Sr. Project Manager Water, Wastewater, and Reuse Master Planning

Sr. Master Planning Project Manager

Freese and Nichols is making a long-term, strategic investment in Florida - and comprehensive water planning is a major focus area. We are seeking a Sr. Master Planning Project Manager in Tampa, Orlando, or Jacksonville, Florida.

This is a high-visibility leadership opportunity for a high-potential engineering leader who wants to help grow a market, develop people, and leave a lasting professional legacy. You will play a key role in working with our leadership team in Florida and our national team of over 70 professionals who focus on water, wastewater, and reuse master planning. You'll lead integrated water planning and master planning efforts for municipal and county utilities and help expand our Florida planning presence by bringing credibility, relationships, and strong project delivery.

Why This Role Matters

• Rapid Population Growth and Regulatory Drivers: Rapid population growth and regulatory drivers in Florida have created an environment where comprehensive water planning is becoming more critical for municipalities and counties across the state.
• Florida is a Strategic Priority: We are intentionally growing our team in Florida as a long-term regional and national hub for Integrated Water Planning excellence.
• High Career Visibility: This role interfaces directly with division, practice, and national technical leadership.

What You'll Do

• Lead integrated water planning and master planning studies for municipal and county utilities across Florida (water, wastewater, and reuse), from kickoff through closeout.
• Serve as the client-facing project manager who brings credibility in RFQs and interviews, supported by a portfolio of comparable Florida planning work.
• Manage hydraulic modeling and planning technical workstreams that support master planning and utility design projects.
• Coordinate a cross-functional team of local and national technical experts (planning, funding, design, treatment, and more) to deliver the right solution at the right time.
• Build and maintain relationships that help grow the Florida planning work base, including participation in industry organizations and strategic client engagement.
• Support business development by shaping capture strategies, writing technical sections, and leading proposal development for integrated planning pursuits.
• Provide senior technical direction, mentor developing staff, and ensure quality, consistency, and on-time delivery across project teams.
• Communicate clearly with clients, stakeholders, and regulators, translating technical findings into actionable planning decisions.

Qualifications

Required

• Bachelor's degree in Civil Engineering, Environmental Engineering, or a related engineering degree
• Active Professional Engineer (PE) license with ability to practice in Florida (or obtain Florida licensure within 6 months)
• 8+ years of experience, including experience making independent decisions on engineering problems and methods
• Project management experience delivering hydraulic modeling and/or utility master planning work for water, wastewater, and reuse systems
• Ability to lead teams and manage scope, schedule, budget, and quality while maintaining clear client communication

Preferred

• Established relationships and strong reputation with Florida municipal and county utility clients
• Experience leading integrated water planning efforts that combine planning, modeling, and phased capital program development
• Hands-on experience with hydraulic modeling tools (Autodesk, Bentley, and/or Aquanuity platforms)
• Experience integrating GIS data into planning and modeling workflows
• Experience supporting pursuits (RFQs/RFPs) and helping grow a planning program through strategic client engagement