Senior Project Manager, Practice Builder - Environmental Services

ID

2026-23089

Education

Bachelor's Degree

Discipline/Focus

Environmental

Kimley-Horn is seeking an entrepreneurial Senior Project Manager, Practice Builder in Columbus, Ohio to lead and grow our Environmental practice focused mostly on public transportation projects.This is a high-impact leadership role for someone who thrives at the intersection of client service, business development, technical excellence, and team leadership.

We use the term "Practice Builder" to describe our best client servers – the men and women who exhibit leadership by winning and doing work, managing projects profitably, and mentoring the next generation.

As a Practice Builder, you will:

• Craft a bold vision for growth.
• Lead business development efforts to win work from new and existing clients.
• Provide high-quality service in a profitable manner.
• Contribute to the professional development of staff.
• Benefit from comprehensive support in accounting, administrative, marketing, recruiting, IT, and production.
• Have the autonomy to build and grow your business with the full backing of a firm consistently recognized as one of the best in the industry.

This role offers the freedom to lead and grow your business, with the rewards of a performance-based environment (including base salary + bonuses), and the potential to advance to ownership.

Ideal candidates will have knowledge and experience in one or more of the following: ODOT environmental process, NEPA environmental document preparation, stream/wetland delineation, protected species assessments, waterway permitting, field investigations, cultural resources, agency coordination, regulatory compliance and reporting, public engagement/involvement, and other specialties.

Practice Builders are encouraged to pursue opportunities that fuel their professional passion and contribute to firmwide success. This position leads business development efforts, manages relationships with key clients, and oversees all project tasks while mentoring the growth of younger staff. The successful candidate will have a great deal of autonomy to lead, direct, and grow their business. Our system for rewards is designed to recognize staff as they move along a path to success. Bonuses, promotions, path to ownership recognition, and other forms of advancement are performance based, because as a firm we focus on results.

Leadership responsibilities include:
• Lead an environmental team while building and managing relationships with key clients.
• Promote the growth of the local environmental team and mentor existing environmental staff.
• Support other practices in the office and region to deliver environmental-focus work
• Operate with integrity and sound business principles.
• Provide practice vision, business planning and strategy, establishing goals, building, and maintaining positive client relationships.
• Open communication with partners and team, along with growing and directing an Environmental Services practice.
• Manage projects profitably, transition work to qualified staff, help recruit, and be a positive role model.

Management responsibilities include but are not limited to:
• Meeting or exceeding client expectations.
• Identifying and tracking leads.
• Making presentations, writing proposals and scopes of work.
• Establish budgets, ensuring quality and timeliness of deliverables, and supervising the execution of work.
• Accounting, administrative, marketing, recruiting, IT and production support will be provided.
• Manage project teams consisting of other environmental and engineering professionals of varying experience levels.

Position Requirements:
• Bachelors (BS) or Masters (MS) in the Life Sciences, Environmental Science, Environmental Policy, Transportation Planning, Urban Planning, Engineering, or related degree.
• 10 or more years of relevant experience managing ODOT environmental, NEPA, and PDP tasks.
• Relevant professional certifications (AICP, PWS, CPESC, etc.) are desirable, but not required.
• ODOT prequalified for Environmental Doc Prep CE or EA/EIS, and individual technical prequalifications for discipline specialty.
• Client contacts and relationships with agencies, including ODOT District Environmental Coordinators and Office of Environmental Services.

• Business development skills and the proven ability to win work.
• Experience in natural or cultural resources assessments and field investigations.
• Experience with environmental permitting rules and regulations.
• Experience with geographic information systems (GIS), specifically ArcGIS and/or CAD is desirable, but not required.
• Experience writing proposals, scopes of work, and budgets for projected work.
• Ability to effectively communicate at all levels of the organization.
• Ability to manage & mentor staff, and direct resources effectively in a positive manner.
• Demonstrated ability to manage projects profitably.

At Kimley-Horn, one of the nation's premier planning and design consultants, our professionals are experts in many disciplines yet share one passion: making our clients successful. Ranked as one of Fortune Magazine’s “100 Best Companies to Work For,” Kimley-Horn prides itself on hiring high-achieving, dedicated, and reliable professionals. With success, this individual will enjoy the rewards of an impressive bonus program with the potential to advance to ownership.

Applicants must be legally authorized to work for Kimley-Horn in the U.S. without employer sponsorship. We do not typically sponsor H1-B or any other work visa petitions at this time.

At Kimley-Horn, we do things differently. People, clients, and employees are at the forefront of who we are. Clients know we prioritize achieving their goals and growing their success. Employees know our culture and approach to business are built on a desire to provide an environment for everyone to flourish. Our commitment to quality is only as good as the people behind it— that’s why we welcome and develop passionate, hardworking, and proactive employees. We take pride in how our employee retention, robust benefits package, and company values have led to Kimley-Horn’s placement on the Fortune “100 Best Companies to Work” list for 17 years!

Key Benefits at Kimley-Horn

• Exceptional Retirement Plan: 2-to1- company match on up to 4% of eligible compensation (salary + bonus) and additional profit-sharing contribution.
• Comprehensive Health Coverage: Low-cost medical, dental, and vision insurance options.
• Time Off: Personal leave, flexible scheduling, floating holidays, and half-day Fridays.
• Financial Wellness: Student loan matching in our 401(k), and performance-based bonuses.
• Professional Development: Tuition reimbursement and extensive internal training programs.
• Family-Friendly Benefits: New Parent Leave, family building benefits, and childcare resources.