Substation Department Manager (Columbus Substation Dept)

WSP•Columbus, OH

About The Position

WSP’s Power and Energy Power Delivery Substation Business Unit is hiring a Department Manager for its Substation Department in Columbus, Ohio. Reporting to the Midwest Vice President, Region Manager, the manager oversees the department’s day-to-day activities and is accountable for delivering work consistent with WSP’s mission, culture, quality standards, department business plan, and client needs. The role manages a team of drafters, designers, and engineers; supports and strengthens client relationships; and advances corporate initiatives and regional strategy. The manager works with regional leadership and other Department Managers to balance direct-award alliance-client backlog while pursuing competitive-bid local work. The position manages the department’s financial, technical, and staffing performance, including resource planning, financial reporting, timecards, expenses, employee appraisals, compensation recommendations, training, proposals, design audits, mentorship, and quality assurance and quality control. It also applies and oversees substation engineering work across infrastructure project phases, from concept development and preliminary and final design through procurement, construction, and operation. Duties include developing construction plans, specifications, cost estimates, safety and phasing plans, and infrastructure layouts; coordinating with owners, other disciplines, sub-consultants, and clients; and incorporating technologies, monitoring devices, materials, modeling techniques, and design requirements. The Department Manager oversees cross-functional technical teams and project execution, including budgets, hours and expenses, task completion, materials, equipment, labor, technical calculations, construction, compliance documentation, and regulatory and technical analysis. The role prepares technical reports and presentations, collaborates on proposals and business development, stays current with substation engineering practices, and makes responsible and ethical decisions in accordance with WSP policies. Occasional travel may be required, and schedules may extend beyond a typical workweek to meet project-specific requirements.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in Engineering or a closely related discipline, or equivalent experience.
7 to 10+ years of relevant post-education engineering experience and prior design experience.
Demonstrable experience leading project and/or client teams.
Demonstrated competence in developing client teams and growing or maintaining client relationships.
Proficiency in electrical engineering principles, practices, processes, design/build, and their application to project work.
Specific knowledge of relevant electrical codes, regulations, compliance practices, and record-keeping requirements.
Ability to perform technical computations and calculations, understand plans and specifications, and compare facts with applicable regulations.
Effective interpersonal and communication skills, including communicating professionally with engineering and non-engineering audiences.
Strong self-leadership, attention to detail, multitasking, and prioritization skills in a dynamic work environment.
Ability to work independently with minimal oversight and provide guidance and leadership to junior team or project members while adhering to QA/QC requirements.
Proficiency in technical writing, office automation, discipline-specific design software, technology, mathematics, spreadsheets, and tools; examples include MicroStation, AutoCAD, and MS Office.
Critical-thinking and problem-solving skills to apply technical knowledge to testing results, data collation, computations, statistical analysis, and selection of effective, economical, and logical solutions.
Track record of upholding workplace safety and ability to comply with WSP health, safety, drug/alcohol, and harassment policies.
Ability to work schedules that meet project-specific requirements and may extend beyond the typical workweek.
Occasional travel may be required depending on project-specific requirements.
Must be authorized to work in the United States.

Nice To Haves

2+ years of experience as a people leader in a management capacity.
Professional Engineer license.
Demonstrated competence working with other WSP Departments.

Responsibilities

Advise the Vice President, Region Manager and support the Midwest Region through regular touchpoints, teleconferences, reporting, meetings, plan audits, and Department Manager meetings.
Manage the Substation Department’s day-to-day activities and its financial, technical, and staffing performance.
Oversee employee timecard and expense approvals, financial reporting, resource planning, business plans, appraisals, salary, promotion and bonus recommendations, training, proposals, design book audits, lunch-and-learns, mentorship, and QA/QC.
Lead a team of drafters, designers, and engineers and provide guidance to junior team or project members.
Support department business plan goals, regional strategy, corporate initiatives, and client needs while balancing alliance-client backlog and pursuing competitive-bid local work.
Develop, maintain, and strengthen client relationships and collaborate on proposal and business development opportunities.
Apply high-level substation engineering techniques to improve infrastructure projects through concept development, preliminary and final design, procurement, construction, and operation.
Develop construction plans, specifications, cost estimates, safety and phasing plans, and infrastructure layout plans, coordinating with owners, other disciplines, sub-consultants, and clients.
Develop and incorporate advanced technologies, monitoring devices, building materials, modeling techniques, and design requirements.
Oversee cross-functional engineering and scientific teams on projects, including budgets, hours and expenses, task completion, materials and labor, calculations, construction, compliance documentation, and regulatory and technical analysis.
Prepare technical reports and presentations explaining research, concepts, and recommendations addressing structural, environmental, design, and construction issues or opportunities.
Remain current in substation engineering techniques and practices.
Make responsible and ethical decisions regarding company funds, resources, and conduct, and follow WSP’s Code of Conduct and related policies and procedures.
Perform additional responsibilities as required by business needs.