Project Manager - Utility Permitting

SWCA Environmental Consultants•Lombard, IL

6h•Onsite

About The Position

SWCA Environmental Consultants seeks a qualified Project Manager – Utility Permitting with strong interpersonal skills and experience in utility project permitting and project management to join our team and primarily support oil and natural gas infrastructure projects. The position will directly support a regulated utility’s program based in Chicago, Illinois. This is a regular (with benefits), salaried, full-time position based in Chicago. This individual will work with a dynamic and company-wide team to successfully drive projects throughout all phases, from early planning and permitting through construction. The ideal candidate will possess extensive environmental consulting and project management experience, preferably with specific knowledge of oil and gas transmission in Chicago. SWCA is looking for the right candidate to take on existing and future projects and help build our presence throughout the Midwest.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in biology, botany, wildlife management, or a closely related field.
Four (4) years of natural resources consulting experience on a variety of project types, sizes, and regions that include: energy facility siting and constraints studies, federal, state, and local permitting, and agency interactions at all levels.
Two (2) years of experience managing projects, including developing and implementing budgets, schedules, and scopes of work.
Experience in Illinois and the Midwest Region.
Demonstrated experience with state local agencies such as IEPA, IDNR, MWRD, DuPage, Cook, Lake, and McHenry Counties.
Demonstrated experience with applicable environmental federal, state and county regulations.
Demonstrated experience with federal agencies such as USFWS, EPA, and USACE.
Prior primary report authorship and finalization for clients and agencies in a natural resource consulting context for a variety of project types and sizes, regions, and agencies.
Applicants must have valid driver’s license and be able to meet SWCA’s driver requirements.

Nice To Haves

Seven (7) years of natural resources consulting experience on a variety of project types, sizes, and regions that include: federal, state, and local permitting, compliance, and agency interactions at all levels.
Three (3) years of experience managing projects, including developing and implementing budgets, schedules, and scopes of work.
Demonstrated success managing multiple utility projects through permitting, construction, and closeout.
Experience in more than one of the Midwest states.

Responsibilities

Work closely with and lead project teams to navigate permitting challenges and meet client needs.
Manage projects that include compliance, biological resource assessments and constraints analyses, state and federal Endangered Species Act consultations, Clean Water Act Section 404 and Section 401 permitting, state-level permits, and local level permits.
Manages and coordinates project teams and resources to ensure that quality standards are upheld and project milestones are met for regulatory compliance, scope, schedule, and budget.
Demonstrates strong skills in project planning, internal communication, and human relations, ensuring effective collaboration within the team. Project plans should communicate status, schedules, task delegation, scope changes, budget allocation, and other project details (including goals, purpose, and/or reasoning).
Monitors project progress continuously, assessing risks to project success, safety, quality, and performance standards and analyzing strategies for problem solving. When necessary, revises the scope, schedule, and/or budget to ensure that project requirements can be met.
Take initiative and anticipate/resolve issues to assure client needs are met effectively.
Lead and advise on all aspects of project implementation, including the development of permitting strategies, provide QA/QC of work processes and deliverables, and lead or support teams completing technical studies that support permitting efforts.
Engage with SWCA’s Technical Director team to support quality initiatives, and development of policies & procedures in your areas of expertise.
Engage with professional organizations, including attendance at conferences, trainings, and client-led events on behalf of SWCA.
Supervise, mentor, and provide project technical support to junior staff.
Drive compliance of safety policies and reporting requirements to ensure overall team safety.