Site Development Department Leader

Austin, TX | GBA

Build Your Future with GBA

You've built your career in site development, developed strong client relationships, and learned what it takes to deliver successful projects. Now you're ready for an opportunity where you can use that experience to build something bigger.

GBA is looking for a Site Development Department Leader to lead and grow our Site Development practice in the Austin and Round Rock markets. This is an opportunity to influence the direction of the business, strengthen relationships with clients, develop talented engineers, and help shape GBA's continued growth in Central Texas.

We're looking for someone who brings more than technical expertise. You understand the business of engineering, know how to create opportunities, and enjoy helping people succeed. You'll work closely with senior leadership while having the opportunity to make a meaningful impact on the department's strategy, performance, and future.

How You'll Make an Impact

Lead the Vision and Grow the Business

• Partner with senior leadership to shape and execute the department's short- and long-term vision, business strategy, and growth plans.
• Identify opportunities to expand GBA's Site Development presence throughout Austin, Round Rock, and the surrounding Central Texas market.
• Lead business development efforts, building relationships with developers, builders, municipalities, and other key clients.
• Strengthen existing client partnerships while identifying new opportunities, markets, and service offerings.
• Collaborate with other GBA departments and market leaders to pursue opportunities and bring the right expertise to clients.
• Guide pursuit strategies, proposals, scope development, fee estimates, and negotiations to help win meaningful work.

Build Relationships That Last

• Serve as a trusted advisor to clients, helping them navigate development challenges, project decisions, and long-term planning.
• Develop relationships that extend beyond individual projects and create opportunities for continued collaboration.
• Understand the Central Texas development market, including client needs, regulatory considerations, and emerging opportunities.
• Represent GBA with clients, industry partners, and professional organizations while strengthening our reputation in the market.

Lead with Business and Technical Insight

• Provide overall direction for the Site Development Department, balancing client commitments, project delivery, financial performance, and long-term growth.
• Oversee departmental business planning, budgets, staffing, utilization, invoicing, and accounts receivable.
• Monitor financial performance and make informed decisions that support profitability and sustainable growth.
• Provide leadership and guidance on complex site development projects, helping teams navigate technical challenges, schedules, quality, and client expectations.
• Oversee project scope, contracts, fee negotiations, and risk management to support successful project delivery.
• Stay connected to evolving engineering practices, technology, and market trends to identify opportunities for improvement.

Develop People and Build a Strong Team

• Lead, coach, and mentor engineers, project managers, and emerging leaders, helping them grow professionally and take on greater responsibility.
• Build a high-performing department where people feel supported, challenged, and empowered to succeed.
• Partner with leadership on hiring, staffing, employee development, performance management, and retention.
• Provide input on promotions, compensation, and recognition while supporting individual career growth.
• Develop future leaders through succession planning, mentoring, and opportunities for increased responsibility.
• Encourage collaboration across offices, disciplines, and departments to deliver the best solutions for clients.
• Build a culture rooted in GBA's core values of teamwork, integrity, honesty, learning, service, and innovation.

What You'll Bring

We're looking for an experienced site development leader who understands how to bring together technical expertise, client relationships, business strategy, and people leadership.

• Bachelor's degree in Civil Engineering or a closely related field.
• Texas Professional Engineer (PE) license required.
• 10+ years of land development experience, including project management, team supervision, and client relationship management.
• Strong technical background in civil/site development engineering, with experience guiding complex projects from planning and design through delivery.
• Demonstrated business development success, including building client relationships, developing opportunities, and winning new work.
• Experience leading engineering teams, developing talent, and managing staffing and resources.
• Strong understanding of engineering business operations, including budgets, utilization, profitability, contracts, proposals, and fee negotiations.
• Ability to balance technical quality, client expectations, financial performance, and business growth.
• Excellent communication and relationship-building skills with clients, employees, and senior leadership.
• Experience collaborating across disciplines and developing partnerships that strengthen business performance.
• Knowledge of public-sector site development projects is a plus.

What Will Help You Thrive

You enjoy the combination of people, projects, clients, and business strategy. You're comfortable having a technical conversation with an engineer, discussing development opportunities with a client, and working with leadership to determine where the business should go next.

You don't measure success only by the projects completed. You take pride in the relationships you've built, the people you've developed, and the opportunities you've created for your team.

You're someone who leads by example, makes thoughtful decisions, takes ownership, and knows that strong teams and lasting client relationships are the foundation of a successful business.

If you're ready to take the next step in your leadership career and help shape the future of Site Development at GBA, we'd like to connect.

GBA is an Equal Employment Opportunity Employer. We promote diversity in our workforce by including all individuals regardless of age, race, religion, color, sex, national origin, marital status, genetic information, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, disability, veteran status, pregnancy status, or any other status protected by law.