Practice Area Leader- Water Resources

American Water Works Association; Raleigh, Northern (NC, KY); Hybrid; USD 110,000 - 165,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Flexible & hybrid schedules

Competitive salary and bonuses

Employer paid health, dental, vision,-

Job summary

McGill Associates seeks a senior Water Resources Manager to lead the department, oversee workload, and ensure quality and compliance on water resources projects.

You will mentor staff, develop client relationships, support marketing and business development, and help set strategic direction while maintaining strong project profitability.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Civil or Environmental Engineering; Master’s preferred.
• 10–15 years of water resources engineering experience.
• NC Professional Engineer license or ability to obtain within six months.
• Proficient in AutoCAD Civil 3D, ArcGIS, GPS data collection.
• Experience with HEC-RAS, HEC-HMS, SWMM, or similar modeling tools.
• Knowledge of WaterGEMS/SewerGEMS is a plus.
• Strong leadership and mentoring abilities.
• Excellent project management and communication skills.

Responsibilities

• Manage and oversee the delivery of water resources projects, ensuring quality and compliance.
• Track project status, update progress, and share insights across teams.
• Schedule tasks and allocate resources to meet deadlines and priorities.
• Lead the water resources department, setting strategic direction and goals.
• Cultivate client relationships and drive business development efforts.
• Monitor project profitability and identify areas for improvement.

Skills

Project management

Leadership

Communication

Writing

Hydrology

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Civil Engineering

Master’s degree preferred

NC PE license within 6 months

Tools

AutoCAD Civil 3D

ArcGIS

GPS data collection

HEC-RAS

HEC-HMS

SWMM

WaterGEMS

SewerGEMS

CFM

Job description

McGill is a consulting engineering firm fostering long-term relationships with the communities that we serve in North Carolina, Tennessee, South Carolina, and Virginia since 1984. We pride ourselves on transforming the communities where we live and work and our employees are critical to our success. Compensation, benefits, and paid time off help our employees maintain a healthy work/life balance and we are proud to offer competitive salary and bonuses and a generous benefit package.

Responsibilities

To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

Workload Management

• Manage and oversee the delivery?of water resources projects, ensuring?quality and compliance standards?are met.
• Track project status, update progress, and share insights across teams.
• Schedule tasks and allocate resources to meet deadlines and priorities.
• Balance staff utilization rates and support needs to optimize performance.
• Prepare project fees and proposals.
• Manage contracts and invoicing.

Pipeline Oversight

• Monitor project pipeline and anticipate staffing and resource requirements.
• Identify gaps and opportunities to maintain a healthy workload distribution.

Practice Promotion

• Lead the water resources?department, including setting?strategic direction and goals.
• Champion the practice internally and externally through marketing and visibility efforts.
• Represent the group in strategic conversations and industry engagements.
• Cultivate client relationships?and drive business development?efforts.

Training & Development

• Train on McGill processes and practice expectations.
• Develop and implement training goals for professional advancement.
• Coordinate staff training initiatives in collaboration with Operations Managers.

Staff Vision & Growth

• Contribute to annual staff reviews with performance insights and development recommendations.
• Create and support 30/60/90-day onboarding and growth plans.
• Participate in team hiring decisions and candidate evaluations.

Technical Standards & Procedures

• Provide technical expertise and?guidance on water resources issues.
• Maintain and enhance technical standards and procedures to ensure quality and consistency.
• Provide guidance on best practices and compliance across projects.
• Stay current on water resources?trends, regulations, and best?practices to inform decision-making.

Marketing & Strategic Support

• Monitor emerging issues including regulations and market shifts.
• Identify strategic opportunities for growth and innovation.
• Support Business Development, Project Managers, and Operations Managers in client visits and relationship building.
• Assist in go/no-go decision-making for project pursuits.
• Manage proposals alongside our marketing team.
• Contribute to marketing efforts by developing project descriptions and sourcing photographs.

Profitability & Performance

• Assist in monitoring project profitability and identifying areas for improvement.
• Promote financial awareness and accountability within the team.

Benefits

• Flexible & hybrid schedules
• Competitive salary and performance bonuses
• Employer paid health, dental, vision, disability, & life insurance for employee
• Paid time off including vacation, sick leave, & holidays

McGill Associates is an Equal Opportunity Employer and participates in E-Verify. We conduct pre-employment drug screens and background, credit, and motor vehicle checks in accordance with federal and state statutes. We will make reasonable accommodations for qualified individuals with known disabilities unless doing so would result in an undue hardship. All McGill Associate’s facilities comply with the American with Disabilities Act. Persons with hearing and/or speech impairments may contact McGill Associates by dialing 711 to access the State Relay Service for TTY/TDD. Candidates with limited English proficiency may discuss employment opportunities with the help of an interpreter by calling 828.252.0575.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s Degree in Civil Engineering, Environmental Engineering, or a related field with a focus on hydrology and hydraulics. Master’s preferred.
• 10-15 years of previous water resources engineering experience.
• NC Professional Engineer or the ability to obtain within six months.
• Proficient in preparation of no-rise and CLOMR/LOMR applications.
• Proficiency in AutoCAD Civil 3D, ArcGIS, and GPS data collection.
• Proficiency in HEC-RAS, HEC-HMS, SWMM, or similar modeling platforms.
• Experience and interest in WaterGEMS and SewerGEMS is a plus.
• Floodplain Manager Certification (CFM) is a plus.
• Strong leadership skills with?the ability to mentor and develop?team members.
• Excellent project management?capabilities.
• In-depth knowledge of water resources?regulations and compliance requirements.
• Effective communication and presentation?skills.
• Excellent writing and communication skills required.
• Valid driver's license required; overnight travel is required.