Lead-Level Project Manager -- Permitting and Planning

About the opportunity

SWCA Environmental Consultants is expanding our team and actively looking for dynamic individuals who are following their passion in delivering the highest-quality project work. Our Rocky Mountain Plains team is looking for a self-motivated Lead-Level Project Manager-Environmental Planning and Permitting with attention to detail and strong communication skills.  A successful candidate must have strong project management skills in natural resources, environmental planning and/or permitting.  Individuals with strong project management skills, especially with complex multi-disciplinary environmental services projects, but limited permitting experience, are still encouraged to apply.

Individuals need to be willing and able to work with peers across various offices and accomplish tasks associated with a variety of projects in any given week. The ability to work directly with clients is imperative. The interest in pursuing new business is also desirable.

This is a permanent, full-time, regular position reporting to one of SWCA’s Team Leads out of either our Denver or Fort Collins, CO office, Sheridan WY office, Bismarck SD office. Remote locations within Colorado, Minnesota, the Dakotas, Wyoming, or Montana are strongly encouraged to apply.

This job opening can hire one of three titles:

• Lead Project Manager – Individuals typically have at least eight (8) years of relevant industry experience and expertise.
• Senior Project Manager – Individuals typically have at least ten (10) years of relevant industry experience and expertise.
• Principal Project Manager – Individuals typically have at least twelve (12) years of relevant industry experience and expertise.

Our Vision (the North Star), Core Values, and Purpose:  Help drive SWCA to be 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 are #OneSWCA and collaborate across all our offices, programs, and disciplines. We are #AlwaysLearning, we #NeverSettle and we #GiveBack. We are 100% employee-owned, and we build our success together. It is imperative for the successful candidate to fit SWCA's unique culture. Do you appreciate sustainability and environmental awareness? Is giving back to your community a priority? SWCA is a team of scientists, planners, technical experts, and corporate services professionals that are committed to our culture.

Our company purpose is to preserve natural and cultural resources for tomorrow while enabling projects that benefit people today. You are invited to be a part of our success story.

What you will accomplish

Below please find the job responsibilities for a Lead Project Manager.  Responsibilities for a senior or principal project manager will include lead larger, more complex projects and serving more as a subject matter expert.

You will be responsible for performing environmental impact analyses, facilitating public and government outreach, and providing quality assurance and leadership during the development of permitting applications and approval documents.  Specific responsibilities include:

• Lead and facilitate team execution of projects involving the preparation of local, state, and federal permitting applications.  These will address the development of a wide variety of projects for private developers and stakeholders, including local land use approvals.  Many of these projects will be large and multi-disciplinary.
• Lead tasks and projects that include: consultations with local zoning/planning officials and local land use permit applications, biological resource assessments and constraints analyses, state and federal endangered species act consultations, National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) documents, and Clean Water Act (CWA) Section 404/401 permitting -- including Nationwide Permitting and CWA Individual Permits.
• Lead and coach project teams to navigate permitting challenges and meet client needs
• Take initiative and resolve issues to assure client needs are met effectively
• Lead and advise on the development of permitting strategies, provide QA/QC of deliverables, and lead teams completing technical studies that support permitting efforts
• Supervise, mentor, and provide project technical support to more junior staff, especially assistant and associate project managers
• Serve as project manager or technical lead on a variety of projects
• Ensure team collaboration with Corporate accounting department to effectively review invoices, expenditures and project audits for projects/tasks
• Ensure Subject Manager Expert (SME) involvement in key aspects of project implementation and review.
• Work closely with SWCA’s resource scientists and environmental planners, managers and directors in both natural and cultural resources throughout the company to promote SWCA’s business interests in adherence to its mission, vision, and values
• Implement and administer SWCA’s safety procedures and standards of scientific and professional ethics
• Embody and represent SWCA Core Values to clients, partners & subcontractors, public regulatory agencies, and SWCA staff.

Experience and qualifications for success

• Minimum of a Bachelor’s Degree in planning, biology, environmental science, natural resource management, environmental planning, archaeology, anthropology, geology or other related field.
• A minimum of Eight (8) years combined experience in project management, environmental consulting, or ecological, archaeological or geographical studies required.
• Candidate should have a demonstrated ability to strategically execute permitting for a variety of project approvals pursuant to local, state, and federal laws (e.g., Colorado 1041 permitting and other local land use approvals, NEPA, NHPA, CWA, and ESA) governing natural resource management
• Demonstrated experience with federal agencies such as the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC), Bureau of Land Management (BLM), US Forest Service (USFS), and/or US Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS), and other state/local agencies
• Experience with staff and project team supervision
• Experience and ability to manage multiple smaller projects or one larger project, in diverse settings and with changing requirements
• Demonstrated experience working in a fast-paced work environment and desire to work in a highly collaborative team atmosphere.

PREFERRED or HELPFUL

• At least ten to twelve years of project management experience strongly preferred.
• Experience should include complex, multi-disciplinary projects; leading meetings with clients and agencies; directing project teams including subcontractors; preparing or directing staff in the preparation of technical studies and permitting documents; and setting and adhering to project budgets and delivery schedules.
• A Law Degree or Masters Degree in environmental planning, environmental science, or another natural, biological, or cultural-resources-related field is helpful.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills; interpersonal skills and emotional intelligence; attention to detail; and organization, schedule, and budget management skills.
• Ability to be recognized by clients and agencies as a NEPA project manager or deputy project manager that can lead or assist in the development of an environmental assessment or an environmental impact statement from pre-NEPA planning phases through project completion.
• Experience with business development with private developers in the energy and land development sectors.

SWCA Environmental Consultants is a growing employee-owned firm, providing a full spectrum of environmental services. With offices across the United States, SWCA is one of the largest environmental compliance firms and ranks among Engineering News-Record’s Top 200 Environmental Firms.  We will encourage you to grow and develop your career with us through our technical and professional development programs and diverse career opportunities. We believe in leadership at all levels. No matter where you sit in the organization you can make a lasting impact on the projects you work on, the teams and committees you join and our business.

If you would like to contact SWCA regarding the accessibility of our website or need assistance completing the online application process due to a disability, please email accommodations@swca.com or call 1-480-581-5378. This contact information is for disability accommodation requests only. All other inquiries will not receive a response.

SWCA is committed to salary equity and salary transparency for all its employees.  In alignment with this commitment, SWCA posts good faith pay ranges in all its advertised job postings to promote pay equity and transparency.

An employee in this Denver, CO -based position can expect a salary of:  Lead Project Manager -- $82,992/year to $109,200/year; Senior Project Manager - $95,004/year to $126,672/year; or Principal Project Manager -- $110,292/year to $145,236/year. Actual pay within this range may depend on experience, qualifications, geographic location, client requirements where applicable, and other factors permitted by law.  Regular-status employees are also eligible for performance bonuses. Candidates are also encouraged to consider SWCA’s Total Rewards package, which includes a competitive Benefits package, forward-thinking workplace flexibility, outstanding corporate culture, award-winning career development, and more.

EOE - women, minorities, individuals with disabilities and veterans are encouraged to apply.

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