Water Infrastructure Program Manager

Arcadis•Los Angeles, CA

14h

About The Position

Arcadis is seeking an accomplished Water Infrastructure Program Manager to lead transformative water programs across the southwest. The role will also be critical in development and strategic positioning for a range of client programs. This includes 20+ billion flagship initiatives aimed at enhancing southern California’s regional water resilience, sustainability, and public health by expanding potable reuse infrastructure and operations for a prominent municipal department. The Program Manager will lead complex programs that involve multiple phases, each requiring detailed technical evaluation, siting studies, and rigorous environmental review to optimize water program delivery. The Program Manager will oversee all phases of planning, design, construction, stakeholder engagement, and delivery, ensuring alignment with regulatory requirements, budgetary constraints, and strategic objectives. Additionally, they will provide leadership to a large, multidisciplinary team and ensure successful delivery in alignment with client goals. The Water Infrastructure Program Manager will lead the delivery of a large-scale water infrastructure initiative, implementing best-in-class program management practices while developing and communicating a clear program vision, objectives, and roadmap. This role requires navigating a complex utility organization and fostering a collaborative, safety-focused, and innovative team culture. Responsibilities include strategic planning across all project phases, aligning program goals with organizational priorities and sustainability targets, and integrating multiple workstreams for timely and budget-conscious execution. The Water Infrastructure Program Manager will build and mentor a multidisciplinary team, define roles and expectations, and promote a positive, high-performance environment. Stakeholder engagement is key, with the manager serving as the primary liaison to clients, regulators, community groups, and partners, ensuring transparent communication and proactive issue resolution. Resource coordination involves optimizing personnel, funding, and technology across the program, identifying gaps, and implementing solutions. Performance management includes monitoring progress, managing risks, and establishing governance frameworks and KPIs for benchmarking. The role also champions continuous improvement by enhancing processes and integrating lessons learned, while maintaining robust reporting systems to provide timely updates and ensure accountability. The ideal Water Infrastructure Program Manager brings extensive experience managing large complex infrastructure or water sector programs with a strong background in environmental impact assessments, permitting, and regulatory compliance across federal, state, and local levels. You are well-versed in digital project management tools, real-time monitoring systems, and data-driven decision-making. With expert knowledge of program management methodologies, you demonstrate superior leadership, communication, and stakeholder engagement skills. Experience working with public sector clients or major municipal infrastructure projects is highly preferred. This leader excels in building consensus among diverse stakeholders—including regulatory agencies, municipal partners, elected officials, and community groups—and is adept at translating technical information for varied audiences. Proven success in managing large multidisciplinary teams and significant program budgets rounds out their profile.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in engineering, project management, or a related field
Extensive experience managing large complex infrastructure or water sector programs
Strong background in environmental impact assessments, permitting, and regulatory compliance across federal, state, and local levels
Well-versed in digital project management tools, real-time monitoring systems, and data-driven decision-making
Expert knowledge of program management methodologies
Demonstrate superior leadership, communication, and stakeholder engagement skills
Proven success in managing large multidisciplinary teams and significant program budgets

Nice To Haves

Advanced degree
Professional Engineer (PE) license
Project Management Professional (PMP) certification
Experience working with public sector clients or major municipal infrastructure projects
Excels in building consensus among diverse stakeholders—including regulatory agencies, municipal partners, elected officials, and community groups
Adept at translating technical information for varied audiences

Responsibilities

Lead the delivery of a large-scale water infrastructure initiative
Implementing best-in-class program management practices
Developing and communicating a clear program vision, objectives, and roadmap
Strategic planning across all project phases
Aligning program goals with organizational priorities and sustainability targets
Integrating multiple workstreams for timely and budget-conscious execution
Build and mentor a multidisciplinary team
Define roles and expectations
Promote a positive, high-performance environment
Serve as the primary liaison to clients, regulators, community groups, and partners
Ensuring transparent communication and proactive issue resolution
Resource coordination involves optimizing personnel, funding, and technology across the program
Identifying gaps, and implementing solutions
Performance management includes monitoring progress, managing risks, and establishing governance frameworks and KPIs for benchmarking
Champion continuous improvement by enhancing processes and integrating lessons learned
Maintaining robust reporting systems to provide timely updates and ensure accountability