Water Utilities & Groundwater Market Leader

Environmental Science Associates (ESA) is a 100% employee-owned environmental consulting firm. We plan, design, permit, mitigate, and restore for projects across our communities, infrastructure systems, open spaces, and wildlands. We are 50 years strong in 21 offices across California, the Pacific Northwest, and the Southeastern United States. ESA is seeking a strategic Water Utilities & Groundwater Market Leader to serve in one of the firm's most senior market leadership roles. This leader will set and execute a firmwide growth strategy, strengthen ESA's position with priority clients, and align client needs with the full range of ESA capabilities across practices and regions. The Market Leader is accountable for market direction and measurable growth, including priority-client development, pipeline and backlog expansion, contract acquisition and activation, strategic investment, and strong financial performance. The role requires a leader who can work through ESA's collaborative matrix and bring together Client Service Managers, Practice Leaders, Regional Directors, Business Group Directors, project leaders, and corporate marketing professionals around shared priorities. The position reports to ESA's Chief Growth Officer and will coordinate closely with the other Market Leaders, the Practice Leaders, and the Regional Directors so that clients experience the full capabilities of ESA. The position may be based in any ESA region - Northern California, Southern California, Pacific Northwest, or Southeast - and will operate on a hybrid schedule with periodic travel to ESA offices, client locations, and industry events. Who You Are Have 15+ years of progressively responsible experience in the water sector within a water or wastewater utility, public water agency, environmental or engineering consulting firm, infrastructure organization, or related advisory environment. Have senior leadership experience with a strong understanding of how water agencies establish priorities, make investment decisions, manage regulatory and operational risk, and move initiatives from planning into implementation. Demonstrated ability to build trusted executive relationships and influence complex decisions involving multiple departments, disciplines, stakeholders, and regulatory agencies. Experience developing or advancing significant water programs, client relationships, partnerships, or consulting opportunities, with the business judgment to connect client value to measurable growth. Broad knowledge of water supply and reliability, water rights, wastewater and reuse, groundwater management and recharge, resilience, environmental planning, permitting, regulatory compliance, and infrastructure implementation. Strong financial and commercial acumen, including the ability to set growth priorities and manage revenue, pipeline, backlog, investment, and profitability expectations. Proven ability to lead through influence in a matrixed organization, build alignment among senior peers, and mobilize multidisciplinary teams. Bachelor's degree in environmental science, engineering, water resources, planning, public administration, business, or a related discipline; an advanced degree is valued but not required. Outstanding written, verbal, facilitation, and presentation skills, with the ability to communicate credibly with executives, technical professionals, regulators, boards, and community stakeholders. Preferred Experience A well-established network among water, wastewater, groundwater, and multipurpose water agencies in one or more ESA regions, with the ability to expand relationships nationally. Experience integrating strategy, environmental and regulatory requirements, technology, capital planning, and operations. Experience moving between public-agency and consulting environments or leading collaborative teams that include agencies, consultants, engineers, researchers, and technology partners. What You Will Do The Water Utilities & Groundwater Market Leader will lead ESA's strategy and growth with water and wastewater utilities, sanitation districts, groundwater agencies, groundwater sustainability agencies, and multipurpose water-management organizations. The portfolio includes water supply and reliability, water rights, wastewater and water reuse, groundwater management and recharge, basin and watershed planning, water supply resiliency, environmental and regulatory strategy, and related project implementation needs. This market is built on sustained relationships and a deep understanding of how agencies establish priorities, manage risk, allocate capital, and deliver essential services. The Market Leader will help ESA engage earlier - while agency leaders are considering long-term needs, alternatives, regulatory pathways, technology, and implementation strategies - and remain engaged longer through planning, permitting, delivery, monitoring, compliance, and adaptation. The role will use an environmentally grounded strategic perspective to connect agency business needs with capabilities ESA has, while identifying focused capability, technology, hiring, acquisition, or partnership investments needed to strengthen the market over time. Market Focus Water supply, reliability, drought preparedness, climate resilience, and integrated water management. Water and wastewater utilities, sanitation districts, potable and non-potable reuse, and advanced water purification programs. Groundwater basin planning and management, recharge, conjunctive use, groundwater sustainability, and groundwater cleanup interfaces. Environmental and regulatory strategy supporting operations, maintenance, capital planning, infrastructure delivery, and long-term compliance for water and wastewater infrastructure. Technology-enabled planning, data integration, compliance systems, decision support, and adaptive management where aligned with ESA's capabilities and partners. Key Responsibilit