Water/Wastewater Master Planning Project Manager

Freese and Nichols • Raleigh, NC

2d • Hybrid

About The Position

Freese and Nichols is seeking a senior Water/Wastewater Master Planning Manager for its Raleigh office to help lead the continued growth and development of the Southeast US Water/Wastewater Master Planning team. The position combines project and technical leadership with group operations, people development, client service, business development, and quality management.

Working closely with the SE US Master Planning Group Manager, the successful candidate will help coordinate staff and workload, develop project managers and technical professionals, strengthen strategic client relationships, support sales and pursuit activities, and provide senior-level oversight for complex water and wastewater planning assignments. The role offers an opportunity for an experienced utility or consulting leader to influence the direction and growth of an established regional practice.

Requirements

• Bachelor's degree in civil or environmental engineering.
• 15 or more years of relevant water and wastewater utility or consulting experience.
• Demonstrated experience leading complex water or wastewater programs, projects, or utility initiatives.
• Experience managing multidisciplinary teams, client relationships, project budgets, and schedules.
• Strong written communication, public speaking, facilitation, and interpersonal skills.
• Ability to balance leadership, client development, project delivery, and technical oversight responsibilities.
• North Carolina Professional Engineer (PE) license.

Responsibilities

• Partner with the Group Manager to implement the group’s business plan, growth priorities, and operational initiatives.
• Assist with workload planning, staff assignments, resource coordination, backlog management, and identification of hiring needs.
• Coordinate with other Freese and Nichols offices and practices to assemble project teams and share specialized resources.
• Support recruiting, onboarding, staff engagement, and integration of new team members.
• Help evaluate group performance, operational needs, and opportunities to improve project delivery.
• Coach, mentor, and develop project managers, technical leaders, and emerging professionals.
• Provide clear expectations, regular feedback, and opportunities for staff growth.
• Support employee goal setting, career development, succession planning, and leadership development.
• Foster an accountable, collaborative, and inclusive team environment.
• Develop and maintain trusted relationships with municipal water and wastewater utilities.
• Serve as a senior client representative or account leader for selected utility clients.
• Identify emerging client needs and translate them into planning, modeling, asset management, and implementation opportunities.
• Lead or support client positioning, capture planning, proposals, interviews, and contract negotiations.
• Strengthen existing client relationships and help expand the firm’s water/wastewater planning presence in North Carolina and the Southeast.
• Lead or provide senior oversight for water, wastewater, reclaimed water, and integrated utility planning assignments.
• Guide teams performing demand and flow forecasting, hydraulic modeling, system evaluations, alternatives analyses, capital improvement planning, water quality evaluations, and asset management.
• Help teams define scopes, fees, schedules, staffing plans, and technical approaches.
• Provide senior guidance on complex utility challenges and communicate recommendations to utility leadership, governing bodies, and other stakeholders.
• Serve as project manager, senior advisor, or technical leader based on project and client needs.
• Serve as a QA/QC reviewer or senior technical advisor for selected planning and modeling projects.
• Review key assumptions, methodologies, model results, alternatives, capital improvement plans, reports, and presentations.
• Help teams establish appropriate quality plans and confirm reviews are completed and documented.
• Promote consistent application of master planning methods, technical standards, lessons learned, and practice resources.
• Support development and implementation of improved tools, processes, and technology across the group.

Benefits

• Comprehensive benefits package.
• Paid overtime for salaried employees.
• Annual bonus.
• Access to company cabins in Red River, New Mexico, and Banner Elk, North Carolina.
• Flexible work environment with a hybrid schedule and up to 40% remote work.

What This Job Offers

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