Senior Project Manager - Energy Permitting

About the opportunity:

SWCA Environmental Consultants is actively seeking a Senior Project Manager – Energy Permitting with strong interpersonal skills and experience in project permitting and project management to join our team and primarily support renewable energy generation and transmission projects . Projects will be located throughout the Rocky Mountain Plains, Minnesota, Dakotas, Great Lakes, and other subregions.

 

This individual will work with a dynamic and company-wide team to successfully drive projects throughout all phases, from early planning and permitting through construction. The ideal candidate will possess extensive environmental consulting and project management experience, preferably with specific knowledge of renewable energy generation and transmission. SWCA is looking for the right candidate to take on existing and future projects and help build our presence throughout our various subregions in the north.

 

This is a regular (with benefits), salaried, full-time position that is hybrid-based reporting to our St. Paul, MN office location. We will consider candidates at both role levels:

• Lead Project Manager – Typically with 8 years of supervisory and fieldwork experience.
• Senior Project Manager – Typically with 10 years of supervisory and fieldwork experience

Application deadline: Our team will begin reviewing applications immediately, and interviews will be scheduled with qualified candidates on a rolling basis. The application process will remain open until we have received a robust pool of qualified candidates. Once we have identified suitable individuals, we may close the application process without prior notice. We appreciate the time and effort invested by all applicants and will carefully consider each submission.

What you will accomplish:

• Work closely with 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 all aspects of project implementation, including the development of permitting strategies, provide QA/QC of work processes and deliverables, and lead teams completing technical studies that support permitting efforts.
• Assist the North subregional VPs and Directors in the development/updating and implementation of regional business plan(s).
• Manage & support regional projects, and other projects in the Rocky Mountain Plains, Minnesota, Dakotas, Great Lakes, and other subregions.
• Help develop existing and new clients in the energy marketplace.
• Develop internal SWCA network via relationship-building with peers and directors across the North region.
• Engage with SWCA’s Technical Director team to support quality initiatives, and development of policies & procedures in your areas of expertise.
• Attend & contribute to office Business Development meetings in North offices as appropriate (especially Minneapolis/St. Paul, Sheridan, Denver, and Chicago).
• Pursue opportunity hires to help build SWCA’s regional team.
• Engage with professional organizations, including attendance at conferences, Board appointments, etc., on behalf of SWCA.
• Mentor regional staff – act as a technical advisor and quality control agent in areas of your particular expertise (especially regional permitting).
• Manage projects that include NEPA compliance, biological resource assessments and constraints analyses, state and federal Endangered Species Act consultations, Clean Water Act Section 404 and Section 401 permitting, state-level siting permits, and cultural resources studies.
• Supervise, mentor, and provide project technical support to junior staff.
• Work closely with SWCA’s resource scientists, environmental planners, managers, and directors in both natural and cultural resources groups throughout the company to promote SWCA’s business interests in adherence to its mission, vision, and values.
• Drives compliance of safety policies and reporting requirements to ensure overall team safety.

Experience and qualifications for success:

Minimum qualifications :

• Bachelor’s degree in biology, botany, wildlife management, or a closely related field.
• Eight (8) years of natural resources consulting experience required on a variety of project types and sizes, regions, and agencies.
• Two (2) years’ experience managing natural resources projects with renewable energy clients.
• Three (3) years of experience managing projects, including developing and implementing budgets, schedules, and scopes of work.
• Demonstrated experience with energy facility siting and constraints studies, permitting, and/or NEPA compliance.
• Demonstrated experience with state and federal agencies such as the US Fish and Wildlife Service, state wildlife agencies, US Army Corps of Engineers, Bureau of Land Management (BLM), US Forest Service, and the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC).
• Prior primary report authorship and finalization for clients and agencies in a natural resource consulting context for a variety of project types and sizes, regions, and agencies.
• Applicants must have valid driver’s license and be able to meet SWCA’s driver requirements.

Preferred qualifications :

• Ten (10) years of natural resources consulting experience required on a variety of project types and sizes, regions, and agencies.

• Three (3) years managing natural resources projects with renewable energy clients.
• Five (5) years of experience managing projects, including developing and implementing budgets, schedules, and scopes of work.
• Prior permitting project experience within the Rocky Mountain Plains, Minnesota, Dakota’s, Great Lakes, and similar subregions.

 

Why Work at SWCA :

 

SWCA Environmental Consultants is a growing employee-owned firm, providing a full-spectrum of environmental services. Our Vision (the North Star) is  to make SWCA 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 live our core values: we collaborate as #OneSWCA;  we are #AlwaysLearning , we #NeverSettle, and we #GiveBack.

 

We are 100% employee-owned , and we build our success together. 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 offer a supportive, team-oriented work environment and competitive wages and benefits, including an 100% employee stock ownership plan (retirement).

 

At SWCA, we support our team members in developing their careers to make them leaders in their industry. Our Career Landscape initiative is a process and guide designed to help develop chart rewarding career paths for employees at SWCA. We encourage professional conference attendance, internal and external professional development and training programs, education reimbursement, a Science and Leadership Program, and bonuses for publications meeting certain criteria. All regular status employees are eligible to participate in SWCA medical, dental, vision, employee assistance, wellness, life and disability plans, and are eligible to participate in the SWCA 401(k) Profit Sharing Plan and Trust.

If you need assistance accessing SWCA’s website, completing the online application, or require accommodations at any point during the hiring process due to a disability, please contact us at View email address on careers.swca.com or call View phone number on careers.swca.com. We’re committed to providing an inclusive and supportive experience for all candidates. This contact information is specifically for accommodation requests; other inquiries will not receive a response. 

EOE - women, minorities, individuals with disabilities and veterans are encouraged to apply. At SWCA Environmental Consultants, we celebrate diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive work environment. We strongly encourage candidates from all backgrounds, including those with diverse experiences and veterans, to apply. We believe that a diverse and inclusive workforce enhances creativity, innovation, and overall organizational success.

 

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 St. Paul, MN-based position can expect an annual salary of

• Lead Project Manager: $87,141.60 - $114,660.00
• Senior Project Manager : $99,754.20 - $133,005.60.

 

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.

 

SWCA continues to invest deeply in career development programs, delivering our award-winning Career Landscape support resources to accelerate the growth of our staff. We recognize the valuable skills and experiences our internal team members bring to SWCA’s continued success. Qualified internal candidates are encouraged to apply and will be seriously considered for this position. We believe in promoting from within, where possible, providing our existing employees with compelling opportunities to advance their careers.

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