National Practice Leader - Stormwater & Flood Resilience

Freese and Nichols is seeking a visionary National Practice Leader - Stormwater & Flood Resilience to build, lead, and elevate our national practice focused on stormwater management, flood risk and mitigation, and nature‑based solutions. This role offers a unique opportunity to influence how communities-from Colorado to Virginia-plan for, adapt to, and mitigate increasingly complex flood related risks, while shaping the firm's long‑term strategy, in one of its most critical growth markets. We welcome candidates from any of our office locations as we continue to expand our national presence.

As the National Practice Leader, you will set and champion a cohesive strategy that strengthens Freese and Nichols' position as a leader in stormwater and flood resilience. You will drive sustainable growth, expand market presence, and elevate the firm's national visibility through thought leadership, executive‑level client engagement, and active industry participation. Working collaboratively across operational groups, markets, and disciplines, you will align talent, expertise, and delivery approaches to advance innovative solutions that enhance community resilience, deepen client partnerships, and reinforce Freese and Nichols' reputation for technical excellence and leadership nationwide.

What You Will Do:

• Translate market and technology insights into long term growth strategies and value propositions that strengthen Freese and Nichols' national positioning.
• Serve as a recognized leader in stormwater management, flood risk reduction, and/or nature‑based solutions, representing the firm through thought leadership, industry forums, conferences, and client engagements across the US.
• Gather and apply client feedback and market intelligence to continuously refine and evolve service offerings.
• Build and sustain strong executive‑level client relationships, identifying new business opportunities and expanding existing partnerships nationwide.
• Lead and support strategic marketing, sales, and business development efforts, including strategic pursuits and market‑facing initiatives.
• Partner with firm leadership, operational groups, and talent teams to attract, recruit, and retain top stormwater and flood resilience professionals, building a diverse, future‑ready pipeline of technical and client leaders.
• Stay at the forefront of advances in the stormwater and flood resilience marketplace, including regulations, funding mechanisms, delivery approaches, and competitive trends.
• Champion the strategic use of data, analytics, data science, and technology‑enabled solutions to enhance planning, design, risk assessment, and decision‑making.
• Collaborate with technical leaders to evaluate, pilot, and scale innovative tools, methodologies, and digital workflows that differentiate the firm nationally.
• Foster a collaborative, high‑performing practice culture that emphasizes teamwork, professional growth, and knowledge sharing.

Qualifications:

• 10+ years of experience in progressive project and technical experience delivering stormwater and flood resilience projects
• Bachelor's degree in engineering or related field
• Demonstrated success in business development, client leadership, and multi‑disciplinary collaboration at a regional or national level
• Preferred:
• Registered Professional Engineer
• Certified Floodplain Manager (CFM)

About Freese and Nichols:

At the heart of our culture is our LEADS values (Learn continuously, Engage as family, Act with integrity, Deliver quality, and Serve always). Each year, our employee engagement survey confirms that our leaders and our employees live our values.

We strive to be the firm of choice for clients and employees through innovative approaches, practical results, and outstanding service. For more than 130 years, we have been planning and designing the infrastructure our communities need: developing water supplies, designing roadways and bridges, preparing for natural disasters, and much more.

Benefits and Work Environment:

Besides our comprehensive benefits package (see more at Benefits That Work for You), we offer paid overtime for salaried employees, an annual bonus, and access to company cabins in Red River, New Mexico and Banner Elk, North Carolina. We are proud of our flexible work environment which includes a hybrid schedule with up to 40% of remote work, and an alternative work schedule program which provides a day off every other Friday.

Join Our Team:

Join our team of 1,300+ employees as we grow from Virginia to Colorado. Learn more about working here at Working at Freese and Nichols.

Equal Employment Opportunity:

Freese and Nichols is firmly committed to Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) and prohibits employment discrimination for employees and applicants based upon race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, pregnancy, genetic information, disability, status as a protected veteran, or any other protected category under applicable federal, state, and local laws.