Discipline Leader - Utility Design Engineering

Senior Consulting Leader For Utility Design Engineering

Colliers Engineering & Design is seeking a senior consulting leader to guide, grow, and strengthen our Utility Design Engineering (UDE) discipline in Columbus, Ohio. This role is built for a high-level industry professional with technical credibility, established client relationships, strong operational discipline, and the ability to expand fiber design services in existing and new markets. Candidates must be located within a commutable distance to our Columbus, OH office.

Are you energized by building teams, winning work, strengthening client relationships, and shaping a growing practice? As the Discipline Leader, you will help drive the strategy, performance, and continued expansion of Colliers Engineering & Design's fiber utility design practice across existing and emerging markets.

This is an opportunity for a proven consulting leader with technical credibility, strong operational instincts, and established industry relationships to make a meaningful impact. You will work closely with clients, partners, industry groups, and internal leaders to build trust, pursue new opportunities, and position Colliers Engineering & Design as a go-to provider for fiber and utility design solutions.

This role goes well beyond technical oversight. It is a chance to lead a scalable business, mentor managers and technical staff, drive project delivery and financial performance, and help define the next chapter of growth for a discipline that supports the infrastructure powering communities for years to come.

Strategic Leadership and Discipline Growth

• Lead the UDE fiber discipline with overall accountability for financial performance, quality, client satisfaction, productivity, operational consistency, and long-term growth.
• Develop and execute a clear growth strategy for fiber utility design services in existing markets while identifying and opening new geographic and client markets.
• Establish the vision, priorities, standards, and leadership structure needed to scale the discipline across multiple offices and regions.

Business Development and Market Expansion

• Serve as a senior seller-doer and visible industry leader for UDE fiber services.
• Develop, maintain, and expand relationships with broadband providers, utilities, municipalities, public agencies, developers, contractors, and strategic teaming partners.
• Identify and pursue opportunities in fiber design, FTTx, middle mile, OSP & ISP fiber design, utility coordination, road moves, make-ready, permitting, GIS-supported workflows, and related infrastructure services.
• Represent CED at industry conferences, client meetings, association events, and regional market development activities.
• Coordinate with internal business development, marketing, and technical leaders to help execute UDE growth.

Technical and Project Delivery Leadership

• Provide senior-level oversight and practical technical leadership for fiber utility design projects.
• Ensure design delivery aligns with client requirements, jurisdictional standards, permitting requirements, project budgets, schedules, scope expectations, and quality standards.
• Support teams delivering FTTx, middle mile, OSP fiber design, utility coordination, road move, make-ready, permitting, GIS-based design support, and related infrastructure services.
• Establish and maintain technical standards, QA/QC expectations, project initiation practices, documentation requirements, project handoff packages, and change management practices.
• Provide senior review and guidance on scope, fee, schedule, staffing, contract, and delivery risk before issues impact profitability or client satisfaction.
• Collaborate with internal groups to deliver complete fiber infrastructure solutions.

Operational and Financial Management

• Drive discipline performance through strong financial management, project controls, utilization oversight, revenue forecasting, backlog review, billing discipline, and collections awareness.
• Monitor project performance, profitability, budget adherence, work in progress, aged unbilled revenue, accounts receivable, write-offs, staffing levels, and resource allocation.

Team Development and Leadership

• Recruit, mentor, develop, and retain high-performing UDE fiber professionals across multiple offices and markets.
• Develop and support all UDE staff.
• Build scalable training, cross-training, role progression, and succession planning programs that support growth and retention.
• Promote a culture of accountability, collaboration, technical excellence, safety, business awareness, and consistent communication.

Collaboration, Compliance, and Safety

• Ensure discipline compliance with company policies, procedures, health and safety requirements, contract review procedures, and standard operating practices.
• Partner with safety leadership and the Discipline Safety Coordinator to reinforce safe work practices for office and field activities.
• Travel regularly to CED offices, client locations, project sites, and industry…