Director of Coastal Engineering and Waterfronts

Director of Coastal Engineering and Waterfronts

Status: Full-time, 40+ hours/week

Job Description: Waterfronts Practice Leader

Kingfisher Recruiting has been hired to find a Director of Coastal Engineering and Waterfronts to serve as the strategic, technical, and operational head of the client’s waterfronts and coastal engineering practice. This executive-level leader is responsible for defining the long-term vision of the practice, developing new markets, elevating technical excellence, and guiding multidisciplinary teams in delivering innovative and resilient waterfront solutions.

The Practice Leader is a key member of the firm’s leadership team and acts as both a thought leader and a growth catalyst within the industry. This individual will help launch a new office in Louisiana and establish a permanent location in the area.

• 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; additional credentials (e.g.,
  
  D.PE, PMP, CFM) are desired.
• 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…