Overview As Coastal & Navigable Waterways Practice Leader, you guide HDR's waterfront program across feasibility studies, regulatory navigation, and project delivery. You bridge sponsors and USACE to secure Congressional authorization for major navigational projects. You'll lead staff development, pursue market opportunities, and ensure high-quality, compliant deliverables. This role combines leadership with technical strategy to advance resilient, world-class maritime infrastructure.
Responsibilities- Develop and coordinate companywide coastal engineering competencies and staff capabilities
- Collaborate with market sector leaders to generate transformative ideas for navigable channels and coastal trends
- Forecast production needs and influence staffing and expertise levels across practice groups
- Identify market opportunities with Area Business Development Leaders and drive pursuit strategies
- Attract and retain talent through industry networking and leadership in professional development
- Oversee project delivery and ensure quality, timely client satisfaction
- Maintain standardization of service quality and staff qualification packages
- Lead workshare communications to promote technical excellence and utilization
- Manage major maritime projects and leverage HDR's global expertise to deliver on time and scope
- Cultivate client relationships and represent HDR in professional organizations
- Model HDR values, ethics, and licensing/credentialing requirements
- Support development of marketing materials and proposals
- Drive adoption of best practices, tools, and automation in production
- Provide guidance on staffing and subcontractor management to ensure safety and efficiency
Key requirements- Bachelor in Civil Engineering or closely related discipline; 10+ years design experience in civil/site design
- Professional engineering license recognized in the project location (e.g., PE)
- Project engineering and project management experience
- Ability to bridge structural/civil/geotechnical design with federal regulations and environmental compliance
- Deep knowledge of USACE permitting and USCG waterway rules, plus environmental compliance experience
- Strong coastal engineering knowledge, and familiarity with design/build practices
- Experience delivering proposals and complex technical deliverables with diverse teams
- Proven ability to coordinate and direct subcontractors to complete tasks safely and efficiently
- Flexibility to manage varying schedules and adapt to change
- Willingness to travel as required for projects
- Strong leadership and people development
- Strategic thinking and market development
- Effective written and verbal communication
- Coastal engineering principles and practices
- USACE permitting processes
- USCG bridge and waterway rules
