Senior Project Manager - Drinking Water

Fashion Institute of Design & Merchandising; Detroit (MI); On-site; USD 120,000 - 160,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Employee-owned culture

Job summary

HDR's Michigan Water Business Group is seeking accomplished Senior Project Managers to help drive our program's continued success. This is a high-impact leadership role for seasoned professionals ready to shape the future of water infrastructure as HDR’s newest employee-owners.

You’ll lead complex projects, mentor teams, and expand client relationships while navigating regulatory environments. A PE license and 10+ years in engineering or PM are strongly preferred.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Engineering.
• 10 years related experience.
• A minimum 5 years project management experience.
• Requires professional engineering license recognized by the licensing board for the location of the position offered.
• MS Office and MS Project experience (Access experience would be plus).
• Demonstrated leadership, business development and strategic planning skills.
• An attitude and commitment to being an active participant of our employee-owned culture is a must.

Responsibilities

• Lead planning, design, and delivery of large, multi-disciplinary engineering projects and programs.
• Strategically oversee project execution, balancing scope, schedule, and budget to ensure exceptional outcomes.
• Cultivate and expand key client relationships, actively participating in business development, proposal strategy, and contract negotiations.
• Direct and facilitate internal and external project meetings, ensuring alignment among project teams, clients, and stakeholders.
• Navigate complex regulatory environments, representing HDR in discussions with permitting and oversight agencies.
• Guide the development of project documentation, technical analyses, and engineering reports with a focus on quality and clarity.
• Manage project financials—monitor budgets, forecast performance, and proactively allocate resources.
• Collaborate closely with project controllers, business group leadership, and finance teams to ensure transparency and alignment on financial goals.
• Provide mentorship and technical leadership to staff, fostering a culture of growth and excellence within the team.
• Support firmwide initiatives and contribute to strategic planning and operational improvements across the business group.

Skills

Leadership

Business development

Strategic planning

MS Office

MS Project

Team mentorship

Education

Bachelor's degree in Engineering

Tools

MS Access

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'

HDR’s Michigan Water Business Group is expanding, and we’re seeking accomplished Senior Project Managers to help drive our program’s continued success. This is a compelling opportunity to step into a high-impact leadership role with an industry-leading, 100% employee-owned firm. We have positions available in Michigan for seasoned professionals ready to shape the future of water infrastructure as HDR’s newest employee-owners.

Are you ready to take the next step with a firm recognized for excellence? Do you thrive in a collaborative environment where your leadership supports high-performing teams delivering innovative solutions for valued clients? That’s the culture you’ll find at HDR.

In 2024,Engineering News-Recordranked HDR sixth nationally in the Water category. With over 2,000 professionals, our Water Business Group provides a comprehensive suite of traditional and cross-sector services, allowing us to address the nation’s water challenges with integrated, forward-thinking strategies. Our capabilities include utility master planning, wastewater and drinking water treatment, water reuse, flood protection, resource management, applied research, transmission and distribution, asset management, program and construction management, funding strategy, stakeholder engagement, and much more.

What You’ll Do

As a Senior Project Manager within our Michigan Water Business Group, you’ll lead the execution of complex, high-profile projects and strategic client initiatives. You’ll serve as a trusted advisor to clients and a mentor to internal teams, helping to shape our technical and business approach across the water sector.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead planning, design, and delivery of large, multi-disciplinary engineering projects and programs.
• Strategically oversee project execution, balancing scope, schedule, and budget to ensure exceptional outcomes.
• Cultivate and expand key client relationships, actively participating in business development, proposal strategy, and contract negotiations.
• Direct and facilitate internal and external project meetings, ensuring alignment among project teams, clients, and stakeholders.
• Navigate complex regulatory environments, representing HDR in discussions with permitting and oversight agencies.
• Guide the development of project documentation, technical analyses, and engineering reports with a focus on quality and clarity.
• Manage project financials—monitor budgets, forecast performance, and proactively allocate resources.
• Collaborate closely with project controllers, business group leadership, and finance teams to ensure transparency and alignment on financial goals.
• Provide mentorship and technical leadership to staff, fostering a culture of growth and excellence within the team.
• Support firmwide initiatives and contribute to strategic planning and operational improvements across the business group.

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Engineering
• 10 years related experience
• A minimum 5 years project management experience

Requires professional engineering license recognized by the licensing board for the location of the position offered. Example: Professional Engineer (PE or P.Eng) license.

• MS Office and MS Project experience (Access experience would be plus)
• Demonstrated leadership, business development and strategic planning skills
• 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 to inclusion and open communication defines the environment we cultivate for employees across the company.

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.

Industry

Water

Schedule

Full-time

Employee Status

Regular

BusinessClass : Utility Management Services

Job Posting

Mar 4, 2026

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

We are an affirmative action and equal opportunity employee.

We consider all qualified applicants, regardless of criminal histories, arrest and conviction records.