GHD Group

Client Service Manager- Water- Bay Area

GHD Group$230K — $280K *
Energy & Utilities
8 - 10 years of experience
Job Overview by Ladders

Qualifications

  • Bachelor's or Master's Degree in Engineering, Environmental Science, or related field
  • Professional Engineer license preferred
  • 10+ years of experience in client service management, especially with municipal clients
  • Strong communication, negotiation, and interpersonal skills
  • Proficiency in CRM tools (especially Salesforce) and Microsoft Office Suite
  • Strategic thinker with a client-centric mindset
  • Proven ability to influence at senior levels and lead cross-functional teams
  • Understanding of municipal operations and governance.

Responsibilities

  • Establish and nurture relationships with municipal clients, utilities, and public agencies
  • Serve as the client advocate within the organization to address their needs
  • Lead and mentor a Client Engagement Team to devise innovative municipal solutions
  • Create and implement growth plans for municipal accounts focused on long-term goals
  • Monitor public spending trends to identify new opportunities
  • Represent GHD at industry events and municipal meetings
  • Oversee CRM system implementation to enhance customer relationship management

Benefits

  • Hybrid work model with in-office collaboration three days a week
  • Opportunity for personal and professional growth within a global network
  • Engagement with a vibrant, energetic, and high-performing team
  • Involvement in shaping public infrastructure and community development
  • Diverse and multicultural workplace with a commitment to equal opportunity.
Full Job Description
Job Description

Help us build the future and we'll help you build a rewarding and purposeful career.

Our global network is made up of architects, designers, planners, engineers, and environmental scientists all working towards the same goal.

Join a team that brings inspirational architecture, landscapes, townscapes and places to our world, and we'll provide you unlimited space to grow.

You'll be able to apply our powerful global network of skills and decades of experience to build positive Client outcomes.

Who are we looking for?

GHD's municipal business in Water and Transportation is in a period of accelerated growth. Over the past few years, we have doubled our municipal portfolio, driven by strong client relationships, technical excellence, and a deep commitment to the communities we serve.

Building on this momentum, we have launched a bold growth initiative to double our municipal practice over the next four years. This next phase of growth is intentional, market-focused, and rooted in long-term partnerships with cities, counties, and local agencies.

To help lead this next chapter, we are seeking Client Service Managers (CSM)-Water who are energized by growth, trusted by clients, and motivated to shape the future of public infrastructure.

Client Service Managers are viewed as a critical role within GHD. They sit at the intersection of our clients, our communities, and our technical teams - brining external voices, priorities, and opportunities into the organization.

AT GHD, our workplace thrives on a hybrid model, combining in-office collaboration and flexibility. Join us in office, three days a week to contribute, connect and excel in our vibrant environment.

As a Client Service Manager for Water Clients in San Francisco, Oakland and Concord, CA and working with an energetic and high performing team, this position offers a variety of duties and will see you involved in:

Client Relationship Development
  • Build and maintain strong relationships with municipal clients, including city governments, utilities, and public agencies.
  • Act as the voice of the client within the organization, ensuring their priorities and challenges are understood and addressed.
  • Develop and implement client interaction plans to engage decision-makers and influencers.

Strategic Account Management
  • Lead and mentor a Client Engagement Team to deliver innovative solutions tailored to municipal needs.
  • Create and execute annual growth plans for municipal accounts, focusing on long-term objectives (3-5 years).
  • Monitor trends in public spending, regulatory changes, and infrastructure investments to identify opportunities.

Business Development
  • Identify and pursue new opportunities within municipal markets, including water, transportation, and urban development sectors.
  • Collaborate with technical teams to align proposals with client preferences during bidding and delivery phases.
  • Maintain an active pipeline of projects and pursuits.

Advocacy and Representation
  • Represent the organization at municipal meetings, conferences, and industry events.
  • Promote the organization's brand and capabilities to municipal stakeholders.
  • Facilitate multi-party communications when needed to resolve issues and advance strategic initiatives.

Key Performance Indicators
  • For the client portfolio,
  • Opportunity pipeline
  • Bookings targets

Additional responsibilities
  • Customer Relationship Management (CRM) Data: Oversee the implementation and maintenance of the CRM system within the area of responsibility, identifying and communicating opportunities for system improvement that may enhance the management of customer relationships.
  • Personal Capability Building: Act as subject matter expert in an area of technology, policy, regulation, or operational management for the team. Maintain external accreditations and in-depth understanding of current and emerging external regulation and industry best practices through continuing professional development, attending conferences, and reading specialist media.
  • Key Account Management: Ensure quality service and profitable business growth by managing a portfolio of complex customer relationships and/or a small team of account managers.
  • Customer Relationship Development / Prospecting: Develop and implement a relationship management plan for strategic, complex potential accounts to build key relationships at local and national levels. Coordinate the engagement of own organization with the customer organization to ensure effective two-way flow of information and resolution of issues.
  • Customer Needs Clarification: Consult with a range of customer representatives at different levels to identify the outcomes they require, introducing relevant internal specialists and utilizing their expertise to gather and analyze complex customer data, clarify medium- to long-term customer needs, and develop and agree to a specification of customer requirements.
  • Sales Opportunities Creation: Develop a personal network of senior managers within the business sector and represent the organization at business sector events. Obtain market intelligence, promote the organization, and enhance its reputation.
  • Promoting Customer Focus: Develop internal marketing plans and work collaboratively with other departments to improve internal relationships and build strong external customer relationships.
  • Customer Relationship Management / Account Management: Develop and implement relationship management plans for complex existing customer accounts to identify and build relationships with relevant decision-makers and influencers within the customer organization and to enable effective two-way flow of information and resolution of issues. Manage ongoing relationships with identified customer segments to ensure their needs are met, providing themes, summary analyses, and recommendations for changes based on customer input.

Education
  • Bachelor's or Master's Degree in Engineering, Environmental Science, or similar

Qualifications
  • Professional Engineer license preferred
  • Minimum 10 years of experience in client service management, or client relationship management preferably with municipal or public sector clients.
  • Excellent communication, negotiation, and interpersonal skills.
  • Ability to lead cross-functional teams and influence at senior levels.
  • Proficiency in CRM tools (Salesforce in particular) and Microsoft Office Suite.
  • Strategic thinker with a client-centric mindset.
  • Strong understanding of municipal operations, governance, and procurement.
  • Ability to navigate complex stakeholder environments and build consensus
  • Experience in client engagement and business development, with a track record of building relationships across government, industry, and community stakeholders.
  • Proven ability to develop and execute market strategies.

As a multicultural organization, we encourage individual achievement and recognize the strength of a diverse workforce. GHD is an equal opportunity employer. We provide equal employment opportunities to all qualified employees and applicants without regard to race; color; religion; genetic information; national origin; sex (including same sex); sexual orientation; gender identity; pregnancy, childbirth, or related medical conditions; age; disability or handicap; citizenship status; service member status; or any other category protected by federal, state, or local law.

Salary Range: $230,000-$280,000 based on experience and location

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About GHD Group

GHD Group is a global engineering, architecture, and environmental consulting firm that provides services to clients in the water, energy, environment, property and buildings, and transportation sectors. The company was founded in 1928 and is headquartered in Melbourne, Australia. GHD has more than 10,000 employees in over 200 offices worldwide, and it operates in Asia, Australia, Europe, the Middle East, North America, and South America. The company's services include engineering design, project management, asset management, environmental consulting, and digital services. GHD's clients include governments, private companies, and non-profit organizations, and its projects range from small-scale local initiatives to large-scale international infrastructure projects.
Learn more about GHD Group
Size
10,000 employees
Industry

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