Civil Engineering Manager

About the role

You will own the strategic direction and operational performance of the civil engineering practice area for the North East market, driving sustainable growth and profitability through disciplined execution. You will lead the development and mentorship of a high-performing team, fostering a collaborative environment where creative design solutions and rigorous project delivery standards coexist. This role requires you to actively cultivate and deepen key client relationships, ensuring trust, transparency, and long-term partnership alignment with Ware Malcomb's service excellence. You will champion a culture of innovation and continuous improvement, translating market insights and team feedback into actionable strategies that enhance our service offerings. You will work in close partnership with the broader senior management team to align practice area goals with the firm's overarching business objectives and growth ambitions. You will oversee the financial health of assigned projects, ensuring budgets, schedules, and deliverables are met without compromising quality or safety standards. You will serve as a key liaison between technical teams and client stakeholders, articulating project vision, resolving complex challenges, and safeguarding project integrity. You will contribute to the expansion of our market presence by supporting targeted business development initiatives and positioning Ware Malcomb as a trusted advisor in the civil engineering sector.

Key facts

What you'll do

Provide leadership and strategic direction to grow the civil engineering practice in the North East region, focusing on revenue generation and market penetration.

Champion a collaborative team culture that empowers professionals, encourages knowledge sharing, and drives innovative design solutions.

Own full P&L responsibility for the civil engineering practice area, including budgeting, forecasting, financial reporting, and profitability analysis.

Develop and execute a robust business development strategy, cultivating new client relationships and expanding existing partnerships within the target market.

Manage and mentor engineering staff, providing guidance, performance feedback, and professional development opportunities to enhance team capabilities.

Ensure the delivery of high-quality civil engineering projects by establishing clear standards, processes, and quality control measures.

Lead complex client engagements, translating technical information into clear communication and aligning project objectives with client expectations.

Identify and mitigate project risks proactively, implementing contingency plans to address unforeseen challenges in scope, schedule, or resources.

Collaborate with interdisciplinary teams across the firm to coordinate design inputs, streamline workflows, and maintain project continuity.

Oversee the preparation and review of technical deliverables, ensuring compliance with engineering standards, regulatory requirements, and client specifications.

Support the marketing and branding efforts of the civil engineering practice through thought leadership, case studies, and client-facing materials.

Evaluate and adopt new technologies and industry best practices to improve project efficiency, accuracy, and overall service delivery.

Represent Ware Malcomb at industry events, conferences, and community engagements to elevate the firm's visibility and reputation.

Partner with the human resources team to attract, recruit, and retain top talent in the competitive Washington D.C. engineering market.

Requirements

You must possess a Bachelor's degree in Civil Engineering or a closely related field, demonstrating a strong foundational knowledge of engineering principles and practices.

You must hold a professional engineering license (PE) in good standing, with proven experience in delivering civil engineering projects in a leadership capacity.

You must have a minimum of ten years of progressively responsible experience in civil engineering or a related discipline, with at least five years in a leadership or managerial role.

You must have demonstrated success in managing complex projects from initial concept through final delivery, meeting technical, quality, and schedule objectives.

You must have a proven track record of achieving financial targets, managing budgets, and optimizing resource allocation on multiple concurrent projects.

You must have extensive experience in client relationship management, including negotiating agreements, resolving issues, and building long-term trust.

You must possess strong knowledge of relevant engineering software, design standards, and regulatory frameworks applicable to the North East United States market.

You must exhibit excellent communication, presentation, and interpersonal skills, enabling effective collaboration with diverse stakeholders at all organizational levels.

Nice to have

Experience in managing multidisciplinary design projects that integrate architecture, engineering, and planning disciplines.

Familiarity with emerging technologies such as building information modeling (BIM), digital twins, or data-driven design tools.

Background in sustainable design practices and resilient infrastructure solutions.

Prior experience working within a growth-oriented, client-focused design firm.

Practical notes

This is a full-time leadership position based in Washington, D.C.

Travel may be required to visit project sites, meet with clients, or attend industry conferences.

Candidates must be eligible to work in the United States without sponsorship at this time.