Senior Director, Regional Business Operations Director

WSP • Detroit, MI

9h • Hybrid

About The Position

The Senior Director, Regional Business Operations Director provides strategic leadership for the development, execution, and continuous improvement of operational strategies across a T&I business region. This role is accountable for ensuring operational effectiveness, financial health, risk management, and alignment with WSP’s business goals. The Senior Director drives operational excellence, oversees large-scale initiatives, enhances cross-functional collaboration, and ensures a consistent, efficient, and high-quality service delivery model. The Region Operations Director will be part of the WSP’s Regional T&I Leadership Team with primary responsibility of the P&L, including revenue generation, project margin, EBITDA, DSO, operational leadership, staff utilization, and hiring. The Region Operations Leader will partner with the Regional Commercial Manager to drive successful delivery of quality projects, client satisfaction, and all operational aspects of the business. The Regional Business Operations Director plays a critical role in regional business planning, organizational change, and overall operational strategy execution in the Region. This role can sit in any of our Offices – preferably in one of the list offices: Detroit, MI Chicago, IL Washington DC Philadelphia, PA Phoenix, AZ Salt Lake City, UT Seattle, WA Your Impact Duties and Responsibilities General duties and expectations of the Region Operations Director include: Develop, implement, and oversee operational strategies and business plans that drive operational excellence, support growth initiatives, and optimize business unit performance. Lead the day-to-day management of operational activities across the business unit or sector, ensuring alignment with organizational goals, corporate policies, client expectations, and regulatory requirements. Monitor, analyze, and interpret operational performance metrics, financial data, and key performance indicators (KPIs) to evaluate business health and identify improvement opportunities. Collaborate with senior leadership teams to establish short-term and long-term operational objectives, strategies, and action plans that align with the broader business strategy. Design and implement scalable operational processes, standards, and best practices to increase efficiency, reduce costs, and improve service delivery across diverse teams. Oversee resource planning and allocation processes to ensure sufficient staffing, budgeting, and operational readiness for ongoing and upcoming initiatives. Manage operating budgets, including development, forecasting, monitoring, and reporting to ensure fiscal accountability and strategic alignment of expenditures. Identify and mitigate operational risks by establishing risk management frameworks, internal controls, and contingency planning activities. Champion continuous improvement initiatives by assessing operational workflows, identifying inefficiencies, and leading targeted process reengineering efforts. Ensure compliance with all applicable health, safety, environmental, and regulatory requirements, and promote a strong culture of workplace safety and ethical behavior. Partner with business development and client-facing teams to ensure operational capacity, service capabilities, and infrastructure align with evolving client needs and market trends. Lead and contribute to transformational projects, technology upgrades, and business modernization initiatives that enhance operational performance and competitiveness. Facilitate cross-functional collaboration among finance, human resources, technology, project delivery, and client service teams to ensure cohesive operational execution. Establish and maintain strong working relationships with internal and external stakeholders, ensuring effective communication, issue resolution, and service delivery. Assess existing operational policies and procedures, recommend enhancements, and oversee the implementation of approved changes to drive organizational effectiveness. Support organizational change management efforts by developing and executing transition plans, communication strategies, and employee engagement activities. Lead the recruitment, development, retention, and performance management of operational staff, ensuring the team has the skills and capabilities to achieve business goals. Support integration of the best industry talent by fostering a work environment that is collaborative, values inclusion and diversity and invites broad, creative thinking – crafting a more attractive place to work, grow and thrive. Emphasizes employee training and development to create a unique work experience. Supports in strategic recruitment, promotional programs and performance management focused on the employee experience, wellness and safety. Inspires, motivates and promotes the best of WSP to our clients and communities to ensure strong employee engagement and morale. Mentor, coach, and support direct reports and emerging leaders within the operational team, fostering an environment focused on accountability, professional development, and continuous improvement. Prepare and deliver executive-level operational reports, business performance presentations, and strategic updates to leadership and governance bodies. Promote a culture of innovation, operational excellence, client service, collaboration, and inclusion across the business unit or sector. Represent the operational function in leadership meetings, client discussions, and industry engagements, serving as a trusted advisor on operational matters. Exercise responsible and ethical decision-making regarding company funds, resources, and conduct, and adhere to WSP’s Code of Conduct and related policies and procedures. Perform additional responsibilities as required by business needs.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s Degree or equivalent in Engineering, Business Administration, or related field.
• 15+ years of relevant post education experience.
• Active member of local and/or national professional practice organization.
• Actively participates in local professional practice organization including attending meetings and conferences.
• Demonstrates excellence in providing high quality technical performance and oversight through innovative thinking and application of state-of-the-art tools
• Competence in analytical techniques and modeling in tackling technical problems with some complexity.
• Demonstrates excellence in providing high quality level technical performance within the state-of-the-practice and innovative thinking when opportunities arise.
• Ability to foster general teamwork by interacting well with others and supervising high quality professional deliverables on tasks and assignment.
• Ability to work in a multi-dimensional organization in an open and collaborative manner.
• Broad knowledge of and experience with technical and operations delivery.
• Understands the trends in the industry; Experience with change management; Collaborative, drives consensus; Ability to innovate and re-think the conventional approach to client and employee engagement; Proven track record of upholding workplace safety and ability to abide by WSP’s health, safety and drug/alcohol and harassment policies.
• Strong ability to quickly adapt to change and demonstrate flexibility to a variety of schedules and hours to meet business needs.
• Frequent travel required throughout the Region.

Nice To Haves

• Enhancing credentials and certification(s) such as Master’s Degree, ITIL Practice Certification, ITIL, V3 Foundations, etc.

Responsibilities

• Develop, implement, and oversee operational strategies and business plans that drive operational excellence, support growth initiatives, and optimize business unit performance.
• Lead the day-to-day management of operational activities across the business unit or sector, ensuring alignment with organizational goals, corporate policies, client expectations, and regulatory requirements.
• Monitor, analyze, and interpret operational performance metrics, financial data, and key performance indicators (KPIs) to evaluate business health and identify improvement opportunities.
• Collaborate with senior leadership teams to establish short-term and long-term operational objectives, strategies, and action plans that align with the broader business strategy.
• Design and implement scalable operational processes, standards, and best practices to increase efficiency, reduce costs, and improve service delivery across diverse teams.
• Oversee resource planning and allocation processes to ensure sufficient staffing, budgeting, and operational readiness for ongoing and upcoming initiatives.
• Manage operating budgets, including development, forecasting, monitoring, and reporting to ensure fiscal accountability and strategic alignment of expenditures.
• Identify and mitigate operational risks by establishing risk management frameworks, internal controls, and contingency planning activities.
• Champion continuous improvement initiatives by assessing operational workflows, identifying inefficiencies, and leading targeted process reengineering efforts.
• Ensure compliance with all applicable health, safety, environmental, and regulatory requirements, and promote a strong culture of workplace safety and ethical behavior.
• Partner with business development and client-facing teams to ensure operational capacity, service capabilities, and infrastructure align with evolving client needs and market trends.
• Lead and contribute to transformational projects, technology upgrades, and business modernization initiatives that enhance operational performance and competitiveness.
• Facilitate cross-functional collaboration among finance, human resources, technology, project delivery, and client service teams to ensure cohesive operational execution.
• Establish and maintain strong working relationships with internal and external stakeholders, ensuring effective communication, issue resolution, and service delivery.
• Assess existing operational policies and procedures, recommend enhancements, and oversee the implementation of approved changes to drive organizational effectiveness.
• Support organizational change management efforts by developing and executing transition plans, communication strategies, and employee engagement activities.
• Lead the recruitment, development, retention, and performance management of operational staff, ensuring the team has the skills and capabilities to achieve business goals.
• Support integration of the best industry talent by fostering a work environment that is collaborative, values inclusion and diversity and invites broad, creative thinking – crafting a more attractive place to work, grow and thrive.
• Emphasizes employee training and development to create a unique work experience.
• Supports in strategic recruitment, promotional programs and performance management focused on the employee experience, wellness and safety.
• Inspires, motivates and promotes the best of WSP to our clients and communities to ensure strong employee engagement and morale.
• Mentor, coach, and support direct reports and emerging leaders within the operational team, fostering an environment focused on accountability, professional development, and continuous improvement.
• Prepare and deliver executive-level operational reports, business performance presentations, and strategic updates to leadership and governance bodies.
• Promote a culture of innovation, operational excellence, client service, collaboration, and inclusion across the business unit or sector.
• Represent the operational function in leadership meetings, client discussions, and industry engagements, serving as a trusted advisor on operational matters.
• Exercise responsible and ethical decision-making regarding company funds, resources, and conduct, and adhere to WSP’s Code of Conduct and related policies and procedures.
• Perform additional responsibilities as required by business needs.

Benefits

• coverage related to medical, dental, vision, disability, and life
• retirement savings
• paid sick leave
• paid vacation (or other personal time)
• paid parental leave
• paid time off for purposes of bereavement, voting, and/or attendance at naturalization proceedings

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Director
• Number of Employees: 5,001-10,000 employees