Lead Project Manager - Environmental Planning

SWCA Environmental Consultants is seeking a highly experienced, dynamic, self-motivated Lead Project Manager – Environmental Planning with strong interpersonal skills, attention to detail, and experience providing natural resources management, biological studies, and project management across multiple client sectors in the Gulf Coast and broader Southeast region. This individual will successfully drive projects through all phases from early planning and permitting to construction while collaborating with peers across offices, supporting a diversity of state and federal agencies, and delivering technical excellence for clients. The ability to work directly with clients, manage a variety of project needs in any given week, and support high-performing teams is imperative.

This Lead Resources Project Manager should have technical experience in a range of activities managing and coordinate environmental field surveys; Endangered Species Act compliance; National Environmental Policy Act compliance support for federally funded projects or federal permitting processes (e.g., FERC, FEMA, HUD, BLM, etc.); USACE Clean Water Act Section 404/401 permitting; and agency interactions at all levels.

This individual will provide natural resources, cultural resources, and permitting services to clients across a variety of market sectors, supporting project development and regulatory compliance needs. Experience supporting energy development projects is a plus. Skills include the ability to manage small to medium-sized projects and track milestones within schedule and budget expectations. You will also support or be responsible for QA/QC oversight of field data and technical deliverables to support reporting, permitting, and environmental compliance efforts.

This is a regular (with benefits) full-time, salaried and exempt position reporting to the Gulf Coast’s Environmental Planning Director. Pay rate will be based on individual qualifications and experience. SWCA offers a team-oriented work environment, competitive salaries, and a competitive benefits package, including an employee stock ownership retirement plan (ESOP).

Application Deadline: Applications will be accepted through September 25, 2026 at 5:00 PM CDT.

• Strategic Project Leadership: Strategically consults on and leads complex projects in pursuit of client objectives, overseeing the technical approach and ensuring quality assurance and quality control.
• Exemplary Leadership: Leads by example in both technical and soft skills, navigating client and team priorities to deliver projects that meet professional and oversight agency standards.
• Technical Expertise & Innovation: Innovates standards and practices to enhance the quality and efficiency of client projects and outcomes, ensuring alignment with industry and regulatory standards. Serves as a go-to technical expert and consultant, providing novel project strategies and applying technical excellence that considers client needs to meet project requirements.
• Project Accountability: Continuously guides projects, executing accountability for the performance of projects or delegated tasks and ensuring that project milestones are met and outcomes align with SWCA’s values and client expectations. Assesses risks and implements strategies for problem-solving. Revises or suggests revisions to project scopes, schedules, and budgets as necessary to meet evolving project requirements and ensure successful outcomes.
• Business Growth & Innovation: Drives business growth and client success through technical excellence, innovation, and development of new methods and standards that advance SWCA's technical reputation. Contributes to SWCA's strategic planning.
• Cross-Disciplinary Collaboration: Champions cross-disciplinary collaboration, working closely with specialists to provide comprehensive technical support for projects.
• Mentorship & Team Development: Mentors staff for impactful influence, coaching others in technical excellence, leadership, and strategy, and also develops specialized programs and protocols. Fosters team development and cross-training, modeling and promoting knowledge sharing and collaboration among team members to enhance project outcomes, as well as team depth and redundancy.
• Relationship Management: Establishes and grows effective consultative relationships with external and internal clients and/or agency regulators and industry partners (if applicable) to support successful projects.
• Follows applicable federal, Tribal, state, local, industry, contractual, and company regulations, standards, and specifications.
• Performs related work as assigned.

Additional Job-Specific Responsibilities

In this role, you will be responsible for managing multi-disciplinary projects and overseeing project field studies, reporting, and permitting. You will play a key role in shaping technical approaches, strengthening client relationships, and advancing SWCA’s reputation for quality and innovation. Periodic travel throughout the region will be required to support client engagement, project oversight, and team collaboration.

Specific Responsibilities Include:

• Coordinate and support multidisciplinary teams providing environmental planning, natural resources, cultural resources, and permitting services to clients.
• Manage and lead project teams supporting energy, infrastructure, land development, and other client projects, including FERC and BLM-regulated projects and third-party NEPA documentation.
• Act as the regulatory and permit compliance liaison between agencies and clients, proactively addressing compliance issues.
• Work closely with corporate accounting to review invoices, expenditures, and project audits.
• Provide peer review for technical reports and environmental permits, ensuring scientific and professional integrity.
• Implement and enforce SWCA's safety procedures and ethical standards.
• Communicate effectively with diverse project stakeholders, including regulatory agencies, field crews, trade workers, clients, and third parties.
• Utilize strong organizational, verbal, written, and graphic communication skills in project execution and stakeholder engagement.

Six years of relevant, progressively responsible experience, including 3 years of managing projects and some experience managing others. Eight years of related experience and PMP certification is preferred; or any equivalent combination of experience, performance, training, and/or education. Knowledge normally obtained through a bachelor's degree.

• Bachelor’s Degree in Biology, Ecology, Environmental Science, or other related field.
• Experience with project financials (budgets, forecasting, invoicing). 
• Demonstrated client management and business development experience (seller-doer). 
• Demonstrated ability to develop and supervise staff.

Preferred or Helpful Qualifications

•  At least five (5) years of project management experience in a consulting environment, including proposal writing, scheduling, setting and adhering to project budgets and delivery schedules, change management, and leading meetings with clients and agencies.
• First-hand experience in developing environmental permit applications and documents pertaining to FERC, BLM, USACE and similar federal agency permit authorizations.
• Established credibility with reviewing agencies and clients.
• Effectively engaged in resource agency consultations, received stakeholder/agency input and provide informed responses.

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities

• Strong leadership, communication, and problem-solving skills. 
• Excellent communication skills, both verbal and technical writing, in a variety of professional settings.

SWCA is committed to salary equity and transparency.

The expected pay range for this Houston, Texas - based position is $87,141/year to 114,660/year. Actual pay may vary based on experience, qualifications, geographic location, and other factors permitted by law. Eligible employees may also receive performance-based bonuses.

As a 100% employee-owned company, we invest in your future. Our Total Rewards package includes an Employee Stock Ownership Plan, 401(k) with profit sharing, medical, dental, and vision coverage, paid time off, wellness programs, and professional development opportunities.