Substation Lead Electrical Engineer, Department Manager

WSP•Richmond, RI

1d•Hybrid

About The Position

WSP is seeking a Substation Department Manager for their Richmond, VA office. This role involves managing the day-to-day operations of the department, ensuring alignment with WSP's mission and culture, and achieving business plan goals. The Department Manager will maintain high-quality standards, foster teamwork, and support client needs. Responsibilities include developing and strengthening client relationships, supporting corporate initiatives, and managing administrative staff, drafters, designers, and engineers. This position also serves as a technical lead for civil and structural members of the department and collaborates with regional leadership to achieve strategic goals and balance client backlog. The role requires acting as a trusted advisor to the Vice President, Region Manager (VPRM), managing financial, technical, and staffing aspects of the department, and applying advanced substation engineering techniques to infrastructure projects. This includes developing construction plans, specifications, cost estimates, and updating infrastructure layouts. The manager will oversee cross-functional teams, prepare technical reports, collaborate on business development, and stay current with industry practices. Ethical decision-making and adherence to WSP's Code of Conduct are essential. Additional responsibilities may be assigned based on business needs.

Requirements

Bachelor’s Degree in Engineering, or closely related discipline (or equivalent experience).
7 to 10 years of relevant post education experience in engineering discipline and prior substation design experience.
Demonstratable experience as a leader of project or client teams.
Demonstrated competence in client team development and growing/maintaining client relationships.
Proficient with electrical engineering principles, practices, process, design/build, and the application to project work-related issues.
Well-defined specific knowledge of relevant electrical codes, regulations, compliance practices, and record-keeping requirements.
Well-developed ability to make technical computations and calculations involving the application of engineering principles, understanding plans and specifications, and making factual comparisons to the appropriate regulations.
Highly effective interpersonal and communication skills when interacting with others, expressing ideas effectively and professionally to an engineering and non-engineering audience.
Demonstrated high-level of self-leadership with attention to detail, multi-tasking, and prioritization of responsibilities in a dynamic work environment.
Works independently with minimal oversight and provides guidance and leadership to junior team or project members, with strict adherence to QA/QC.
Proficient with technical writing, office automation, discipline-specific design software (i.e., MicroStation, AutoCAD, MS Office, etc), technology, math principles, spreadsheets, and tools.
Well-developed critical thinking and problem-solving skills required to apply technical knowledge to reach conclusions from testing results, data collation, computations, statistical analysis and arriving at the most effective, economical, and logical solution.
Proven track record of upholding workplace safety and ability to abide by WSP’s health, safety and drug/alcohol and harassment policies.
Ability to work schedules conducive to project-specific requirements that may extend beyond the typical workweek.
Occasional travel may be required depending on project-specific requirements.

Nice To Haves

Master’s Degree in Engineering.
Professional Engineer License.

Responsibilities

Manage the day-to-day activities of the department to produce a product consistent with WSP’s mission statement and culture.
Achieve the goals of the department business plan.
Maintain WSP’s high-quality standards.
Promote internal teamwork (intra- and inter-department).
Support the needs of our clients.
Assist with developing, maintaining, and strengthening client relationships associated with projects in the department.
Support corporate initiatives in line with department business plan goals.
Manage a team of administrative staff, drafters, designers and engineers.
Act as a technical lead for the civil and structural members of the department.
Work closely with the Vice President, Region Manager (VPRM) and other DMs in the region to accomplish regional strategy goals and to balance direct-award "alliance" client backlog while pursuing competitive-bid local work.
Act as trusted advisor to the VPRM to support the Southeast Region, communicating regularly via weekly touchpoints, bi-weekly region teleconferences, monthly reporting, bi-annual region meetings, quarterly business plan audits, and bi-annual Department Manager meetings.
Manage all financial, technical, and staffing aspects of performance for this Substation Department, including timecard approvals, monthly financial reporting, weekly and monthly resource planning, annual business plans, bi-annual appraisals, salary/promotion/bonus recommendations, shareholder writeups, department participation in the Knowledge Management Program (KMP), proposals, project design book audits, monthly lunch & learns, mentorship, and QA/QC.
Apply high-level substation engineering techniques and processes to identify improvements for various infrastructure project phases including concept development, preliminary design, final design, procurement, construction, and operation.
Develop construction plans, specifications, and cost estimates; preparing construction safety and phasing plans, and updating infrastructure layout plans that require coordination with owners, other disciplines, sub-consultants, and clients.
Develop and incorporate advanced technologies, monitoring devices, building materials, modeling techniques, design requirements.
Oversee and monitor cross-functional teams of engineers, architects, planners, and scientific professionals to execute project work on mid-level and/or multiple concurrent projects, including budgets, tracking hours and expenses, task completion, cost and quantities of materials/equipment/labor, technical calculations, permit applications, construction, compliance documentation, and regulatory and technical analysis memos.
Prepare comprehensive technical reports and presentations that explain research, concepts, and recommendations to prevent, control, restore, or address structural, environmental, design, and/or construction issues or opportunities.
Proactively collaborate with other engineers, professionals, and leaders on proposal and business development opportunities.
Remain current in latest substation engineering techniques and practices.
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.