Principal Water Director

Jobtailor; Dallas (TX); On-site; USD 150,000 - 190,000; Full time

Job summary

Terracon seeks a senior leader to grow our Water/Wastewater presence in Northeast Texas, driving geotechnical project execution and high-value client experience across the program. You will blend business development, capture leadership, and program-level stewardship to expand relationships with municipalities, utilities, authorities, and teaming partners.

The role requires expertise in geotechnical delivery, strategic growth planning, and a track record of leading large-scale water projects.

Qualifications

• Bachelor degree in civil engineering, geotechnical engineering, environmental engineering, geology, construction management, or related field.
• Minimum of 10 years of related experience in Water/Wastewater, infrastructure, geotechnical engineering consulting, construction, client development, project management, or program management.
• Demonstrated understanding of Water/Wastewater markets, clients, funding sources, procurement methods, pursuits, and delivery models.
• Demonstrated geotechnical project execution experience on Water/Wastewater infrastructure including treatment plants, lift stations, pipelines, reservoirs, tanks, or related facilities.
• Experience building client relationships and supporting growth in consulting, engineering, professional services, or construction.
• Strong communication, collaboration, and relationship-building skills.
• Ability to travel within the region and across the Texas Division as needed.
• Preferred: Professional Engineer in Texas, Professional Geologist, Project Management Professional, or other relevant registration or certification.
• Preferred: Masters Degree and at least 30 years of experience.
• Preferred: Experience with Texas municipal water/wastewater clients and related agencies.
• Preferred: Experience with TWDB, TCEQ, EPA, and Texas Water Code procurement or regulatory frameworks.
• Preferred: Established relationships within the Northeast Texas Water/Wastewater market.

Responsibilities

• Grow Water/Wastewater presence in Northeast Texas while leading geotechnical project execution and client experience across the program.
• Blend business development, capture leadership, project management oversight, and program-level client account stewardship.
• Identify market opportunities, support priority clients, shape pursuit strategy, and expand relationships with municipalities, utility districts, authorities, and engineering teaming partners.
• Align regional capabilities with client needs and connect technical strengths to regional and divisional growth priorities.
• Develop and execute the Northeast Texas Water/Wastewater growth strategy.
• Lead or support client meetings, relationship planning, conference engagement, and follow-up actions.
• Shape pursuit strategy, including go/no-go decisions, teaming, capture plans, win themes, positioning, and proposal strategy.
• Serve as Program Manager for strategic Water/Wastewater geotechnical pursuits and projects, including scope development, fee strategy, staffing, and delivery oversight.
• Coordinate with geotechnical project managers, technical leaders, materials, environmental, and facilities service lines to assemble project teams.
• Provide program-level quality oversight on geotechnical investigations, foundation recommendations, settlement and seepage analyses, dewatering, pipeline corridor evaluations, and related deliverables.
• Engage as APR where appropriate or coordinate APR assignment with technical leadership.
• Support project managers through pursuit-to-delivery handoff, kickoff alignment, scope changes, and risk management.
• Lead program-level client account stewardship for priority Water/Wastewater clients in Northeast Texas.
• Establish communication rhythms, project status reporting, lessons-learned reviews, and after-action client debriefs.
• Resolve client escalations quickly and transparently.
• Use client feedback, win/loss debriefs, and account reviews to refine pursuit strategy and delivery practices.
• Coordinate with regional leadership, office leaders, service line leaders, and project managers to align capabilities with market opportunities.
• Connect Northeast Texas activity with other Texas regions to support a unified Texas Division approach.
• Monitor funding programs, agency priorities, procurement activity, and shifts in client needs.
• Track TWDB programs, EPA WIFIA, regional water plans, master plans, capital improvement programs, bond programs, and competitor activity.
• Promote Terracon visibility through industry organizations.

Skills

Water/Wastewater PM

Geotechnical Engineering

Client Relationship

Regulatory Knowledge

Strategic Growth

Education

Bachelor degree in civil/geotechnical/environmental/geology/construction management

Job description

• Grow Terracon Water/Wastewater presence in Northeast Texas while leading geotechnical project execution and client experience across the program
• Blend business development, capture leadership, project management oversight, and program-level client account stewardship
• Identify market opportunities, support priority clients, shape pursuit strategy, and expand relationships with municipalities, utility districts, authorities, and engineering teaming partners
• Align regional capabilities with client needs and connect technical strengths to regional and divisional growth priorities
• Develop and execute the Northeast Texas Water/Wastewater growth strategy
• Identify, evaluate, and prioritize opportunities across municipal, utility district, authority, private-sector, and teaming-partner channels
• Build relationships with cities, water/wastewater utilities, river authorities, water supply corporations, special districts, engineering firms, contractors, and design-build partners
• Lead or support client meetings, relationship planning, conference engagement, and follow-up actions
• Shape pursuit strategy, including go/no-go decisions, teaming, capture plans, win themes, positioning, and proposal strategy
• Serve as Program Manager for strategic Water/Wastewater geotechnical pursuits and projects, including scope development, fee strategy, staffing, and delivery oversight
• Coordinate with geotechnical project managers, technical leaders, materials, environmental, and facilities service lines to assemble project teams
• Provide program-level quality oversight on geotechnical investigations, foundation recommendations, settlement and seepage analyses, dewatering, pipeline corridor evaluations, and related deliverables
• Engage as APR where appropriate or coordinate APR assignment with technical leadership
• Support project managers through pursuit-to-delivery handoff, kickoff alignment, scope changes, and risk management
• Lead program-level client account stewardship for priority Water/Wastewater clients in Northeast Texas
• Establish communication rhythms, project status reporting, lessons-learned reviews, and after-action client debriefs
• Resolve client escalations quickly and transparently
• Use client feedback, win/loss debriefs, and account reviews to refine pursuit strategy and delivery practices
• Coordinate with regional leadership, office leaders, service line leaders, and project managers to align capabilities with market opportunities
• Connect Northeast Texas activity with other Texas regions to support a unified Texas Division approach
• Monitor funding programs, agency priorities, procurement activity, and shifts in client needs
• Track TWDB programs, EPA WIFIA, regional water plans, master plans, capital improvement programs, bond programs, and competitor activity
• Promote Terracon visibility through industry organizations

Requirements

• Bachelor degree in civil engineering, geotechnical engineering, environmental engineering, geology, construction management, or related field
• Minimum of 10 years of related experience in Water/Wastewater, infrastructure, geotechnical engineering consulting, construction, client development, project management, or program management
• Demonstrated understanding of Water/Wastewater markets, clients, funding sources, procurement methods, pursuits, and delivery models
• Demonstrated geotechnical project execution experience on Water/Wastewater infrastructure including treatment plants, lift stations, pipelines, reservoirs, tanks, or related facilities
• Experience building client relationships and supporting growth in consulting, engineering, professional services, or construction
• Strong communication, collaboration, and relationship-building skills
• Ability to travel within the region and across the Texas Division as needed
• Valid driver license with acceptable violation history
• Preferred: Professional Engineer in Texas, Professional Geologist, Project Management Professional, or other relevant registration or certification
• Preferred: Masters Degree and at least 30 years of experience
• Preferred: Experience with Texas municipal water/wastewater clients and related agencies
• Preferred: Experience with TWDB, TCEQ, EPA, and Texas Water Code procurement or regulatory frameworks
• Preferred: Established relationships within the Northeast Texas Water/Wastewater market
• Preferred: Experience with alternative delivery, including CMAR, design-build, progressive design-build, on-call contracts, master service agreements, and large capital programs
• Preferred: Experience developing capture plans, client account plans, go/no-go recommendations, pursuit strategies, or regional growth plans
• Preferred: Active involvement in relevant water, engineering, construction, and professional organizations

Core Competencies

Demonstrates expertise in Water/Wastewater project management, client relationship development, and geotechnical engineering, with a strong focus on strategic growth and program execution in Northeast Texas. Proficient in navigating regulatory frameworks and delivering high-quality geotechnical solutions for municipal and utility clients.

Highest-signal resume keywords

• Water/Wastewater Project Management
• Geotechnical Engineering Consulting
• Client Relationship Development
• Regulatory Frameworks Knowledge
• Strategic Growth Planning

Hard Skills

• Geotechnical Project Execution
• Water/Wastewater Infrastructure
• Proposal Strategy Development
• Scope Development
• Risk Management
• Funding Source Identification
• Client Account Stewardship
• Capture Plan Development
• Quality Oversight
• Market Opportunity Evaluation

Soft Skills

• Strong Communication Skills
• Collaboration
• Relationship Building
• Client Escalation Resolution
• Team Coordination

Certifications & Qualifications

• Professional Engineer in Texas
• Professional Geologist
• Project Management Professional

Industry Keywords

• Water/Wastewater Markets
• Texas Municipal Clients
• TWDB
• TCEQ
• EPA
• Texas Water Code
• Construction Management at Risk
• Design-Build
• Master Service Agreements
• Capital Improvement Programs