Senior Project Manager

SWCA Environmental Consultants; Saint Paul (MN); Hybrid; USD 100,000 - 133,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Employee ownership

Stock plan/ESOP

Medical coverage

401(k) with profit sharing

Paid time off

Job summary

SWCA Environmental Consultants is seeking a Senior Project Manager – Energy Permitting to lead permitting and project management for renewable energy generation and transmission projects across the Rocky Mountain Plains, Minnesota, Dakotas, Great Lakes, and surrounding subregions. The role is hybrid-based, reporting to the St.

Paul, MN office. The ideal candidate brings extensive environmental consulting and project management experience with knowledge of renewable energy siting, NEPA, and

Qualifications

• Eight years of relevant, progressively responsible experience, including 4 years of managing projects and some experience managing others.
• Ten years of related experience, 5 years managing projects, and PMP certification is preferred; or any equivalent combination of experience, performance, training, and/or education.
• Knowledge normally obtained through a bachelor's degree.

Responsibilities

• Strategic Project Leadership: Strategically consults on and leads complex projects in pursuit of client objectives, overseeing the technical approach and ensuring quality assurance and quality control.
• Exemplary Leadership: Leads by example in both technical and soft skills, navigating client and team priorities to deliver projects that meet professional and oversight agency standards.
• Technical Expertise & Innovation: Innovates standards and practices to enhance the quality and efficiency of client projects and outcomes, ensuring alignment with industry and regulatory standards.
• Project Accountability: Continuously guides projects, executing accountability for the performance of projects or delegated tasks and ensuring that project milestones are met and outcomes align with SWCA’s values and client expectations.
• Business Growth & Innovation: Drives business growth and client success through technical excellence, innovation, and development of new methods and standards that advance SWCA's technical reputation.
• Cross-Disciplinary Collaboration: Champions cross-disciplinary collaboration, working closely with specialists to provide comprehensive technical support for projects.
• Mentorship & Team Development: Mentors staff for impactful influence, coaching others in technical excellence, leadership, and strategy, and also develops specialized programs and protocols.

Skills

Project management

Permitting experience

Interpersonal skills

Renewable energy knowledge

Education

Bachelor's degree

Job description

About the opportunity

SWCA Environmental Consultants is actively seeking a Senior Project Manager – Energy Permitting with strong interpersonal skills and experience in project permitting and project management to join our team and primarily support renewable energy generation and transmission projects. Projects will be located throughout the Rocky Mountain Plains, Minnesota, Dakotas, Great Lakes, and other subregions.

This individual will work with a dynamic and company-wide team to successfully drive projects throughout all phases, from early planning and permitting through construction. The ideal candidate will possess extensive environmental consulting and project management experience, preferably with specific knowledge of renewable energy generation and transmission. SWCA is looking for the right candidate to take on existing and future projects and help build our presence throughout our various subregions in the north.

This is a regular (with benefits), salaried, exempt, full-time position that is hybrid-based reporting to our St. Paul, MN office location.

About SWCA

SWCA Environmental Consultants is a 100% employee-owned environmental consulting firm providing full spectrum environmental services across the United States. Our North Star is to be the best place to work and a leader in sustainability, delivering sound science and creative solutions to complex environmental challenges.

We are guided by our core values every day. We collaborate as #OneSWCA, we are #AlwaysLearning, we #NeverSettle, and we #GiveBack to our communities. With offices nationwide, SWCA offers a collaborative, team focused environment where employees can build meaningful and long-term careers.

What you will accomplish

• Strategic Project Leadership: Strategically consults on and leads complex projects in pursuit of client objectives, overseeing the technical approach and ensuring quality assurance and quality control.
• Exemplary Leadership: Leads by example in both technical and soft skills, navigating client and team priorities to deliver projects that meet professional and oversight agency standards.
• Technical Expertise & Innovation: Innovates standards and practices to enhance the quality and efficiency of client projects and outcomes, ensuring alignment with industry and regulatory standards. Serves as a go-to technical expert and consultant, providing novel project strategies and applying technical excellence that considers client needs to meet project requirements.
• Project Accountability: Continuously guides projects, executing accountability for the performance of projects or delegated tasks and ensuring that project milestones are met and outcomes align with SWCA’s values and client expectations. Assess risks and implements strategies for problem-solving. Revises or suggests revisions to project scopes, schedules, and budgets as necessary to meet evolving project requirements and ensure successful outcomes.
• Business Growth & Innovation: Drives business growth and client success through technical excellence, innovation, and development of new methods and standards that advance SWCA's technical reputation. Contributes to SWCA's strategic planning.
• Cross-Disciplinary Collaboration: Champions cross-disciplinary collaboration, working closely with specialists to provide comprehensive technical support for projects.
• Mentorship & Team Development: Mentors staff for impactful influence, coaching others in technical excellence, leadership, and strategy, and also develops specialized programs and protocols. Fosters team development and cross-training, modeling and promoting knowledge sharing and collaboration among team members to enhance project outcomes, as well as team depth and redundancy.
• Relationship Management: Establishes and grows effective consultative relationships with external and internal clients and/or agency regulators and industry partners (if applicable) to support successful projects.
• Follows applicable federal, Tribal, state, local, industry, contractual, and company regulations, standards, and specifications.
• Performs related work as assigned.

Additional Job-Specific Responsibilities

• Work closely with project teams to navigate permitting challenges and meet client needs.
• Assist the North subregional VPs and Directors in the development/updating and implementation of regional business plan(s).
• Manage & support regional projects, and other projects in the Rocky Mountain Plains, Minnesota, Dakotas, Wisconsin, Great Lakes, and other subregions.
• Help develop existing and new clients in the energy marketplace.
• Develop internal SWCA network via relationship-building with peers and directors across the North region.
• Engage with SWCA’s Technical Director team to support quality initiatives, and development of policies & procedures in your areas of expertise.
• Attend & contribute to office Business Development meetings in North offices as appropriate (especially Minneapolis/St. Paul, Sheridan, Denver, and Chicago).
• Pursue opportunity hires to help build SWCA’s regional team.
• Engage with professional organizations, including attendance at conferences, Board appointments, etc., on behalf of SWCA.
• Manage projects that include NEPA compliance, biological resource assessments and constraints analyses, state and federal Endangered Species Act consultations, Clean Water Act Section 404 and Section 401 permitting, state-level siting permits, and cultural resources studies.
• Work closely with SWCA’s resource scientists, environmental planners, managers, and directors in both natural and cultural resources groups throughout the company to promote SWCA’s business interests in adherence to its mission, vision, and values.
• Drives compliance of safety policies and reporting requirements to ensure overall team safety.

Minimum Qualifications

Eight years of relevant, progressively responsible experience, including 4 years of managing projects and some experience managing others. Ten years of related experience, 5 years managing projects, and PMP certification is preferred; or any equivalent combination of experience, performance, training, and/or education. Knowledge normally obtained through a bachelor's degree.

Experience and qualifications for success

• Two (2) years’ experience managing natural resources projects with renewable energy clients.
• Demonstrated experience with energy facility siting and constraints studies, permitting, and/or NEPA compliance.
• Demonstrated experience with state and federal agencies such as the US Fish and Wildlife Service, state wildlife agencies, US Army Corps of Engineers, Bureau of Land Management (BLM), US Forest Service, and the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC).
• Prior primary report authorship and finalization for clients and agencies in a natural resource consulting context for a variety of project types and sizes, regions, and agencies.
• Applicants must have valid driver’s license and be able to meet SWCA’s driver requirements.

Preferred Qualifications

• Three (3) years managing natural resources projects with renewable energy clients.
• Prior permitting project experience within the Rocky Mountain Plains, Minnesota, Dakota’s, Great Lakes, and similar subregions

Other Job Conditions

• Applicants must possess a valid driver's license and meet SWCA's driver requirements.
• This position may require domestic travel, including travel by commercial airline. Candidates must be able to obtain and maintain all valid travel documents and identification required for work-related travel throughout the duration of employment.
• SafetyDrives compliance of safety policies and reporting requirements to ensure overall team safety.
• Work is regularly performed outdoors and involves hiking over uneven terrain, lifting and carrying equipment up to 25–50 pounds, and working in varying/extreme weather conditions. Employees may be exposed to vegetation, wildlife, insects, dust, chemicals, sharp or heavy tools, and other environmental conditions while following required safety procedures.

Pay Range

SWCA is committed to salary equity and transparency. The expected pay range for this St. Paul, Minnesota-based position is $99,754.20/year to $133,005.60/year. Actual pay may vary based on experience, qualifications, geographic location, and other factors permitted by law. Eligible employees may also receive performance-based bonuses.

As a 100% employee-owned company, we invest in your future. Our Total Rewards package includes an Employee Stock Ownership Plan, 401(k) with profit sharing, medical, dental, and vision coverage, paid time off, wellness programs, and professional development opportunities.

Use of Technology in Hiring

SWCA may use approved technology, including AI-assisted tools, to support parts of the application and recruiting process. All selection and hiring decisions are made by SWCA employees, and candidates are not selected or rejected by automated systems. We are committed to a fair, transparent, and human-centered hiring experience.

Candidate Use of AI

Candidates may use AI tools to help prepare application materials and interviews. However, all application materials, assessments, and interview responses must accurately reflect their own experience, skills, and qualifications. AI must not be used to fabricate experience, complete assessments on their behalf, or otherwise misrepresent their background or abilities.

Equal Opportunity Employer

SWCA Environmental Consultants is an Equal Opportunity Employer. We encourage applications from women, minorities, veterans, and individuals with disabilities. We are committed to creating an inclusive workplace where all employees can thrive.

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.

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