Senior Director, Growth & InnovationNational Underground Group
Location: National (Field-Based / Remote HQ) |
Reports to: Chief Executive Officer |
Type: Full-Time, Executive Leadership |
Travel: Approximately 30%
The anchor initiative is a new Utility Asset Mapping & Digital Infrastructure practice - helping electric, gas, telecom, and water utilities modernize their underground infrastructure records through high-accuracy GNSS/GPS data collection, GIS integration, and digital asset management. This is a ground-floor opportunity: rather than stepping into an established organization, the Senior Director will build one - setting strategy, establishing client relationships, standing up operational capability, and recruiting technical talent - and then use that platform to launch NUG's next generation of higher-margin, recurring-revenue services. The role carries a defined path to Vice President.
What You'll DoGrowth Strategy & Revenue Diversification- Develop and execute a 3-5 year growth strategy focused on revenue diversification, with Utility Asset Mapping & Digital Infrastructure as the anchor practice.
- Reduce company dependence on one-call ticket volume by building recurring revenue models and higher-margin service offerings.
- Identify and evaluate new service lines, acquisitions, partnerships, and market opportunities across gas, electric, telecom, water, and municipal utilities.
- Lead expansion into adjacent markets, including:
- High-accuracy GNSS utility asset mapping and GIS services
- Subsurface utility engineering (SUE), in partnership with NUG's existing SUE and survey teams
- Ground penetrating radar (GPR)
- Utility inspection and condition assessment
- Construction as-builts
- Damage prevention consulting
- Indirect assessment technologies
- Leak detection
- Pipeline integrity-related data collection and analysis
- Analyze market trends and customer needs, and build business cases and financial models for new ventures.
- Set annual growth targets, sales plans, and revenue forecasts, and own the practice's budget, financial forecasting, and margin performance.
Business Development & Client Leadership- Meet with utility executives to understand their asset management and GIS modernization initiatives.
- Establish strategic relationships with utilities, municipalities, engineering firms, contractors, and government agencies.
- Serve as executive sponsor for key utility clients and present strategic solutions to engineering and operations leadership.
- Build long-term relationships with asset management, engineering, GIS, and operations leaders, and identify opportunities for multi-year enterprise mapping programs.
- Support proposal development and major pursuits.
- Represent NUG at industry conferences including Esri UC, UTC Telecom, CGA, APGA, AGA, and regional utility associations.
Utility Asset Mapping Practice Development- Design scalable field collection workflows for survey-grade GPS mapping.
- Develop QA/QC standards for spatial accuracy and data integrity, and standardize deliverables across utility clients.
- Lead development of services including GPS Asset Inventory, Underground Utility GIS Verification, Utility Network Readiness, As-Built Validation, and Facility Record Modernization.
- Recommend capital investments in equipment and software.
- Own vendor and technology-partner relationships - including Esri, GNSS/LiDAR OEMs, and mobile GIS platforms - including licensing negotiations and platform selection.
Innovation & Technology Leadership- Evaluate emerging technologies that improve field productivity and customer value, including mobile LiDAR, GNSS, AI-assisted feature extraction, digital twins, mobile GIS platforms, remote sensing, and reality capture.
- Champion adoption of AI, automation, mobile workforce tools, and digital workflows across NUG.
- Lead pilot programs and innovation initiatives from concept through commercialization.
- Advance next-generation offerings including Pipeline Traceability, Digital Twin Development, AI Quality Assurance, and Utility Data Governance.
Operational Excellence & Delivery- Recruit, hire, and develop a national team of field crews, GIS professionals, and project managers, building clear career paths for technical talent.
- Establish productivity standards, KPIs, and performance dashboards for new service lines.
- Partner with operations leadership to scale new offerings efficiently and improve utilization, profitability, and productivity across business units.
- Ensure projects are delivered safely, on schedule, and within budget.
- Coordinate closely with NUG's utility locating, SUE, surveying, and engineering teams.
- Support the integration of acquisitions and newly launched service lines.
- Anchor all field and mapping programs to state one-call/811 damage-prevention requirements and, where applicable, PHMSA and NERC CIP obligations - reinforcing NUG's safety-first mission.
Leadership, Culture & Governance- Report directly to the CEO, and present growth strategies, business cases, and results to the CEO, ownership, and executive leadership.
- Provide regular business reviews covering pipeline, revenue, delivery quality, and team growth.
- Partner cross-functionally with NUG's operating and functional leaders to align growth initiatives with enterprise priorities.
- Lead cross-functional teams, mentor emerging leaders, and foster entrepreneurial thinking.
- Build a culture of accountability, customer service, continuous improvement, and innovation.
How Success Will Be Measured- New revenue generated from diversified service lines, including Utility Asset Mapping & Digital Infrastructure.
- Percentage of revenue derived from non-one-call services.
- EBITDA growth and practice margin performance.
- New customer acquisition and multi-year program wins.
- Strategic partnership development.
- Innovation project ROI.
- Safe, on-schedule, on-budget project delivery.
- Employee engagement and retention.
- Market expansion success.
What You'll Bring- Bachelor's degree in Business, Engineering, GIS, Surveying, Geography, Construction Management, or related field.
- 10+ years of progressive experience in utilities, utility services, engineering consulting, GIS/geospatial services, infrastructure, or construction, including significant leadership responsibility.
- Demonstrated success building, launching, or scaling a new business line, practice area, or revenue stream.
- Experience leading strategic planning and business development initiatives.
- Proven ability to manage P&L or direct budget responsibility and deliver growth.
- Experience managing enterprise GIS or utility asset management programs.
- Strong understanding of underground utility infrastructure, damage prevention, GIS, and asset management.
- Demonstrated success leading cross-functional teams.
- Excellent communication and executive presentation skills.
- Willingness to travel approximately 30%.
Nice to Have- Experience with Esri ArcGIS Enterprise and Utility Network.
- Experience implementing GPS asset collection programs.
- Hands-on or program-level experience with mobile LiDAR or reality-capture platforms.
- Experience evaluating or integrating acquisitions.
- Knowledge of PHMSA pipeline regulations.
- Familiarity with electric or gas utility operations.
- An existing network of utility executive relationships (asset management, GIS, or operations leadership).
- PMP certification.
- GISP certification.
- Professional Surveyor or Professional Engineer license (preferred but not required).
Compensation & BenefitsThe base salary range for this position is $175,000-$220,000, with industry-leading benefits, including health, dental, 401(k), and a competitive bonus structure that rewards performance and success.
How to ApplyInterested candidates should apply online at www.nationalu.com/careers
