Midwest Surface Water Practice Lead

WSP•Detroit, IL

About The Position

WSP is seeking a Midwest Surface Water Practice Lead to lead, grow, and strengthen its Surface Water practice across the Midwest Region. This leadership role combines surface water and water resources technical expertise with staff development, client relationship building, and regional practice growth. The Practice Lead works with Midwest Water leadership, Regional Practice Leads, technical leaders, project managers, and national experts to connect capabilities and people across offices and markets. The role advances the practice by developing staff, strengthening technical capabilities, supporting utilization and work sharing, and driving strategic business development. The practice’s work includes municipal stormwater, flood risk management, hydrologic and hydraulic modeling, FEMA programs, transportation drainage, open channel hydraulics, and related water resources planning and design. The broader Midwest Water organization also has capabilities in dams and levees and alternative delivery, enabling multidisciplinary support for complex client needs. The Practice Lead may serve as a senior technical leader, project or program manager, or strategic advisor on selected projects. The role includes technical planning, modeling, analysis, design, construction support, and senior-level review for surface water infrastructure projects. Periodic travel throughout the Midwest and elsewhere is required to support clients, projects, staff, and business development activities.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in Civil Engineering, Environmental Engineering, Water Resources Engineering, or a closely related field.
Professional Engineer (PE) licensure, with ability to obtain licensure through reciprocity in applicable Midwest states.
20+ years of progressive experience in surface water, hydrology and hydraulics, stormwater management, flood risk management, drainage design, or related water resources disciplines.
Demonstrated experience leading and developing technical professionals and multidisciplinary project teams.
Strong technical knowledge of hydrologic and hydraulic analysis, including ability to provide senior-level technical review, mentoring, and guidance.
Experience with industry-standard hydrologic and hydraulic modeling platforms such as HEC-HMS, HEC-RAS/HEC-RAS 2D, FLO-2D, SWMM, or comparable tools, as applicable to the candidate’s area of expertise.
Experience with GIS and its application to water resources planning, modeling, analysis, and project delivery.
Proven ability to develop client relationships, identify business opportunities, support pursuits, and contribute to growth of a water resources or surface water practice.
Demonstrated project and/or program management experience on complex water resources projects.
Strong leadership and interpersonal skills, including the ability to collaborate across offices, disciplines, business lines, and geographic boundaries.
Excellent oral and written communication skills, including the ability to explain complex technical concepts to clients, stakeholders, and multidisciplinary teams.
Familiarity with relevant federal, state, and local stormwater, floodplain, and water resources programs and regulations.
Ability and willingness to travel periodically throughout the Midwest and elsewhere for clients, projects, staff, and business development activities.
Must pass a background check and maintain a satisfactory driving record under WSP’s driving policy.

Nice To Haves

Master’s degree.
Experience with FEMA’s National Flood Insurance Program and Risk MAP program.
Established relationships with municipal, state, federal, transportation, or other Surface Water clients in the Midwest.
Demonstrated success growing a water resources practice, client portfolio, technical capability, or geographic market.
Experience leading geographically distributed teams and sharing resources across offices or regions.
Experience developing emerging technical leaders and creating career pathways for water resources professionals.
Active participation and leadership in professional organizations related to stormwater, floodplain management, water resources, transportation drainage, or related disciplines.
Experience supporting major programs, multidisciplinary infrastructure projects, or alternative delivery projects.

Responsibilities

Lead and grow the Midwest Surface Water practice in coordination with regional and national Water leadership.
Develop and mentor staff through career development, technical growth, mentoring, succession planning, recruitment, and retention.
Advance technical excellence by connecting experts, promoting consistent approaches and quality, mentoring developing professionals, and supporting complex or high-profile projects.
Promote work sharing and collaboration across Midwest offices, other WSP regions, and national Communities of Practice.
Support practice utilization and staffing by balancing workloads, identifying upcoming needs and available capacity, and coordinating staffing with project and operational leadership.
Support strategic business development by developing growth strategies, strengthening client relationships, identifying pursuits, and increasing WSP’s position in priority markets.
Build and expand relationships with municipal, state, federal, transportation, and other public-sector clients, and identify opportunities to broaden services for existing clients.
Support growth in municipal stormwater, flood risk management, open channel hydraulics, FEMA programs, transportation drainage, hydrologic and hydraulic modeling, and related water resources planning and design.
Serve as a senior technical leader, project manager, program manager, or strategic advisor on selected surface water projects.
Lead or support technical planning, modeling, analysis, design, and construction support for stormwater systems, culverts, channels, detention and retention facilities, erosion control, and hydraulic structures.
Provide senior-level oversight and technical review to support quality, consistency, and successful project delivery.
Identify strategic hiring needs and participate in recruiting professionals to strengthen priority capabilities and markets.
Collaborate with Midwest Water leadership on practice performance, staffing, backlog, utilization, project needs, and business development priorities.
Participate in regional and national technical networks and Communities of Practice, connecting national expertise with Midwest clients and enabling Midwest staff to contribute to WSP projects.
Represent WSP with clients, professional organizations, industry partners, and at conferences and technical events.

Benefits

Medical coverage
Dental coverage
Vision coverage
Disability coverage
Life insurance
Retirement savings
Paid sick leave
Paid vacation or other personal time
Paid parental leave
Paid time off for bereavement, voting, and/or attendance at naturalization proceedings