At HDR, our employee-owners are fully engaged in creating a welcoming environment where each of us is valued and respected, a place where everyone is empowered to bring their authentic selves and novel ideas to work every day. As we foster a culture of inclusion throughout our company and within our communities, we constantly ask ourselves: What is our impact on the world?
Watch Our Story:' https://www.hdrinc.com/our-story'
We believe water is more than a resource, it's a shared responsibility. As part of our Water Business Group, you'll help shape how communities manage water for generations to come. From delivering safe drinking water and treating wastewater responsibly to developing sustainable water supplies and protecting lives and property through flood control, your work will directly support public health, environmental sustainability, and infrastructure resilience. We bring together experts across disciplines to solve complex challenges with bold thinking and technical excellence. Whether you're modernizing aging systems or pioneering innovative approaches, your contributions will make a meaningful difference in people's lives. This isn't just a job, it's a chance to lead change, drive progress, and leave a lasting legacy.
HDR is seeking a dynamic MO-KS Water Business Development Lead to support growth within our Water Business Group across the Missouri-Kansas Area. As a leader in our program, you will cultivate strong relationships with key clients within the water sector. By gaining a deep understanding of their mission, vision, culture, and strategic goals, you will help align our talented professionals to deliver innovative solutions to their most pressing challenges. Working closely with the Missouri/Kansas Water Business Development Manager and Water Business Group Manager, you will be responsible for identifying, developing, and directing opportunities across our four water market sectors: drinking water, wastewater, federal water, and water resource management. Duties include maintaining and expanding existing client relationships; identifying, establishing, and nurturing relationships with new target clients; forecasting and positioning the firm for key project pursuits that result in client selection and award; leading project pursuits by developing of winning strategies, preparing proposals, presentations, scopes, and fees; performing quality reviews; and coaching presentation teams. The selected candidate will have excellent writing, presentation, and speaking skills. Primary responsibilities include:
- Local Business Development Assistance
- Maintain client relationships and support project delivery by serving as Project Principal or Project Manager for key clients (anticipated 50% business development and 50% project delivery).
- Monitor new market trends and participate in development and implementation of local and regional strategic initiatives and tactical planning by identifying and qualifying leads supporting the HDR path to goal.
- Serve as a Client Manager (for assigned clients) and assist in building relationships with key decision makers of targeted clients.
- Develop and implement client development plans including long-term strategies to capture market share.
- Participate in industry conferences, seminars, professional associations, and other external organizations to develop business contacts, promote HDR, and engage potential clients and partner firms.
- Encourage and participate in business and community activities as an HDR representative.
- Pursuit and Proposal Development
- Work in collaboration with pursuit teams to develop and implement successful proposal and interview strategies resulting in shortlisting and selection.
- Work directly with marketing services staff in the preparation of collateral materials such as qualifications, proposals, interview presentations, specialty brochures, and other marketing information promoting the program.
- Articulate HDR's capabilities and competitive advantages through written materials in proposal and pursuit content.
- Implement company marketing policies and procedures within the Area including go/no-go decisions, quality review procedures, and understanding and applying HDR's risk management procedures.
- Articulate HDR's capabilities and competitive advantages through written materials in proposal and pursuit content.
- Achieve Financial and Sales Goals
- In partnership with program and operations leadership, assist in developing and implementing an annual plan including strategies and tactics to achieve financial goals.
- Analyze and qualify potential clients that align with professional and financial value to the firm.
- NFB and Marketing Cost Tracking
- Monitor and communicate progress toward period and annual net fee book bookings goals.
- Work closely with leadership to observe trends, adjust projections, and make required alterations to plan in an effort to achieve year over year goals and cost management targets.
- Strategic Business Development Assistance
- Partner with Business Group Leaders, Area Manager, Client Service Managers, and other leaders within the firm in the pursuit of new opportunities.
- Assist with coordinating activities with other Business Development Leads, Market Sector Leaders, and project teams to leverage relationships and project experiences for building the program.
Preferred Qualifications
- Proven business development success in the water consulting industry
- Existing network of clients in Missouri and Kansas area are beneficial
- Commitment to HDR's core values of quality work and continuous improvement
- Commitment to being an active participant in HDR's employee-owner culture
- Ability to work cooperatively with Regional Market Sector Directors, Market Sector Directors, Business Class Directors, Regional Business Group Directors, Area Business Group Managers, Area Marketing Managers, and Area Managers
- Bachelor's degree in a related field
- Maintain a professional or engineering registration or certificate or have related technical experience
#LI-MV3
Required Qualifications
- A minimum of 10 years relevant industry experience
- Demonstrated "self-starter" with a history of completing projects with limited oversight
- Deep knowledge of the A/E/C industry's standard approach to procurement of professional services
- Demonstrated ability to motivate and inspire others
- Demonstrated ability to build a network of clients and industry partners
- Experience in sales and developing effective win strategies
- Strong financial acumen and negotiation skills
- Excellent written and verbal communication skills
- Proficient in Microsoft Office applications, including Outlook, Word, Excel and PowerPoint
- Ability and desire to travel and engage with others in-person
- Demonstrated experience in writing compelling content based on information from technical staff
What We Believe
HDR is our company. Together, we build on each other's life experiences and perspectives to make great things possible every day. This shapes our collaborative culture, encourages organizational trust and connects us closer to the clients and communities we serve.
Our Commitment
As employee owners, we all have a role in creating an inclusive environment where each of us is welcomed, valued, respected and empowered to bring our authentic selves to work every day.
Our eight Employee Network Groups (Asian Pacific, Black, Hispanic/Latino(a), LGBTQ+, People with Disabilities, Veterans, Women, Young Professionals) help create a sense of belonging and foster a supportive environment where everyone is empowered to engage and contribute. Each group has an executive sponsor and is open to all employees.
Primary Location
:
United States-Missouri-Kansas City
Other Locations
:
United States-Missouri-Columbia, United States-Missouri-St Louis, United States-Missouri-Springfield
Industry
:
Water
Schedule
:
Full-time
Employee Status
:
Regular
BusinessClass
:
Marketing and Admin
Job Posting
:
Oct 30, 2025 |
HDR, Inc.
Oct 31, 2025