Director of Engineering
We are seeking a Director of Engineering Services to lead our civil engineering efforts in our Transportation practice area, driving business growth, operational excellence, and successful project delivery for local and regional municipalities. This role will focus on expanding our engineering business delivering roadway, drainage and utilities infrastructure projects in southern CA and ensuring alignment with our strategic initiatives. This position is leading a team of up to 20 colleagues with varying experience, motivating and driving higher performance and monitoring attainment of strategic goals for the Transportation practice and the Engineering Business Unit as a whole.
Key Responsibilities:
- Collaborate with the Division President, Business Unit Leader, and other Directors to develop and implement a strategic growth plan, including client outreach goals specific to municipal projects.
- Build and maintain strong relationships with municipal clients throughout project lifecycles and beyond.
- Work closely with Engineering Leadership to align operations and allocate resources effectively, particularly within our California offices.
- Negotiate favorable contract terms, manage cost of sales, and achieve financial goals related to backlog and project delivery.
- Focus on talent development, retention, and recruitment, fostering a positive work environment for staff.
- Engage in local professional activities that enhance the firm’s reputation within the municipal sector.
- Hold signing authority for all projects up to $1M and interact with senior leadership and external clients on significant regional matters.
- Set client outreach strategies and resource allocation decisions tailored to the municipal sector.
- Lead employee engagement initiatives and oversee regional leadership responsibilities.
- Establish regional budgets while meeting revenue and profit targets, with accountability for revenue between $2M and $4M.
- Set sales goals and implement the Harris Client Management Process specific to municipal projects.
- Collaborate with Engineering Directors to establish utilization goals for the region.
Qualifications:
- B.S. degree in Civil Engineering.
- 15+ years of experience in civil engineering, with a minimum of 5 years in leadership roles focused on municipal projects.
- California Professional Engineer (PE) license.
- Proficient in MS Office Suite.
Knowledge and Skills:
- Strong understanding of civil engineering design principles, particularly in transportation, drainage and utilities for municipal projects.
- Familiarity with local and municipal client dynamics.
- Expertise in client management and business development processes.
- In-depth knowledge of financial metrics and the ability to drive results against these metrics.
- Proven track record in business development within the engineering consulting sector, especially in municipal and transportation projects.
- Operational experience within a consulting firm.
- Ability to adapt to a fast-paced and complex work environment, demonstrating agility in response to organizational changes.
- Experience in hiring and managing a diverse technical and business development team.
This position is vital for reinforcing our commitment to delivering exceptional services to our municipal clients, ensuring that we meet their unique challenges with innovative solutions.
Physical Requirements:
• Must be able to traverse and inspect all areas of jobsite in all types of weather; this may include walking, climbing, reaching, bending, crawling, or stretching. • Must be able to lift up to 40 pounds at a time.
Why Join us?
Harris’ growing Environmental, Engineering, and Consulting Division does industry-leading work in environmental planning and compliance, community planning and housing solutions, engineering design, municipal and district finance, and one water solutions. Harris continues to expand the scope of these services while also building new capabilities in planning, climate change/adaptation, hazard mitigation, resilience, and management consulting.For more than 40 years, Harris & Associates has helped to improve communities and create better places to live through smart, safe, more sustainable planning, design and construction solutions.
Harris is a 100% employee-owned company focused on solving today's complex challenges in planning, design, and construction. Our offices and project sites span the West Coast in California, Nevada, Hawaii, and Washington with a staff of over 250 employee-owners focused on serving clients in the municipal, water, transportation, and education markets.
Compensation & Benefits
The salary range for this position is $175K to $255K, determined based on the candidate's level of experience.In addition to base salary, we also offer:• Medical, dental, vision, and life insurance• ESOP• 401K Match• PTO, 8 Paid Holidays + "1 WorkAversary" paid holiday to celebrate you!• Health & Well-Being Allowance• Tuition reimbursement• Flexible hybrid/remote work plansHarris & Associates is an Equal Opportunity Employer (EOE AA M/F/Vet/Disability) and provides equal employment opportunities (EEO) to all employees and applicants for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability, or genetics.
