Collaborative Delivery Project Manager - Water/Wastewater

Kennedy Jenks is seeking a Collaborative Delivery Project Manager to join our California team. In this role you will lead complex, multidisciplinary projects across our water, environmental, and industrial practices.

This is an opportunity to step into a delivery leadership role where you are accountable for outcomes and trusted to guide teams through technical, regulatory, and organizational complexity. You’ll work across disciplines and geographies to translate client goals into clear delivery strategies and ensure projects are executed effectively from start to finish.

You’ll play a key role in delivering infrastructure solutions that support the long-term health of our communities.

What You’ll Do

As a Collaborative Delivery Project Manager , you’ll operate at the intersection of project leadership, client engagement, and delivery strategy.

• Lead project delivery: Own scope, schedule, budget, quality, safety, and risk across complex projects, maintaining accountability through all phases of delivery.
• Translate strategy into execution: Turn client objectives into clear, actionable delivery plans and align multidisciplinary teams to execute effectively.
• Coordinate across teams: Lead integrated teams across disciplines, locations, and partner organizations, ensuring work is aligned, sequenced, and progressing.
• Serve as a trusted client partner: Act as a primary point of contact for clients and stakeholders, leading meetings, facilitating discussions, and building trust through clear communication and sound judgment.
• Drive project performance: Monitor budgets, schedules, forecasts, and change management, applying strong financial and operational awareness to support consistent performance and informed decisions.
• Navigate risk and complexity: Anticipate challenges early, evaluate options, and guide teams toward practical, solution-oriented outcomes that keep projects aligned with client and firm objectives.
• Contribute to growth and strategy: Support proposals, feasibility studies, and delivery planning with an execution-focused perspective that strengthens pursuits and outcomes.
• Develop teams and practices: Mentor project staff, provide clear direction, and contribute to improving delivery practices through lessons learned and continuous improvement.

What Makes This Role Different

• Accountability with influence: You are responsible for delivery outcomes and shaping how projects are executed across teams and disciplines.
• Consultative leadership: This role goes beyond coordination. You act as a trusted advisor, helping clients and teams navigate complex decisions with confidence.
• Balanced ownership: You are responsible for both technical delivery and business performance, understanding how project outcomes impact client relationships and long-term success.

What You Bring

• Complex project leadership : Experience leading complex, multidisciplinary infrastructure, environmental, industrial, or treatment system projects.
• Strategic delivery : Strong ability to translate client goals into delivery strategies and align teams to execute.
• Comprehensive project management : Experience managing scope, schedule, budget, quality, and risk across project lifecycles.
• Business and financial acumen : Knowledge of budgeting, forecasting, resource planning, and change management processes.
• Regulatory Compliance : Experience working in regulatory or compliance-driven environments.
• Proactive decision-making : A proactive, solutions-oriented mindset with strong judgment.
• Stakeholder communication : Strong communication skills and the ability to build trust across clients, partners, and internal teams.

Qualifications

• Education : Bachelor’s degree in Engineering or related technical field required. Master’s degree in a related technical field preferred.
• Experience : 10+ years of progressive experience delivering technically complex projects.
• Technical knowledge : Strong working knowledge of project management principles, project controls, and delivery frameworks.
• Certifications or licenses : Professional Engineer (PE) license in California preferred or ability to obtain.

Kennedy Jenks supports a healthy work-life balance and utilizes a hybrid model of home and office work, with a minimum of two days per week in the office. This approach empowers our people to thrive, collaborate, and achieve their full potential.

Salary range for this position is expected to be between $127,000 and $212,000, and may vary based upon education, experience, qualifications, licensure/certifications, and geographic location.

Benefits summary: Medical, dental, vision, life and disability insurance; a health savings account; a 401(k); bonus programs; tuition reimbursement; an employee stock purchase plan; professional registration support; business travel assistance; competitive paid time off and holidays; an employee assistance program; and additional programs that support your wellbeing and professional growth.

#LI-hybrid