Senior Hydropower Regulatory Specialist

Stantec’s Environmental Services team is seeking a Senior Hydropower Regulatory Specialist to lead complex hydroelectric licensing, compliance, decommissioning, and water infrastructure projects in Central and Northern California. This senior role will provide regulatory and project-delivery leadership, advise clients, build and maintain client relationships, secure new work, and mentor multidisciplinary teams. The successful candidate will bring deep knowledge of FERC regulatory processes and a demonstrated ability to deliver complex projects within scope, schedule, and budget while expanding Stantec’s hydropower and water resources practice.

Your Key Responsibilities

Technical Consulting

• Lead complex hydropower and water resources planning projects delivered by multidisciplinary teams, strategic partners, and subconsultants.
• Serve as the primary client contact and provide strategic guidance on hydroelectric licensing, permitting, compliance, decommissioning, and water resources planning.
• Direct project scope, schedule, budget, quality, risk, staffing, and communications; review project status reports, invoices, and change orders.
• Coordinate with clients, regulators, stakeholders, internal technical specialists, consultants, contractors, and vendors to resolve complex environmental and regulatory issues.
• Lead contract negotiations and project delivery strategies that strengthen client service and create opportunities for follow-on work.

Leadership

• Build, lead, and mentor a high-performing team through targeted hiring, coaching, training, and performance development.
  • Develop staff capabilities in technical reporting, FERC regulatory processes, CEQA/NEPA planning, and project delivery.
  • Create meaningful assignments and leadership opportunities that support the growth of junior- and mid-level staff.

Client Development

• Cultivate client relationships, identify and position for new opportunities, and develop strategies to expand Stantec’s hydropower and water resources practice.
  • Lead capture planning, proposal development, and client interviews for strategic pursuits.
  • Build productive, trusted relationships with clients, regulators, teaming partners, and other stakeholders.

Your Capabilities and Credentials

• Deep knowledge of FERC hydropower licensing and regulatory processes, including new licenses, relicensing, license amendments, exemptions, compliance, and other regulatory authorizations.

  • Demonstrated success leading FERC hydropower projects, hydroelectric compliance programs, decommissioning efforts, and/or CEQA/NEPA water infrastructure projects from strategy through completion.

  • Strong background in California hydropower and water resources, including experience navigating the state’s regulatory, permitting, and stakeholder environment.

  • Ability to evaluate regulatory and permitting pathways and develop practical strategies based on project characteristics, risks, and proposed modifications.

  • Proven ability to direct large, multidisciplinary projects and programs with significant technical, regulatory, financial, and stakeholder complexity.

  • Demonstrated success developing client relationships, positioning for new opportunities, leading proposals and interviews, and securing follow-on work.

  • Strong leadership, mentoring, communication, negotiation, and decision-making skills, with the judgment to identify emerging issues and initiate corrective action.

  • Ability to prioritize competing demands, collaborate across disciplines and leadership styles, and deliver accurate, high-quality work in a changing environment.

Education and Experience

• Bachelor’s degree in environmental planning, environmental science, engineering, or a related field and at least 10 years of progressively responsible experience leading hydropower licensing, compliance, decommissioning, or CEQA/NEPA water infrastructure projects. An advanced degree may substitute for a portion of the required experience.

• Demonstrated experience managing multidisciplinary teams and delivering high-quality work within contractual, financial, schedule, and quality requirements.

• Strong project financial management skills, including budgeting, forecasting, scheduling, invoicing, and change management.

• Proficiency with Microsoft Word, PowerPoint, Excel, SharePoint, and Adobe Acrobat.

This position has the flexibility of working in a hybrid work environment with a mix of remote work and in office work. Typical office environment working with computers and remaining sedentary for long periods of time.

This description is not a comprehensive listing of activities, duties or responsibilities that may be required of the employee and other duties, responsibilities and activities may be assigned or may be changed at any time with or without notice.

Stantec is a place where the best and brightest come to build on each other’s talents, do exciting work, and make an impact on the world around us. Join us and redefine your personal best.

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