Practice Area Lead - Municipal Infrastructure Engineering

Application Deadline: OPEN

Position Status: Full-Time, Permanent

Position Type: Existing Vacancy

Estimated Start Date: By mid January 2027.

Compensation: $125,000 - $165,000

Hours of Work: Based on 40 hours per week.

Work Location: Peterborough, Ontario

Hiring Contact: For questions about this position or the recruitment process, please contact:

Stephanie Mann, Human Resources Business Partner at smann@dmwills.com.

We are seeking a Practice Area Lead to lead and grow our Municipal Infrastructure Engineering team, within our Transportation and Infrastructure Division.

This role provides strategic, operational, and people leadership for the Practice Area, with accountability for business performance, client relationships, team development, and quality project delivery.

Working closely with the Division Director, project managers, technical staff, and other Practice Area Leads, you will establish clear priorities, strengthen operational processes, and identify opportunities to expand our municipal infrastructure services.

The ideal candidate brings a combination of leadership experience, business development capabilities, and technical credibility, with the ability to build a high-performing team and drive sustainable growth.

Accountabilities

Practice Area Leadership & Business Performance

• Lead the Municipal Infrastructure Engineering Practice Area as a business unit, accountable for performance, growth, and operational effectiveness.
• Develop and execute business plans, budgets, staffing strategies, and growth objectives aligned with Division priorities and shared organizational goals.
• Monitor revenue, profitability, utilization, backlog, delivery, and resource capacity; establish consistent processes and performance expectations and implement improvements to strengthen business results.

Business Development & Client Relationships

• Lead business development and market expansion, using industry relationships and market knowledge to identify emerging client needs, new clients, and service opportunities, particularly in municipal asset management and infrastructure planning.
• Build and maintain trusted relationships with municipal clients, industry partners, and key stakeholders through responsiveness, technical quality, and a commitment to long-term partnerships.
• Lead or support strategic pursuits, proposals, client relationship building and market development activities.

People Leadership & Team Development

• Provide clear, supportive leadership that builds trust, collaboration, engagement, and accountability within an inclusive and psychologically safe workplace.
• Coach, mentor, and develop employees and future leaders, establishing clear roles, responsibilities, and performance expectations.
• Lead workforce planning, recruitment, succession planning, and resource allocation in collaboration with People and Culture, ensuring sustainable workloads and the skills and capacity to meet business needs.

Technical Leadership & Project Delivery

• Provide technical direction and oversight for municipal asset management, roads, water and wastewater infrastructure, and infrastructure planning projects, ensuring quality, consistency, and alignment with client requirements.
• Establish and maintain technical standards, quality-control practices, and project delivery processes, guide teams through complex technical issues, project risks, and client concerns.
• Collaborate with project managers and technical teams on project planning and delivery, contributing technical expertise as needed while maintaining primary accountability for Practice Area leadership and performance.

Operational Excellence & Collaboration

• Strengthen operational processes, documentation, and project management practices, monitoring workloads, resource needs, and delivery risks to support informed decisions.
• Collaborate with Division leadership, other Practice Area Leads, and technical disciplines on integrated planning, resource sharing, and knowledge exchange.
• Support organizational change, continuous improvement, and effective tools and technologies, while ensuring compliance with company policies, professional standards, quality requirements, and health and safety expectations.
• Model a One Wills approach by advancing shared business objectives and supporting positive outcomes across the organization.

What You Bring:

• Education in engineering, technology, business, or a related field, with 12+ years of progressive experience in engineering consulting, municipal infrastructure, or a related field.
• Demonstrated leadership of teams, projects, service lines, or business functions, with accountability for people, performance, and operational outcomes.
• Strong understanding of municipal consulting, public-sector client needs, infrastructure planning, and multidisciplinary project delivery, supported by the technical competence to provide credible guidance and oversight.
• Proven business development experience, including building client relationships, identifying opportunities, and expanding services or entering new markets, supported by established relationships with Ontario municipal clients, industry partners, and public-sector stakeholders.
• Experience managing budgets, resources, project performance, and competing business priorities.
• Strong communication, coaching, and relationship-building skills, with a collaborative, solutions-oriented approach to developing and empowering others, establishing clear processes and accountability, and leading through change.
• Experience in municipal infrastructure engineering, municipal asset management, master servicing plans, water and wastewater infrastructure.

Why This Role Matters:

This role is central to strengthening and growing Wills' Municipal Infrastructure Engineering Practice Area. You will provide the leadership, structure, and strategic direction needed to support our people, expand our capabilities, and build lasting client relationships.

By balancing business development, people leadership, and technical oversight, you will help position the Practice Area for sustainable growth while delivering meaningful infrastructure solutions to communities across Ontario.

What You Will Experience:

• Leadership and Influence: Guide the team’s direction, performance, and growth.
• Business Development: Build client relationships, expand services, and pursue new municipal infrastructure opportunities.
• People Development: Mentor your team, develop future leaders, and build collaboration and engagement.
• Strategic Collaboration: Work with other leaders and multidisciplinary teams to achieve shared goals.
• Community Impact: Support communities in becoming safer, more resilient, and sustainable through infrastructure planning and services.

Apply Today!

If you are a collaborative leader who enjoys developing people, building client relationships, and creating opportunities for business growth, Wills wants to hear from you.

Please submit your resume and a brief cover letter outlining your relevant leadership, municipal infrastructure engineering, and business development experience.

Use of Artificial Intelligence (AI)

In accordance with Ontario legislation, applicants are advised that artificial intelligence may be used to support aspects of the recruitment process, such as application screening or scheduling.

We sincerely thank all candidates for their interest; however, please note that only those applicants selected for further consideration will be contacted.

Wills is committed to providing an accessible recruitment process. Applicants who require accommodation at any stage of the recruitment and selection process are encouraged to contact us.

 view, please advise us if you require accommodation.