Planning Director - Arizona

About the opportunity

SWCA Environmental Consultants is seeking a Planning Director to lead the growth and expansion of our Planning and NEPA team in Arizona. This position requires technical expertise in NEPA, along with the ability to lead experts and team members across the planning discipline to consistently produce work of superior quality. 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 Arizona Planning Director will report to the Northern Arizona Senior Director. This is a regular, full-time, salaried position with compensation based on individual qualifications and experience. This position can be based in any SWCA Arizona office (Flagstaff, Phoenix, or Tucson).  Highly qualified, remote candidates will also be seriously considered.

When it comes to SWCA’s planning practice, Arizona 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 West Region and throughout the company. This position offers a unique opportunity for team leadership and professional development in this dynamic market.

Candidates must submit a brief letter of interest with their application that describes their vision for this position.

Note:  Applications are due by March 25, 2023

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 Arizona.
• 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.
• 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. ​
• 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.

Technical Leadership (30% of workload)

• Take responsibility for implementing SWCA Quality Control Procedures within the Arizona 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.
• Represent Arizona in regional and national conversations concerning NEPA, planning, and policy.

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 of environmental consulting.
• Identify new technically focused opportunities to diversify the business, contribute to go/no-go analyses and lead teams (or act as leading technical contributor) in their pursuit. Provide senior review of proposals.
• Contribute to the growth and maintenance of client relationships, both locally and regionally.

Financial Leadership (10% of workload)

• Contribute to the development and management of the operational budget, particularly with regards to tools and trainings needed to accomplish program goals and ensure that budget objectives are achieved throughout the year through tracking and sound financial decision making.
• Ensure appropriate level of review and approval of proposals, contracts, budgets, and expenditures through mastery of and adherence to the SWCA approvals matrix.
• Monitor financial KPIs and redirect efforts as needed (e.g., productivity/utilization, multipliers, overruns, sales, etc.).
• Work with Project Controls to conduct quality audits of projects within area of responsibility to ensure that projects are on track, risks are mitigated, and issues are escalated and resolved.
• Facilitate communication between project managers, project controls, and accounts receivable.

Experience and qualifications for success

• Graduate degree in planning, environmental studies, environmental management, or a field related to SWCA’s planning services is preferred.
• A minimum of 10 years of experience in NEPA. Experience should include leading teams, office work, and report completion, as well as reviews of technical work products, and scheduling and budgeting of projects.
• Working knowledge of the Arizona market and deep familiarity with its resources is preferred.
• Experience in the power and/or mining planning processes is preferred.
• Expert-level understanding of federal, state, and local regulations relevant to NEPA and environmental permitting in Arizona.
• Demonstrated success mentoring, developing, and coaching staff.​
• Extensive experience building and maintaining strong partnerships, both internal and external.​
• Strong client-facing skills (e.g., communication, relationship building, problem solving).​
• Proven record of developing new business and leading major proposal efforts.​

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.

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 Phoenix, AZ based position can expect an annual salary of $117,520.00/year to $153,920.00/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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Not ready to apply? Connect with us for general consideration.