Business Group Director-Engineering, Hydrology & Design-Southeast Region

Environmental Science Associates•Tampa, FL

1d•Hybrid

About The Position

Environmental Science Associates (ESA) is seeking an experienced engineering business leader to guide and grow its established Southeast Environmental Hydrology and Design (EH&D) team. Working with the Regional Director and firm-wide EH&D practice leader, the Business Group Director will lead a high-performing group of engineers and licensed professionals and be accountable for its operational and financial performance. The role includes developing people, expanding client relationships, winning work, and guiding delivery of projects that restore ecosystems and help communities manage flooding and changing coastal environments. The director will manage the group’s day-to-day operations, translate business plans into budgets and performance goals, direct workshare, maintain utilization, review scopes and fees, monitor project financial performance, and develop project managers’ business skills. The role also guides technical quality and multidisciplinary delivery, serves as Project Director or senior technical advisor on strategic assignments, supports recruitment and professional development, and builds a sustainable business focused on coastal resilience, restoration, and flood and stormwater management. The position may be based in a hybrid arrangement from ESA’s Tampa, Orlando, Boynton Beach, Sarasota, or Pensacola offices. Remote candidates in Texas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Georgia, South Carolina, and North Carolina are also considered. The role is part of a 100% employee-owned environmental consulting firm.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in engineering, hydrology, landscape architecture, or a related field.
At least 15 years of relevant professional experience.
At least five years leading a business group or equivalent team with responsibility for people, project delivery, and business performance.
Demonstrated experience managing staff workshare and utilization, reviewing scopes and fees, aligning staffing and pricing with delivery needs, and achieving project multiplier and profitability goals.
Demonstrated success winning and retaining clients, developing strategic capture plans, and leading proposals.
Experience managing projects and coaching project managers in financial performance.
Technical depth in engineering, hydrology, coastal and/or freshwater habitat restoration design, geomorphology, or a related field, and ability to lead specialists across disciplines.
Experience guiding complex engineering design projects from concept through final design and construction support, including coordinating technical studies, design plans, specifications, cost estimates, and permitting.

Nice To Haves

Professional licensure or registration in Florida appropriate to the discipline.
Strong Southeast client and teaming relationships.
Experience reviewing RFPs, scopes of work, and client contracts to identify project or contract risk.
Master’s degree in a relevant field.
Experience with nature-based solutions, coastal hazards, or flood and stormwater management.
Experience in the Gulf Coast, the Atlantic Southeast including the USVI and Puerto Rico, or the Mid-Atlantic.
Experience taking complex design projects from concept through final design and construction support, including technical review and coordination of geotechnical, structural, hydraulic, and coastal specialists.

Responsibilities

Manage the engineering business group’s day-to-day operations and financial performance in partnership with the Regional Director.
Translate annual business plans into operating budgets, revenue and profitability goals, utilization targets, and staffing priorities; review results and forecasts and lead corrective actions.
Direct workshare within the team and coordinate assignments with other ESA groups and regions, matching workload to staff capabilities, availability, project budgets, and development needs.
Review workload and backlog, anticipate capacity gaps or overcommitments, and align recruitment, subcontracting, and cross-regional support with demand.
Review scopes of work and fee proposals before submission to ensure deliverables, assumptions, schedules, staffing, costs, and quality-review effort support realistic and profitable delivery.
Review billing rates, labor mix, and fee structures; monitor project multipliers and margins and address performance impacts from discounts, write-offs, or staffing changes.
Support business review of client and subconsultant contracts, assessing obligations, compensation, payment terms, schedules, and exposure through appropriate approval channels.
Oversee regular project financial reviews covering budgets, progress, estimates to complete, earned revenue, multipliers, forecast margins, billing, unbilled work, and collections.
Develop project managers’ business skills and hold them accountable for staffing plans, forecasts, scope control, and client commitments through reviews and coaching.
Implement ESA QA/QC policies and procedures at project and group levels with the Chief Engineer and firm-wide QC team, with engineering review by appropriately licensed professionals.
Guide multidisciplinary coordination from planning through implementation, coordinating geotechnical, structural, hydraulic, coastal, environmental, planning, and regulatory specialists as needed.
Serve as Project Director or senior technical advisor on strategic and complex assignments, and as Project Manager when appropriate.
Develop and implement the group’s strategic and annual business plans with regional and practice leadership, setting market, service, staffing, and financial priorities.
Grow a sustainable backlog through existing relationships and new clients; lead priority pursuits with municipalities, water agencies, infrastructure owners, and architecture and engineering partners.
Support and develop the existing team, strengthen project management and technical leadership, and recruit complementary specialists as the business grows.
Align work assignments with client commitments and professional development, mentor staff, encourage knowledge sharing, and maintain a respectful, inclusive team culture.
Collaborate with the Senior Principal Engineer, other business group directors, and practice leaders to apply quality standards and connect engineering work with environmental science, planning, and regulatory expertise.