Director of Coastal Waterfronts and Engineering

Location: St. Paul, Minnesota;
Superior, Wisconsin;
Pensacola, Florida; or Louisiana | Schedule: Full-time, 40+ hours/week, primarily office-based with periodic travel | Compensation: $140,000-$170,000 + Bonus

An established engineering firm is seeking a Director of Coastal Engineering and Waterfronts to serve as the strategic, technical, and operational head of its waterfronts and coastal engineering practice. This executive-level leader will define the long-term vision of the practice, develop new markets, elevate technical excellence, and guide multidisciplinary teams in delivering innovative and resilient waterfront solutions, acting as both a thought leader and growth catalyst within the industry.

• Develop and implement the strategic plan for the Waterfronts Practice, aligning with firmwide goals
• Identify emerging market trends in coastal resilience, sustainable waterfront redevelopment, port/marina planning, and marine infrastructure
• Set direction for service offerings, technical capabilities, and geographic expansion
• Champion innovation, digital transformation, and best practices within the practice
• Lead annual budgeting, staffing plans, revenue forecasting, and financial performance oversight
• Establish practice-wide quality standards, design procedures, and technical workflows
• Monitor key performance indicators and operational efficiency to ensure best-in-class delivery
• Coordinate resource allocation across regions and project teams to optimize utilization and expertise
• Serve as senior technical authority for waterfront, marina, and coastal engineering projects
• Provide high-level review and approval of design approaches, engineering calculations, and deliverables
• Guide technical strategy surrounding coastal processes, structural systems, geomorphology, resilience, and nature-based shoreline solutions
• Oversee complex permitting and regulatory pathways at federal, state, and local levels
• Develop strategic relationships with clients, agencies, and consultants
• Lead business development initiatives, major pursuits, and proposal strategies
• Position the firm as a leader in waterfront and coastal engineering through conferences, publications, and industry involvement
• Drive diversification of services and entry into new coastal and marine markets
• Build, guide, and mentor a high-performing team of engineers, planners, designers, and project managers
• Foster a culture of collaboration, creativity, accountability, and continuous improvement
• Develop career paths, succession planning, and talent retention strategies for the Waterfronts Practice
• Promote cross-discipline collaboration across the firm to support integrated project delivery

• Master's or Bachelor's degree in Coastal, Civil, Structural, or Marine Engineering
• 15+ years of experience in waterfront, coastal, or marine engineering with increasing leadership responsibilities
• Professional Engineer (PE) license required
• Proven success leading practice groups, business units, or major market sectors
• Strong portfolio of successfully delivered waterfront, marina, or coastal infrastructure projects
• Demonstrated ability to win work, build client relationships, and drive revenue growth
• Deep technical expertise and strong understanding of regulatory and permitting landscapes
• Visionary, strategic leader with entrepreneurial mindset
• Strong business acumen and financial management capabilities
• Exceptional communication, presentation, and client engagement skills
• Proven ability to influence, inspire, and develop teams
• High-level decision-making and problem-solving abilities
• Commitment to resilience, sustainability, and innovation in coastal environments
• Ability to travel periodically for client meetings, conferences, project sites, and regional practice oversight
• Ability to conduct occasional field visits to waterfront, marina, or coastal project sites, sometimes under variable conditions

• Additional credentials such as
  
  D.PE, PMP, or CFM are desired

• Compensation: $140,000-$170,000 + Bonus
• Ownership Equity Package in Year 3
• Group Health Insurance
• 401K
• Term Life Insurance
• Short-and-Long Term Disability Insurance
• AD&D Insurance
• Profit Sharing Bonus
• 8 Paid Holidays
• Paid Personal Leave

This is an executive-level opportunity to serve as a key member of the firm's leadership team, shaping the strategic direction of a waterfronts and coastal engineering practice while driving industry-leading innovation and growth.