Ferries-Maritime Project Manager

WSP • Seattle, WA

2d

About The Position

WSP is seeking a Ferries-Maritime Project Manager to join our Washington team.
Provides technical project management leadership for the development, execution, and overall delivery of complex maritime system infrastructure projects in Washington State, including dock, terminal, and systemwide improvements. Supports company, regional, and national business line goals while navigating the unique operational, regulatory, and stakeholder environment associated with marine transportation in the Pacific Northwest. Ensures responsibilities across the full project lifecycle—proposal, planning, startup, execution, reporting, and closeout—are delivered with a level of quality that meets or exceeds corporate project excellence standards. Offers innovation and pragmatic direction to address project management challenges in a dynamic maritime and transportation climate.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in engineering, science, or a related field; or equivalent experience in a technical or engineering firm supporting marine or transportation infrastructure.
• Essential project management or P.E. certification required (e.g., PMP, P.E., CAPM).
• 12+ years of relevant post-education experience in project management, including significant experience delivering ferry, maritime, or transportation infrastructure projects in Washington.
• Highly proficient understanding of project delivery processes within the industry, with strong experience navigating regional transportation agencies, maritime regulations, and environmental permitting.
• Advanced proficiency with analytical and organizational skills, with the ability to bridge business needs and project execution within a complex ferry system environment.
• Strong critical thinking and problem-solving skills, including the ability to assess operational impacts, outage constraints, and maritime safety considerations.
• Advanced interpersonal and communication skills to interact effectively with leadership, vessel engineering teams, terminal operations staff, subcontractors, and multidisciplinary project teams.
• Excellent self-leadership with attention to detail, multi-tasking, and adaptability to shifting priorities driven by ferry operations, emergency repairs, or regulatory changes.
• Ability to work independently while providing leadership to mid- and senior-level project team members, with strict adherence to QA/QC.
• Advanced proficiency with technical writing, office automation, MS Office suite, project management tools, and documentation systems used in public-sector transportation projects.
• Strong experience managing review and approval of technical deliverables for maritime or transportation projects in a multi-project environment.
• Ability to elicit cooperation from diverse stakeholders, including operations staff, regulatory agencies, tribal governments, and consultants.
• Proven track record of upholding workplace safety and ability to comply with health, safety, drug/alcohol, and harassment policies.
• Strong ability to adapt to change and demonstrate flexibility to meet project-specific needs, including vessel outage windows and terminal operational constraints.
• Occasional travel required.

Nice To Haves

• Master’s degree preferred.

Responsibilities

• Provide project management leadership for large-scale and technically complex marine-related capital and preservation projects, ensuring contributors understand deliverables, schedules, and compliance requirements tied to maritime operations.
• Prepare and oversee project budgets, forecasts, margins, and KPIs, with attention to public-sector funding structures, federal grant requirements, and maritime regulatory constraints.
• Commit to excellence in design and project delivery through a partnering approach with our clients.
• Monitor external events and risk contingencies, including vessel adaptations, terminal operational impacts, environmental permitting, and Coast Guard or state regulatory requirements.
• Manage contractual obligations and performance for assigned marine projects, ensuring alignment with regional transportation agency expectations, design standards, and reporting requirements.
• Champion strategic and sustainable design and delivery, including seismic vulnerabilities and climate change.
• Provide guidance during pursuit and initiation activities for marine-related opportunities, including Go/No-Go decisions, contract reviews, risk mitigation strategies, and pricing.
• Participate in or lead contract negotiation, presentations, and meetings with maritime and transportation partners.
• Drive appropriate levels of technical review for marine system projects, ensuring QA/QC adherence and selection of qualified staff with maritime, structural, civil, or systems expertise.
• Provide written and verbal input to multidisciplinary teams and contribute high-level strategic advice to clients involved in ferry transportation.
• Mentor staff working on marine system projects, supporting their growth in maritime infrastructure, transportation planning, and public-sector project delivery.
• Manage and provide performance guidance to assigned staff working across vessel, terminal, and systemwide initiatives.
• Facilitate project kickoff meetings with key stakeholders, ensuring alignment on operational constraints, outage windows, and systemwide impacts.
• Coordinate with area and technical managers to address resource and subcontracting needs, including marine engineering, environmental permitting, and specialty maritime consultants.
• Maintain regular communication with clients, including monthly status reporting, safety updates, operational impacts, and scope/budget considerations.
• Participate in and oversee problem project reviews, identifying root causes related to maritime operations, regulatory delays, or construction sequencing, and assist in developing recovery plans.
• Ensure regular project reporting is provided to clients, technical teams, and business unit managers, highlighting emergent issues with scope, risk, or budget.
• Monitor accounts receivable and unbilled revenue for ferry projects, addressing issues promptly.
• Complete formal project closeout activities, including lessons-learned sessions focused on maritime operations, environmental compliance, and stakeholder coordination.
• Remain current in the latest project management techniques and practices, including those relevant to maritime infrastructure and public-sector transportation.
• Collaborate with professionals across engineering, maritime operations, environmental science, and construction to provide trusted-advisor service and future-ready solutions.
• Exercise responsible and ethical decision-making regarding company funds, resources, and conduct, adhering to WSP’s Code of Conduct and related policies.
• Perform additional responsibilities as required by business needs.

Benefits

• WSP provides a comprehensive suite of benefits focused on a providing health and financial stability throughout the employee’s career. These benefits include coverage related to medical, dental, vision, disability, and life; retirement savings; paid sick leave; paid vacation (or other personal time); paid parental leave; and paid time off for purposes of bereavement, voting, and/or attendance at naturalization proceedings.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Mid Level