Environmental Permitting, Lead

Westwood Professional Services•Midlothian, VA

About The Position

The Environmental Permitting Lead serves as a technical lead and project manager for environmental permitting and compliance activities supporting electric transmission, distribution, substation, and utility infrastructure projects. The role leads proposal preparation, permitting strategy development, agency coordination, environmental review processes, and regulatory compliance efforts needed to advance projects from planning through construction. The lead works with project managers, engineers, environmental specialists, clients, and regulatory agencies to identify permitting requirements, mitigate environmental risks, and help projects meet schedule and budget objectives. The position also provides technical guidance and mentorship to environmental staff and supports business development and client engagement. It oversees permitting for multiple concurrent power delivery projects, coordinates studies and technical resources, manages permitting risks and deliverables, and supports construction and post-permit compliance activities.

Requirements

Bachelor's degree in Environmental Science, Environmental Planning, Natural Resources, Biology, Ecology, Environmental Engineering, or a related field.
At least 8 years of environmental permitting experience supporting utility and energy projects in the Northeast United States.
Demonstrated experience leading environmental permitting for transmission, distribution, substation, renewable energy, or other power delivery projects.
Strong knowledge of applicable federal, state, and local environmental regulations and permitting frameworks.
Experience coordinating with regulatory agencies, including the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, state environmental agencies, and local jurisdictions.
Ability to manage multiple projects and competing priorities while maintaining schedule and budget performance.
Strong understanding of environmental review processes, including NEPA, the Clean Water Act, the Endangered Species Act, and associated permitting requirements.
Demonstrated ability to lead multidisciplinary project teams and coordinate technical resources across multiple projects.
Strong communication and leadership skills, including experience leading agency meetings, client discussions, and project coordination efforts.
Ability to identify project risks, resolve complex permitting issues, and provide practical solutions with minimal oversight.
Proficiency with Microsoft Office and environmental permitting documentation workflows.

Nice To Haves

Professional certification such as AICP, CEP, PWS, or a related environmental credential.
Experience supporting large utility capital programs and multi-state transmission projects.
Direct experience managing NEPA documentation efforts and federal permitting processes.
Familiarity with utility-specific environmental compliance requirements and agency coordination practices.
Experience supporting proposal development, client account management, and business development initiatives.
Experience leading environmental teams and mentoring junior permitting professionals.
Working knowledge of GIS applications and environmental constraints analysis.

Responsibilities

Support proposal development, fee estimates, scope development, and project pursuit activities related to environmental permitting services.
Interpret project contracts and scope requirements to align environmental deliverables with client expectations and project obligations.
Lead environmental permitting efforts across multiple concurrent power delivery projects, maintaining technical ownership of permitting strategies, agency coordination, and regulatory compliance activities.
Develop and execute permitting plans for transmission lines, substations, distribution systems, renewable energy facilities, and associated infrastructure improvements.
Serve as the primary permitting lead for clients, project teams, and regulatory agencies throughout project development and execution.
Interpret federal, state, and local environmental regulations and translate requirements into project-specific permitting strategies.
Coordinate environmental studies, field investigations, and technical reports supporting permit applications and environmental reviews.
Lead the preparation and review of permit applications, environmental assessments, environmental constraints analyses, and regulatory documentation.
Coordinate multidisciplinary teams, including environmental scientists, engineers, cultural resource specialists, surveyors, and planners, to integrate project requirements into the permitting process.
Identify permitting risks, schedule constraints, and regulatory challenges and develop mitigation strategies.
Lead client meetings, agency consultations, and stakeholder discussions about permitting requirements, project impacts, and regulatory approvals.
Identify scope gaps, permitting risks, and potential schedule impacts and coordinate resolution across project stakeholders.
Monitor project performance for permitting and compliance, including schedules, budgets, quality objectives, and agency commitments.
Lead project coordination meetings and provide permitting status updates to project teams and clients.
Oversee quality assurance and quality control for environmental permitting deliverables to ensure consistency, accuracy, and regulatory compliance.
Provide mentorship, technical guidance, and training to environmental staff on permitting regulations, processes, and industry best practices.
Support construction and post-permit compliance activities, including permit condition tracking, agency reporting, and environmental inspections.
Monitor regulatory trends and emerging environmental requirements that may affect utility and power delivery projects.
Improve permitting tools, workflows, templates, and processes to support consistent project execution.