term strategy, growth, and pipeline development of Transportation Planning work for WSP in assigned area of responsibility, with a focus on opportunities in all disciplines (planning, design, strategic consulting, and program management).
• Lead technical aspects of contract negotiation, presentations, and meetings.
• Assist with the preparation of an annual update to business tactical action plans within the specified area.
• Ensure that planning discipline certifications, accreditations, and value proposition is developed and continuously improved.
• Conduct needs analyses and client value surveys to align the planning discipline’s function with business and project strategy, identifying and addressing any skill gaps or risks within the sector business operations.
• Schedule planning discipline meetings, providing updates and recommendations to ensure that all reasonable and proper measures are taken to inculcate discipline expertise and innovation into project work.
• Serve as one of the planning discipline’s lead representatives/liaison to a variety of external entities including Federal, State, and Local Agencies, Clients, Subcontractors, industry-related groups, and various government and community entities.
• Develop and inform proposal and project scopes, timelines, pricing, and budgetary metrics.
• Interpret and summarize data, including reports and documents that result in sound planning and regulatory conclusions to minimize impacts to the community, population, local economy, and environment.
• Manage and provide performance guidance and leadership to assigned staff.
• Remain current in latest transportation planning subject matter, practices, regulations, and techniques.
• Collaborate with professionals from a variety of disciplines to provide “trusted advisor” service and future ready solutions for clients.
• 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

• A minimum of 12 years of progressively responsible experience in transportation planning, environmental planning, or policy related services.
• The successful candidate will have worked on and led projects similar to those described above, overseeing the work of others successfully and/or managing staff
• A Bachelor’s degree in Transportation Planning, Urban Planning, Environmental Planning, Civil Engineering, Public Policy, or a related field.
• Ability to develop business and technical strategy with others as well as develop and manage high quality technical and professional deliverables on projects and proposals.
• Experience with key clients including but not limited to Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT), Bureau of Public Transportation (BPT), Pittsburgh Regional Transit (PRT), local municipalities, metropolitan planning organizations (MPOs) and Rural Planning Organizations (RPOs).
• Experience with project administration and project management in the transportation sector.
• Possess strong communication skills, a high level of energy, enthusiasm, and positive attitude
• Proficiency with the transportation project development cycle, including from planning to implementation.
• Good computer skills, including proficiency in Microsoft Office programs including Outlook, Word, Excel, and PowerPoint are necessary. Experience with MicroStation and/or GIS programs is highly desirable.
• Ability to effectively present and communicate ideas orally and in written form and excellent writing skills are required. The successful candidate may be requested to provide prior samples.
• Ability to work in the United States, and possession of a valid driver’s license is required.
• Proven track record of upholding workplace safety and ability to abide by WSP’s health, safety and drug/alcohol and harassment policies.
• Occasional travel may be required depending on project-specific requirements.

Preferred Qualifications

• Master’s Degree is preferred.
• Essential professional licensure/certification (e.g., AICP Certification, PMP, PE License).

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