Practices Director - Horizontal Infrastructure and Advisory Services

Reports to: Chief Development Officer
Direct Reports: Practice Leaders
Location: Any AE2S Office
Apply by: Friday, May 22, 2026

Function

The Practices Director provides strategic leadership and oversight for assigned AE2S practices. This role is accountable for developing Practice Leaders; advancing technology, trends, and training for employees across AE2S; ensuring consistent technical quality; and guiding the evolution of service offerings in support of AE2S’s strategic goals.

The Practices Director enables scalable growth by providing focused leadership capacity, clear direction, and disciplined execution across related practices, allowing AE2S to maintain technical excellence while expanding in size, geography, and technical capabilities.

Assigned practices within this portfolio include (and may evolve over time):

• Drinking Water Conveyance
• Water Resources
• Rural Water
• Civil
• Energy Services
• Nexus Financial Services
• Utility Planning
• Communications

Responsibilities 

Leadership

• Lead and support Practice Leaders with clear expectations, priorities, and accountability, reinforcing AE2S culture, values, and leadership standards.
• Proactively align technical expertise and key resources across Practices to close skill gaps, support project delivery, and sustain technical leadership as the firm grows.
• Clarify roles, boundaries, and handoffs across Practices, Operations, and Client Development to enable efficient execution and integrated service delivery.
• Coach and develop Practice Leaders through regular feedback and mentoring, strengthening leadership consistency, succession readiness, and technical and people capability across Practices.
• Ensure intentional development of technical and leadership capability across Practices through structured mentoring, technical knowledge sharing, and targeted training initiatives.

Strategic Planning

• Lead the development and execution of Practice Strategic Plans in collaboration with Practice Leaders.
• Ensure Practice initiatives and key decisions align with AE2S’s strategic plan and long‑term growth objectives, providing course correction as needed.
• Participate in geographic and market assessments to evaluate opportunities, risks, and investment priorities.
• Coordinate with executive leadership to evaluate business plans, geographic expansion, and staffing needs.

Technical Innovation and Resources

• Provide enterprise-level technical leadership across assigned Practices, promoting consistent quality, sound engineering judgment, and appropriate risk awareness.
• Assess technical capabilities and gaps across Practices, guiding the development of differentiated, market-aligned technical approaches and service offerings.
• Lead the evolution and continuous improvement of service offerings, balancing innovation, scalability, and deliverability.
• Partner with Practice Leaders and Operations as a senior technical advisor to align expertise, standards, and resources in support of pursuits and project delivery.
• Champion knowledge creation, technical education, and knowledge transfer to strengthen long-term technical capability across the firm.

Trends

• Lead Practice Leaders in identifying, understanding, and clearly articulating relevant technical, regulatory, and industry trends.
• Translate trends into actionable strategy, service offering evolution, and staffing implications.
• Encourage and support external professional engagement, publications, presentations, and applied research.
• Help position AE2S as a technical leader by aligning internal technical focus with external market trends.

Sales/Business Development

• Partner with Practice Leaders and Client Program Leaders to strengthen pursuit strategy and technical differentiation.
• Support Practice Leaders and Client teams in positioning AE2S services to align with client needs and market opportunities.
• Coordinate with Marketing and leadership on promotional materials and strategic campaigns tied to practice strengths.
• Assist in developing integrated, multi‑discipline solutions that improve win rates, client outcomes, and alignment with AE2S’s pursuit strategy.

Basic Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Engineering or a closely related technical field.
• Professional Engineer (PE) license or ability to obtain licensure.
• 15+ years of progressive professional experience, including significant leadership responsibility within an engineering or technical consulting environment.
• Demonstrated success leading and developing technical leaders or practice‑level managers.
• Proven ability to lead multidisciplinary teams across multiple geographies.
• Strong strategic thinking skills with the ability to translate strategy into executable initiatives.
• Ability to manage multiple initiatives simultaneously while maintaining clarity of focus and priorities.
• Excellent communication skills, with the ability to engage effectively with technical staff, clients, and internal leadership teams.
• Willingness and ability to travel as required for leadership engagement, business development, and client or staff interaction.

Preferred Qualifications

• Demonstrated experience serving as a Practice Leader, Group Manager, Market Leader, or equivalent role in a consulting engineering firm.
• Track record of advancing technical excellence, differentiation, or innovation across a practice, discipline, or service line.
• Experience leading or supporting service offering development, including packaging, positioning, or scaling services across markets or geographies.
• Strong understanding of how Technology, Trends, and Training drive sustainable growth and technical reputation in a professional services firm.
• Prior involvement in technical governance, quality assurance, or risk awareness at a practice or enterprise level.
• Demonstrated experience collaborating with business development and client leaders to influence pursuit strategy and improve win rates.
• Visible external presence through professional organizations, publications, presentations, or industry engagement.

Physical Requirements 

• Primary functions require physical ability and sufficient mobility to work in an office setting
• Ability to stand or sit for prolonged periods of time
• Occasionally stoop, bend, kneel, crouch, reach, and twist
• Occasionally lift, carry, push, and pull light to moderate amounts of weight
• Operate office equipment requiring repetitive hand movement 
• Fine coordination including the use of a computer keyboard
• May require lifting and carrying up to 20 pounds, with rare lifting of up to 50 pounds
• May require occasional evenings and weekends with overtime expectations varying with workload
• May be required to travel to off-site locations including occasional overnight stays out of town

Elevate Your Career with AE2S – Award-Winning Culture and Unmatched Benefits

Advanced Engineering and Environmental Services (AE2S) is an award-winning, specialized civil/environmental engineering consulting firm that provides professional services and a unique brand of extreme client service.  Our work environment is consistently recognized both locally and nationally for our great culture and values, proven recognition programs, and social atmosphere. 

• Great Culture and Spirit where Creativity is Fostered
• Significant Opportunities to Grow and Advance
• 100-percent Employee Owned
• Core Values which Speak to the Heart of AE2S and its Employees
• Large, Diverse, and Challenging Projects with the Latest Technology
• Family-Friendly with Flexibility and Work-Life Balance

AE2S offers more than just competitive compensation and a best-in-class insurance package to our employees and families; our benefit plan is one of the richest plans currently in the marketplace today!

• 100-percent paid Family Health Insurance
• 100-percent paid Employee Dental, Short- & Long-Term Disability, and Vision Insurance
• Discretionary Bonus Plan
• Employee Stock Ownership Plan (ESOP)
• Matching 401(k) Contributions
• Paid Time Off (PTO) Credits for Past Experience
• Paid Parental Leave
• Wellness Program
• Anticipated Starting Salary: $150,000 - $200,000 per year DOE (Compensation is subject to variation due to factors such as education, experience, skillset, etc.) Position will remain posted until filled

AE2S is an Equal Opportunity / Affirmative Action / Disability Employer