Strategic Programs Consultant

Job Summary

This externally posted title is intended to better reflect the strategic consulting and sector-specific focus of Momentum's internal Project Lead role.

The Project Lead is a core contributor within the Project Leadership Team, responsible for owning the strategy, quality, and delivery of Momentum's client projects. Project Leads act as the ultimate authority for their projects, guiding teams, setting direction, and ensuring that client objectives are achieved with excellence. This role is defined by autonomy and accountability. Project Leads determine how budgets are delegated, how teams are structured, and how work is executed. They are expected to be self-sufficient leaders who can translate client goals into actionable strategies, deliver high-quality outcomes, and build enduring client trust.

The ideal candidate will bring firsthand experience working with or alongside key federal agencies such as MARAD, DOT, DOE, or the U.S. EPA. This role is best suited for someone who understands how federal infrastructure, transportation, maritime, clean energy, or environmental programs are developed, funded, and implemented within complex agency and public-sector environments.

Project Leads play a critical role in business generation by maintaining consistent billable work by selling their own capabilities to Directors internally or by developing new opportunities with existing clients.

Duties and Responsibilities

• Own project strategy and execution. Lead the development and implementation of project plans that align client objectives with Momentum's technical, policy, and market expertise.
• Serve as the project authority. Act as the primary point of accountability for assigned projects, overseeing scope, budget, and schedule with full decision-making authority unless a Director is directly leading the engagement.
• Delegate and manage resources. Determine how project budgets and responsibilities are allocated across Momentum's internal and external teams, including Client Managers, Project Operations members, and contractors.
• Ensure quality and delivery standards. Maintain complete oversight of project quality, deliverables, and client satisfaction. Project Leads are responsible for the success of every output associated with their projects.
• Lead multidisciplinary teams. Provide clear direction, feedback, and support to team members, ensuring alignment, workload balance, and effective coordination across functions.
• Generate and maintain work. Meet utilization targets through a combination of selling capabilities internally to Directors and deepening relationships with existing clients to secure new scopes of work.
• Anticipate and solve problems. Identify delivery challenges early and implement solutions that preserve project quality, client satisfaction, and financial performance.
• Mentor through execution. Develop team capabilities through collaborative work, modeling high standards and strong project discipline within each engagement.
• Contribute to company growth. Identify emerging client needs and capability gaps that could strengthen Momentum's offerings and inform future hiring or service expansion.
• Build client trust and presence. Serve as the face of Momentum for assigned projects, fostering relationships grounded in credibility and results that make clients view the Project Lead as their trusted partner.
• Collaborate cross-functionally. Work closely with Directors, Client Managers, and the Project Operations, and Business Operations teams to align project execution with organizational strategy and performance standards.
• Perform other related duties as assigned.

Billable Expectation

This client-facing position has an 80% utilization rate (1,664 billable hours annually for full-time workers). Project Leads are responsible for generating and maintaining their own billable workload through client and internal relationships.

Supervisory Responsibilities

This position does not have formal direct reports but leads project teams composed of Project Operations staff, Client Managers, and other Project Leads. Project Leads provide direction, feedback, and oversight for all project activities and outcomes under their leadership.

Reporting Relationship

The Project Lead reports to the Vice President, Project Leadership

Location

This position is remote-eligible. However, due to federal contract requirements or the geographic scope of current projects, the employee may be required to be based in California. The role may require occasional travel to Sacramento and various project sites throughout California and the U.S. Training and onboarding are carried out in person at our Sacramento office.

Application Period

June 1, 2026 - June 14, 2026

Requirements

Desired Skills and Abilities

• Proven leadership and project ownership skills, including the ability to manage complex, multi-stakeholder initiatives from concept through completion.
• Strong strategic and analytical skills with the ability to balance high-level direction and hands-on execution.
• Excellent communication and executive presence with clients and internal teams.
• Financial acumen to manage budgets, monitor utilization, and ensure profitability.
• Strong problem-solving and decision-making capabilities with a proactive, solution-oriented mindset.
• Proven ability to manage and delegate effectively while maintaining accountability for quality and outcomes.
• Demonstrated ability to mentor through example and foster growth in project teams.
• Deep understanding of consulting and delivery across multiple service types.
• Ability to operate across complex public-sector and infrastructure environments, including ports, transportation, maritime, energy, environmental, municipal, and clean technology markets.
• Understanding of how federal legislation, appropriations, rulemaking, guidance, and agency priorities shape program development, funding, and implementation.
• Ability to translate agency-side or federally funded program experience into project strategy, client delivery, stakeholder coordination, and team leadership.
• Collaborative leadership style that promotes teamwork, accountability, delegation, and transparency.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office, project management, and CRM platforms (e.g., HubSpot).
• Commitment to Momentum's mission and an understanding of clean technology and sustainable infrastructure.

Desired Education and Experience

• 6-8 years of professional experience in consulting, infrastructure strategy, federal program delivery, public-sector initiatives, or related client-facing advisory work.
• Experience working with or within federal agencies such as MARAD, DOT, DOE, EPA, or similar organizations strongly preferred.
• Experience supporting federal grants, loans, incentives, technical assistance programs, or other publicly funded infrastructure and clean technology initiatives preferred.
• Demonstrated success leading complex projects and managing client relationships.
• Experience developing scopes of work, budgets, and project strategies.
• History of consistent client retention and internal collaboration.
• Experience mentoring staff and coordinating cross-functional teams.

Benefits

Momentum offers a competitive package of benefits that includes:

• Competitive base salary.
• Annual target bonuses.
• 100% employer paid health premium options available for all full-time staff.
• Simple IRA with matching contributions.
• Paid-time-off (PTO) of 120 hours/year.
• Paid sick leave of 56 hours per year.
• 12 company holidays.
• Employer paid life insurance policy.
• $50 Cell phone stipend.
• $2,000 annual professional development stipend.

Salary Range

$124,000 - $136,000 + Bonus. The final offer will be determined based on the candidate's qualifications, experience, and internal equity. We strive to maintain a fair and competitive compensation structure. While we aim to make our initial offers as strong as possible, we also seek to ensure consistency and equity across our team.

Our Core Values

• Equity First: We strive to embed social justice, belonging, and inclusion in every aspect of our work.
• Expect Candor: We believe transparent, authentic communication produces meaningful results.
• Excellence Through Collaboration: We set high standards and together we exceed them. We strive to create a space where everyone can do the best work of their lives.
• Empowered Problem Solving: The challenges of our time will be solved through ground-breaking innovation. We mobilize teams to craft future-shaping solutions for the planet.
• Empathy-Driven Service: We step into the shoes of our clients and teammates to fully understand their unique challenges, hopes, dreams, and goals.

This is the job for you, if you want ; a fast-paced, fun work environment with dedicated, hard-working co-workers; a challenging and interesting job, working with clients who are involved in valuable and important projects; a work environment where we take our corporate values and culture seriously; and above all, a job that helps make the world a better place.

If you share our enthusiasm, commitment, and passion for growing great ideas, we enthusiastically invite you to apply for an open position with our expanding team. Momentum offers a competitive salary package and benefits. We also offer significant opportunities for professional growth and quick advancement in a flexible and human-centered workplace.

Non-Discrimination Statement

Momentum does not and shall not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion (creed), gender, gender expression, age, national origin (ancestry), disability, marital status, sexual orientation, or military status, in any of its activities or operations. These activities include, but are not limited to, hiring and firing of staff, selection of vendors, and provision of services. We are committed to providing an inclusive and welcoming environment for all members of our staff, clients, subcontractors, vendors, and clients.

More About Momentum

Momentum designs and develops innovation campaigns for forward-thinking organizations working to deploy transformative energy, transportation, and manufacturing technologies. Founded in 2005, the company has grown to be among the most sought-after technology and commercialization partners in North America.

Momentum's growing team consists of scientists and engineers, finance and fund development professionals, innovation and commercialization experts, and project managers and deployment specialists. Together, we are committed to clarity of thought, data-driven analysis, and excellence in presentation. We conduct rigorous research, thoughtful analysis, and strategic engagement to dramatically increase the ability of our clients to access and manage public and private investment, demonstrate and commercialize advanced technologies, and attract new customers and strategic partners.

Our process generates results: together with more than 1,000 clients and partners, we've designed and developed more than $6 billion in technology deployments-globally significant innovations in partnership with dozens of Fortune 1000 companies like Amazon, Volvo, General Motors, Schneider Electric, Waste Management and Cummins Engine, as well as demonstration partners at hundreds of campuses, air- and sea-ports, public- and investor-owned utilities, and manufacturing and distribution facilities. And along the way, we've assisted hundreds of early-stage and pre-commercial cleantech startups in plotting a course to successful funding and commercialization.

In 2021, Momentum was acknowledged by Sacramento Business Journal as one of the best places to work in Sacramento.