Associate Principal​/Environmental Planning Leader; CEQA​/NEPA

Position: Associate Principal / Environmental Planning Leader (CEQA/NEPA)
Overview

A highly respected, employee-owned environmental and planning consultancy is seeking a senior environmental planning leader to join at the Associate Principal / Principal-track level, with a clear pathway to leading the Bay Area planning practice.

This is a long-term leadership opportunity for an accomplished CEQA professional who wants more than just project delivery - someone motivated to shape strategy, mentor teams, grow a practice, and ultimately take on a regional leadership role within a firm known for its technical excellence and industry credibility.

The firm is widely recognised as a technical authority in CEQA, with multiple industry leaders and a strong reputation across California's environmental and planning community, including deep visibility within California AEP.

Key Responsibilities
Practice & Leadership

• Step into a Principal-track role with increasing responsibility for regional leadership and succession
• Help shape the strategic direction, growth, and long-term vision of the Bay Area environmental planning practice
• Collaborate closely with senior leadership on operations, resourcing, and practice development
• Mentor, develop, and retain high-performing planners and project managers

Project & Client Leadership

• Lead the firm's largest and most complex CEQA (and NEPA) projects, from early strategy through approvals
• Serve as trusted advisor and primary client contact for public- and private-sector clients
• Oversee scope, schedule, budget, risk management, and quality control
• Negotiate contracts and manage financial performance, including billing and collections

Technical Excellence

• Direct and review CEQA/NEPA documents (EIRs, EISs, EAs, IS/MNDs) ensuring defensibility and best practice
• Provide senior-level technical and peer review of environmental documents
• Stay at the forefront of CEQA case law, regulatory changes, and evolving best practices
• Act as a technical leader internally and externally

Business Development

• Play a leading role in business development, proposals, and interviews
• Maintain and expand long-standing client relationships
• Help position the firm as a go-to CEQA advisor in the Bay Area market
• Expected to generate and sustain work consistent with a senior leadership role

Outreach & Representation

• Represent projects at public meetings, hearings, and stakeholder forums
• Participate in professional organizations, conferences, and industry events
• Act as a visible leader within the regional environmental planning community

Qualifications

• Bachelor's or Master's degree in Planning, Environmental Studies, Public Administration, Environmental or Land Use Law, or related field
• 10+ years of experience in environmental planning
• Extensive experience managing complex CEQA projects (NEPA experience strongly preferred)
• Proven ability to lead teams, manage senior client relationships, and oversee financial performance
• Demonstrated success in business development and practice growth
• Excellent technical writing, analytical, and presentation skills

Why This Role Is Different

• Employee-owned firm with a genuine long-term mindset - leaders are grown and retained
• Widely regarded as a technical CEQA authority, with deep in-house expertise
• A household name within California AEP and the broader environmental planning market
• Opportunity to work alongside - and ultimately succeed - established industry leaders
• Rare chance to step into a legacy leadership role with long-term regional influence

ewi is committed to equality in the workplace and is an equal opportunity employer. ewi is acting as an Employment Business in relation to this vacancy.