Principal Consultant, Permitting and Compliance Project Manager; Principal Level

Principal Consultant, Permitting and Compliance Project Manager (Principal Level)

Environmental Resource Management (ERM) is seeking a Principal Consultant, Permitting and Compliance Project Manager to play a key role in growing our power sector business in the Mid-Atlantic U.S. Region. The successful candidate will have demonstrated success leading permitting tasks on capital development projects including electric transmission lines, overseeing staff in a project setting, assessing environmental conditions and impacts, plus strong technical writing and communication skills.

Experience permitting transmission line projects in Virginia is required; permitting experience in West Virginia and Kentucky is highly desired. The desired candidate will optimally be located in Virginia, but other locations in the Mid-Atlantic U.S. Region will be considered.

This position will focus on providing permitting support for electric transmission and distribution projects and renewable energy projects. Projects are often fast‑paced, multi‑faceted, and geographically diverse. The position will require the candidate to work both independently and on project teams, and to possess the capacity to manage varying priorities and multiple tasks to work on concurrent projects and meet project deadlines.

A strong organizational and project deadline tracking skills are required. The candidate will serve as a project manager and/or task manager on multi‑disciplinary projects depending on experience and qualifications.

• Manage and provide technical expertise on capital delivery permitting projects for a variety of clients with complex technical/regulatory issues.
• Prepare permit applications required by federal, state, or local environmental regulatory authorities for energy development expansion and maintenance projects.
• Be familiar with United States Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) Norfolk District, Virginia Department of Environmental Quality (VDEQ), and Virginia Marine Resource Commission (VMRC) permitting requirements.
• Develop plans and schedules and prepare project management reports, including monthly progress reports.
• Participate in agency consultations, project meetings, and client communications.
• Collaborate with other ERM practitioners to execute natural resources impact assessment and capital project permitting.
• Travel up to 20% of the time for agency meetings, project team meetings, or site visits.
• Build strong collaborative relationships with clients and other ERM employees.
• Capitalize on existing ERM client relationships to expand ERM’s profile and market share in Capital Project Delivery through a combination of excellence in technical delivery and business development.
• Work with other ERM resources to deepen relationships with ERM key clients and establish new client relationships that result in significant net revenue growth.

• Bachelor’s or master’s degree in environmental science, natural resources or related discipline.
• 8+ years of consulting or industry experience working with power clients on complex projects under a variety of state, federal regulatory frameworks (VA/Mid‑Atlantic U.S. preferred).
• Working knowledge of key natural resource regulations, including the Clean Water Act (Section 401/404 permitting), the Endangered Species Act (Section 7), and the National Historic Preservation Act (Section 106) is required.
• Experience in reviewing erosion and sediment control plans, stormwater pollution prevention plans, Virginia Pollutant Discharge Elimination System construction general permits, and associated detailed construction drawings for accuracy.
• Demonstrated ability to research and prepare concise, accurate technical documents.
• Well‑developed team‑building and influencing skills; unquestioned integrity; and the experience, confidence, and stature to effectively address client and business needs and project challenges.
• Excellent writing, communication, collaboration, project management, strategic thinking, and “people” skills.

For the Principal Consultant, Permitting and Compliance Project Manager (Principal Level) position, we anticipate the annual base pay of $97,837 – $130,254 (USD).…