South Texas Area Manager, Transportation

GFT; San Antonio (TX); Hybrid; USD 230,000 - 280,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Hybrid work environment

Wellness programs

Parental leave

Pet insurance

401(k) retirement plan

Paid time off

Job summary

GFT seeks an experienced San Antonio-South Texas Area Manager to lead strategic growth in transportation, forge strong client relationships, and guide projects across highways, transit, rail, and multimodal infrastructure. You will champion business development, oversee teams, and align growth with operational excellence in a dynamic market.

The role offers leadership responsibilities, a focus on expanding GFT's market share, and the opportunity to influence the next generation of transportation

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Engineering or related field required.
• 15+ years of progressive leadership experience in transportation, infrastructure, or engineering consulting.
• Proven success in business development, growth, and operational performance.
• Strong understanding of the San Antonio and South Texas transportation market.
• Ability to develop executive-level client relationships and lead major pursuits.
• Experience managing teams, project delivery, financial performance, and operations.
• Excellent communication, relationship-building, and leadership skills.
• PE license preferred.

Responsibilities

• Drive growth and expansion of GFT's Transportation practice across San Antonio and South Texas.
• Build and strengthen relationships with transportation agencies, municipalities, counties, and industry partners.
• Identify and capture new business opportunities while expanding existing client accounts.
• Partner with regional leadership to execute growth strategies and achieve performance goals.
• Lead high-performing teams delivering innovative transportation solutions and excellent client service.
• Shape GFT's transportation presence in Texas through strategic leadership and market influence.

Skills

Leadership experience

Business development

Client engagement

Strategic growth

Team leadership

Education

Bachelor's degree in Engineering

Professional Engineer (PE) license preferred

Job description

What You Will Do

GFT is a leader in infrastructure planning, design, and program management, delivering innovative transportation solutions that improve mobility, strengthen communities, and enhance quality of life. As we continue to expand our presence throughout Texas and the Central Region, we are seeking an experienced and entrepreneurial San Antonio-South Texas Area Manager to lead strategic growth initiatives across one of the fastest-growing transportation markets in the country.

This is a highly visible leadership opportunity for a motivated professional who is passionate about business development, client engagement, operational excellence, and team leadership. Reporting directly to the Central Region Transportation Executive, the successful candidate will play a pivotal role in shaping GFT's long-term growth strategy throughout San Antonio and South Texas while building strong client relationships and expanding our transportation portfolio.

The ideal candidate will bring a proven track record of developing business, leading teams, and delivering exceptional client service. This role offers the opportunity to influence the direction of a growing practice, strengthen GFT's market position, and help build the next generation of transportation leaders.

What you will be challenged to do

• Drive the growth and expansion of GFT's Transportation practice throughout San Antonio and South Texas
• Build and strengthen strategic relationships with transportation agencies, municipalities, counties, and industry partners
• Identify and capture new business opportunities while expanding existing client accounts
• Partner with regional leadership to execute growth strategies and achieve business performance objectives
• Lead high-performing teams that deliver innovative transportation solutions and exceptional client service
• Help shape the future of GFT's transportation presence across Texas through strategic leadership and market influence.

Business Development, Growth & Client Leadership

• Develop and execute a comprehensive business development and growth strategy aligned with regional and enterprise objectives
• Identify, position for, and pursue transportation opportunities across highways, bridges, transit, rail, and multimodal infrastructure markets
• Establish and maintain trusted relationships with key public and private sector clients throughout the region
• Lead strategic pursuits, including opportunity evaluation, go/no-go decisions, teaming strategies, and interview preparation
• Collaborate across GFT practices, business lines, and geographies to maximize client service opportunities and expand market share
• Represent GFT at client meetings, industry conferences, professional organizations, and community events
• Monitor market trends, transportation funding initiatives, competitive activity, and capital improvement programs to inform business strategy

Operations & Area Leadership

• Partner with the Texas Operations Leader and Central Region Transportation Executive to execute strategic business plans and operational priorities
• Support achievement of area performance goals related to revenue growth, profitability, utilization, sales, and client satisfaction
• Provide leadership on key projects and programs, serving as Project Principal, Senior Project Manager, or Executive Sponsor as appropriate
• Support workforce planning, staffing strategies, and resource management efforts to ensure successful project delivery
• Foster a culture of collaboration, accountability, innovation, professional development, and employee engagement
• Champion client satisfaction and project excellence across all projects within the Area
• Mentor and develop staff while supporting succession planning and leadership development initiatives

Education | Experience:

What you will bring to our firm

• Bachelor's degree in Engineering or a related field
• 15+ years of progressive leadership experience within the transportation, infrastructure, or engineering consulting industry
• Demonstrated success driving business development, strategic growth, and operational performance
• Strong understanding of the San Antonio and South Texas transportation market, including key clients, agencies, funding sources, and regional priorities
• Proven ability to develop executive-level client relationships and successfully lead major pursuits
• Experience managing teams, project delivery, financial performance, and business operations
• Exceptional communication, relationship-building, and leadership skills
• Strong business acumen with the ability to align growth initiatives with operational objectives
• Experience leading multidisciplinary teams and fostering a collaborative, high-performance culture
• Professional Engineer (PE) license preferred

Compensation

The salary range for this role is $230,000 - $280,000. Salary is dependent upon experience and geographic location. This position is eligble for annual incentives/bonuses.

Featured Benefits

• Hybrid (in-person and remote) work environment.
• Comprehensive benefits package including wellness programs, parental leave, and pet insurance, in addition to medical, dental, vision, disability, and life insurance.
• Tax-deferred 401(k) savings plan.
• Competitive paid-time-off (PTO) accrual.
• Tuition reimbursement for continued education.
• Commitment to professional development, access to internal and external training programs, and support of active participation in professional organizations
• Incentive compensation for eligible positions.

Company Overview

At GFT, a privately held AEC firm, we innovate where transportation, water, power, and buildings converge. We call this the Infrastructure of Life. We measure our success by the strength of our relationships – that’s why we’re the employer of choice for 5,000+ of the industry’s brightest engineers, planners, architects, inspectors, designers, and more.

Our clients choose us for our expertise and prefer us for our nimble approach, creativity, and personal touch. Backed by over a century’s experience, together we’re building a lasting legacy for future generations: stronger communities, a healthier planet, and better lives.

GFT: Ingenuity That Shapes LivesTM

GFT: Ingenuity That Shapes LivesTM is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified candidates will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, veterans’ status or other characteristics protected by law.

Unsolicited resumes from third party agencies will be considered the property GFT.

GFT does require the successful completion of a criminal background check for all advertised positions.

Location: Greater San Antonio, TX

Core Business Hours: 8:00 AM - 5:00 PM

Employment Status: Full-Time

Applicants in the County of Los Angeles Qualified applications with arrest or conviction records will be considered for employment in accordance with the Los Angeles County Fair Chance Ordinance for Employers and the California Fair Chance Act.

Applicants in the City of San Francisco Pursuant to the San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance, we will consider for employment qualified applicants with arrest and conviction records.

Applicants in the State of California Qualified applications with arrest or conviction records will be considered for employment in accordance with the California Fair Chance Act.