Transmission & Structural Department Leader

We are seeking a dynamic, growth-minded Department Leader to oversee, lead, and expand our Transmission & Structural Department. The team delivers overhead and underground transmission line engineering, PLS-CADD modeling, transmission structure and foundation design, line routing and analysis, rehabilitation and upgrade design, and construction-phase engineering support for investor-owned utilities, public power entities, cooperatives, and private energy developers. This role blends operational leadership, strategic growth, business development, financial accountability, and mentorship. The Department Leader will set department direction, strengthen project delivery and QA/QC, build leadership depth, and coordinate resources across Verdantas offices and disciplines to deliver as one integrated team. The position can be remote, with preferred locations at our Grand Rapids, MI; Houston, TX; Fort Worth, TX; Denver, CO; San Diego, CA; Orlando, FL; or Wilkes-Barre, PA offices. Join us to help clients plan, modernize, and deliver safe, reliable, and resilient transmission infrastructure. What You'll Do: Operational, Financial & Delivery Leadership (40%) - Develop and execute a department strategy aligned with Energy Services, Power Delivery, and Verdantas growth objectives - Lead day-to-day operations of the Transmission & Structural Department, including workload forecasting, staffing, resource sharing, and delivery oversight across offices and client programs - Own department financial performance, including revenue, margin, utilization, backlog, collections, write-offs, annual planning, and budgeting - Monitor the health of the department project portfolio; address delivery risk, client escalations, quality concerns, and corrective actions in partnership with Project Managers, Group Leaders, Technical Leads, and Practice Leaders - Establish and maintain consistent department policies, procedures, design standards, QA/QC expectations, and performance metrics - Ensure high-quality, timely, constructible, and standards-compliant project delivery across overhead and underground transmission, structural, and foundation scopes Business Development & Strategic Growth (30%) - Maintain strong visibility into the sales pipeline, hard backlog, staffing demand, and strategic client opportunities - Build and maintain relationships with utility clients, energy developers, EPC contractors, industry partners, and internal Verdantas leaders - Lead or support capture planning, proposal development, scope and fee strategy, contract negotiations, and commercial risk review for major pursuits - Expand transmission and structural services through cross-selling and integrated delivery with substation, distribution, geotechnical, environmental, survey, permitting, project controls, and construction support teams - Represent Verdantas at client meetings, industry conferences, technical forums, and networking events - Identify emerging market needs, delivery models, technologies, and service opportunities and translate them into an actionable department growth plan People Leadership, Mentorship & Technical Stewardship (30%) - Recruit, develop, engage, and retain a high-performing team of engineers, designers, modelers, project managers, and technical specialists - Lead and develop Group Leaders and direct reports; set clear goals, provide regular feedback, support succession planning, and build leadership bench strength - Foster a culture of collaboration, accountability, continuous learning, professional development, and One Team delivery across locations and legacy organizations - Provide senior technical guidance on complex or high-risk work and ensure appropriate technical authority, independent review, and Engineer-of-Record accountability are assigned - Stay current with evolving utility standards, codes, tools, design practices, and industry trends, and ensure relevant knowledge is shared across the department - Ensure compliance with health, safety, environmental, and professional practice requirements across projects and client engagements How Success Will Be Measured: - The department meets or exceeds annual revenue, margin, utilization, backlog, and cash-performance objectives - Projects are delivered safely, on schedule, within budget, and in accordance with client and Verdantas quality requirements - Client relationships deepen, repeat work grows, and the department expands strategically across target utilities and energy markets - The department attracts, develops, and retains the talent and leadership capacity needed to support sustainable growth - Transmission & Structural teams operate as one coordinated department across offices, disciplines, and major client programs What You'll Bring: - Bachelor's degree in civil, structural, electrical, or mechanical engineering, or a closely related field - Licensed Professional Engineer in at least one U.S. state, with the ability to obtain additional licensure as needed - 15+ years of progressive experience in electric transmission engineering and design, including leadership of multidisciplinary teams, departments, or large programs in a utility, EPC, or A/E consulting environment - Demonstrated operational and financial leadership, including budgeting, staffing, utilization, project margin, forecasting, and business development accountability - Proven experience building client relationships, leading major pursuits, negotiating scope and commercial terms, and growing backlog - Strong understanding of overhead and underground transmission line engineering, including line routing, PLS-CADD/PLS-POLE/PLS-TOWER applications, sag-tension and clearance analysis, structure loading, steel pole and lattice tower design, foundation design, material specifications, and construction support - Working knowledge of applicable utility requirements and industry standards, including NESC and client-specific standards; experience with IEEE, ASCE, ACI, AISC, and applicable state requirements is beneficial - Demonstrated ability to establish QA/QC discipline, manage technical and commercial risk, and deliver complex work across multiple offices and project teams - Excellent leadership, communication, decision-making, and interpersonal skills, with a record of developing people and building collaborative teams - Ability to create, implement, and execute a national strategic growth plan for the Transmission & Structural Department Salary Range: At Verdantas, we offer comprehensive benefits packages for our employees. Actual salary is based on the circumstances of each position and candidate, including geographic location, skills, experience, and certifications. We recognize and reward exceptional performance and strive to ensure fair compensation across all roles and departments within the company. The minimum salary for this position is $200,000, negotiable based on the criteria presented above. Benefits: - Flexible Work Environment - Paid Parental Leave - Medical - Dental - Vision - Life and AD&D Insurance - Short-Term and Long-Term Disability - 401(k) with Company Match - Paid Time Off + Holidays