Job Information
SWCA Environmental Consultants Planning Director - Colorado Front Range in Broomfield, Colorado
About the opportunity
SWCA Environmental Consultants is seeking a Planning Director - Colorado Front Range to lead the growth and expansion of our Planning and NEPA team in the Colorado Front Range Offices (Broomfield, CO; Fort Collins, CO). This position requires technical expertise in NEPA, State and County Permitting, along with the ability to lead experts and team members across the planning discipline to consistently produce work of superior quality for clients throughout Colorado and Wyoming. This position also requires excellent leadership skills to successfully manage the execution of project work, cultivate our business development processes, deliver for our clients, and build an exceptional planning team. The Planning Director will report to the Front Range Senior Director. This is a regular, full-time, salaried position with compensation based on individual qualifications and experience. This position can be based in either Broomfield or Fort Collins, with hybrid work arrangements permitted. When it comes to SWCA's planning practice, the Colorado Front Range is an area of excellence renowned for the quality of our work, commitment to our clients, and unparalleled team of professionals. We continuously strive to be the premier environmental consultancy in this market by offering a work environment that promotes employee engagement and development. The successful candidate will coordinate closely with peers across the North Region and throughout the company. This position offers a unique opportunity for team leadership and professional development in this dynamic market. SWCA Environmental Consultants is a growing, 1,600 staff, employee-owned firm, providing a full-spectrum of environmental services. Our Vision (North Star) is to make SWCA the best workplace and industry leader in sustainability, bringing sound science and creative solutions to global environmental challenges while maintaining a dedication to employee-ownership. We live our core values: we collaborate as #OneSWCA; we are #AlwaysLearning, we #NeverSettle, and we #GiveBack. Candidates must submit a brief letter of interest with their application. Application deadline: Our team will begin reviewing applications immediately, and interviews will be scheduled with qualified candidates on a rolling basis. The application process will remain open until we have received a robust pool of qualified candidates. Once we have identified suitable individuals, we may close the application process without prior notice. We appreciate the time and effort invested by all applicants and will carefully consider each submission. What you will accomplish
As the Planning Director, you will have the following responsibilities: People Leadership (35% of workload) Lead the growth and expansion of our Planning and NEPA team in the Front Range/Colorado. Identify gaps in planning resources expertise, identify and attract top talent to SWCA, and advocate for strategic hires when needed. Support career mobility and growth within SWCA through active coaching and mentorship of team members. Promote a culture of leadership, teamwork, engagement, high-quality service, and client satisfaction. Develop and implement strategies to attract and retain talent within our RMP offices. Lead strategic hiring efforts and focused retention efforts. Directly manage principal and lead-level staff. Drive engagement of the team by recognizing high performance and implementing approaches that build and sustain high levels of motivation. Support career mobility and growth within SWCA through active coaching and mentorship of team members. Work with leadership to determine compensation and bonus allocation. Connect with staff, peers, and senior management by leading regular staff meetings, brown bags, and trainings and contributing to regular regional and national leadership meetings. Ensure that the team's work is well-coordinated across the business. Participate in setting business goals for the office. Cascade objectives through the organization to ensure alignment between local efforts and regional/national goals.
Technical Leadership (30% of workload) Take responsibility for implementing SWCA Quality Control Procedures within the Front Range Planning Program. Ensure that the program meets its commitments to quality and create an environment of accountability for meeting agreed-upon expectations through the use of tools and controls, such as quality audits. Create and ensure the use of a process to systematically gather and apply lessons learned on technical performance across projects. Create a culture where experimenting to find new solutions is valued and supported. Support the execution of work by managing projects and contracts, as well as providing senior-level technical leadership and support. Develop and approve research designs. Leverage experts effectively, engaging the right talent to achieve project objectives. Ensure that the planning program has the space, tools, and research aids that it needs, including reference libraries, subscriptions, and field gear. Stay current on relevant regulations and communicate changes and trends to staff and clients. Coordinate with the nationwide NEPA Technical Director, Practice Group Champions, and the Practice Group in general to advance local and nationwide technical needs and initiatives. Ensure that the work of each unit of the planning program, including operations and maintenance programs with streamlined regulatory environments (e.g., mining, electric transmission and distribution), is executed in complementary and coordinated ways. Establish systems and programs to produce consistent results.
Client and Market Leadership (25% of workload) Maintain and generate awareness of market and industry trends, particularly the latest regulatory changes or technical advances, that impact the business through news sources, event attendance, and using your professional network. Build SWCA's brand as a thought leader in the science