SWCA Environmental Consultants · 7 hours ago
Senior Planning Technical Director
United States
Full-time
Remote
Senior Level, Lead/Staff, Director/Executive
$141K/yr - $185K/yr
10+ years expSWCA Environmental Consultants is seeking a Senior Technical Director for Planning to lead the continued growth, innovation, and technical excellence of our planning practice. The role involves providing enterprise-level leadership in advancing SWCA’s planning practice and ensuring exemplary technical quality while fostering innovation in methodologies and tools.
SustainabilityAgricultureEnvironmental ConsultingNatural Resources
Responsibilities
Lead long-range strategic planning and implementation for the national planning practice, developing enterprise-level initiatives that expand, diversify, and innovate technical service offerings
Identify and leverage emerging scientific, regulatory, and technological trends to position SWCA as an industry leader in federal, state and local planning; build and participate in external scientific/professional networks and ensure continuous internal dissemination of new knowledge
Serve as the enterprise technical leader and mentor for the national planning practice, setting the standard for excellence, innovation, and state-of-the art methodologies and tools
Drive consistency, scalability, and integration of technical approaches across geographies; lead cross-company initiatives in partnership with regional and technical leaders
Build and elevate the next tier of technical leadership by delegating planning practice group functions (e.g., resource hubs, tools, communications) to regional planning directors and planning practice leads
Align practice strategies with other company leaders including operations, client services, talent acquisition, and technology leaders to develop shared key performance indicators (KPIs) and integrated solutions that support enterprise objectives
Partner with the Senior Quality Director to establish discipline-specific quality standards and partner with operational leaders to ensure consistent adoption across the company
Work with leaders in operations and recruiting to anticipate future needs and to implement a scalable technical talent pipeline to meet those needs. This will include working with operations to identify and mentor internal staff for career progression, as well as working with talent acquisition to recruit external staff that best integrate with SWCA’s mission and culture
Serve as an ambassador for SWCA’s Safety Culture and implementation
Be forward-looking in identifying market trends, changing regulatory environment, and effective tools for capturing and executing on projects
Lead or oversee planning projects of regional or national importance, providing technical direction and mentoring to strengthen project teams and practice capabilities
Partner with leaders across SWCA to ensure enterprise-level quality, consistency of technical approaches, and integration of best practices into project deliverables
Serve as a senior subject matter expert on strategic, complex, and innovative planning and/or permitting projects across multiple geographies, ensuring technical excellence, regulatory alignment, and enterprise value
Represent SWCA as a thought leader at industry professional forums and client meetings to strengthen visibility, influence, and strategic partnerships
Collaborate closely with Client Services and other business development leaders within SWCA to grow, diversify, and expand planning services in target markets and geographies, ensuring alignment between client needs, practice strategy, and enterprise priorities
Identify and capitalize on market, regulatory, scientific, and technological trends to shape new planning resource service offerings and guide technical approach for high-value pursuits
Serve as Technical Client Manager for key accounts to foster a client-focused environment
Qualification
Required
Bachelor's degree or above (or equivalent experience) in engineering, biology, ecology, environmental science, land use planning, or a related natural or human resource discipline
Minimum of 10 years of progressive responsible experience in environmental consulting, resource management, and/or interdisciplinary projects with a strong focus on planning and/or permitting, including increasing technical leadership and project and technical practice management
Demonstrated success addressing complex interdisciplinary issues across multiple agencies, geographies, and sectors
Diverse experience with one or more of the following: NEPA, state environmental policy acts (CEQA, MEPA, etc.), or state, or local permitting
Proven ability to identify and capitalize on market, regulatory, and technological trends; demonstrated success in developing new business and leading high-value pursuits
Strong financial and project management skills, including the ability to manage complex, interdisciplinary projects
Recognized mentor with a track record of developing practitioners and supporting organizational succession planning
Experience in collaborating with staff in strategic marketing and market expansion
Prior experience working collaboratively across offices, regions, and cross-disciplinary teams at all levels of the organization
Broad understanding of planning regulatory frameworks, technical methodologies, and emerging technologies
Strong client-facing skills, including communication, relationship building, and strategic problem-solving
Demonstrated experience communicating highly technical concepts to diverse audiences
Proven ability to influence outcomes and lead through collaboration
Benefits
Medical, dental, vision, employee assistance, wellness, life and disability plans
SWCA 401(k) Profit Sharing Plan and Trust
100% employee stock ownership plan (retirement)
Professional conference attendance
Internal and external professional development and training programs
Education reimbursement
Science and Leadership Program
Bonuses for publications meeting certain criteria
Company
SWCA Environmental Consultants
SWCA is an environmental consulting firm.
1001-5000 employees
Funding
Current Stage
Late StageLeadership Team
Joseph Fluder
CEO | President | Director
Jon Kehmeier
Vice President Scientific and Technical Services
Recent News
2025-09-25
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