Business Center Practice Leader - Water Sector, Environmental Services

Northern California Environmental Services Water Sector Business Center Practice Leader (BCPL)

Grounded in safety, quality, and ethics, our experts lead their fields with dedication, a creative spirit, and a vision for growth. We draw from more than 20 technical specialties worldwide and are devoted to fostering a community of diverse talents, backgrounds, and expertise. Here, you can apply your passion and collaborate with top environmental professionals on work that's vital to our clients and the communities they serve. Join a team that's naturally committed to the environment.

We seek a Northern California Environmental Services Water Sector Business Center Practice Leader (BCPL) to contribute to a purpose-driven organization focused on water resources solutions. Stantec's Environmental Services Water Sector provides water resource and flood management, water infrastructure, and water-related nature-based solutions in California's complex political, regulatory, and ecological environment. Candidates must have California water infrastructure-related environmental assessment, permitting, or compliance experience. They should also have strong federal, state, and local water agency client networks, regulatory agency relationships, expertise in the Sacramento-San Joaquin River Delta (preferred), and a proven record of client satisfaction and practice area growth.

Our Environmental Services team blends scientific expertise with engineering and design to provide effective, responsible, and community-focused solutions. We are a leader in nature-based solutions, fostering resilient and sustainable outcomes for both people and the environment. Working with over 40 federal, state, and local water agencies in California, we use local knowledge to navigate regulations, build trust, and deliver tailored solutions that reflect each community's environmental and cultural contexts. This leadership position is an integral part of our Environmental Services US West leadership team, supporting a growing environmental assessment, permitting, design, and compliance practice of more than 350 talented professionals in Northern California and Reno / Tahoe. Our people are Stantec's most valuable resource, and in joining our team you will be able to leverage your water sector strategic planning focus, market knowledge, and client and partner relationships to pursue and win work that transforms our communities and inspires our people, within a culture that values belonging, celebrates shared successes, and embraces ambition.

The BCPL is the "seller / doer" responsible for leading the pursuit and delivery of excellent work to our clients. Accountable for the top line, the BCPL leads the growth of the Business Center (BC) and Stantec's market position while providing innovative design solutions with exceptional quality and execution that exceed client expectations. You will provide leadership on business development activities to expand our existing client and project base and position the firm to acquire new business. The BCPL is a highly collaborative role working closely with the Business Operations Lead, Stantec's Sector Leaders, Key Account Managers, project teams, other business developers, and peers across Stantec's other Business Lines to identify and manage our key accounts, pursue opportunities, and solicit feedback from clients on our performance. You will partner with our other BC Leaders to lead and manage, inspire and engage, and win and do work building a culturally strong and high performing business.

Your Key Responsibilities

Client Focus :

Drives the client relationship strategy, working with Principals and BC leaders to drive strong results in the client satisfaction survey within the respective BC.

Lead and participate in pursuits and campaigns for major BC opportunities.

Achieve minimum client and proposal-specific marketing and business development sales goals, including internal cross-selling initiatives, target 25% of time.

Responsible for exceeding client expectations through strong account management across the BC and personally leading accounts for major clients in the BC.

Sets the tone among all leaders in the BC.

Ensure a minimum of 4 client feedback surveys are conducted per year and issues are addressed through implementation and follow through on action plans.

Business Development and Collaboration :

Actively contributes to win strategies and successful project execution and becomes involved at a hands-on level in key pursuits as needed and on projects should issues impacting client satisfaction or project management best practices escalate and tracks pursuit success rate and Return on Investment rate on client-by-client basis

Leads growth of the BC through developing and leading the business development, key pursuit and sales strategy and holds Principals accountable to expand our reach and client base utilizing strong marketing, business development, sales account management plans.

Responsible for developing and managing the M&BD plan for the BC including cross selling.

Increases visibility of Stantec by sharing our knowledge and innovation story through key client engagements to enhance our reputation and drive revenue.

Establish an effective Go / No Go Review process with Principals and tracks compliance of Go / No Go Process

Partners with other BCPLs and leaders to drive collaboration on pursuits across geographies and business lines

Responsible for utilizing and ensuring the opportunity Pipeline is maintained and monitor to optimize business development plans and employee utilization rates

Ensure local marketplace reputation through established relationships and support of RLs.

Develop and maintain Stantec's Integrated Practice in the specified BC. Which includes :

The maintenance of a cohesive Stantec brand

Key client and Account development and maintenance

Market and community outreach and engagement.

Accountable to achieve organic growth targets of the BC.

Project Focus :

Lead delivery of significant BC project pursuits.

Achieve minimum direct utilization target of 45%

Actively participate including contribution to written content in major projects in key roles such as Independent Technical Reviewers, as required.

Oversee risk management related to projects and pursuits including review of contracts, fees, and proposals on large pursuits and in coordination with the Stantec's risk review process.

Practice :

Inspires, motivates, and holds the team accountable for the delivery of innovative design solutions

Responsible for driving project excellence

Leads or assigns responsibility for oversight of project delivery, Quality Assurance / Quality Control, discipline excellence and technical quality, documents quality and best practices in the execution of work.

Responsible for assigning responsibility for design excellence in all disciplines present in BC to foster innovation, sustainable design principles and use of technology.

Responsible for compliance with ISO-certified Integrated management System and Project management Frameworks

Accountable for achieving >

95% PM Frameworks compliance from Internal Practice audits

Leads or assigns responsibility for management, needs assessment and provision of digital practice, tools, and applications in support of BC to deliver work.

Provide broad leadership influence :

Act as a highly regarded leader, thought partner and a source of counsel and advice for their BC.

Be personally involved in key client relationships, strategic project pursuits and major project leadership within the BC.

Proactively identify opportunities to reinforce and further develop Stantec's high-performance culture with a focus on innovation, speed, and productivity.

Foster a success-oriented, accountable environment within the company.

Uphold a corporate culture that promotes ethical practices, encourages individual integrity, and focuses on the customer and service delivery.

Provide support through ongoing collaboration with Business Operating Unit Operations, Regional Business Leaders, Regional Leaders and BC Operations Leaders regarding resolution of operational issues identified within the BC.

Business and Financial Management :

Support BCOL with the annual budget for the BC, outlining the vision, focus, and priorities for implementation and setting specific goals for business performance.

Accountable for top line revenue growth, the BCPL also supports the BC Operations Leader in meeting established targets net revenue, gross margin, selling, general, and administrative costs, and operating income target in the BC.

Responsible for net revenue forecasts by period, quarter, and year end.

Partners with BC Operations Leader to develop and implement improvement plans for distressed business units and BCs. Including focus on write-offs and business line expenses.

Supports achieving utilization rate and backlog targets and partners with BC Operations Leader to drive collaboration and work sharing across the practice.

Health and Safety :

Support BC Operations Leader with the health and safety performance of the BC, including the monitoring of leading and lagging indicators, meeting leading indicator goals, and following up on BC Improvement Plans.

People Leadership :

Support BC Operations Leader with developing, attracting, engaging, and retaining top talent

Establish employee connectedness to leadership by interfacing frequently with employees

Partner with BC Operations Leader by conducting quarterly office visits and BC Wide meetings to communicate the vision, business strategy and progress against applicable action plans.

Support the overall talent management lifecycle including career development, employee engagement, succession planning, coaching, and mentoring, diversity and inclusion, and leadership development for the BC.

Support the BC Operations Leader with managing performance and compensation in accordance with Stantec's compensation philosophy within the BC through yearly employee performance review, rate review, and bonus -allocation for the BC.

Direct reports may include roles focused on Marketing and Business Develop

Your Capabilities and Credentials :

A history of establishing and maintaining client relationships in the California water market.

Experience in the Sacramento-San Joaquin River Delta is a plus.

Strong ability to develop business and promote business