Transportation Client Development Director

Environmental Science Associates (ESA) is a 100% employee‑owned environmental consulting firm. We plan, design, permit, mitigate, and restore projects across communities, infrastructure systems, open spaces, and wildlands. With 50 years of experience and 21 offices in California, the Pacific Northwest, and the Southeast United States, ESA is a leader in environmental solutions.

We are seeking a motivated and experienced Transportation Client Development Director for California to join our team. This senior leadership role will drive growth, foster client relationships, and deliver innovative transportation solutions across California. The role operates on a hybrid schedule, requiring 1‑2 days per week onsite at any of our California offices (San Francisco, San Jose, Oakland, Sacramento, Petaluma, Los Angeles, Irvine, Pasadena, or San Diego).

• Technical & Professional Expertise:
  • Provide high-level leadership and visibility representing ESA with clients in the transportation market.
  • Actively participate in regional and national professional associations, conferences, and networking activities to identify and cultivate new clients, markets, hires, and M&A opportunities.
  • Serve as a Project Director or senior technical advisor on the most complex, unique, and large projects for key clients.
  • Oversee or direct project‑related work for major, highly complex projects and programs as needed.
  • Communicate complex issues effectively to clients, agency staff, partners, stakeholders, and the public, and at professional gatherings.
• Diversity, Inclusion & Belonging:
  • Demonstrate equitable, inclusive ways of working with others, treating others with respect, empathy and dignity.
  • Participate in diversity, inclusion and belonging‑focused learning activities to increase self‑awareness and apply concepts.
  • Identify opportunities to increase the participation of underrepresented colleagues on projects and amplify their ideas in meetings.
  • Seek and contribute to opportunities that increase team diversity through outreach.
  • Lead or participate in community or ESA‑sponsored diversity impact projects.
  • Foster collaboration with traditionally disadvantaged business enterprises to meet client needs and have a positive social impact.
• Project & Fiscal Responsibility:
  • Drive execution of the annual strategic growth and client development action plan to achieve regional growth and development goals.
  • Collaborate with Regional Business Group Directors, Regional Directors and Practice Leaders to balance growth with improved profitability across the region.
• Client Relationship & Business Development & Marketing Responsibility:
  • Strengthen ESA’s understanding of industry and client needs, market trends, and position ESA to respond to achieve the long‑term vision for the region.
  • Identify and cultivate strategic partnerships and teaming opportunities with other firms for target clients.
  • Lead development of strategic and key client pursuits and preparation of major regional or strategic proposals; work with Practice Leaders, marketing leaders and capture managers.
  • Provide strategic focus to assist senior staff and other business development leaders with their growth initiatives.
  • Maintain and grow an extensive professional network, including decision‑makers at client organizations.
  • Travel regularly to ESA offices across California to support key initiatives, business development and market coordination.
  • Lead identification of strategic pursuits to leverage ESA’s full array of capabilities and develop major strategic contract or project acquisition efforts.
  • Support strategic client management and development by identifying and supporting key client managers to expand the portfolio across regions.
• Staff Growth & Development - Career, Skills, and Business Development:
  • Mentor and coach staff to foster best practices and increase engagement across the transportation market.
  • Coordinate with Regional Directors and Practice Leaders on strategic hiring, professional development and retention of key employees.
  • Coordinate market portfolio expansion across California, focusing on increasing market share, service offerings and diversification.
  • Perform other…