Practice Director

slihrms; Chicago (IL); On-site; USD 180,000 - 260,000; Full time

Job summary

AtkinsRéalis in Chicago seeks a Practice Director to lead the Water and Resource Recovery practice nationwide. You will shape strategy, drive growth, and oversee delivery of complex engineering assignments across federal, state, local, industrial, and private sectors.

You will mentor engineering managers and project teams, foster technical excellence, coordinate with regional offices, and pursue acquisitions and partnerships to expand capabilities and market share.

Qualifications

• Experience leading multi-disciplinary engineering or consulting teams.

Responsibilities

• Strategic leadership and business growth for water and resource recovery across markets.
• Technical leadership and collaboration across North America offices and delivery teams.
• Recruitment, mentoring, and staff development of professionals.
• Support acquisitions, partnerships, and market expansion initiatives.

Job description

Job Description

Overview

We are seeking a Practice Director to join our team in Chicago, IL. AtkinsRéalis brings together some of the industry's brightest engineers, program managers, and technical specialists to solve our clients' toughest challenges. If you're looking for a place where innovation is encouraged, expertise is valued, and your work directly influences the future of water infrastructure, we'd love to have you on the team.

Under general direction of Water Infrastructure leadership, the Practice Director - Water and Resource Recovery will lead strategy, growth, technical excellence, and operational performance for a rapidly expanding practice serving Federal, State, Local, Industrial, and Private-sector clients throughout the United States. The Practice Director will provide leadership and direction to engineering managers, technical leaders, and project delivery teams while driving business growth, client satisfaction, staff development, technical collaboration, project quality, and profitability.

This role combines business leadership, technical leadership, strategic project development, and organizational collaboration. The Practice Director will connect regional offices, technical specialists, business development professionals, and project delivery teams to pursue and win multidisciplinary consulting and engineering assignments while strengthening AtkinsRéalis' national water and wastewater capabilities.

Your role

Strategic Leadership and Business Growth: The Practice Director will develop and implement a comprehensive national strategy to sustain and grow the water treatment, wastewater treatment, reuse, biosolids, and resource recovery practices. Working closely with Business Unit leadership, Key Account Managers, technical specialists, and regional offices, the Practice Director will establish and execute regional growth initiatives and market strategies while identifying and advancing high-value consulting, engineering, and infrastructure opportunities across multiple markets, geographies, and technical disciplines. The role will lead strategic pursuits by defining strategies, technical approaches, teaming structures, scopes, schedules, fee strategies, and proposal content. In addition, the Practice Director will cultivate strong relationships with utilities, industrial clients, infrastructure owners, regulators, and industry stakeholders, translating client challenges and emerging needs into planning studies, assessments, pilot programs, engineering assignments, and implementation projects. The position will also support acquisitions, strategic partnerships, and market expansion initiatives that strengthen the firm's market presence and long-term growth objectives.

Technical Leadership and Collaboration: Serving as a senior technical leader and advisor across the Water and Resource Recovery practice, the Practice Director will champion technical excellence through active participation in AtkinsRéalis technical communities, global technical networks, and thought leadership initiatives. The role will establish and maintain a Water Infrastructure Capability Network that connects technical specialists, project experience, office locations, and delivery resources across North America, as well as linking this globally. Through strong collaboration among regional offices and technical experts, the Practice Director will leverage specialized expertise to enhance project delivery and expand client service offerings. Responsibilities also include supporting the development and implementation of technical standards, best practices, innovation programs, and knowledge-sharing initiatives, while providing executive-level technical oversight on strategic projects and helping resolve complex technical, operational, and client challenges. The Practice Director will identify and advance opportunities for applied research, pilot programs, technology demonstrations, and innovation initiatives that strengthen organizational capabilities and create future business opportunities.

The Practice Director will recruit, develop, mentor, and retain high-performing technical and management professionals while conducting performance reviews and career development discussions with direct reports. The Practice Director will establish technical development pathways and succession planning programs to support long-term organizational sustainability and professional growth. In addition, the position will promote staff development through training, certifications, professional involvement, and leadership opportunities while fostering a collaborative, inclusive, and high-performing culture centered on client service, innovation, and technical ex