Principal Planner

Principal Planner

Location: Remote
Compensation: $170,000 - $210,000 annually

Spheros Environmental is looking for a Principal Planner to lead permitting and environmental projects and programs from strategy and planning through successful execution. Principal Planners play a key role in business development, operations management staff training, and client management. The Principal Planner is responsible for practice area growth and client service. The Principal Planner will act as Project Director on specific projects or programs to provide overall project and program strategy, quality, and training. Principals work strategically with clients, helping them chart their course of action to achieve their goals.

Key Responsibilities:

Technical

• Leads the development of permitting strategies for complex projects and programs, ensuring deliverables meet quality standards.
• Delegates and reviews work across multiple staff members and technical team members.
• Provides financial management of projects and programs and addresses internal and external budget issues on projects.
• Address subconsultant and client issues directly
• Serves as Project Director for high-profile projects and large, on-call contracts.
• Audits contract compliance and oversees senior managers and PMs to ensure work is meeting contract commitments.
• Manages project budgets, schedule, quality, and client relationships.
• Leverages their extensive experience to work with Project Managers to keep projects moving through obstacles.
• Identifies opportunities for workflow process improvement including integration of technology.

Business Development

• Leads the expansion of planning services with new clients and expands service sold and offered to existing clients.
• Actively seeks out and fosters new relationships that turn into clients.
• Develops novel client solutions, leads major proposal efforts and capture plans, forecasts timelines, and estimates project fees.
• Attends industry events to develop contacts and represent our brand and attends at least one major conference per year.
• Leads new business development with contract goals of approximately $2,000,000 per year net revenue.

Leadership / Management

• Carry out Spheros’ mission, vision, and values in everyday interactions.
• Strives to develop and maintain a productive and engaged staff and ensures the team has professional development opportunities to continue learning and growing.
• Defines staffing needs and supports hiring of highly qualified staff within technical discipline.
• Actively interfaces and collaborates with department heads and directors to manage overall performance and meet identified targets and metrics.
• Manages staff workloads across projects and programs under their direction to ensure utilization goals are met.
• Implements a quality program and audit system to verify that quality control/quality assurance standards are being implemented as the company grows.
• Contributes ideas for the continuous improvement of operations systems to ensure quality project delivery.
• Collaborates with Regional Director on staff utilization trends that may require resolution and staffing needs across the region.
• Works closely with leadership team in marketing and sales planning efforts and overall growth and performance.
• Reports to regional director on any major issues on projects, including issues with schedules or budgets, the public, agencies, or the client.
• Provides constant and consistent feedback to project team members including sector directors, senior managers, and project managers.
• Provides mentoring to staff to help them grow their strengths and expand their skill sets.
• Keeps assignments on schedule and keeps communication flow clear and concise between all team members and owners.
• Encourages a people first approach and entrepreneurial initiative in all staff. Guides the team in assessing risk management and business impact when implementing process improvement.
• Possesses a desire for lifelong learning. Trains project managers and assists with the development of staff through day-to-day interactions. Participates in formal mentorship programs.

Financial Acumen

• Responsible for project and program profitability.
• Monitors and manages budgets for projects under their direction.
• Creates budget forecasts and defines staffing needs.

Client Service

• Build relationship capital with clients through project work and networking events.
• Communicates with clients about changes that affect
• Works closely with leadership to cross market and integrate services for existing clients.
• Develops quality relationships with assigned clients and analyzes client circumstances to recognize new business opportunities.

Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s degree in business, environmental planning, environmental studies, biology, hydrology, geology, natural resources, or other related discipline and 20+ years of experience directing and managing CEQA/NEPA planning, permitting, and/or environmental compliance for projects and programs.
• Experience as a practice lead and experience building a successful team
• Deep industry connections, and a sought after leader and specialist in the field
• Exceptional technical and operational management skills and sound judgment.
• Team player with the ability to assign tasks and work collaboratively to achieve results.
• Exceptional organizational, analytical, strategic thinking, and problem-solving skills with the ability to quickly synthesize complex information to produce actionable recommendations.
• Executive management capabilities with strong presentation and verbal/written communication skills.
• Excellent interpersonal skills and highly adept at building strong relationships with colleagues and clients.
• Ability to exercise detail-oriented oversight of projects, programs, and operations to ensure efficiency, compliance, and stay ahead of budget and schedule.
• Experience leading and directing teams of 15 or more staff and providing staff development support.
• Strong work ethic and dedication.
• Dedication to collaboration and team building.

Why Spheros Environmental?

• Remote Work
• Competitive Compensation: Generous salary range with bonuses and 401(k) contributions.
• Professional Growth: Opportunities for continuous learning, training, and advancement.
• Inclusive Culture: Join a company that values collaboration and client service.
• Opportunities to provide clients with services from all of Spheros Environmental practice areas.

Apply today! Spheros Environmental is an equal-opportunity employer.