Senior Project Manager - Water/Wastewater

Brown and Caldwell; Los Angeles (CA); On-site; USD 128,000 - 175,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Comprehensive benefits package

401(k) with employer match

Performance-based bonuses

Job summary

Brown and Caldwell is seeking a Senior Engineer in Los Angeles, CA, with a pivotal role in project management for water and wastewater projects. You'll lead project teams, manage client relationships, and ensure quality delivery across our Southern California offices.

The ideal candidate will have over 10 years of experience in environmental engineering and be committed to exceptional client service and sustainable solutions.

Qualifications

• Minimum 10 years relevant experience in project management in engineering.
• Capability to lead cross-functional teams effectively.
• Excellent verbal/written communication skills.

Responsibilities

• Lead project teams in scope definition, budget and schedule management.
• Ensure client satisfaction through effective communication and service delivery.
• Manage risks and changes throughout the project lifecycle.

Skills

Project management tools and techniques

Client relationship management

Risk and change management

Team leadership

Strong communication skills

Education

BS Degree in Engineering

MS Degree preferred

Tools

Microsoft Office Suite

Job description

Brown and Caldwell (BC) has an opportunity for a senior level engineer with experience managing and executing work involving projects for the water and wastewater industry. You will have an essential role in our Southern California (SoCal) Area business and client connections, based in our Irvine, Los Angeles or San Diego, California office(s). In collaboration with the SoCal Area leader, Client Service Managers, Technical Service Leaders, and the Marketing Manager, you will maintain and develop client relationships, connect BC solutions to client needs and lead project teams in quality project delivery.

Detailed Description

The SoCal Area is a thriving/growing area demanding differentiating client service, sustainable and innovative solutions, and effective collaboration with our technical service providers and client contacts. The BC SoCal business includes significant work in wastewater/biosolids design and advanced water treatment design. This is a highly strategic position for someone who takes pride in exceptional client service, and positive results for our environment and clients.

Responsibilities

• Project team leadership expectations:
• Set direction: Support defining objectives, decision-making processes, schedules, budgets and success factors. Assist team by providing clarity on what the objectives are for an assignment, how decisions will be made, development of schedules and budgets, and what critical success factors the client is trying to achieve.
• Communicate: Help establish effective communication methods for team standups, technical/design decisions, and client interactions.
• Support Team Motivation: Assist in empowering team members, resolving conflicts, providing feedback and celebrating success.
• Establish Trust: Demonstrate integrity, competence, consistency, loyalty, and transparency.
• Create a safe environment: Support and assist in providing an atmosphere where ideas and creativity thrive.
• Embrace thought and experience diversity: Support an environment where diverse backgrounds, geographies, and different perspectives are all heard, respected and considered.
• Develop team members: Support team development by contributing to continuous learning, skills development and mentoring.
• Execution of BC’s project delivery requirements:
• Scope: Collaborate and prepare detailed scopes of work to set clear expectations and prevent project overruns. Develop clear assumptions and limitations and set realistic expectations and a solid pathway to delivering quality work successfully.
• Schedule: Collaborate on the development and maintenance of project schedules to provide for timely resource allocation and delivery. Recommend and assist implementation of schedule delay mitigation measures as needed.
• Budget: Develop and collaborate on work breakdown structures and project budgets aligned with scope and schedule. to set a project up for financial success. Manage budget on project to meet financial plan.
• Quality Management: Create, implement and monitor quality management plans and processes to enhance client trust, minimize deficiencies, incorporate our standards and quality review processes and collaborate with team members to contribute to quality.
• Change Management: Identify and manage internal and external changes to mitigate risks. Identify and recommend change management, in collaboration with project team, prepare the scope and budget for the change, and gain client endorsement and approval for the change to minimize financial and execution risk to BC.
• Risk Management: Ability to identify risks, develop risk mitigation strategies and perform ongoing risk monitoring and mitigation throughout the project lifecycle. Identify and elevate risks, collaborate with teams to prepare mitigation strategies for each risk, monetize each risk, and update the risk profile on the project throughout the lifecycle of a project.
• Health & Safety: Lead by example and follow BC policy and client requirements for health and safety. Lead development and implementation of health and safety plans per the project specific requirements.
• Manage external resources: Including third parties/vendors to deliver successfully on their contracted scope, quality and budget.
• Delivery of Project and Business Performance Metrics: Lead achievement of project goals related to scope, schedule, budget and quality. Monitor profitability through routine earned value analysis and compliance, business revenue forecasting and timely invoicing/collections.
• Client Service and Sales/Marketing Support and Engagement: Ability to build successful relationships with Clients, while collaborating with client service managers and project teams to assess client satisfaction. Monitor and share clients’ critical success factors for project success and client satisfaction.
• Flexibility to adapt and execute various additional assignments based on evolving needs.

Preferred Requirements

• Project manage and execute work on wastewater and water utilities projects.
• Perform technical research, and be able to communicate and apply this knowledge.
• Lead project team in planning and/or designing a major engineering project and coordinate special planning, economic, and engineering studies.
• Prepare and make presentations to clients and for professional meetings.
• Direct the work of drafters and designers, coordinate with other disciplines.
• Supervise, delegate and oversee the work of technical staff and engineers.
• Assist with and lead business development pursuits.
• Coach and mentor junior engineers and designers.

Mentorship

• May provide mentorship, guidance, support and knowledge-sharing to help less experienced team members develop their skills and grow in their roles.

Skills And Competencies

• Comprehensive knowledge of project management tools and techniques.
• Proven ability in project planning and management, including budget, risk, contract, change and quality management and safety leadership.
• Advanced understanding of quality and change management tools, techniques and processes.
• Comprehensive understanding of contract management and client service.
• Strong business acumen and ability to align project outcomes with business goals.
• Excellent client service skills and ability to build and maintain strong client relationships.
• Proven team/staff management skills to build and maintain strong staff relationships.
• Proven ability to identify and cultivate opportunities with existing clients.

Experience

• Typically, a minimum of 10 years of relevant experience managing mid-size to large projects with progressively increasing responsibility. Specifically:
• Competency in development and monitoring of moderate project schedules.
• Competency in development and monitoring of moderate project budgets.
• Competency in Risk Management.
• Experience leading cross functional teams.
• Proven experience in project planning, risk and change management, and contract management of mid-size projects.
• Previous experience applying specialized knowledge in project management to deliver the solutions for clients.

Preferred Experience

• BS Degree in Engineering (Civil, Environmental, Chemical, Mechanical, or related Engineering field) required. MS degree preferred.
• Minimum of 10 years of professional work experience with large municipal water/wastewater utility engineering.
• Professional in Engineering (PE) in California or ability to obtain California registration within 12 months of hire.
• Candidate must have excellent verbal/written communication skills, organizational skills, and the ability to work well both independently and in team environment.
• Valid driver's license and good driving record required.
• Experience using Microsoft Office Suite (Word, Excel, Access, Teams, Outlook).
• PMP certification from the Project Management Institute a plus.
• Previous proven and successful project management experience on large municipal projects as either the lead or in an assistant project manager role with ability to obtain direct client references.
• Strong planning experience through design and construction of large municipal and/or federal facilities.
• Strong communication skills i.e. ability to communicate orally and in writing - across functions and teams, up and down the chain of command.
• The ability to influence people to get things done.
• Strong negotiation skills.
• Ability to proactively resolve conflict.
• Highly motivated self-starter with a passion to accomplish results.

Education

• A bachelor’s degree in project management, engineering, business administration or equivalent relevant experience is required.

Salary Range

The anticipated starting pay range for this position is based on the employee’s primary work location and may be more or less depending upon skills, experience, and education. These ranges may be modified in the future.

Location B: $128,000 - $175,000

Benefits

Benefits and Other Compensation: We provide a comprehensive benefits package that promotes employee health, performance, and success which includes medical, dental, vision, short and long-term disability, life insurance, an employee assistance program, paid time off and parental leave, paid holidays, 401(k) retirement savings plan with employer match, performance-based bonus eligibility, employee referral bonuses, tuition reimbursement, pet insurance and long-term care insurance. Click here to see our full list of benefits.

About Brown And Caldwell

Headquartered in Walnut Creek, California, Brown and Caldwell is a full-service environmental engineering and construction services firm with 50 offices and over 2,100 professionals across North America and the Pacific. For more than 75 years, we have created leading-edge environmental solutions for municipalities, private industry, and government agencies. We strive to be the company of choice—to our clients, who benefit from our passion for delivering exceptional quality, and to our employees, present and future, who share our commitment to client service, collaboration, and innovation. Join us, and you will find a home where you can do your best work, reach new levels of expertise, and enjoy exceptional development opportunities. For more information, visit www.brownandcaldwell.com

Additional Information

This position is subject to a pre-employment background check and a pre-employment drug test.

Notice to Third Party Agencies: Brown and Caldwell does not accept unsolicited resumes from recruiters or employment agencies. In the event a recruiter or agency submits a resume or candidate without a previously signed agreement and approved engagement request with Brown and Caldwell, Brown and Caldwell reserves the right to pursue and hire those candidate(s) without any financial obligation to the recruiter or agency.

Equal Employment Opportunity Statement

Brown and Caldwell is proud to be an EEO/AAP Employer. Brown and Caldwell encourages protected veterans, individuals with disabilities, and applicants from all backgrounds to apply. Brown and Caldwell ensures nondiscrimination in all programs and activities in accordance with Title VI of the Civil Rights Act.