Principal - Wastewater

Are you driven to grow, lead, and make a meaningful impact? At Apex, we’re building more than a consulting and engineering firm—we’re creating a place where your career accelerates, your contributions matter, and your potential is fully realized. We believe your growth is our growth, which is why we invest in your development at every stage of your career. Here, you’ll work on projects that shape communities, protect the environment, and create lasting impact, all while being empowered with the autonomy and flexibility to do your best work.
 
Fueled by high-quality delivery, exceptional client retention, and strategic acquisitions, Apex Companies continues to rank among the fastest-growing firms in the AEC industry, recently recognized by the Zweig Group for our industry-leading growth. Our success is grounded in strong leadership, a collaborative culture, and a shared commitment to delivering exceptional outcomes.
 
As we continue to expand, we're looking for high-performing professionals who are ready to lead, collaborate, innovate, and create impact. At Apex, you help shape what's next. When we succeed together, we share in that success. All Apex positions are eligible for annual bonus opportunities, reinforcing our commitment to recognizing and rewarding meaningful contributions that drive our collective growth.

This role is eligible for a minimum $20,000 sign-on bonus, in accordance with the Company's sign-on bonus program and applicable terms and conditions.

Our Northeast Division is a well-respected and award-winning group where career development, training, and mentoring co-exist with diverse civil, environmental, water resources, and traffic/transportation projects in a fast-paced and challenging work environment.

We are seeking a Principal for our Wastewater Practice in the Northeast to play a pivotal role in leading our team, shaping the strategic direction of the company, recruiting and mentoring staff, and driving value, success and culture at the company.  We are offering a sign-on bonus for this role and will consider candidates who will relocate to Massachusetts, Connecticut or Rhode Island.

This role is a special designation within the Company. It requires a combination of leadership skills, technical expertise, business acumen, professional association involvement, and a strong commitment to the success and growth of the company. These individuals have developed a reputation as successful, respected members of the Company and are recognized as such in the industry. 

This individual will have acquired the requisite experience and technical knowledge and will have demonstrated leadership in several other areas of the business. They will have built and maintained positive peer and client relationships, and demonstrated effectiveness in developing new clients through proactive marketing, cross-selling, and repeat business with existing clients. This is a multifaceted role as it impacts many aspects of the business.

Key Criteria for Consideration for this Role & Core Job Responsibilities:

• Demonstrate and practice the company’s core values.
• Foster a culture of growth, innovation, collaboration, and continuous learning within the company.
• Lead and inspire a team or teams of engineers, scientists, project managers, and support staff to deliver high-quality results on projects.
• Recruit, mentor and develop junior and mid-level staff, promoting their growth and career advancement.
• Cultivate, engage, and maintain strong relationships with new and existing clients and partners.
• Understand our business and support implementation of business practices and processes.
• Lead projects from project development through completion identifying schedules, scopes, budget estimates, and implementation plans including QA/QC and risk management. Champion QA/QC procedures and policies.
• Understand contract risks, terms and conditions, and professional liability matters, and mitigate risk as required, in consultation with Senior Management or Divisional Leadership.
• May be recognized as a subject matter expert in a specific practice area(s).
• Capability and maturity to address and resolve complex, difficult situations and circumstances related to project execution, client demands, fiscal management, growth initiatives, business development, staffing, and administrative items.

Project Execution:

• Initiate projects: Prepare proposals/scopes of work and review/approve project budgets prepared by project managers. For assigned projects, complete project initiation documents that include detailed scope/outline, budget, and schedule for completion.
• Manage project implementation: With assigned project team, ensure that all steps and procedures are taken according to company operating procedures and that all work is completed as planned and scheduled. This includes keeping the client informed of the on-going status of a project and providing adequate management, advice, and support to the members of the project team.
• Delegate tasks appropriate to project managers and other staff with appropriate levels of support.
• Coordinate/communicate with peers and subconsultants: Work with project managers to anticipate and address conflicts in schedules and staffing needs.
• Supervise interdisciplinary teams: Coordinate project managers, subcontractors, subconsultants, and staff on the execution and scheduling of the project scope of work.
• Provide technical advice: Contribute to the development of recommendations for assigned projects and others, when necessary.
• Ensure high-quality deliverables: Demonstrates excellent writing skills through the consistent production of high-quality technical memoranda and reports. Ensures that the review process and other quality control guidelines are followed, and that final reports and presentations are completed per company standard operating procedures using standard company formats.
• Client management: Meet regularly with clients to discuss current projects, evaluate company performance and client satisfaction, and identify other business or cross-selling opportunities either with current clients or through referrals. Engage additional staff as needed for cross-selling and up-selling.
• Budget tracking and invoicing: Work with project managers to ensure project costs are being properly tracked versus the project and ensure that invoices are issued to the client in a timely manner in accordance with company policy.
• Negotiates effective amendments and change orders. Engage with Senior Management or Divisional Leadership in advance of sensitive amendments and/or change orders for advice on strategy and communication.

Business Development:

• Identify and pursue new opportunities: Present potential new business, cross-selling opportunities, competitive bids, or new technology/regulatory factors to the company.
• Solicit new clients/projects. In interfacing with potential or existing clients, listen for and seek out new projects that may exist or are being formulated either within your discipline or with the potential for cross-selling additional practice areas. Set up meetings with current and prospective clients along with appropriate technical staff, and/or participate in the development of proposals requested.
• Cross-selling: Proactively look for opportunities to cross-sell services outside of one’s area of expertise. Work collaboratively with other Principals and Project Managers to support growth within a client.
• Manage and lead the sales process for existing clients, including client relationships with large, complex, and/or multi-project clients.
• Prepare proposals, lead proposal teams, participate in project interviews, negotiate fees, and prepare contracts and present information to new and future potential clients.

Staff Development:

• Lead, mentor, and develop staff: Recognize strengths and areas needing improvement for assigned project staff. Manage, support, and evaluate direct reports towards achieving their maximum potential. Perform or participate in annual reviews of staff where appropriate.
• Mentor and coach staff at all levels of experience. Develop professional staff, especially project managers.
• Manage direct reports, including responsibility for on-boarding, off-boarding, workload management, time and expense approval, career path development, and performance management.
• Assist in recruitment of new staff, interviews, on-boarding, and acting as a hiring manager or assimilation partner for new hires.
• Identify strategic hires and target key staff for recruiting to support company’s financial and strategic goals and value creation.

What we’re looking for:

• BS or MS Degree in Civil or Environmental Engineering, or other relevant discipline
• The qualified individual will be a professional in the wastewater industry with 15+ years of relevant experience in wastewater to demonstrate proficiency in the core responsibilities defined above.
• Registered Professional Engineer or other Professional Certifications or Registrations as appropriate for their primary field of expertise in State(s) where company and/or individual does work or ability to obtain the same by reciprocity is preferred.

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Why you’ll love working for us:

• Company-subsidized medical and dental.
• Company-paid life, short, and long-term disability.
• 401k match, tuition assistance, and more.
• Cross-training and the ability to work on a variety of projects.
• Performance-based bonuses or other incentives.
• Working with the best and brightest in the industry.
• 2,000+ employee national firm with 70+ locations across the US.

Apex Job Title: Principal

Req ID: 11260

Annual Expected Pay Range$180,000—$220,000 USD

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