Water Engineering Director

GAI Consultants is seeking a Director of Water – Florida to lead, grow, and execute the firm’s water, wastewater, and stormwater practice in Florida while playing a key role in supporting GAI’s national water initiative. This is a senior leadership position for a proven, hands‑on leader who combines technical excellence, people leadership, client development, and strategic vision. The Director will lead a team of engineers, actively identify and pursue new work, write and lead proposals, and direct project execution for water‑related infrastructure programs. This role also contributes to firm‑wide strategy for client development, service expansion, and long‑term growth nationwide. Key Responsibilities Practice, Team & National Water Initiative Leadership Lead and manage GAI’s Florida water, wastewater, and stormwater practice, including direct supervision, mentoring, and development of engineers and project managers. Serve as a key contributor to GAI’s national water initiative, collaborating with executive leadership and peer Directors to align regional execution with firm‑wide water strategy. Establish staffing strategies, workload planning, and resource coordination to support growth and successful project delivery. Support organic and inorganic growth initiatives, including evaluation of new services, strategic hires, partnerships, and potential acquisitions. Business Development, Pursuits & Proposals Proactively identify, qualify, and prioritize pursuits for water, wastewater, and stormwater projects in alignment with Florida and national strategies. Lead and contribute to proposal development, including pursuit strategy, positioning, technical authorship, pricing, and interviews. Serve as capture lead or senior technical lead for major pursuits, partnering with marketing, operations, and leadership teams. Build on existing client relationships while developing new opportunities with municipal utilities, counties, authorities, state agencies, and private‑sector clients. Client Development & Market Expansion Act as a senior client relationship manager and trusted advisor for key water, wastewater, and stormwater clients. Expand services within existing accounts while supporting national key client initiatives and cross‑regional pursuits. Represent GAI through industry organizations, conferences, and professional networks, strengthening the firm’s Florida and national water market presence. Provide direct project leadership and executive oversight for planning, design, and delivery of water, wastewater, and stormwater infrastructure projects. Serve as Project Manager or Executive in Responsible Charge on select key projects. Ensure excellence in technical quality, schedule, budget performance, risk management, and client satisfaction. Guide and support project managers and technical leads in resolving complex technical, contractual, and client issues. People, Talent & Culture Lead, mentor, and develop a high‑performing team of engineers and project professionals. Support recruiting, onboarding, and succession planning to build long‑term depth in water, wastewater, and stormwater capabilities. Foster a culture of accountability, collaboration, innovation, and continuous improvement. Promote consistent best practices and integration across offices to support scalable national growth. Qualifications Required: Bachelor’s degree in Civil Engineering, Environmental Engineering, or a related field. Florida Professional Engineer (PE) license (or ability to obtain). 15+ years of progressive experience delivering water, wastewater, and/or stormwater projects within a consulting environment. Demonstrated experience leading teams, identifying pursuits, writing proposals, and directing project execution. Strong understanding of Florida water, wastewater, and stormwater markets, regulatory frameworks, and funding mechanisms. Preferred: Master’s degree in Engineering or Business (MBA). Experience contributing to or leading regional or national water initiatives. Proven ability to grow services across multiple offices or client sectors. Established relationships with Florida and national water‑related clients. General Characteristics Makes decisions with broad influence on activities of their practices. Makes authoritative decisions and recommendations that are conclusive and have a far-reaching impact on the practice and the industry. Demonstrates a high degree of creativity, foresight, and mature judgment in planning, organizing, and guiding projects and activities of major consequence. Provides leadership and develops and engages others to create a common vision for their projects and the practice. Assess the acceptability of engineering economic analyses and the risks associated with solutions to complex engineering problems. Evaluates solutions to complex problems that involve multiple specialty areas of engineering. Advocates for ethical behavior in the practice of engineering and assesses courses of resolution to ethical dilemmas in complicated situations. Experience 20+ years of experience. Education B.S. or M.S. Engineering, Master's Degree or Equivalent Experience Preferred Certification/Licensure Professional Engineer (P.E.) License, reciprocity in multiple states. Driver's License Technical Responsibilities Frequently performs advisory or consulting work for the practice across broad project areas or within a specialized area with innovative/complex aspects. Assess practices and requirements to achieve sustainable performance of complex engineering projects from a systems perspective. Project and Task Management Evaluates project management plans for complex engineering projects. Develops risk mitigation plans to address project risks.Evaluates effectiveness of leaders and teams. Management, Supervision and Guidance Leads an entire project of critical importance. Develops projects needed for accomplishing the objectives of the practice. Develops practice strategy for staff development through mentored experience, continuing education, and self-development. Instills and fosters professional attitudes within the practice. Communication, Teamwork and Leadership Negotiate critical and controversial issues with leadership of other practices. Represents their practice at important functions and conferences. Benefits To Working at GAI Include: Competitive Pay & Recognition Marketbased, competitive compensation Performancedriven recognition and development bonuses Medical, dental, and vision plans Companypaid short-term and long-term disability Companypaid life insurance Employee Assistance Program and wellness resources Generous paid time off + 7 paid holidays Anadditionalfloating holiday—use it for what matters to you Paid maternity, paternity, and adoption leave 401(k) with company match Support and rewards for professional development and certifications Equal Opportunity Employer/Protected Veterans/Individuals with Disabilities This employer is required to notify all applicants of their rights pursuant to federal employment laws. For further information, please review the Know Your Rights notice from the Department of Labor. #J-18808-Ljbffr