Department Leader - Water Services

Welcome to Verdantas, where innovation meets sustainability, and your career finds purpose!

At Verdantas, we’re redefining environmental consulting and sustainable engineering through our use of cutting-edge modeling and digital technology and our genuine commitment to people. Our work spans high-growth sectors like water resources, resilient land use, energy transformation, and civil infrastructure.

Our commitment to excellence, across more than 90 offices, is championed by a team of over 2,000 experts, scientists, engineers, geologists, and technical specialists, embedded in a people-focused culture, prioritizing the well-being of our employees, clients, and the communities we serve. We partner with clients to deliver smart, data-driven solutions to complex environmental and infrastructure challenges. We don’t just solve problems; we help shape a more sustainable future.

Join a people-first culture that values your well-being, empowers your growth, and amplifies your impact. At Verdantas, your career goes beyond the expected, and your work helps build a better world.

Ready to shape the future of resilient communities?

Verdantas is seeking a dynamic, growth-minded Leader of the MidAtlantic Water Services Department to guide and expand our water practice across the Northeast area. While the primary geographic focus will be Pennsylvania, Maryland, and Delaware, this role will also provide technical leadership and strategic support to teams serving the New England market.

This senior leadership role is responsible for overseeing multiple multidisciplinary design teams delivering clean water, wastewater, flood control, and stormwater management solutions to public and private sector clients.

The ideal candidate is a strategic thinker and proven people leader with strong business acumen, a passion for client service, and a track record of achieving sustainable growth and operational excellence.

What You'll Do:

Practice Leadership & Strategy

Provide vision, direction, and leadership for the regional Water Services practice, aligning technical delivery with business and growth objectives

Develop and execute regional growth strategies, including market positioning, client targeting, and service line expansion

Partner with regional leadership to establish and achieve annual revenue, backlog, utilization, and profitability goals

Client Management & Business Development

Serve as a trusted advisor and senior point of contact for key clients across municipal, utility, industrial, and private sectors

Lead and support business development efforts, including pursuit strategy, teaming, proposal development, and interviews

Strengthen long-term client relationships and expand existing accounts through exceptional service and value-driven solutions

Technical & Project Oversight

Provide technical leadership and quality oversight for water, wastewater, flood control, and stormwater management projects

Support project managers and design teams with complex technical challenges, risk management, and QA/QC processes

Promote innovation, best practices, and consistent design standards across regional teams

People & Team Leadership

Lead, mentor, and develop multiple design and project delivery teams across offices and geographic areas

Foster a high-performance culture focused on collaboration, accountability, professional development, and work-life balance

Support hiring, succession planning, and talent development to meet current and future workload demands

Operational & Performance Management

Monitor and drive performance against key metrics, including financial results, project delivery, client satisfaction, and staff utilization

Identify opportunities for operational efficiencies and continuous improvement across the practice

Ensure compliance with regulatory requirements, licensing standards, and company policies

What You Bring:

Bachelor’s degree in Civil Engineering, Environmental Engineering, or a related discipline (Master’s degree preferred)

Professional Engineer (PE) license required

15 or more years of progressive experience in water-related planning, design, and project delivery

15 or more years of experience in the engineering/professional services industry

Demonstrated leadership experience managing teams, projects, and client portfolios

Proven success in business development, client management, and achieving growth and performance goals

Experience supporting or leading water programs across multiple states and offices

Strong understanding of public-sector procurement, utility operations, and water market infrastructure funding mechanisms

Excellent communication, leadership, and relationship-building skills

Preferred Qualifications

Project Management Professional (PMP) certification

Established client relationships within Pennsylvania, Maryland, Delaware, and/or New England

Experience integrating multidisciplinary teams (water, environmental, resilience, civil/site)

Salary Range:

The compensation range for this position is $135,000 - $195,000, with final compensation determined based on years of experience, qualifications, and licensing status.

Benefits:

Flexible Work Environment Paid Parental Leave Medical Dental Vision Life and AD&D Insurance Short-Term and Long-Term Disability 401(k) with Company Match Paid Time Off + Holidays

Verdantas strives to develop new ways to increase diversity awareness within our organization. We recruit and reward our employees based on capability and performance - regardless of race, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, lifestyle, age, educational background, national origin, religion, or physical ability. For us, it is imperative to build balanced teams from all walks of life and we believe that a diverse workforce is a stronger workforce. Verdantas is an EOE race/color/religion/sex/sexual orientation/gender identity/national origin/disability/vet