Port Planning & Grants Strategist

The Foth Companies; Detroit (MI); On-site; USD 100,000 - 140,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical benefits

Dental benefits

Vision benefits

Retirement plan

Paid time off

Job summary

The Foth Companies is seeking a Port Planning and Grants Manager to help coastal and waterfront clients connect long-range infrastructure priorities with regulatory requirements and funding strategies. This role can be based in any Midwest Foth office and requires limited travel.

The ideal candidate combines port or transportation planning experience with knowledge of environmental review, infrastructure policy, and public funding programs.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in a relevant field such as Transportation Planning, Urban/Regional Planning, Public Policy, Civil Engineering, Environmental Science or Policy, Natural Resources, or Maritime Studies.
• Minimum 7 years in port, freight, transportation or infrastructure planning; environmental permitting; regulatory compliance; grant development or related consulting.
• Experience translating client priorities into infrastructure, project, policy or funding strategies.
• Experience securing federal, state or local infrastructure funding opportunities.
• Experience coordinating regulatory reviews, environmental compliance, or public-sector planning processes.
• Strong project coordination, technical writing, stakeholder engagement, and independent decision-making skills.

Responsibilities

• Advise ports, municipalities, and transportation agencies on long-range infrastructure, capital improvement, and funding strategies.
• Evaluate port, freight, rail, roadway, waterway, and multimodal needs to align investments with transportation plans.
• Assess project eligibility, readiness, and competitiveness for funding programs; suggest alternatives when misaligned.
• Develop, review, and submit competitive grant applications and supporting documentation.
• Manage grant administration through awards, reporting, milestones, and metrics.
• Lead environmental permitting and regulatory compliance for coastal and waterfront projects.
• Conduct NEPA reviews, Environmental Impact Statements, and related environmental documentation.
• Monitor policy and funding program developments to identify client impacts and opportunities.
• Build relationships with clients, agencies, funding organizations, and stakeholders; coordinate multidisciplinary teams.
• Prepare implementation plans, presentations, reports, RFQ/RFP responses, and client-facing materials.

Skills

Port planning

Grant writing

Regulatory compliance

Stakeholder engagement

Project coordination

Environmental permitting

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Transportation Planning / Urban or Regional Planning / Public Policy / Civil Engineering

Job description

The Foth Companies is seeking a Port Planning and Grants Manager to help coastal and waterfront clients connect long-range infrastructure priorities with regulatory requirements and funding strategies. This role can be based in any Midwest Foth office and requires limited travel.

The ideal candidate combines port or transportation planning experience with knowledge of environmental review, infrastructure policy, and public funding programs.