Senior or Principal Project Manager – Natural Resources

SWCA, Incorporated; Arkansas; On-site; USD 95,000 - 127,000; Full time

Job summary

An established industry player is seeking a Senior or Principal Project Manager to join their dynamic team in Arkansas. This role is perfect for an experienced environmental professional passionate about natural resource management and eager to contribute to various projects related to environmental regulations. You will lead business development efforts, manage client relationships, and oversee project execution while ensuring compliance with the Endangered Species Act and Clean Water Act. If you thrive in a collaborative environment and are ready to make an impact, this opportunity is for you.

Benefits

Competitive Benefits Package

Forward-thinking Workplace Flexibility

Outstanding Corporate Culture

Award-winning Career Development

Performance Bonuses

Qualifications

• 10+ years of experience in environmental consulting and project management.
• Strong knowledge of federal and state environmental regulations.

Responsibilities

• Manage client relationships and lead business development efforts.
• Oversee natural resource projects from initiation to completion.
• Ensure compliance with environmental regulations and safety policies.

Skills

Project Management

Business Development

Environmental Consulting

Natural Resource Management

Client Relationship Management

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Natural Resource Management

Bachelor’s degree in Biology

Bachelor’s degree in Environmental Science

Bachelor’s degree in Ecology

Bachelor’s degree in Fish & Wildlife Science

Job description

About the opportunity

SWCA Environmental Consultants is seeking a Senior or Principal Project Manager – Natural Resources to support our growing business in Arkansas. This role is ideal for an experienced environmental professional who thrives in a dynamic consulting environment and is passionate about natural resource management. You will be responsible for pursuing project opportunities, managing clients and projects, directing biological field studies, and mentoring staff.

In this role, you will primarily assist clients with projects related to the Endangered Species Act (ESA), Clean Water Act (CWA), and other federal, state, and local environmental regulations. SWCA’s Arkansas team serves a diverse range of industries, including energy generation, transmission, oil & gas, land development, state and local agencies, water resources, and federal projects.

This is a full-time, salaried position with benefits. While we prefer candidates based in Arkansas or nearby states, distributed employees will be considered for the right fit. The role requires up to 50% travel, primarily within Arkansas, with occasional trips to Central Texas for leadership meetings and relevant industry conferences.

Under this requisition, we may hire for one of the following roles:

1. Senior Project Manager – Requires at least 10 years of relevant experience, including 5 years of project management.
2. Principal Project Manager – Requires at least 12 years of relevant experience, including 7 years of project management.

What you will accomplish

• Develop and manage client relationships, leading business development efforts with both new and existing clients.
• Expand SWCA’s presence by networking with agencies and industry organizations to grow the state and regional client base in environmental planning, permitting, and natural resource services.
• Identify and assess sales opportunities, oversee proposal development, and provide strategic recommendations to leadership overseeing Arkansas operations.
• Lead and manage natural resource projects, ensuring successful execution from initiation to completion.
• Monitor team utilization and balance workloads to maintain efficiency and productivity.
• Oversee the technical execution and financial performance of natural resource projects, ensuring effective coordination with clients and regulatory agencies.
• Proactively manage project scope, schedule, and budget to prevent cost overruns and ensure deliverables meet quality standards.
• Provide technical oversight and prepare reports, including biological resources reports, biological assessments, wetland reports, National Environmental Policy Act documentation, and other natural resources project deliverables related to the Endangered Species Act, Clean Water Act, and other regulatory, permitting, and compliance requirements.
• Drive compliance of safety policies and reporting requirements to ensure overall team safety.

Experience and qualifications for success

Required Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s degree in Natural Resource Management, Biology, Environmental Science, Ecology, Fish & Wildlife Science, or a related field.
• Minimum of 10 years (Senior PM) or 12 years (Principal PM) of progressively responsible experience in environmental consulting, project management, and business development.
• At least 5 years (Senior PM) or 7 years (Principal PM) of experience as a Project Manager, overseeing budgets, schedules, and project execution.
• Proven experience in Arkansas, including familiarity with state-specific environmental regulations and permitting.
• Strong knowledge of federal, state, and local environmental laws (ESA, CWA, NEPA, etc.).
• Experience conducting environmental surveys, permitting, and field implementation for various projects.
• Demonstrated ability to develop business relationships as a "seller/doer" in environmental consulting.

Preferred Qualifications:

• An existing client base and established industry connections.

SWCA Environmental Consultants is a growing employee-owned firm, providing a full spectrum of environmental services. With offices across the United States, SWCA is one of the largest environmental compliance firms and ranks among Engineering News-Record’s Top 200 Environmental Firms.

SWCA is committed to salary equity and salary transparency for all its employees. In alignment with this commitment, SWCA posts good faith pay ranges in all its advertised job postings to promote pay equity and transparency.

An employee in this Arkansas-based position can expect an annual salary of $95,004.00 to $126,672.00/year as a Senior Project Manager and $110,292.00 to $145,236.00/year as a Principal Project Manager. Actual pay within this range may depend on experience, qualifications, geographic location, client requirements where applicable, and other factors permitted by law. Regular-status employees are also eligible for performance bonuses. Candidates are also encouraged to consider SWCA’s Total Rewards package, which includes a competitive Benefits package, forward-thinking workplace flexibility, outstanding corporate culture, award-winning career development, and more.

Application deadline: Our team will begin reviewing applications immediately, and interviews will be scheduled with qualified candidates on a rolling basis. The application process will remain open until we have received a robust pool of qualified candidates. Once we have identified suitable individuals, we may close the application process without prior notice. We appreciate the time and effort invested by all applicants and will carefully consider each submission.

EOE - women, minorities, individuals with disabilities, and veterans are encouraged to apply. At SWCA Environmental Consultants, we celebrate diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive work environment. We strongly encourage candidates from all backgrounds, including those with diverse experiences and veterans, to apply. We believe that a diverse and inclusive workforce enhances creativity, innovation, and overall organizational success.

SWCA continues to invest deeply in career development programs, delivering our award-winning Career Landscape support resources to accelerate the growth of our staff. We recognize the valuable skills and experiences our internal team members bring to SWCA’s continued success. Qualified internal candidates are encouraged to apply and will be seriously considered for this position. We believe in promoting from within, where possible, providing our existing employees with compelling opportunities to advance their careers.

If you would like to contact SWCA regarding the accessibility of our website or need assistance completing the online application process due to a disability, please email [e-mail] or call 1-480-581-5378. This contact information is for disability accommodation requests only. All other inquiries will not receive a response.

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