Project Director - Environmental

LJA • Hoover, AL

2d

About The Position

The Project Director at LJA Environmental oversees business development in the market area, including Florida and surrounding states, builds the service line, and ultimately leads a team. The role manages Senior Project Managers, Project Managers, and junior staff, including mentoring, training, and performance reviews. It oversees large, complex, and high-profile projects to ensure delivery within scope, schedule, and budget; maintains standard operating procedures and report formats; reviews and edits technical reports; and serves as the primary client liaison for consulting, relationship management, negotiations, collections, and issue resolution.

The Project Director drives business development through proposal preparation, budgeting, marketing events, and growth with existing and prospective clients. The role is accountable for the organizational unit’s financial performance, including profitability, expenses, revenue forecasting, projections, and budget development in collaboration with Vice Presidents. It reviews and approves timesheets, expense reports, budgets, invoices, and billings; attends division and client meetings and marketing events; supports executive leadership in strategic planning; and serves as a senior technical authority and operational leader as needed.

Work may also include site investigations and analysis of biological, physical, chemical, geographical, and geological data; preparation and quality review of environmental reports and work plans; coordination with scientists, engineers, regulators, suppliers, subcontractors, and field staff; supervision of fieldwork; development of scopes and level-of-effort estimates; proposal and subcontractor agreement preparation; contract discussions; and maintaining current guidance documents and toolkits for regulatory compliance, including technical reports and NEPA documents.

Requirements

• Bachelor of Science degree at minimum in Marine Biology, Rangeland Ecology, Ecology, Soil Science, Geography, or a related field.
• At least 15 years of experience.
• Working knowledge of CWA, ESA, ASTM, and NEPA processes, including permitting and mitigation.
• Strong communication skills and ability to build strong relationships.

Nice To Haves

• Master’s degree in a relevant field.

Responsibilities

• Oversee business development in the market area, including Florida and surrounding states, and build the environmental service line.
• Lead Senior Project Managers, Project Managers, and junior staff, including hiring as needed, mentoring, training, and conducting performance reviews.
• Oversee large, complex, and high-profile projects to ensure completion within scope, schedule, and budget.
• Develop, review, and maintain standard operating procedures and report formats; review and edit technical reports.
• Serve as the primary client liaison, providing consulting services and managing client relationships, negotiations, collections, and issue resolution.
• Drive business development through proposal preparation, budgeting, participation in marketing events, and growth with existing and potential clients.
• Manage the organizational unit’s financial performance, including profitability, expenses, revenue forecasts, projections, and budgets in collaboration with Vice Presidents.
• Review and approve timesheets, expense reports, budgets, invoices, and billings.
• Attend quarterly division meetings, client meetings, and marketing events as required.
• Assist executive leadership with long-term strategic planning and organizational goals.
• Serve as a technical authority and assume operational leadership responsibilities as needed.
• Conduct site investigations and collect, process, and evaluate on-site and off-site data, including biological, physical, chemical, geographical, and geological data.
• Coordinate with external scientists, engineers, and regulators, and provide technical assistance on project design alternatives while maintaining regulatory standards.
• Prepare and quality-check technical reports and prepare progress reports.
• Coordinate suppliers, fieldwork coordinators, subcontractors, and field staff, and supervise fieldwork.
• Prepare level-of-effort estimates, scopes of work, proposals, and subconsultant agreements; coordinate and manage subconsultant scopes and estimates.
• Manage contract discussions with third-party contractors, local planning authorities, and other project personnel.
• Maintain and use current guidance documents and toolkits to support compliance with relevant regulatory entities.

Benefits

• Employee Stock Ownership Plan (ESOP).
• Paid time off, paid holidays, and a full office closure between Christmas and New Year’s.
• Multiple health and dental plan options and pet benefits.
• Mental health support.
• Paid maternity and parental leave.
• Tuition reimbursement and in-house courses.
• Referral bonuses.
• Company-sponsored volunteer days and philanthropic initiatives.
• Memberships to industry organizations.
• Internal mobility and career growth opportunities.
• LJA social events, employee sports teams, and bring-your-kid-to-work day.

What This Job Offers

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