Planning Technical Director -- Northeast Sub-region

SWCA is a leader in environmental consulting, committed to delivering sound science and creative solutions to our clients. The New England/Northeast region-comprising Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Vermont, Rhode Island, Connecticut, and New York -presents one of the nation's most complex and rigorous environmental regulatory landscapes, with permitting requirements at federal, state, and municipal levels. In this highly competitive market, SWCA is seeking a qualified individual to provide dedicated, expert guidance for a team of environmental permitting/planning professionals working on projects across the New England/Northeast Region with some overlap with the Midwest.

The Technical Planning Director will provide leadership for a team of environmental planning project managers, providing strategic direction, technical leadership, and project management for a wide range of permitting and planning projects. The Director will collaborate with regional leaders to build a robust, consistent, and high-performing team, supporting cross-office resource allocation and staff development.

This role is ideal for a seasoned environmental planner with deep expertise in federal, state, and local permitting, proven project management skills, and a passion for mentoring and developing staff. The Director will serve as a client advocate, technical expert, and group leader, helping SWCA achieve its growth objectives primarily in New England's dynamic market, with crossover into other states within SWCA's Midwest/Northeast Subregion.

We continuously strive to be the premier environmental consultancy in this market by offering a work environment that promotes employee engagement and development. The successful candidate will coordinate closely with peers across the Midwest/Northeast Subregion and throughout the company.

This is a regular (with benefits), salaried, exempt position. Hybrid work environments are encourage.

Application Deadline: Application materials are due at 5:00 PM EST on February 10, 2026.

• Leadership & Strategy
• Establish and lead the Northeast planning team, aligning with SWCA's core values and business objectives.
• Develop and implement strategies to grow SWCA's planning practice, leveraging cross-office collaboration.
• Foster a culture of excellence, innovation, and continuous learning within the team.
• Technical Expertise & Project Delivery
• Oversee complex, multidisciplinary environmental planning projects, from pre-planning through construction and operation.
• Provide expert guidance on federal, state, county, regional and municipal permitting requirements (e.g., NEPA, MEPA, municipal conservation commissions).
• Prepare and review technical documents, including NEPA and state environmental policy documents, permit applications, land use plans, and technical studies.
• Serve as project manager or principal-in-charge for large, complex projects, integrating expertise from natural resources, cultural resources, engineering, and ecological restoration.
• Client Engagement
• Build and maintain strong client relationships, serving as a trusted advisor and advocate.
• Lead client meetings, agency consultations, and public engagement activities to facilitate successful outcomes.

• Team Development
• Recruit, mentor, and develop planning staff, fostering clear career pathways and supporting professional growth.
• Implement structured training and mentorship programs to enhance staff expertise in permitting and project management.
• Promote consistency and quality across deliverables and workflows.

• Operational Excellence
• Develop and implement systematic processes for workload balancing, resource allocation, and project staffing.
• Collaborate with Natural Resources and Cultural Resources groups to ensure integrated project delivery.
• Support proposal development, business development, and marketing efforts.

Minimum Qualifications

• Bachelor's or Master's degree in Environmental Planning, Environmental Science, Environmental Policy, Urban/Regional Planning, or related field.
• 15+ years of consulting experience in environmental permitting and planning with progressive technical and leadership responsibilities.
• Demonstrated expertise in federal, state, and local environmental permitting (e.g., NEPA, Clean Water Act, state-specific permitting programs, municipal approvals).
• Proven track record of successfully managing large, complex, multidisciplinary projects.
• Experience with utility siting for energy projects.
• Strong understanding of the New England regulatory environment and market dynamics.
• Experience mentoring, training, and developing staff.
• Exceptional written and verbal communication skills.
• Ability to work collaboratively in a matrixed, cross-office environment.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience building or leading an environmental planning practice group.
• Existing client relationships within New England.
• Experience with business development, proposal writing, and strategic planning.

Why Work at SWCA:

SWCA Environmental Consultants is a growing employee-owned firm, providing a full-spectrum of environmental services. Our Vision (the North Star) is to make SWCA the best workplace and industry leader in sustainability, bringing sound science and creative solutions to global environmental challenges while maintaining a dedication to employee-ownership. We live our core values: we collaborate as #OneSWCA; we are #AlwaysLearning, we #NeverSettle, and we #GiveBack.

We are 100% employee-owned, and we build our success together. With offices across the United States, SWCA is one of the largest environmental compliance firms and ranks among Engineering News-Record's Top 200 Environmental Firms. We offer a supportive, team-oriented work environment and competitive wages and benefits, including an 100% employee stock ownership plan (retirement).

At SWCA, we support our team members in developing their careers to make them leaders in their industry. Our Career Landscape initiative is a process and guide designed to help develop chart rewarding career paths for employees at SWCA. We encourage professional conference attendance, internal and external professional development and training programs, education reimbursement, a Science and Leadership Program, and bonuses for publications meeting certain criteria. All regular status employees are eligible to participate in SWCA medical, dental, vision, employee assistance, wellness, life and disability plans, and are eligible to participate in the SWCA 401(k) Profit Sharing Plan and Trust.

If you would like to contact SWCA regarding the accessibility of our website or need assistance completing the online application process due to a disability, please email accommodations@swca.com or call 1-480-581-5378. This contact information is for disability accommodation requests only. All other inquiries will not receive a response.

EOE - women, minorities, individuals with disabilities and veterans are encouraged to apply. At SWCA Environmental Consultants, we celebrate diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive work environment. We strongly encourage candidates from all backgrounds, including those with diverse experiences and veterans, to apply. We believe that a diverse and inclusive workforce enhances creativity, innovation, and overall organizational success.

SWCA is committed to salary equity and salary transparency for all its employees. In alignment with this commitment, SWCA posts good faith pay ranges in all its advertised job postings to promote pay equity and transparency.

For this position based in Portland, ME based, one can expect a salary of $121,570/year to $171,310/year. Actual pay within this range may depend on experience, qualifications, geographic location, client requirements where applicable, and other factors permitted by law. Regular-status employees are also eligible for performance bonuses. Candidates are also encouraged to consider SWCA's Total Rewards package, which includes a competitive benefits package (https://www.swca.com/careers/benefits-wellness/), forward-thinking workplace flexibility, outstanding corporate culture, award-winning career development, and more.

SWCA continues to invest deeply in career development programs, delivering our award-winning Career Landscape support resources to accelerate the growth of our staff. We recognize the valuable skills and experiences our internal team members bring to SWCA's continued success. Qualified internal candidates are encouraged to apply and will be seriously considered for this position. We believe in promoting from within, where possible, providing our existing employees with compelling opportunities to advance their careers.