US West - Power & Utilities SME/Business Development Manager

GHD•San Francisco, CA

6d•Hybrid

About The Position

At GHD, we are committed to addressing the world’s biggest challenges in the areas of energy, water, and communities. We are a global network of multi-disciplinary professionals providing clients with integrated solutions through engineering, environmental, design, and construction expertise. Our future-focused, innovative approaches connect and support communities around the world, building resiliency and sustainability for generations to come. Established in 1928, we remain wholly owned by our people. We are 12,000+ diverse and skilled individuals connected by over 200 offices, across five continents. The Power & Utilities Client Manager – US West will play a critical role in expanding GHD's presence across the Western United States utility market. This role will focus on developing and strengthening relationships with investor-owned utilities, public power agencies, municipalities, developers, contractors, and other key stakeholders to identify opportunities, position GHD's capabilities, and grow strategic accounts. As part of GHD's continued investment in the Power & Utilities sector, this position will support growth across priority markets including transmission and distribution, substations, grid modernization, energy storage, renewable integration, asset management, and utility advisory services. The successful candidate will work closely with technical leaders, project teams, and client account teams to translate client challenges into practical, integrated solutions that leverage the full breadth of GHD's capabilities. We are seeking a technically credible Power & Utilities leader with a strong understanding of the utility industry and a demonstrated ability to develop trusted client relationships, shape strategic opportunities, and support successful project pursuits. The successful candidate will bring deep industry experience across utility operations, transmission and distribution, substations, grid modernization, asset management, energy transition, or related infrastructure programs, combined with a proven ability to identify client needs and translate them into actionable solutions. This is a seller-doer role that requires both technical expertise and commercial acumen. The individual will be expected to engage confidently with utility executives, engineering leaders, operations personnel, and project stakeholders, while also supporting business development, strategic account growth, pursuit development, and work winning across the US West region. The ideal candidate will be recognized by clients as a trusted advisor and industry expert, leveraging technical insight, practical experience, and market knowledge to help utilities address complex challenges while expanding GHD's presence and long-term relationships within the sector. Our Hybrid Work Model: Be part of the dynamic culture! Our workplace thrives on a hybrid model, combining in-office collaboration and flexibility. Join us in the office three days a week to contribute, connect and excel in our vibrant environment. Working with an energetic and high performing team, this position offers a variety of duties and will see you involved in:

Requirements

Bachelor's degree in Engineering, Science, Business, or a related discipline.
Minimum 10 years of experience in the power and utilities industry, either working directly for an electric utility, public power agency, developer, contractor, or serving utility clients in a consulting environment.
Experience in one or more areas including transmission and distribution, substations, protection and control, grid modernization, asset management, system planning, reliability, resilience, renewable integration, battery energy storage, or related utility infrastructure programs.
Demonstrated ability to build and maintain trusted relationships with utility executives, engineering leaders, operations personnel, asset managers, and other key industry stakeholders.
Experience developing client accounts, shaping opportunities, supporting strategic pursuits, and winning work within the power and utilities sector.
Strong technical and commercial judgment, with the ability to translate client challenges into practical and executable solutions.
Experience serving in client-facing leadership roles such as Project Manager, Project Director, Technical Advisor, Client Service Manager, Account Manager, or similar positions requiring both technical and commercial responsibility.
Strong communication, collaboration, presentation, and influencing skills.
Demonstrated ability to work across multidisciplinary teams and connect clients with the broader capabilities of a global engineering and consulting organization.
Self-motivated, highly visible in the market, and recognized for technical credibility, professionalism, and client service.
Understanding of and commitment to GHD's values, Code of Conduct, risk and reputation management principles, and health and safety requirements.

Nice To Haves

Professional Engineer (PE) registration is considered an asset.
Existing relationships within investor-owned utilities, public power agencies, municipalities, developers, contractors, or other utility industry organizations are highly desirable.

Responsibilities

Developing and executing strategic accounts and growth plans for priority power and utility clients across the US West region.
Building trusted relationships with utility executives, engineering leaders, operations personnel, project managers, contractors, developers, public agencies, and other key stakeholders to identify opportunities and position GHD as a valued technical and delivery partner.
Serve as a client-facing Power & Utilities subject matter expert with practical experience in electric utility infrastructure, including transmission, distribution, substations, protection and control, grid modernization, asset management, reliability, resilience, and energy transition programs.
Identify and advance opportunities related to transmission and distribution planning, line engineering, substation upgrades and replacements, protection and control systems, SCADA integration, telecommunications, asset replacement programs, grid reliability, and utility capital improvement initiatives.
Identify, shape, and pursue opportunities related to utility modernization and transformation initiatives, including distribution automation, DER integration, operational technology improvements, asset management programs, wildfire mitigation and resilience planning, data analytics, and AI-enabled solutions aligned with client priorities.
Help position GHD for energy transition opportunities, including battery energy storage systems (BESS), renewable integration, interconnection support, electrification, large load growth, and utility infrastructure investments supporting data centers and other emerging customer demands.
Work closely with GHD's Data Center Energy Infrastructure, Advisory, Environmental, and Permitting teams to identify and pursue opportunities associated with load growth, grid expansion, power supply strategy, permitting, gas-to-power solutions, and utility infrastructure development.
Lead or support business development activities, including client engagement, opportunity shaping, capture planning, teaming strategies, proposal development, interview preparation, and pursuit strategy.
Apply technical judgment and utility industry experience to translate client needs into executable scopes of work, delivery strategies, and integrated solutions that can be successfully delivered by GHD project teams.
Collaborate with technical leaders and subject matter experts across North America and GHD's global network to bring the right capabilities to each opportunity, including engineering, advisory, environmental, permitting, digital, asset management, program management, and owner's engineer services.
Maintain continuity from business development through project delivery by remaining actively engaged with clients after award. Depending on project needs and qualifications, this may include serving as Project Manager, Project Director, Technical Advisor, Client Service Manager, or another client-facing leadership role on projects the individual helps originate.
Support the growth of strategic utility accounts by identifying adjacent opportunities, understanding client capital programs and investment priorities, and strengthening long-term client relationships.
Gather and share market intelligence related to utility capital plans, regulatory developments, grid modernization priorities, procurement trends, emerging technologies, competitor activity, and client investment needs.
Support industry engagement, client workshops, conference participation, thought leadership, and solutions-based marketing initiatives that strengthen GHD's presence within the US West power & utility market.