Senior Director, Local Business Leadership

WSP in the U.S.; San Diego (CA); On-site; USD 218,900 - 367,200; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical and dental insurance

Retirement savings

Paid sick leave

Paid vacation

Parental leave

Job summary

WSP in the U.S. is seeking a Local Business Leader for its California Planning Practice. This Senior Vice President role includes leading planning services across California, managing multi-disciplinary teams, and ensuring compliance with various regulations.

The ideal candidate will have at least 15 years of experience in transportation or environmental planning, a relevant bachelor’s degree, and exceptional leadership skills. This position offers a compensation range of $218,900 to $367,200.

Qualifications

• Minimum 15 years of experience in land use, transportation, or environmental planning.
• Experience leading projects and managing staff.
• Strong communication skills and high energy.

Responsibilities

• Lead multi-disciplinary project teams in various phases of planning.
• Manage profit and loss for projects and lead a team of planners.
• Ensure compliance with Federal, State, and Local laws.

Skills

Land use planning

Transportation planning

Environmental planning

Project management

Communication skills

Leadership

Business development

Education

Bachelor’s degree in relevant field

Tools

Microsoft Office

MicroStation

GIS

Job description

Job Description

WSP USA, Inc. (WSP) is looking for a Local Business Leader for our California Planning Practice, a Senior Vice President in Transportation, Environmental, or Land Use Planning for our California-based planning team. The position can be filled in any of WSP’s California offices.

This role will organize, plan, and grow our Planning services in California, serve as a client advisor, staff manager, and pursuit and project manager on California and regional projects and programs. The incumbent will work closely with planning, environmental, civil, and transit/rail staff across WSP to research, analyze, document, and present information related to various types of transportation projects across the region.

Your Impact

• Lead the California-based team of land use, transit/transportation, and environmental (NEPA/CEQA) planners.
• Provide profit & loss leadership over projects, pursuits, and staff, including managing and directing successful outcomes for key performance indicators.
• Deliver proactive and strategic leadership for the planning discipline, ensuring technically proficient and high‑quality planning deliverables are provided to clients.
• Manage multi‑disciplinary project teams in all phases of feasibility studies, alternatives analyses, site selection reports, NEPA/CEQA compliance documents, locally preferred alternative selection, comprehensive plan updates, climate action plans, and short/long‑range plans.
• Lead larger‑scale, complex transportation planning projects, overseeing budgets, monitoring external events, tracking hours and expenses, ensuring profitability, and supervising subcontractors, contract work, and employees.
• Ensure compliance with applicable Federal, State, and Local Agency laws, policies, and regulatory requirements.
• Support long‑term strategy, growth, and pipeline development of transportation and environmental planning work, focusing on opportunities across disciplines.
• Lead technical aspects of contract negotiation, presentations, and meetings.
• Assist with the preparation of an annual update to business tactical action plans.
• Develop and continuously improve planning discipline certifications, accreditations, and value proposition.
• Conduct needs analyses and client value surveys to align the planning discipline’s function with business and project strategy.
• Schedule planning discipline meetings and provide updates and recommendations to foster discipline expertise and innovation.
• Serve as a lead representative/liaison to external entities including federal, state, and local agencies, clients, subcontractors, industry groups, and government/community entities.
• Develop and inform proposal and project scopes, timelines, pricing, and budgetary metrics.
• Interpret and summarize data to minimize impacts to community, economy, and environment.
• Maintain and grow a client base for high‑level transportation planning services, identifying additional business development opportunities and cross‑selling other WSP capabilities.
• Provide performance guidance and leadership to assigned staff.
• Remain current in the latest transportation, urban, and environmental planning subject matter, practices, regulations, and techniques.
• Collaborate with professionals from various disciplines to provide trusted advisor service and future‑ready solutions for clients.
• Exercise responsible and ethical decision‑making regarding company funds, resources, and conduct in accordance with WSP’s Code of Conduct.
• Perform additional responsibilities as required by business needs.

Required Qualifications

• Minimum 15 years of progressively responsible experience in land use, transportation planning, environmental planning, or policy work.
• Experience leading projects similar to those described above and overseeing the work of others or managing staff.
• Bachelor’s degree in Transportation Planning, Urban Planning, Environmental Planning, Civil Engineering, Public Policy, or a related field.
• Ability to develop business and technical strategy and manage high‑quality technical and professional deliverables.
• Experience with transit agencies, local municipalities, metropolitan planning organizations (MPOs), and/or California regulatory agencies.
• Experience with project administration and project management in the transportation sector.
• Strong communication skills, high energy, enthusiasm, and positive attitude.
• Proficiency with the transportation project development cycle, from planning to implementation.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office, and experience with MicroStation and/or GIS highly desirable.
• Excellent written and oral communication skills; prior samples may be requested.
• Legal authorization to work in the United States; valid driver’s license required.
• Track record of upholding workplace safety and adherence to WSP’s health, safety, and anti‑discrimination policies.
• Occasional travel may be required.

Preferred Qualifications

• Master’s degree.
• Professional licensure/certification (e.g., AICP).

Benefits

WSP provides a comprehensive suite of benefits to support health and financial stability, including medical, dental, vision, disability, and life insurance; retirement savings; paid sick leave; paid vacation; paid parental leave; and paid time off for bereavement, voting, and naturalization proceedings.

Compensation

Expected salary range (all locations): $218,900 - $367,200. WSP reserves the right to pay within or outside this range based on education, experience, skills, and location.

About WSP

WSP USA is the U.S. operating company of WSP, one of the world’s leading engineering and professional services firms.

EEO Statement

WSP USA (and all of its U.S. companies) is an Equal Opportunity Employer: Race, Age, Color, Religion, Sex, Sexual Orientation, Gender Identity, National Origin, Disability, or Protected Veteran Status. The selected candidate must be authorized to work in the United States.