Senior Technical Director, Project Management

WSP•Lexington, KY

About The Position

The Vice President, Right of Way Operations – National Programs provides executive leadership in establishing, managing, and expanding WSP’s national right-of-way (ROW) organization. Initially focused on American Electric Power (AEP) electric transmission programs, the organization is being developed as a scalable delivery platform to support additional clients and become a principal ROW services organization within WSP. Reporting directly to the Senior Vice President / Deputy ROW Director, the Vice President is the designated second-ranking operational leader of the national ROW organization. The role exercises delegated executive authority over day-to-day operations, including directing and overseeing ROW Program Managers and their teams, program performance, staffing and resource allocation, and implementation of organizational priorities. The Vice President also remains directly involved in critical programs and operational matters as needed, particularly during the organization’s initial development.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in business, law, real estate, engineering, planning, or a related discipline, or an equivalent combination of education and relevant professional experience.
Significant progressive leadership experience in ROW, utility or infrastructure programs, real estate, professional services, business operations, or related fields.
Demonstrated ability to lead complex programs and multidisciplinary teams.
Experience with budgets, contracts, staffing, operational performance, client relationships, and organizational development.
Strong understanding of property rights, easements, acquisition and negotiation, and associated regulatory considerations.
Excellent executive communication, judgment, relationship-building, strategic planning, and problem-solving skills.
Ability to operate effectively in a growing organization.

Nice To Haves

Advanced degree, including a J.D. or MBA.

Responsibilities

Partner with the Senior Vice President to establish, build, and lead WSP’s national transmission ROW operations, including business strategy, operational planning, program governance, management accountability, and organizational objectives.
Develop scalable management structures, staffing strategies, reporting systems, and operating standards for a geographically dispersed national ROW organization.
Support the organization’s long-term objective of expanding to more than 500 employees, subject to business growth and organizational approval.
Oversee organizational integration, continuous improvement, leadership succession planning, and coordination with WSP’s energy, engineering, environmental, and infrastructure businesses.
Identify organizational risks, competing priorities, and opportunities to improve delivery, and make or recommend decisions consistent with delegated authority.
Provide executive oversight of a portfolio of ROW programs and their Program Managers, including delivery strategy, project controls, schedules, staffing, consultant and subconsultant performance, contract execution, and client commitments.
Oversee the full ROW lifecycle, including property research and due diligence; route and site evaluation; title review and curative work; easement and fee acquisition; landowner engagement; appraisal and valuation; condemnation support; construction support and damage claims; and property rights documentation.
Establish and monitor key performance indicators, quality assurance practices, executive reporting, and corrective action processes across programs.
Coordinate ROW delivery with engineering, environmental clearance, surveying, permitting, utility coordination, design, construction, and legal professionals; directly support critical or complex matters when needed.
Partner with the Senior Vice President to develop and execute operating plans, budgets, forecasts, staffing models, and financial objectives.
Provide executive oversight of portfolio revenue, profitability, resource utilization, and consultant, subconsultant, and delivery-partner financial performance.
Establish financial accountability across programs; evaluate budgets, forecasts, schedules, contract performance, and KPIs; direct corrective action to protect profitability, service quality, and client commitments; and report consolidated results to senior leadership.
Provide leadership oversight of scope development, contract administration, procurement coordination, change management, and financial considerations for new and existing engagements, subject to WSP approval requirements.
Serve as a senior executive resource and advisor to WSP’s strategic client teams, including AEP leadership, supporting program strategy, executive-level issue resolution, key client relationships, and long-term business opportunities.
Support proposals, client presentations, contract discussions, and business development initiatives to expand national ROW services beyond the initial AEP work.
Develop relationships with utility and infrastructure clients and identify opportunities to leverage WSP’s multidisciplinary services and expand its ROW delivery capabilities.
Recruit, develop, mentor, and oversee Program Managers and other senior ROW professionals.
Establish an accountable leadership team capable of directing complex programs while supporting organizational expansion, performance management, and succession planning.
Promote a culture of safety, integrity, inclusion, collaboration, responsiveness, and high-quality client service across geographically dispersed teams.
Oversee identification and escalation of ROW-related legal, regulatory, contractual, landowner, stakeholder, schedule, and operational risks; coordinate with appropriate subject-matter specialists and counsel.
Support compliance with applicable federal, state, and local acquisition, relocation, property management, and other regulatory requirements, as well as WSP policies and quality standards.
Travel as business needs require.