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Senior Technical Director- Power & Energy at Architecture49 · Kansas…
Skills
Job Description
This Opportunity
WSP is initiating a search for a Senior Technical Director- Power & Energy to support our team in Kansas City, MO. The successful candidate may work remotely from a mutually acceptable location within the United States and must have the ability to travel to a WSP and/or Client office for periodic face-to-face meetings. The following locations will also be considered: Las Vegas, NV.
The Senior Technical Director- Power & Energy provides strategic vision, technical leadership, and operational accountability for enterprise-critical programs with large financial and reputational impact. This role directs and oversees professional, technical, and managerial teams, ensuring consistent excellence in program delivery and alignment with organizational goals. The position shapes industry-leading practices and standards for program execution, while influencing long-term business outcomes through innovation, strategic advisory, and cross-functional leadership. The role is integral to the firm’s growth, client retention, and positioning as a leader in integrated program management.
Your Impact
- Provide executive-level oversight and guidance for major programs of significant scope, complexity, and visibility.
- Define strategic direction for program delivery frameworks, methods, and processes across business lines.
- Direct multiple programs concurrently, ensuring that objectives are met on time, within budget, and in compliance with contractual requirements.
- Lead high-level engagements with clients, agency stakeholders, and joint ventures, providing strategic counsel and problem resolution.
- Oversee program governance structures, including steering committees, reporting protocols, and risk escalation pathways.
- Serve as a top subject matter expert in program management and strategic execution across the enterprise.
- Drive the integration of digital tools, sustainability practices, and innovation into program delivery models.
- Manage revenue, profitability, and resourcing targets for the functional area of responsibility.
- Lead development and implementation of WSP’s program management best practices, templates, and training modules.
- Collaborate with other senior leaders to ensure alignment between corporate priorities and program objectives.
- Champion key pursuits, including capture strategies for transformative program opportunities. Represent WSP in external forums, industry events, and public engagements as a thought leader and brand ambassador.
- Mentor senior staff, foster a succession pipeline, and support leadership development across the function.
- Support strategic planning efforts, including business case analysis and market forecasting. Ensure regulatory compliance, ethical standards, and high safety performance throughout program activities.
- Direct contract development, commercial negotiations, and dispute resolution with clients and partners.
- Engage in enterprise risk management by leading comprehensive reviews of program contingencies and opportunities.
- Promote cultural alignment and collaboration across cross-functional program teams.
- Facilitate integration of program KPIs into organizational reporting and business intelligence systems.
- Identify and resolve conflicts related to interdependent projects, scopes, or stakeholder expectations.
- Approve budgets, forecasts, and expenditures for programs under the functional portfolio.
- Define performance indicators and implement tracking mechanisms to ensure accountability and transparency.
- Lead transformation initiatives to evolve how WSP delivers complex programs across the business.
- Exercise responsible and ethical decision-making regarding company funds, resources, and conduct, and adhere to WSP’s Code of Conduct and related policies and procedures.
- Perform additional responsibilities as required by business needs.
Who You Are
Required Qualifications
- Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration, Engineering, or a closely related discipline, or demonstrated proven equivalent experience.
- 15+ years of relevant post-education experience in program management or related areas.
- Expertise in managing large, high-profile programs in infrastructure, transportation, energy, or related sectors.
- Strong track record of success overseeing programs exceeding $500M in value.
- Exceptional capability in managing professional, technical, and managerial staff across functions.
- Experience developing enterprise-level program governance frameworks and controls.
- Proven success advising executive clients and stakeholders on program strategies and policy matters.
- Comprehensive understanding of financial modeling, P&L responsibility, and revenue recognition.
- Ability to lead through influence, negotiate complex agreements, and manage political risk.
- Demonstrated leadership in fostering innovation, digital transformation, and continuous improvement.
- Excellent communication and executive presentation skills, including public speaking.
- Track record of business development success, including major wins and long-term client growth.
- Deep familiarity with compliance, permitting, and public engagement in regulated environments.
- Experience overseeing performance measurement, benchmarking, and lessons learned systems.
- Strong grasp of federal and state procurement mechanisms and contracting procedures.
- Ability to guide enterprise initiatives, including ESG integration, equity, and climate resilience.
- Experience in multicultural team leadership and international project exposure.
- Proficiency in advanced analytics platforms and program performance tools.
- Strong alignment with WSP’s values, ethics, and safety culture.
- Demonstrated commitment to equity, inclusion, and organizational learning.
- Experience directing cross-functional integration of engineering, construction, and advisory services.
- Ability to navigate ambiguous environments and deliver results with high visibility.
- Reputation as a strategic advisor and industry leader in program management.
- Experience aligning programs with enterprise-wide transformation or strategic repositioning.
- Familiarity with capital planning, asset lifecycle, and systems thinking frameworks.
- To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential job duty satisfactorily. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable qualified individuals with disabilities to perform essential job functions.
Preferred Qualifications
- Master's Degree
- PgMP, PMI Portfolio Management Professional, or equivalent certification.
- Published thought leadership or speaker role at national/international industry conferences.
- Experience managing federally funded infrastructure programs.
- Familiarity with ISO 21500, P3M3, or other program maturity models.
WSP Benefits:
WSP provides a comprehensive suite of benefits focused on a providing health and financial stability throughout the employee’s career. These benefits include coverage related to medical, dental, vision, disability, and life; retirement savings; paid sick leave; paid vacation (or other personal time); paid parental leave; and paid time off for purposes of bereavement, voting, and/or attendance at naturalization proceedings.
Compensation:
Expected Salary (all locations): $168,900 - $264,500
WSP USA is providing the compensation range that the company in good faith believes it might pay and offer for this position, based on the successful applicant’s education, experience, knowledge, skills, abilities in addition to internal equity and specific geographic location. WSP USA reserves the right to ultimately pay more or less than the posted range and offer additional benefits and other compensation, depending on circumstances not related to an applicant’s sex or other status protected by local, state, and/or federal law.
Expected Salary (Colorado only): $149,200 - $282,000
WSP USA is providing the compensation range that the company in good faith believes it might pay and/or offer for this position within the state of Colorado, based on the successful applicant’s education, experience, knowledge, skills, and abilities in addition to internal equity and specific geographic location. WSP USA reserves the right to ultimately pay more or less than the posted range and offer additional benefits and other compensation, depending on circumstances not related to an applicant’s sex or other status protected by local, state, and/or federal law.
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About the Company
About WSP
WSP USA is the U.S. operating company of WSP, one of the world's leading engineering and professional services firms. Dedicated to serving local communities, we are engineers, planners, technical experts, strategic advisors and construction management professionals. WSP USA designs lasting solutions in the buildings, transportation, energy, water and environment markets. With more than 15,000 employees in over 300 offices across the U.S., we partner with our clients to help communities prosper.
WSP provides a flexible and agile workplace model while meeting client needs. Employees are also afforded a comprehensive suite of benefits including medical, dental, vision, disability, life, and retirement savings focused on providing health and financial stability throughout the employee’s career.
At WSP, we want to give our employees the challenges they seek to grow their careers and knowledge base. Your daily contributions to your team will be essential in meeting client objectives, goals and challenges. Are you ready to get started?
WSP USA (and all of its U.S. companies) is an Equal Opportunity Employer Race/Age/Color/Religion/Sex/Sexual Orientation/Gender Identity/National Origin/Disability or Protected Veteran Status.
The selected candidate must be authorized to work in the United States.
NOTICE TO THIRD PARTY AGENCIES:
WSP does not accept unsolicited resumes from recruiters, employment agencies, or other staffing services. Unsolicited resumes include any resume or hiring document sent to WSP in the absence of a signed Service Agreement where WSP has expressly requested recruitment/staffing services specific to the position at hand. Any unsolicited resumes, including those submitted to hiring managers or other business leaders, will become the property of WSP and WSP will have the right to hire that candidate without reservation – no fee or other compensation will be owed or paid to the recruiter, employment agency, or other staffing service.