Water / Wastewater Division Manager

ESP Associates, Inc.; Fort Mill (SC); On-site; USD 120,000 - 180,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Competitive compensation

401(k) matching

PTO & Holidays

Volunteer Time Off

Health, Vision & Dental

Teladoc

Short-Term Disability

Job summary

ESP Associates, Inc. is seeking a dynamic leader to grow the Water and Wastewater practice in North and South Carolina. This senior role will drive strategy, market penetration, and staff development while managing client relationships and project portfolios.

You will oversee planning and design projects, coordinate with engineers and sub-consultants, and lead business planning, marketing, and financial performance to meet the firm’s goals in the Carolinas.

Qualifications

• Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering (BSCE) or related engineering degree.
• Professional Engineer (PE) Registration in North and South Carolina or ability to receive registration through comity.
• 10+ years of relevant technical experience.
• Strong background in Water/Wastewater projects.
• Excellent financial management skills.
• Experience working in a multidisciplinary environment and adjusting to multiple client priorities.
• Experience with local codes, ordinances and public agency standards.
• Strong business development skills with knowledge of the local market.
• Strong collaborator and presenter in front of boards and Councils for multiple project types.
• Ability to liaise with public sector clients, maintain client relationships, manage projects and mentor staff.
• Excellent interpersonal, leadership and communication skills for interaction with clients and public officials.
• Firm understanding of risk management and loss prevention.
• Superior organizational and planning skills with attention to detail.
• Experience with developing and following a QA/QC program.
• Candidates must pass drug screen, background check, and have satisfactory driving record per MVR policy.

Responsibilities

• Establish, lead and grow the Water and Wastewater team in the Carolinas market and surrounding area.
• Partner with clients to perform planning studies and modeling for municipal water and wastewater projects.
• Manage design development, contract documents, cost estimates, agency correspondence, client relations, staff supervision and mentoring.
• Collaborate with marketing to prepare and review statements of qualifications.
• Build the team and growth of department while ensuring quality at all staff levels.
• Present to Public officials and selection committees, including public engagement.
• Lead business development and marketing, including networking, forums, proposals, and backlog reporting.
• Manage project contracts, invoicing and financial reporting.
• Assist managers with workforce planning, monthly billing and final review of reports/maps.
• Manage the division to achieve profitability and growth.

Skills

Business development

Market knowledge

Financial management

Stakeholder liaison

Public speaking

Client relations

Leadership

Mentoring staff

Education

BSCE or related engineering degree

Professional Engineer (PE) registration in NC/SC

Job description

Established over 35 years ago in Charlotte, NC, at ESP Associates, Inc., we help communities manage water effectively. We are seeking a dynamic, results-oriented professional to grow ESP’s Water/Wastewater brand within the North Carolina and South Carolina markets. The leader will leverage client relationship building to lead and manage a variety of planning and design projects including water and wastewater pumping systems, large and small diameter conveyance systems for water distribution and wastewater collection, storage and pressure tank planning and design, and treatment process planning and design.

As a leader, you will be responsible for setting the pace for ESP’s growth in the Carolinas. You will lead decisions regarding strategy, market penetration, team growth/development, and continuous improvement.

We are excited to see how your leadership skills, experience, interests, and established local/regional connections will expand ESP’s presence in new and exciting directions!

Contributing to employee development and management of departmental activity, this individual will ultimately be responsible for:

• Managing clients and undertaking business development activities,
• Preparation of proposals/ contracts, and
• Representing ESP and client(s) in public settings.

Reporting to the Director of Capital Improvements, Water Resources, the successful candidate will have an outgoing, can-do attitude to grow and develop staff while working closely with clients, engineers, and sub-consultants to ensure their needs are met. This will include leading business planning, marketing, meeting financial performance goals, and fulfillment of the firm’s strategy in North and South Carolinas, as well as supporting the Water Resources Business Unit from an overall perspective.

Responsibilities:

• Establish, lead and grow the Water and Wastewater team in the Carolinas market and surrounding area.
• Partnering with clients to perform planning studies and a variety of modeling approaches associated with municipal water and wastewater projects.
• Management of design development, preparation and/or administration of the contract documents, cost estimates, agency correspondence, client relations, staff supervision and mentoring.
• Work collaboratively with our marketing team to prepare / review statements of qualifications.
• Building the team and overall growth of department while fostering an environment of quality at all staff levels.
• Presentations to Public officials and selection committees, along with public engagement.
• Business development and marketing of clients including networking, active participation in professional development forums, presenting work to professional organizations, writing proposals, and maintaining budgets and backlog reporting for projected work.
• Project contract preparation, invoicing, and financial reporting.
• Assist Managers with workforce planning, monthly billing, and final review of completed reports and maps.
• Manage the division to achieve expected profitability and growth.

Qualifications:

• Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering (BSCE) or related engineering degree.
• Professional Engineer (PE) Registration in North and South Carolina or the ability to receive registration through comity upon job acceptance.
• 10+ years of relevant technical experience.
• A strong background in Water/Wastewater projects.
• Excellent financial management skills.
• Demonstrated experience working in a multidisciplinary environment with the ability to adjust to project priorities and requests of multiple clients.
• Experience working with local codes, ordinances and public agency standards.
• Strong business development skills along with knowledge of the local market.
• Strong collaborator and presenter in front of boards and Councils for multiple project types.
• Ability to liaise with public sector clients, maintain client relationships, manage projects and mentor staff.
• Excellent interpersonal, leadership and communication skills that will allow you to effectively and professionally interact with clients, government officials and the public.
• Firm understanding of risk management and loss prevention.
• Superior organizational and planning skills with keen attention to detail.
• Experience with developing and following a formalized QA/QC program.
• Candidates must be able to pass a drug screen, background check, and have a satisfactory driving record in accordance with the company’s driving (MVR) policy.

Corporate Information:

ESP is a multi-discipline engineering design and consulting firm providing our clients with civil engineering, surveying, planning/landscape architecture, geosciences, environmental, subsurface utility engineering, and construction engineering inspection.

Through years of dedicated service to our clients, ESP has received a designation of 186 on the 2026 ENR Top 500 Design Firm rankings. For the firm’s primary territory, the ENR Texas & Southeast Top Design Firms, ESP received a 2026 ranking of 53.

ESP offers an excellent employee benefits package including:

• Competitive compensation with yearly performance reviews and discretionary annual bonuses
• 401(k) (Traditional & Roth plans) with a guaranteed employer match of 100% up to the first 3% and 50% on the next 2% (eligibility after 60 days)
• PTO (Paid Time Off) & 10 Paid Holidays
• VTO (Volunteer Time Off) of 4 hours each year (prorated during first year based on hire date)
• Tiered Health, Vision & Dental Insurance Options (eligibility after 30 days)
• Behavioral Medicine through Teladoc
• Short-Term Disability Insurance (Employer paid)