Senior Director, Local Business Leadership

Job-ID: 90417Category: LeadershipLocation: Los Angeles, CA, United States; Irvine, CA, United States; San Diego, CA, United States; San Francisco, CA, United StatesPosted: 2026-07-03This OpportunityWSP USA, Inc. (WSP) is looking for aLocal Business Leader for our California Planning Practice, as a Senior Vice President in Transportation, Environmental, or Land Use Planning for our California-based planning team. This position can be filled in any of WSP’s California offices. We have an immediate opening for a motivated, highly skilled, and experienced transportation, environmental, and/or land use planner with a focus in the transit and transportation industry. This position is expected to organize, plan, and grow our Planning services in the state of California as well as be a client advisor, staff manager, and pursuit and project manager on California and regional projects and programs. This position will work closely with planning, environmental, civil, and transit/rail staff across WSP to research, analyze, document and present information related to various types of transportation projects across the region.Your ImpactLead our California-based team of land use, transit/transportation, and environmental (NEPA/CEQA) planners.Provide profit & loss leadership over projects, pursuits, and staff, including managing and directing successful outcomes for key performance indicators.Provide proactive and strategic leadership for the planning discipline and function, offering direction, expertise, and support to ensure technically proficient and high-quality planning deliverables are provided to our clients.Responsible for the contribution and management of multi-disciplinary project teams in all phases of the execution and delivery of feasibility studies, alternatives analyses, site selection reports, NEPA/CEQA compliance documents, locally preferred alternative selection, comprehensive plan updates, climate action plans, short/long range plans, etc. Lead larger-scale more complex transportation planning projects ensuring contributors know what they are required to do and by when, preparing and overseeing relevant project budgets, monitoring external events, tracking hours and expenses, ensuring profitability and satisfactory performance, and supervising subcontractors, contract work, and employees.Actively ensure compliance with applicable Federal, State, and Local Agency laws, policies, and regulatory requirements.Support the overall long-term strategy, growth, and pipeline development of transportation and environmental planning work for WSP in assigned area of responsibility, with a focus on opportunities in all disciplines (planning, design, strategic consulting, and program management). Lead technical aspects of contract negotiation, presentations, and meetings.Assist with the preparation of an annual update to business tactical action plans within the specified area.Ensure that planning discipline certifications, accreditations, and value proposition is developed and continuously improved.Conduct needs analyses and client value surveys to align the planning discipline’s function with business and project strategy, identifying and addressing any skill gaps or risks within the sector business operations.Schedule planning discipline meetings, providing updates and recommendations to ensure that all reasonable and proper measures are taken to inculcate discipline expertise and innovation into project work.Serve as one of the planning discipline’s lead representatives/liaison to a variety of external entities including Federal, State, and Local Agencies, Clients, Subcontractors, industry-related groups, and various government and community entities.Develop and inform proposal and project scopes, timelines, pricing, and budgetary metrics.Interpret and summarize data, including reports and documents that result in sound planning and regulatory conclusions to minimize impacts to the community, population, local economy, and environment.Maintain and grow a client base for providing high level Transportation Planning services including identifying additional business development opportunities, and cross-selling of other WSP capabilities.Manage and provide performance guidance and leadership to assigned staff.Remain current in latest transportation, urban and environmental planning subject matter, practices, regulations, and techniques. Collaborate with professionals from a variety of disciplines to provide “trusted advisor” service and future ready solutions for clients.Exercise responsible and ethical decision-making regarding company funds, resources and conduct, and adhere to WSP’s Code of Conduct and related policies and procedures.Perform additional responsibilities as required by business needs.  Who You AreRequired QualificationsA minimum of 15 years of progressively responsible experience in land use, transportation planning, environmental planning, or policy work.The successful candidate will have worked on and led projects similar to those described above, overseeing the work of others successfully and/or managing staffA Bachelor’s degree in Transportation Planning, Urban Planning, Environmental Planning, Civil Engineering, Public Policy, or a related field.Ability to develop business and technical strategy with others as well as develop and manage high quality technical and professional deliverables on projects and proposals. Experience with transit agencies, local municipalities, metropolitan planning organizations (MPOs) and/or California regulatory agencies. Experience with project administration and project management in the transportation sector.Possess strong communication skills, a high level of energy, enthusiasm, and positive attitudeProficiency with the transportation project development cycle, including from planning to implementation.Proficiency in Microsoft Office programs including Outlook, Word, Excel, and PowerPoint are necessary. Experience with MicroStation and/or GIS programs is highly desirable.Ability to effectively present and communicate ideas orally and in written form and excellent writing skills are required. The successful candidate may be requested to provide prior samples.Ability to work in the United States, and possession of a valid driver’s license is required.Proven track record of upholding workplace safety and ability to abide by WSP’s health, safety and drug/alcohol and harassment policies.Occasional travel may be required. Preferred QualificationsMaster’s Degree is preferred.Essential professional licensure/certification (e.g., AICP Certification). WSP Benefits: WSP provides a comprehensive suite of benefits focused on a providing health and financial stability throughout the employee’s career. These benefits include coverage related to medical, dental, vision, disability, and life; retirement savings; paid sick leave; paid vacation (or other personal time); paid parental leave; and paid time off for purposes of bereavement, voting, and/or attendance at naturalization proceedings. Compensation:Expected Salary (all locations): $218,900 - $367,200WSP USA is providing the compensation range that the company in good faith believes it might pay and offer for this position, based on the successful applicant’s education, experience, knowledge, skills, abilities in addition to internal equity and specific geographic location. WSP USA reserves the right to ultimately pay more or less than the posted range and offer additional benefits and other compensation, depending on circumstances not related to an applicant’s sex or other status protected by local, state, and/or federal law.#LI-SY1#usadvisorycareersAbout the companyAbout WSPWSP USA is the U.S. operating company of WSP, one of the world's leading engineering and professional services firms. Dedicated to serving local communities, we are engineers, planners, technical experts, strategic advisors and construction management professionals. WSP USA designs lasting solutions in the buildings, transportation, energy, water and environment markets. With more than 15,000 employees in over 300 offices across the U.S., we partner with our clients to help communities prosper.WSP provides a flexible and agile workplace model while meeting client needs. Employees are also afforded a comprehensive suite of benefits including medical, dental, vision, disability, life, and retirement savings focused on providing health and financial stability throughout the employee’s career.At WSP, we want to give our employees the challenges they seek to grow their careers and knowledge base. Your daily contributions to your team will be essential in meeting client objectives, goals and challenges. Are you ready to get started?WSP USA (and all of its U.S. companies) is an Equal Opportunity Employer Race/Age/Color/Religion/Sex/Sexual Orientation/Gender Identity/National Origin/Disability or Protected Veteran Status.The selected candidate must be authorized to work in the United States.NOTICE TO THIRD PARTY AGENCIES:WSP does not accept unsolicited resumes from recruiters, employment agencies, or other staffing services. Unsolicited resumes include any resume or hiring document sent to WSP in the absence of a signed Service Agreement where WSP has expressly requested recruitment/staffing services specific to the position at hand. Any unsolicited resumes, including those submitted to hiring managers or other business leaders, will become the property of WSP and WSP will have the right to hire that candidate without reservation – no fee or other compensation will be owed or paid to the recruiter, employment agency, or other staffing service.