Vice President Of Engineering

Vice President of Engineering / Chief Operating Officer

The Vice President of Engineering/Chief Operating Officer will play a pivotal role in leading and optimizing the operations of a growing civil engineering firm with a strong foundation and ambitious plans for the future. Reporting directly to the Owner, this executive will oversee both engineering and business operations, driving efficiencies, improving profit margins, and supporting sustainable, strategic growth.

This role is centered on executive leadership rather than day-to-day project design. The ideal leader brings a deep understanding of how an engineering firm operates, with the ability to identify operational bottlenecks and implement scalable processes that enhance performance across teams.

Working closely with the existing leadership team, this position offers a clear runway to assume broader day-to-day leadership of the business. In partnership with technical and business development leaders, the Vice President of Engineering/COO will help shape strategy, support client growth especially in municipal and commercial markets, and ensure that resources, workload, and are aligned for long-term success.

With the autonomy to refine operational structure, strengthen culture and retention, and reinforce a people-first philosophy, this role represents a unique opportunity to step into a key executive position within a profitable, growing firm.

• Partner closely with ownership and senior leadership on staffing strategy, workload planning, and responsible growth pacing.
• Help optimize utilization, project flow, and handoffs across engineering, surveying, and field services.
• Evaluate and improve internal processes, particularly within engineering, where systems and workflows are evolving.
• Support forecasting, analytics, and financial discipline including capture rates, billable versus non-billable time, pricing strategy, and margin improvement.
• Represent the firm in planning commission meetings, public hearings, and homeowner or community forums.
• Confidently address objections, manage public sentiment, and proactively anticipate stakeholder concerns.
• Support business development efforts by strengthening relationships with developers, builders, municipalities, and strategic partners.

• Contribute to executive discussions around long-term growth, service expansion, and potential acquisitions.
• Help ensure engineering capacity scales in line with demand without sacrificing quality, culture, or profitability.
• Provide technical leadership and mentorship to senior engineers, project managers, and EITs who are developing full project ownership capability.

• Proven leadership experience in civil engineering or closely related land development services, with responsibility for project delivery, team performance, and profitability.

• Polished, confident communicator with executive presence, comfortable presenting projects in public forums, handling homeowner and community questions, and serving as a key face of the firm with municipalities and clients.
• Demonstrated success managing and growing client relationships with developers, builders, and/or commercial clients, and comfort representing the firm in municipal settings such as planning commissions and public meetings.
• Excellent communication and client-facing skills, demonstrating a team-first attitude and the ability to work closely with senior leadership and external stakeholders, confidently representing the firm in planning commission meetings, public hearings, and homeowner forums.

• Experience in residential engineering.

• Bachelor’s degree in Civil Engineering or related field.
• Professional Engineer license strongly preferred.
• Experience with AutoCAD Civil 3D is a plus.
• 10‑15+ years of experience in a civil engineering, land development, or land surveying environment.
• Advanced proficiency in Excel.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills.