Managing Principal - Civil Land Development
Managing Principal, Principal-in-Charge
Location: Denver, CO
Type: Full time
Compensation: $180,000 to $210,000, based on experience
About the Firm
A 100% employee-owned national AE design firm founded in 1975, delivering civil, structural, transportation, water, architecture, planning, survey, and construction management services across the country. Headquartered in Dallas with two dozen offices coast to coast, the firm is consistently ranked among the nation's top design firms. The Denver office sits in the heart of downtown and works across land development, public works, and transportation. Employee ownership means the people building the work share directly in its success.
The Role
The Managing Principal serves as Principal-in-Charge and as Project Manager on key projects, while carrying responsibility for the office's brand, people, project delivery, quality, and operations in the Denver market. This is a leadership seat layered onto an active PIC role, so it suits someone who wants to run an office and stay close to the work and the clients.
What You'll Own
Practice and Market Leadership
- Lead the practice area in the local geographic market and serve as a visible, credible service leader in it.
- Mentor and serve as a resource to other Principals across the market.
- Champion the firm's culture, training, policies, and operations internally and out in the community and industry.
Business Development
- Take active steps to win new business and expand work with existing clients, carrying an assigned share of the office and practice sales goal.
- Lead and support pursuits including repeat work, SOQs, and proposals, and develop or execute the win strategy.
Project Delivery and Quality
- Serve as a successful PIC, leading projects that hit profit, schedule, quality, and client satisfaction targets.
- Enforce the firm's QMS and quality initiatives across projects and daily office operations.
- Verify client satisfaction routinely and work proactively with PMs to resolve issues affecting performance.
Operations and Staff Utilization
- Own overall office target utilization, including workshare across practices and offices, and ensure the right staff are assigned to the right projects.
- Follow and enforce the firm's business process, including the weekly rhythm.
- Review project reports and performance metrics to track progress and budget, meeting with PMs at least monthly on percent complete versus percent spent.
- Contribute to the overall profitability and financial performance of the office.
What You Bring
- Bachelor's degree in Civil Engineering.
- Active Colorado PE license.
- 10+ years of experience in civil engineering.
- A track record as a successful Principal-in-Charge or Project Manager on civil, land development, public works, or transportation projects.
- Proven business development ability and existing relationships in the Denver market.
- Strong leadership, mentoring, and decision-making skills, with a history of building client relationships and developing staff.
FAQs
Congratulations, we understand that taking the time to apply is a big step. When you apply, your details go directly to the consultant who is sourcing talent. Due to demand, we may not get back to all applicants that have applied. However, we always keep your CV and details on file so when we see similar roles or see skillsets that drive growth in organisations, we will always reach out to discuss opportunities.
Yes. Even if this role isn’t a perfect match, applying allows us to understand your expertise and ambitions, ensuring you're on our radar for the right opportunity when it arises.
We also work in several ways, firstly we advertise our roles available on our site, however, often due to confidentiality we may not post all. We also work with clients who are more focused on skills and understanding what is required to future-proof their business.
That's why we recommend registering your CV so you can be considered for roles that have yet to be created.
Yes, we help with CV and interview preparation. From customised support on how to optimise your CV to interview preparation and compensation negotiations, we advocate for you throughout your next career move.