Senior Project Manager - Water

Ulteig Engineers, Inc.; Fargo (ND); On-site; USD 130,000 - 177,000; Full time

Job summary

Ulteig seeks a Senior Project Manager - Water to lead large, complex water resources and stormwater programs, owning strategy and delivery from pursuit through closeout.

You will guide multidisciplinary teams, align technical work with client needs, and ensure regulatory and quality objectives are met. A bachelor’s degree in engineering or related field is required, plus experience managing high‑risk projects. US work authorization is required.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in engineering, project management, construction management, environmental science, or related field.
• Demonstrated success independently managing large, complex projects or programs with responsibility for overall delivery and financial performance.
• Depth in water resources, stormwater, watershed planning, hydrology and hydraulics, drainage, or related infrastructure and environmental services.
• Knowledge of BMPs, green stormwater infrastructure, and nature-based solutions.
• Advanced understanding of project management practices: scope, schedule, budget, risk, quality, procurement, contracts, and communications.
• Experience developing and negotiating proposals, scopes, fees, schedules, contracts, amendments, and change requests for complex engagements.
• Ability to interpret financial information, identify performance trends, and support client outcomes and delivery commitments.
• Proven ability to lead multidisciplinary and geographically dispersed teams and stakeholders.
• Ability to communicate complex technical, financial, regulatory information clearly to clients and teams.
• Sound judgment balancing technical quality, regulatory obligations, schedule, cost, and client value.
• Ability to coach and mentor project professionals and contribute to consistent PM practices.
• Openness to innovation by embracing AI tools to improve workflows.
• Must have authorization to work permanently in the U.S.

Responsibilities

• Provide independent PM direction for large, complex water resources projects from pursuit to closeout.
• Own project direction, planning, and execution: scope, schedule, budget, resources, quality, risk, change, communications, and delivery.
• Lead multidisciplinary teams of engineers, scientists, and specialists; clarify roles and remove obstacles.
• Negotiate project approaches, sequencing, staffing, and deliverables when competing priorities arise.
• Lead proposal and contract development for complex assignments, including scope, fee, and terms.
• Monitor forecasts, costs, and invoicing; take corrective action when performance varies.
• Identify and resolve project risks, interdependencies, and contractual issues.
• Serve as senior client contact; communicate status and guide decisions.
• Coordinate with technical leads on analyses, design concepts, and regulatory documentation.
• Ensure regulatory compliance and deliverables align with scope and client objectives.
• Coordinate stormwater planning, drainage, flood-risk analysis, and related water initiatives.
• Align goals with broader programs and business priorities; assist with portfolio planning.
• Improve PM practices by applying lessons learned and mentoring others.

Skills

Project management

Water resources knowledge

Budgeting & cost control

Risk management

Stakeholder communication

Leadership & mentoring

Contract negotiation

Proposals and contracts

Cross-functional leadership

Data-driven decision making

Education

Bachelor's degree in engineering / related field

PE or PMP certification

Tools

EPA SWMM

InfoWorks ICM

HEC-HMS

HEC-RAS

HydroCAD

SWAT

GIS

CAD

Job description

The Opportunity

Ulteig is seeking a Senior Project Manager - Water to provide independent direction and leadership for large, complex water resources, stormwater, and watershed projects and programs. This role owns project strategy and delivery, integrates technical and commercial considerations, and leads multidisciplinary teams through scope definition, planning, execution, risk resolution, and client decision-making. The position applies strong water-sector knowledge to align project approaches with client needs, regulatory requirements, portfolio priorities, and Ulteig's quality and financial expectations.

What You'll Do

• Provide independent project management direction for large, complex, high-profile, or multi-phase water resources, stormwater, and watershed projects and programs from pursuit and contracting through closeout.
• Own project direction, planning, and execution, including scope, schedule, budget, resource strategy, quality, risk, change, communications, and delivery commitments.
• Lead multidisciplinary teams of engineers, planners, scientists, technical specialists, project controls professionals, subconsultants, and external partners; clarify roles, establish accountability, and remove delivery obstacles.
• Facilitate and negotiate project approaches, sequencing, staffing, deliverables, and solutions where technical requirements, client priorities, regulatory expectations, or resource constraints compete.
• Lead proposal and contract development for complex assignments, including scope definition, work plans, fee development, assumptions, exclusions, commercial terms, and delivery strategy.
• Manage project financial performance by monitoring forecasts, labor and subconsultant costs, contingency, and invoicing; take timely corrective action when performance varies from plan.
• Proactively identify and resolve complex project risks, interdependencies, scope gaps, change requests, and contractual issues; elevate matters with significant client, financial, safety, quality, or reputational impact.
• Serve as a senior point of contact for clients, agencies, and key stakeholders; communicate project status and trade-offs, guide decisions, manage expectations, and build consensus around practical paths forward.
• Partner with technical leads to evaluate the assumptions, methods, limitations, and findings of hydrologic and hydraulic analyses, planning studies, regulatory strategies, design concepts, and deliverables, including evaluations of existing and future stormwater conditions. Confirm that technical memoranda, planning reports, specifications, standards, exhibits, and regulatory documentation receive appropriate technical review and support the approved scope, decision points, quality plan, and client objectives.
• Coordinate projects involving stormwater planning, drainage and flood-risk analysis, watershed studies, MS4 and NPDES compliance, feasibility and alternatives evaluation, resilience, green infrastructure, and related water initiatives.
• Align project goals and delivery strategies with broader programs, portfolios, market conditions, and business priorities; support program managers or business leaders with portfolio planning and resource decisions.
• Improve project management practices by applying lessons learned, strengthening controls and governance, and mentoring project managers and project professionals. Partner with technical leaders to improve technical approaches, specifications, standards, quality-control practices, and deliverables, including consistent documentation of assumptions and lessons learned.

What We Expect from You

• Bachelor's degree in engineering, project management, construction management, environmental science, or a related field, or an equivalent combination of education and relevant experience.
• Demonstrated success independently managing large, complex, or high-risk professional services projects or programs with responsibility for overall delivery and financial performance.
• Demonstrated depth in one or more relevant areas of water resources, stormwater, watershed planning, hydrology and hydraulics, drainage, or related infrastructure and environmental services, presented with strong working knowledge across the services needed to guide project strategy and facilitate technical decisions. Ability to interpret hydrologic, hydraulic, and water-quality model outputs and GIS and CAD deliverables, recognize material assumptions and limitations, and explain their implications for project recommendations.
• Demonstrated knowledge of stormwater best management practices (BMPs), green stormwater infrastructure (GSI), and nature-based solutions (NBS), including typical project types such as green streets and regional facilities, treatment mechanisms, and considerations affecting feasibility and implementation.
• Advanced understanding of project management practices, including scope, schedule, budget, resource planning, risk, change control, quality, procurement, contracts, and stakeholder communications.
• Experience developing and negotiating proposals, scopes, fees, schedules, contract terms, amendments, and change requests for complex client engagements.
• Ability to interpret project financial information, identify performance trends, and make decisions that support client outcomes, delivery commitments, and sustainable project performance.
• Proven ability to lead multidisciplinary and geographically dispersed teams, influence without direct authority, resolve conflict, and gain commitment from technical, operational, and client stakeholders.
• Ability to communicate complex technical, financial, regulatory information clearly to clients, team members, senior leaders, agencies, and community stakeholders.
• Sound judgment in balancing technical quality, public and environmental considerations, regulatory obligations, schedule, cost, risk, and client value.
• Ability to coach and mentor other project professionals and contribute to consistent project management practices across the Water team.
• Demonstrates openness to innovation by embracing and applying evolving technology and AI tools to enhance workflows, solve problems, and drive continuous improvement.
• Must have authorization to work permanently in the U.S.

Additional Preferred Qualifications

• Professional Engineer (PE) or Project Management Professional (PMP), or another credential relevant to the role's project and technical responsibilities.
• Experience delivering municipal, utility, transportation drainage, watershed, flood-risk, or environmental water programs under a range of contracting models.
• Experience with MS4 programs, NPDES requirements, TMDL implementation, pollutant-load reduction planning, green infrastructure, resilience, or nature-based solutions.
• Familiarity with water resources tools such as EPA SWMM, InfoWorks ICM, HEC-HMS, HEC-RAS, HydroCAD, SWAT, GIS, and CAD.

What You Can Expect from Ulteig

Ulteig is a purpose-driven organization that has built a culture focused on people, both our clients and our employees, for over 80 years. Working at Ulteig is more than a job, opening opportunities to make an impact by creating and solving for a sustainable future. We recognize our success relies heavily on the dedication and focus of our workforce; this is why we make investing in our employees a top priority. We prioritize flexibility and staying connected to meeting your needs and helping you achieve your goals. We value your unique perspective, respect your individuality, and celebrate your contributions. At Ulteig, we take our success and the success of our clients personally.

We offer our team members:

• Flexible Workplace
• Employee Ownership
• Competitive Pay
• Comprehensive Benefits Package
• Collaborative EnvironmentInnovative Culture

Our vision is to be the most trusted partners transforming our world's critical infrastructure. Ulteig connects people and resources to develop compelling, integrated solutions across multiple Lifeline Sectors, including Power, Renewables, Transportation, and Water. Ulteig is a trusted partner in engineering North America's essential infrastructure and leverages its expertise with a wide range of public and private clients.

At Ulteig, we care deeply about our team, listening to their needs and ensuring they have the tools necessary to be productive, whether they choose to work remotely, hybrid, or in the office. Regardless of where you work, you are empowered to build a workday that best suits your strengths. We strive to ensure a balance and separation between home and work life. We support a flexible working schedule, so employees are able to focus on what's important to them.

Ulteig is a Drug-Free Workplace

ACHIEVE | GROW | COLLABORATE

Additional Opportunity Details:

Target Base Compensation Range for this role is $130,400 - $176,500

This position will be posted for a minimum of 3 days and will continue to be posted for an average of 60 days until a qualified applicant is selected or the position has been cancelled.

Equal Opportunity Employer/Protected Veterans/Individuals with Disabilities

This employer is required to notify all applicants of their rights pursuant to federal employment laws.

For further information, please review the Know Your Rights notice from the Department of Labor.