Lead Project Manager - Utility Permitting

About the opportunity

SWCA Environmental Consultants seeks a qualified Lead Project Manager – Utility Permitting with strong interpersonal skills and experience in utility project permitting and project management to join our team and primarily support oil and natural gas infrastructure projects. The position will directly support a regulated utility program based in Chicago, Illinois.

This individual will provide strategic and technical leadership across all project phases, from early planning and permitting through construction, consulting with clients and internal teams to guide complex utility permitting efforts. The ideal candidate will possess extensive environmental consulting and project management experience, preferably with specific knowledge of oil and gas transmission in Chicago. SWCA is looking for the right candidate to take on existing and future projects and help build our presence throughout the Midwest.

This role will report to one of our Chicago, IL office location. This is a regular (with benefits), salaried, full‑time position that is hybrid eligible.

Final date to receive applications:
Our team will begin reviewing applications immediately, and interviews will be scheduled with qualified candidates on a rolling basis. The application process will remain open until we have received a robust pool of qualified candidates. Once we have identified suitable individuals, we may close the application process without prior notice. We appreciate the time and effort invested by all applicants and will carefully consider each submission.

• Strategically consult on and lead multidisciplinary project teams to navigate complex permitting challenges, aligning technical approaches with client objectives and regulatory requirements.
• Manage projects that include compliance, biological resource assessments and constraints analyses, state and federal Endangered Species Act consultations, Clean Water Act Section 404 and Section 401 permitting, state‑level permits, and local level permits.
• Leads and is accountable for high‑complexity projects or program components, coordinating teams and resources, overseeing technical approach and QA/QC, and ensuring delivery on regulatory compliance, scope, schedule, and budget.
• Demonstrates strong skills in project planning, internal communication, and human relations, ensuring effective collaboration within the team. Project plans should communicate status, schedules, task delegation, scope changes, budget allocation, and other project details (including goals, purpose, and/or reasoning).
• Continuously guides complex projects, proactively identifying and resolving risks to project success, safety, quality, and performance through informed judgment, creative problem‑solving, and strategic adjustments.
• Revises or recommends revisions to project scopes, schedules, budgets, and technical strategies as project conditions evolve to ensure successful outcomes.
• Take initiative and anticipate/resolve issues to assure client needs are met effectively.
• Lead and advise on all aspects of project implementation, including the development of permitting strategies, provide QA/QC of work processes and deliverables, and lead or support teams completing technical studies that support permitting efforts.
• Engage with SWCA’s Technical Director team to support quality initiatives, and development of policies & procedures in your areas of expertise.
• Engage with professional organizations, including attendance at conferences, trainings, and client‑led events on behalf of SWCA.
• Supervise, mentor, and provide project technical support to junior staff.
• Drive compliance of safety policies and reporting requirements to ensure overall team safety.

• Bachelor’s degree in biology, botany, wildlife management, or a closely related field.
• Six (6) years of natural resources consulting experience on a variety of project types, sizes, and regions that include: energy facility siting and constraints studies, federal, state, and local permitting, and agency interactions at all levels.
• Three (3) years of experience managing…