Senior Project Manager - Transmission Siting

SWCA Environmental Consultants•UNAVAILABLE, UNAVAILABLE

3d•Remote

About The Position

SWCA Environmental Consultants is seeking a self-motivated Senior Project Manager – Transmission Siting with strong interpersonal skills and significant experience in electric transmission siting and client relationship management. This individual will support and lead electric transmission siting projects (both regulated and FERC order 1000 solicitation projects) with senior quality assurance and control for siting deliverables, siting strategy, business development efforts, and client management. Projects will primarily be located in the Midwestern, Northeastern, and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. The Senior Project Manager will have significant technical expertise and experience with electric transmission siting, competitive transmission process management, permitting requirements, Public Utilities Commission CPCN regulatory filings, client management and business development, and agency interactions at all levels. Required skills include the ability to provide senior guidance and review for siting deliverables, expert witness testimony (when needed), siting strategy and client advisory for competitive and regulated electric transmission line projects, and leading regulatory filings for regulated and FERC 1000 applications. Other important skills will include working in a matrixed organization, successfully integrating into multidisciplinary teams that involve development, engineering, and environmental team members; support development of permitting and permit compliance strategies; and oversight of quality assurance and quality control (QA/QC). The candidate should be experienced in managing multidisciplinary staff to complete project and proposal work and foster a positive working environment among team members. This is a regular (with benefits), full-time, exempt, salaried position reporting to our Senior Director, National Transmission Business Line Lead and our Minneapolis, MN office. The position can be based out of one of our Northeast/Midwest subregion or be fully remote (= distributed). The pay rate will be based on individual qualifications and experience. SWCA offers a team-oriented work environment, competitive salaries, and a competitive benefits package, including retirement benefits in the form of an employee stock ownership plan (ESOP).

Requirements

Minimum of a bachelor’s degree in planning, environmental science, natural resources management, law, geology, engineering or a related field.
A minimum of eight (8) years of relevant industry experience, including at least four (4) years of transmission siting experience.
A minimum of four (4) years of project management experience.
Demonstrated experience leading or support proposal and business development activities in the Electrical Transmission market.
Demonstrated ability to write compelling, legally defensible siting studies for regulated Public Utility transmission filing and FERC 1000 siting applications.
A working knowledge of federal (e.g., NEPA, National Historic Preservation Act, Clean Water Act, and Endangered Species Act) and state laws governing resource management.
Demonstrated experience with transmission projects and with federal agencies such as the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, Bureau of Land Management, U.S. Forest Service, and/or U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and with state and local agencies. Experience with public utilities commissions desired.
Experience with supervising staff and/or project/proposal teams.
Experience and ability to manage complex transmission projects in diverse settings and with changing requirements.
Demonstrated experience working in a fast-paced work environment and desire to work in a highly collaborative team atmosphere.
Experience siting at least 25 transmission lines in varying geographic settings.
Demonstrated experience with Public Utility Commission filings in the Midwest and Mid-Atlantic.

Nice To Haves

A minimum of ten (10) years of relevant industry experience.
A minimum of five (5) years of project management experience.
Expert Witness testimony experience strongly preferred.

Responsibilities

Advise, Lead, oversee, and/or execute the management of siting and routing efforts for transmission projects of all sizes and levels of complexity.
Foster a positive, collaborative working environment among project team members.
Work closely with project teams across all SWCA offices to navigate transmission project challenges and meet client needs.
Take the initiative and resolve issues to assure the client’s needs are met effectively.
Lead and advise on the development of siting and routing strategies, provide QA/QC of work processes and deliverables, and lead teams completing technical studies that support permitting efforts.
Annual planning and alignment of transmission business lines with overall corporate growth goals.
Develop teaming partners – both prime and sub – to meet pursuit goals.
Identify, lead, and support initiatives for enhanced business development performance and efficiencies for continued growth. This includes marketing and branding activities, pursuit tracking, and increased sales efficiency.
Mentor and provide project-specific technical support to junior staff.
Implement and administer SWCA’s safety procedures and standards of scientific and professional ethics.
Enhance SWCA’s relationship with Midwestern, Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic utilities and transmission developers.
Drive compliance of safety policies and reporting requirements to ensure overall team safety.