Surface & Storm Water Practice Area Lead

West Yost • San Diego, CA

2d • Hybrid

About The Position

West Yost is seeking an entrepreneurial and collaborative leader to grow and guide its Surface and Storm Water practice across California. This role involves close collaboration with executive leaders and other practice area leads. The Surface and Storm Water Practice Area Lead (PAL) will lead a team of passionate, multidisciplinary professionals within a company known for its values-driven culture, technical excellence, and strong client partnerships. West Yost prioritizes long-term relationships with clients and employees, is 100% employee-owned, and is committed to fostering an environment of trust, mentorship, and continuous learning. This position is ideal for a technically strong and relationship-savvy professional motivated to make a lasting impact. The PAL will be empowered to build the practice with support from leadership, access to a robust network of sector leaders and clients, and resources to expand regional influence. The role offers a clear path to future advancement, including potential progression to a Business Sector Leader role. In addition to technical and project leadership, the PAL will partner with the Business Sector Leader managing the operational and financial health of the practice, including planning and managing growth, developing new and existing markets, and driving consistent revenue performance.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in Civil, Environmental, or Water Resources Engineering.
• 15+ years of experience in consulting engineering with increasing leadership responsibility.
• PE licensure in California, or ability to obtain within 6 months.
• Demonstrated expertise in stormwater and flood control modeling and design.
• Proven ability to manage financial performance, lead strategic pursuits, and translate technical expertise into market growth strategies.
• Proven experience mentoring staff and leading multidisciplinary project teams.
• Strong writing, speaking, and interpersonal skills.

Nice To Haves

• Master’s degree in Civil or Environmental Engineering.
• Background in environmental restoration or green infrastructure.
• Knowledge of regulatory and funding frameworks (e.g., FEMA, SWRCB, Cal OES).
• Active involvement in relevant professional associations (e.g., CASQA, FMA, APWA).

Responsibilities

• Provide leadership, direction, and mentorship to a team of engineers and technical staff across multiple offices.
• Foster a collaborative, growth-oriented team environment, focused on technical excellence and client service.
• Balance team workload, track resourcing needs, and support recruiting and onboarding of new staff.
• Guide quality control/quality assurance efforts and support technical skill development aligned with career progression.
• Develop and implement an annual business plan aligned with company strategic goals.
• Lead efforts to expand the Surface and Storm Water portfolio, identifying emerging markets, trends, and client needs.
• Identify and pursue stormwater and surface water project opportunities across California.
• Strengthen and expand client relationships with public agencies and regional partners.
• Establish annual performance goals and practice-level Key Performance Indexes (KPIs) in partnership with the BSL.
• Partner with the Business Sector Leader (BSL) to track performance against revenue, utilization, backlog, write-offs, and other KPIs.
• Manage forecasting, utilization, and resource planning to meet practice area revenue and profit targets.
• Coordinate with Area Market Leads, Client Service Managers, and other PALs to cross-sell West Yost services.
• Support grant strategy, pursuit of funded projects, and alternative delivery models.
• Serve as project manager, technical advisor, or QA/QC lead for complex water resources projects.
• Oversee and contribute to hydrologic and hydraulic modeling using tools such as HEC-RAS, HEC-HMS, SWMM, InfoWorks, and similar platforms.
• Lead or contribute to design and planning of storm drainage systems, flood control infrastructure, and green/nature-based solutions.
• Integrate restoration of wetlands, riparian corridors, and riverine systems into infrastructure planning where appropriate.
• Develop and review engineering reports, technical memoranda, and construction documents.

Benefits

• medical
• dental
• vision
• flexible spending accounts
• health saving accounts (with West Yost contribution)
• paid vacation
• paid sick leave and holidays
• two employee assistance programs
• travel assistance program
• 401(k) profit sharing with employer match
• leaves of absence with additional supplemental paid time off
• parental leave
• life and AD&D insurance
• short-term and long-term disability insurance
• pet insurance
• support in on-going education through our 529 college savings plan/student loan repayment program
• tuition reimbursement
• paid professional memberships
• paid training
• Leadership Academy programs
• milestone anniversary benefits
• peer to peer recognition programs
• potential for employee stock ownership
• annual monetary and paid time off bonuses
• performance-based bonus eligibility
• merit increase eligibility
• employee referral bonuses
• wellness reimbursement
• hybrid and flexible work schedules

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Senior