Deputy Regional Aviation Program & Business Development Lead

This Opportunity

WSP is seeking a talented Deputy Regional Aviation Program & Business Development Lead to join our National Aviation team and help advance our aviation business across the Midwest Region. This seller-doer role combines strategic client development and pursuit leadership with active participation in the planning, management, and delivery of aviation projects and programs.

The role will support aviation clients and opportunities across the full Midwest Region, including North Dakota, South Dakota, Nebraska, Kansas, Oklahoma, Arkansas, Missouri, Iowa, Minnesota, Wisconsin, Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Ohio, and Kentucky, as well as adjacent markets assigned within the broader central United States. Within this regional coverage, the role’s primary markets will be Missouri, Nebraska, Kansas, Arkansas, Oklahoma, Iowa, and Kentucky. Market assignments are intended to establish primary accountability while allowing overlap and shared client coverage across the regional leadership team. The successful candidate may be based in a WSP office within the region and will work across office, business-line, and geographic boundaries.

Working closely with the Midwest Regional Aviation Lead, local business line leadership, national aviation leadership, client account teams, and technical professionals, this individual will help shape and execute the Midwest region’s aviation growth strategy. The role requires a visible market presence, trusted client relationships, disciplined pursuit leadership, and the ability to convert opportunities into well-delivered, profitable work. The successful candidate will be a collaborative and strategic leader who can influence others, connect the right resources, and remain directly engaged in projects.
 

Your Impact

• Partner with the Midwest Regional Aviation Lead to develop and execute the Midwest aviation strategy, including market priorities, client account plans, growth targets, and investment decisions.
• Serve as a seller-doer by balancing business development responsibilities with meaningful participation in project and program delivery.
• Build and maintain trusted relationships with airport sponsors, airlines, cargo operators, developers, contractors, regulatory agencies, and other aviation stakeholders.
• Identify, qualify, and advance aviation opportunities across the region, with clear ownership of capture planning, go/no-go decisions, teaming strategies, and pursuit positioning.
• Lead or support client interviews, proposals, presentations, pricing strategies, scopes of work, and contract negotiations.
• Translate market intelligence into focused account strategies and coordinate with client account leaders to maintain consistent engagement and follow-through.
• Lead and deliver multidisciplinary aviation assignments, including planning, design, program management, and construction management efforts, consistent with the candidate’s technical background.
• Manage or oversee scope, schedule, budget, quality, risk, staffing, and client satisfaction for assigned projects and programs.
• Connect local teams with WSP’s national and global aviation capabilities to bring the right expertise and resources to each client and opportunity.
• Identify and advance cross-business-line opportunities that provide integrated solutions for aviation clients.
• Support workforce planning, recruitment, mentoring, and development of aviation professionals needed to deliver current work and sustain future growth.
• Represent WSP at aviation industry organizations, conferences, and client events, with a focus on strengthening visibility and relationships in priority markets.
• Provide reliable pipeline, pursuit, backlog, and delivery information to regional leadership and recommend actions to address risks or emerging opportunities.
• Promote a culture of collaboration, accountability, safety, quality, inclusion, and ethical decision-making.

Who You Are

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in engineering, architecture, planning, construction management, business, or a related field.
• Typically 15 or more years of relevant professional experience, including progressive leadership responsibility in the aviation industry.
• Demonstrated success developing aviation business, building client relationships, leading captures and pursuits, and converting opportunities into contracted work.
• A credible technical or program-delivery background in one or more areas of airport planning, terminal development, airside or landside infrastructure, facilities, civil engineering, design, program management, or construction management.
• Established relationships and market knowledge within the Midwest aviation community, with the ability to expand WSP’s presence across multiple states and airport types.
• Experience leading multidisciplinary teams and managing project scope, schedule, budget, quality, risk, and profitability.
• Working knowledge of FAA requirements, advisory circulars, funding programs, and airport sponsor processes.
• Strong business and financial acumen, including experience developing scopes, fees, pricing, budgets, forecasts, and project financial reviews.
• Excellent communication, facilitation, negotiation, and presentation skills, with the ability to influence clients, partners, technical teams, and senior leaders.
• Ability to operate effectively in a matrixed organization and to collaborate across offices, regions, markets, and business lines.
• Professional licensure or industry certification relevant to the candidate’s discipline is preferred.
• Ability to travel moderately throughout the Midwest Region and nationally, as client and project needs require.
• Valid driver’s license and ability to meet the Company’s vehicle driving requirements.
• Commitment to responsible and ethical decision-making and to WSP’s safety, conduct, and workplace policies.

Preferred Qualifications

• None.

Compensation and Benefits

WSP provides a comprehensive suite of benefits including medical, dental, vision, disability, life, and retirement savings focused on a providing health and financial stability throughout the employee’s career.

Expected Salary: $153,000- $275,100

WSP USA is providing the compensation range and general description of other compensation and benefits that the company in good faith believes it might pay and/or offer for this position based on the successful applicant’s education, experience,

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