Owner's Advisory Practice Area Lead

Who We Are:

West Yost is a water resource management and engineering firm focused exclusively on water. Since our founding in 1990, we have partnered with public agencies including cities, counties, utilities, and water districts to plan, design, and deliver water, wastewater, and stormwater solutions that support safe, reliable, and resilient communities.

Our team of more than 260 professionals brings together expertise in groundwater, water supply, treatment, infrastructure, recycled water, stormwater, construction management, and operations technology. We support projects from early planning and permitting through design and construction and complement our engineering services with program management and public outreach to help clients move work forward and engage their communities.

We are proud to be certified as a Great Place to Work®, and to be recognized among Fortune’s® Best Workplaces in Consulting and Professional Services from 2023 to 2025, as well as a top-ranked firm in the AEC Advisors Diversity Index. At West Yost, we are committed to being the water firm of choice for our clients and our team, advancing water resources for future generations through strong partnerships, practical solutions, and a shared commitment to quality.

Compensation Range: $132,540 - $189,530.  Based on our Davis, CA office location.  (West Yost uses geographic salary differentials that would apply for candidates in other regions). 

Status: Full-time, Exempt

Location:  Can sit in any of our office locations.   (https://www.westyost.com/locations/ ).

This is a Hybrid role with 3 days in the office and 2 days remote.

Position Description:

Owner’s Advisory Services Practice Leader (Municipal Water)

At West Yost, we are committed to significant growth over the coming years, and we are looking for experienced leaders with a proven ability to grow a practice and develop the careers of their team members.

The Practice Leader we are seeking has the desire and skills to build upon our proven and diverse experience in providing program management, alternative delivery procurement, and owner advisory services and take it to new heights. The Practice Leader will work directly with clients and team members to advance our offerings in program management, alternative project delivery procurement, owner advisory and geographic reach.

 Reports To: Business Sector Leader, Program and Procurement Management (PPM)

 Major Responsibilities:

• The Owner’s Advisory (OA) Practice Leader is responsible for staff development, practice area growth, quality control, marketing, business development, and fostering good overall team morale and positive client relationships.

• The team of people are the core of West Yost, and as such, this leader will attract, retain, coach, develop, and inspire the OA team aligned with the strengths and interests of the individuals. Supporting the team in their delivery of proposals and meaningful projects is paramount to individual satisfaction and team success.

• This leader will develop, lead, and execute an annual business plan looking at areas for growth in the OA Practice Area that align with West Yost’s values and PPM’s strategic vision. The leader is responsible for delivering on the practice area business plan while also determining how to capitalize on undeveloped new services, clients, or geographies.

• Balancing workload is essential to retention, therefore, this leader will work with the team to manage workload and project future staffing needs.

• This leader will also function as a senior project manager on strategic projects/programs.

Key Position Objectives:

• Drive succession development for the entire OA team.
• Work with our business development team and Client Service Managers to strategically grow the OA sales pipeline.

• Develop and implement a strategy for providing OA services in Southern California.
• Model and maintain a culture of high-quality, purposeful work and one where each team member’s strengths are celebrated.

What You Bring to the Team

Here are some things to determine if this opportunity is a fit for your character and skills:

• You successfully lead teams with a track record of success as a leader in water utility planning and engineering consulting services.

• You are motivated by results. You are motivated by setting challenging goals and then working with and through others to achieve them. You take ownership of your responsibilities and take pride in making a difference.

• You pay attention to details. As far as you’re concerned, anything worth doing is worth doing well and you are driven to provide quality work that is well-communicated. You stay focused on your work and that of your team to ensure that you are all successful.

• You enjoy solving problems. You love taking on difficult challenges and finding creative solutions. If you don’t know the answer, you use your many resources to uncover the answer.  You are also willing to ask for help, and to seek support from others.

• You like helping people. You enjoy working with others and want to see others succeed. You are patient, level-headed, and cool under pressure. You take pride in seeing others grow and develop in alignment with their strengths and interests.

• You communicate clearly. You appreciate the importance of communicating well and communicating often. You value clarity and ensuring that others understand the “why” behind each action and decision. You are comfortable communicating in writing, virtually, and in-person.

• You think on your feet. You like learning new things and you learn quickly. When things change, as they inevitably do, you work through the phycological transition of change for yourself and in support of others. You aren’t deterred by failures but rather use them as an opportunity to learn and evolve.

• You value relationships. You nurture and maintain relationships with clients and your internal teammates. You are a team builder with the ability to bring together people with varying talents to get the desired results. You understand the importance of stability and support of your family and friends outside of work and how this contributes to your success and happiness.

• You have emotional intelligence. You are self-aware and able to regulate your emotions in order to meet people where they are and bring your best to any situation. People look to you for advice and mentoring, especially when faced with a challenging situation.

To become part of shaping this premier and growing water firm, you will benefit from having experience in the civil or environmental engineering/science field. Technical skills are important, but in this role your ability to lead, manage, work with others, mentor and support a team is paramount. Your ability to quickly establish trust and commitment both internally and externally with clients are foundational for this role. At West Yost, we are here to provide you with the support and resources you need to build and grow the OA team. It is up to you to bring the motivation and drive to produce results.

Please contact us to learn more about our culture, our people, and how together we can make a difference for the lives of future generations.

Travel Requirements:

This position may require travel to other offices and/or client offices.

A Little About the West Yost Life:

You will experience many opportunities to grow and develop professionally with your colleagues through collaborative in-person work experience, knowledge sharing, and mentorship opportunities. We also offer hybrid and flexible work schedules to our employees to help promote and encourage a healthy work/life balance.  All of our team members have access to local and company-wide events, our Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Workgroup, Culture Workgroup, Wellness Workgroup, book clubs, charitable giving and community service, firm-wide resources, peer groups (young professionals & middlers group), and mentorship and leadership programs.  We support and foster your career success and encourage you to be in control of your future with us.

At West Yost, we make space for connection across the firm. Each month, we hold an all-hands meeting that bring together team members from every location, including those working remotely, to stay aligned and engaged. Individual sectors and teams also hold their own monthly meeting. At the local level, our offices host gatherings, from camping trips and river rafting to community events and celebrations.

Once a year, we come together in person for our Annual All Staff event, a firmwide experience focused on learning, networking, and building relationships across teams. That evening, we continue our longest-standing tradition, the Duck Dinner, where West Yosters are encouraged to bring a guest and enjoy a night of great food, connection, and entertainment.

We work hard, and we place equal value on having fun.

Our commitment to quality begins with our hiring practices. We employ the most talented team members in our industry from all backgrounds. We are highly selective of the individuals we choose to represent the firm, seeking only those individuals whose technical abilities and commitment to client service matches our vision for excellence.  We are dedicated to our number one asset, our employees.  Because we are employee-owned, we are responsible for and rewarded by our own success. Come to West Yost where, with our support, you’ll do the best work of your life.

Standard Benefits:

We provide a comprehensive array of valuable benefits to protect your health, your family, and your way of life. Benefits include medical, dental, vision, flexible spending accounts, health saving accounts (with West Yost contribution), paid vacation, paid sick leave and holidays, two employee assistance programs, travel assistance program, 401(k) profit sharing with employer match, leaves of absence with additional supplemental paid time off, parental leave, life and AD&D insurance, short-term and long-term disability insurance, and even pet insurance.

Other Unique Benefits:

You’ll be provided with support in on-going education through our 529 college savings plan/student loan repayment program, tuition reimbursement, paid professional memberships, paid training, and Leadership Academy programs. You’ll be recognized for your contributions at West Yost through milestone anniversary benefits, peer to peer recognition programs, the potential for employee stock ownership, annual monetary and paid time off bonuses, performance-based bonus eligibility, merit increase eligibility, and employee referral bonuses. We also offer a wellness reimbursement.