Woodard & Curran is a national engineering, science, and operations firm with a simple vision for clean water, a safe environment, healthy communities, and happy people. As an employee-owned company, we strive to cultivate diverse teams and encourage collaboration in an equitable and inclusive culture. We seek talented individuals from all backgrounds to help us address a broad range of water and environmental issues. We prioritize our people, offering opportunities for professional growth, ownership, and flexibility. That’s how we make a difference to our clients, people, and the planet.
The role of the Industrial Water Practice Leader is essential for enhancing the capabilities and visibility of the Industrial Water Practice within the market. This position reports to the National Director of Practices for the Water Business and is responsible for leading our technical teams in support of our work delivery. The position involves a deep understanding of national market dynamics, including key drivers and trends related to industrial water management, particularly in areas such as industrial water and wastewater treatment, water reuse, emerging contaminants, and air emissions within the private sector. The ideal candidate will possess substantial technical expertise that enables the identification and capture of market opportunities while building internal and external credibility in the industry. Experience in sectors such as manufacturing, pharmaceuticals, life sciences, food and beverage, renewable natural gas, and mining is critical for success in this role. Moreover, the Industrial Water Practice Leader will be responsible for addressing clients' industrial compliance needs, overseeing engineering projects related to the expansion of industrial treatment facilities and plant upgrades, and possessing a thorough understanding of treatment system operations and corporate Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) initiatives. Experience with collaborative project delivery, including design-build, design-build-operate, and progressive design-build, is preferred.
Who are we looking for:
The Practice Leader position focuses on advancing the capabilities and market exposure of the Practice, and the primary focus is to understand markets and drivers in their area of practice. The Practice Leader must understand the technical expertise needed to capture the market and understand marketplace credibility (externally and internally among the business development client management teams). They support marketplace teams across geographies to advance the Community of Practice that the Director of Practice represents.
Travel: up to 30%
Candidate Location: Virtual
What You Will Be Doing at Woodard & Curran:
Practice Personnel
- Support the development of a cohesive practice team
- Identify skills of practice personnel and those needed to support delivery of industrial water projects.
- Support recruitment of staff to work on industrial water projects.
- Work with project team staffing to ensure industrial water project teams are appropriately staffed with senior oversight
- Maintain the Utilization goal as set by the business unit.
Business Development
- Work with the Practice Director to execute the Industrial Practice-specific plans and goals.
- Support the Practice's bookings and partner with the business development team on client pursuits and market strategies in Industrial Water sectors, manufacturing, pharmaceuticals, life sciences, food and beverage, renewable natural gas, and mining
- Identify business needs across Industrial Water markets and collaborate with Clients, Managers, and Business Development Leaders to pursue opportunities.
- Develop and maintain strong client-advisor relationships, leading to repeat business.
- Educate Client Managers, with support from the Director of Practice, on effective strategies to advance business development in Industrial Water.
- Identify growth areas for the Industrial Water Practice across national geographies and markets.
- Work with the Director of Practice to identify specific Client Managers and Operations Technical Staff to collaborate with the Business Development Leader on particular pursuits.
- Develop discrete practice offerings.
Sales & Marketing
- Conduct marketplace technical capability differentiation by making national and regional-level technical publications & presentations and serving in professional technical leadership positions in outside organizations.
- Develop and maintain marketing material for their specific area of Practice
Project / Proposal
- Advise and assist in developing proposals and projects based on technical expertise.
- Advise on technical resources, both external and internal, for the company.
- Responsible for meeting contract commitments for technical components
Project Quality Assurance
- Develops and ensures implementation of QA/QC procedures for discipline areas identified or required by the Practice.
- Supports project teams in lessons learned/technical debriefs as part of the closeout of a project.
Internal Technical
- Maintain an internal knowledge-sharing feed within the Community of Practice.
- Support technical initiatives.
- Work with Practice Leadership to set technical direction or review the scope of significant projects in the Practice area.
- Identify opportunities for innovation within projects.
- Maintain a library of technical information needed for specific markets and key clients (e.g., client-specific standards)
Business Resources Identification
- Develop an annual budget for technical needs (i.e., training & Software) for their specific practice areas.
- Coordinate with BU Leadership to expand the practice resources to meet the identified demand for technical service.
- Work with the Director of Practice on Preparing a Strategic Plan for Practice.
- Annual business planning for Practice.
- Identify, lead, and participate in business development, bid, and proposal efforts.
- Provide indirect supervision for the technical practice teams.
What You Will Need To Succeed:
- Bachelor’s degree in engineering or science minimum; a Master’s degree is preferred, with a focus on water and wastewater treatment or chemical engineering with treatment background
- Minimum 20 years related experience; or equivalent combination of education and experience in the execution and management in the marketplace.
- Professional Engineering license is required.
- Design build and engineering experience preferred.
Benefits & Wellbeing
Retirement Savings:
• 401(k) Pre-tax or Roth Contributions: Company will match equal to 100% of the first 3% of salary contributed, All employees are eligible to participate in the 401(k) plan and are 100% vested in the value of own contributions and any employer matching contributions.
Time away from work:
• Vacation time is provided to full and part-time regular employees. Vacation is accrued, based on number of hours worked per week as well as prior years of experience.
• Woodard & Curran offers paid sick time to eligible employees who are absent due to their own non-work related, illness, injury, or medical procedure.
• Woodard & Curran provides up to 80 hours of Paid Parental Leave for child bonding in a 12-month period.
• Company-paid short- and long-term disability insurance from Sun Life to assist with replacing a portion of your income in the event of non-job-related illness or injury. Eligible employees are automatically enrolled and eligible immediately.
Coverage and support for your needs and wellbeing:
Personal and Family health: Company offers three medical plan options based on geography; plus HSA and PSA plans are available based on eligibility, additional options include dental and vision plans.
Company provides basic employee group life insurance and AD&D benefits; additional voluntary life insurance for employee and family are available through Sun Life.
WayForward powered by Dario: EAP Program combined with personalized mental health and wellbeing coaching.
LiveWell wellbeing program: credit incentive is available, up to $600 annually – nutrition and fitness reimbursement, and access to the Virgin Pulse wellness platform.
Education: Tuition assistance offers eligible employees up to 100% reimbursement of tuition, books and fees up to $5250 per year, for courses related to the employee’s job or planned career development.
Equal Employment Opportunity and Affirmative Action Statement
If you have a disability and need a reasonable accommodation to apply, please contact Beth Sweitzer.
Diversity, Equity & Inclusion
We value diversity, equity and inclusion and encourage individuals from all backgrounds to apply.
Woodard & Curran believes that complex teams working together in an equitable, inclusive space provides the best opportunity for achieving our vision of clean water, a safe environment, healthy communities, and happy people. Our success is tied to a culture that embraces our differences so that everyone can bring their whole, authentic selves to work. When our people are supported to reach their full potential, we provide the most innovative, sound, and effective solutions.