Project Delivery Lead

HDR, Inc.; Philadelphia (Philadelphia County); On-site; USD 180,000 - 240,000; Full time

Job summary

HDR, Inc. seeks a seasoned Area Water Business Group Project Delivery Leader (PDL) to oversee delivery across eight offices in PA, OH, WV and DE.

You will coordinate staffing, manage client relationships, and drive strategic initiatives with HDR’s water market leads to deliver complex projects on time and within budget. You will mentor staff, collaborate with transportation, resources, and building engineering groups, and support business development while maintaining HDR’s employee-owned

Qualifications

• Bachelor's Degree in engineering, planning or related field is required.
• 10+ years of industry experience in water, wastewater, water resources or related fields.
• Experience developing and managing strategic marketing programs for planning/engineering services.
• Experience building and managing a broad set of client relationships and project pursuits.
• Experience developing staff, recruiting and career growth in a professional services context.
• Active involvement with industry associations and maintaining visibility in the market.
• Ability to collaborate across regions and with senior HDR leadership to advance opportunities.
• Commitment to HDR's employee-owned culture and values.

Responsibilities

• Develop project management skills across all Area offices (PA, OH, WV, DE).
• Provide staff organization and leadership for projects across offices.
• Perform project reviews focusing on delivery oversight, schedule, and budget.
• Coordinate with project managers, controls, and quality teams for project success.
• Partner with area leaders on quality management and staff training.
• Manage staff assignments and workshare with HDR offices beyond the Area.
• Support recruitment and talent development within the Area WBG program.
• Lead collaborative delivery strategies and owner-advisor initiatives with market leadership.

Skills

Leadership

Client relations

Staff development

Industry associations

Team collaboration

HDR values

Cross-office leadership

Project delivery leadership

Education

Bachelor's Degree in Engineering/Planning or related field

Job description

At HDR, our employee-owners are fully engaged in creating a welcoming environment where each of us is valued and respected, a place where everyone is empowered to bring their authentic selves and novel ideas to work every day. As we foster a culture of inclusion throughout our company and within our communities, we constantly ask ourselves: What is our impact on the world?
Watch Our Story: ' https://www.hdrinc.com/our-story'
Each and every role throughout our organization makes a difference in our ability to change the world for the better. Read further to learn how you could help make great things possible not only in your community, but around the world.

HDR has an exceptional career opportunity for an experienced water industry professional to serve in a leadership position as our Area Pennsylvania-Ohio-West Virginia-Delaware Water Business Group (WBG) Project Delivery Leader (PDL). As PDL, you will report to the Pennsylvania-Ohio-West Virginia-Delaware WBG Manager (BGM) and work alongside the BGM to provide project review oversight and management of highly strategic projects across all eight (8) of the offices within Pennsylvania and Ohio (Pittsburgh, PA; Mechanicsburg, PA; Philadelphia, PA; Plymouth Meeting, PA; Bethlehem, PA; Cleveland, OH; Columbus, OH; Cincinnati, OH). You will collaborate closely with HDR’s Water Market Services Leads (Drinking Water, Wastewater, Water Resource Management) to transition strategic initiatives for business development into successful project delivery within the Area. You will serve as the Principal-In-Charge, Client Manager or Senior Project Manager for critical projects delivered within the Area, responsible for coordinating staffing and technical resources with service leaders throughout HDR.

As PDL, you will collaborate closely with Area water leadership to advance the technical delivery of projects, and mentorship of Area staff. Your direct reports may include local project managers, project coordinators, and collaborative delivery leads. In addition to your primary responsibilities as summarized below, the PDL will be responsible for collaborating on technical delivery and business development for cross-business group opportunities with HDR’s Transportation, Resources, Architecture, and Building Engineering Systems business groups. You will also support recruiting efforts to attract and retain eminent talent for our local program.

Primary Responsibilities

• Develop project management skills for staff across all Area offices (Pittsburgh, PA; Mechanicsburg, PA; Philadelphia, PA; Plymouth Meeting, PA; Bethlehem, PA; Cleveland, OH; Columbus, OH; Cincinnati, OH)
• Provide project management team organization and leadership for projects across Area offices
• Perform project reviews focusing on delivery oversight, financials, schedule, quality, project staffing and mitigating risk.
• Oversee and coordinate with project managers, project coordinators, Area Quality Manager, Area project controls team, and Area Digital Delivery Lead for the success of projects and the Area WBG.
• Partner with the Area WBG Professional Services Leader on quality management and training.
• Coordinate with professional services leader and business class leads on technical staff assignments for projects across Area offices and workshare management with HDR Areas outside of Pennsylvania-Ohio-West Virginia-Delaware.
• Perform delegated matrix of authority (MOA) responsibilities from BGM
• Support Area project management processes focusing on removing barriers to execution to support the successful and effective delivery of HDR projects.
• Actively participate in recruiting efforts for the Area WBG program.
• Support Collaborative Delivery and Owner Advisor projects and opportunities for the Area:
  • Sustain and grow trusted contractor and client relationships
  • Build and maintain toolkit of best practices and lessons learned for Area.
  • Lead overall Area collaborative delivery and owner advisor strategy in conjunction with market sector leadership and national collaborative delivery and owner advisor directors.
  • Coordinate inside HDR via matrix alignment at all levels
  • Represent HDR in collaborative delivery industry associations.
  • Quality assurance oversight during project execution.

Preferred Qualifications

• 15 yearsprogressive experience in a role focused on understanding and solving client issues in the area’s water, wastewater, water resource management and federal water regulatory, planning, and design practice.
• History of successful project and/or program management with a focus on technical delivery and project leadership.
• Demonstrated success in cultivating client relationships to win pursuits and execute projects,
• A passion for staff mentoring and development especially with project and design managers.
• Success in initiating and managing growth.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• A team-first collaborative attitude.
• Self-motivated requiring minimal oversight.
• Well-organized with multi-tasking skills.
• Able to work under and meet tight deadlines.
• Well-developed analytical and organizational skills.
• Ability to interact with design and construction teams positively and proactively.
• Pennsylvania, Ohio, West Virginia, and/or Delaware PE (demonstrated ability to obtain the other by comity within 6 months of hire is acceptable).

Keywords: Project Delivery Leader, Water Practice Leader, Water Program Manager, Water Project Manager, Senior Water Project Manager, Water Operations Manager, Drinking Water Leader, Wastewater Leader, Water Infrastructure Leader, Water Resources Manager, Water Practice Manager, Engineering Manager Water, Municipal Water Project Manager, Water Market Sector Leader, Principal Water Engineer, Client Manager Water, Water Business Development Manager, Collaborative Delivery Leader, Owner Advisor, Water Design Manager, Regional Water Leader, Water Group Manager, PE Water Engineer, Water Program Director, Infrastructure Program Manager.

#LI-EH1

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor's Degree in an engineering, planning or a related field
• A minimum of 10 years of industry experience
• Experienced in development and management of strategic marketing programs for planning and/or engineering services
• Experienced in development and management of a wide range of client relationships and specific program and/or project pursuits
• Experienced in overall staff development to include recruiting, career path and professional growth
• Experienced with industry associations and maintains a visible profile in the market sector
• Ability to work cooperatively with Regional Market Sector Directors, Market Sector Directors, Business Class Directors, Regional Business Group Directors, Area Business Group Managers, Area Marketing Managers and Area Managers
• Demonstrated commitment to HDR values. An attitude and commitment to being an active participant of our employee-owned culture is a must

What We Believe
HDR is our company. Together, we build on each other's life experiences and perspectives to make great things possible every day. This shapes our collaborative culture, encourages organizational trust and connects us closer to the clients and communities we serve.
Our Commitment
As employee owners, we all have a role in creating an inclusive environment where each of us is welcomed, valued, respected and empowered to bring our authentic selves to work every day.
Our eight Employee Network Groups (Asian Pacific, Black, Hispanic/Latino(a), LGBTQ+, People with Disabilities, Veterans, Women, Young Professionals) help create a sense of belonging and foster a supportive environment where everyone is empowered to engage and contribute. Each group has an executive sponsor and is open to all employees.

Other Locations

United States-Ohio-Cincinnati, United States-Pennsylvania-Philadelphia, United States-Ohio-Columbus, United States-Ohio-Cleveland, United States-Pennsylvania-Mechanicsburg, United States-Pennsylvania-Plymouth Meeting

Industry

Water

Schedule

Full-time

Employee Status

Regular

BusinessClass: Water Treatment

Job Posting

Oct 19, 2026

At HDR, we are committed to the principles of employment equity.

We are an affirmative action and equal opportunity employe r.
We consider all qualified applicants, regardless of criminal histories, arrest and conviction records.

Ready to learn more? Let's work together to make great thingspossible.

We design solutions to the world's greatest challenges. We'realways looking for great talent to join our global teams.