Key Responsibilities and Required Skills for Environmental Project Manager

🎯 Role Definition

We are seeking an experienced Environmental Project Manager to lead multidisciplinary environmental projects from scoping through execution and closeout. The ideal candidate combines technical expertise in environmental regulations (RCRA/CERCLA/NEPA), practical field and lab experience, proven project management skills (budget, schedule, subcontractor oversight), and strong stakeholder engagement and client-facing ability. This role drives high-quality deliverables, ensures regulatory compliance, and mitigates environmental and business risk while supporting business development and continuous improvement in environmental programs.

📈 Career Progression

Typical Career Path

Entry Point From:

Environmental Technician or Field Technician with 2–4 years of experience
Staff Environmental Scientist / Environmental Specialist
Project Engineer (Civil/Environmental)

Advancement To:

Senior Environmental Project Manager / Program Manager
Environmental Services Manager / Remediation Program Director
Director of Environmental Health & Safety or Director of Sustainability

Lateral Moves:

Environmental Compliance Manager
Remediation/Remediation Construction Manager
Permit & Regulatory Affairs Manager

Core Responsibilities

Primary Functions

Lead the planning, execution, monitoring, and closeout of complex environmental projects (remediation, permitting, compliance audits, NEPA assessments), ensuring deliverables meet scope, schedule, quality, budget, and client expectations.
Develop comprehensive project scopes of work, detailed budgets and resourcing plans, and realistic project schedules using firm-standard project control tools and communicate changes proactively to clients and internal stakeholders.
Manage all aspects of regulatory permitting and compliance including authoring permit applications (NPDES, SPCC, air emissions, RCRA closures), preparing regulatory submittals, and coordinating directly with federal, state and local permitting authorities to secure approvals on schedule.
Oversee remedial investigations and corrective action programs under CERCLA/ RCRA frameworks by directing field investigations, developing conceptual site models (CSM), designing remedial alternatives, and preparing feasibility studies and remedial designs.
Prepare and review technical deliverables (investigation reports, remedial action work plans, engineering design drawings, sampling and analysis plans, health and safety plans, and technical memoranda) to ensure scientific rigor, regulatory defensibility, and alignment with client objectives.
Serve as primary client point-of-contact for project execution, providing regular status updates, risk management reporting, invoice review, and change-order negotiation while fostering long-term relationships and identifying opportunities for scope growth.
Lead subcontractor selection, procurement, contracting and on-site oversight for drilling, remediation contractors, geotechnical services, and specialty laboratories; enforce contractor safety, QA/QC, and contractual performance.
Develop and implement site-specific Health & Safety Plans (HASP) and ensure compliance with OSHA, HAZWOPER, and client-specific safety requirements during field operations and remediation activities.
Direct soil, groundwater, air, and waste sampling programs including sampling plan design, chain-of-custody, field QA/QC, and interpretation of analytical data to inform risk assessments and remedial decision-making.
Conduct human health and ecological risk assessments, fate-and-transport modeling, and exposure pathway analysis to support risk-based cleanup decisions and regulatory negotiations.
Lead permitting strategy and NEPA documentation for projects requiring environmental assessments or environmental impact statements, coordination with land-use agencies, and facilitation of public involvement as required.
Manage project financials including forecasting, invoicing, tracking of direct and indirect costs, margin protection, and monthly financial reporting to senior management.
Develop and negotiate scopes and fees for proposals, contribute to technical and cost proposal development, and participate in business development activities to expand the client base and project pipeline.
Coordinate and conduct environmental audits and compliance assessments (ISO 14001 readiness, EHS management systems, stormwater/ wastewater compliance) and develop corrective action plans and continuous improvement initiatives.
Lead community and stakeholder engagement activities including public meetings, community outreach, and preparation of public-facing materials to explain technical work, address concerns, and document stakeholder input.
Mentor and supervise project teams, junior staff, and field crews; provide technical guidance, performance feedback, professional development coaching, and ensure consistent application of quality assurance/quality control (QA/QC) procedures.
Oversee sample handling, laboratory data review, and interpretation including data validation, data usability evaluations, and preparation of data reports to meet regulatory and project-specific requirements.
Prepare technical cost estimates and value-engineering options for remedial actions, including evaluation of long-term operations and maintenance (O&M) costs, life-cycle analyses, and end-state considerations.
Implement environmental monitoring and long-term stewardship programs (groundwater monitoring, land-use controls, institutional controls) and develop compliance tracking to ensure longevity of remediation performance.
Support contract compliance and claims avoidance through detailed documentation, daily logs, photographic records, and management of change orders and technical correspondence.
Integrate sustainability and pollution prevention considerations into project design and execution, including materials selection, waste minimization, and greenhouse gas reduction strategies.
Use GIS and other spatial analysis tools to visualize contamination data, support site characterization, and generate deliverables such as maps, cross-sections, and spatially-referenced monitoring plans.
Coordinate multi-disciplinary teams including hydrogeologists, engineers, biologists, ecologists, and regulatory specialists to deliver integrated environmental solutions across complex project sites.
Drive continuous improvement in project delivery by implementing lessons learned, updating standard operating procedures, and promoting adoption of digital tools for field data collection and project tracking.

Secondary Functions

Participate in internal business development initiatives, proposal reviews, capture planning, and client presentations to secure new work aligned with environmental services capabilities.
Support corporate sustainability reporting and internal environmental metric tracking for clients, including greenhouse gas inventories and sustainability benchmarking.
Assist with development and delivery of client training programs on environmental compliance, spill response, and emergency preparedness.
Maintain and update project templates, checklists, and QA/QC protocols to standardize deliverables and improve review efficiency across the environmental practice.
Provide subject-matter expertise for cross-functional teams on emerging regulatory trends, new analytical methods, and evolving remediation technologies.
Coordinate with legal teams and corporate risk managers on environmental liabilities, site acquisition due diligence, and transactional support (phase I/II ESAs).
Maintain project documentation in the company’s document management systems and ensure timely closeout and archiving of project records.
Contribute to thought leadership by preparing white papers, technical articles, and presenting at industry conferences to enhance firm visibility and credibility.

Required Skills & Competencies

Hard Skills (Technical)

Environmental regulations & compliance: deep working knowledge of federal and state regulations (RCRA, CERCLA, Clean Water Act, Clean Air Act, NEPA) and experience managing regulatory negotiations and permits.
Project management: proven ability to develop project plans, schedules (MS Project or Primavera), budgets, progress tracking, and change management for multi-million-dollar projects.
Remediation design & implementation: experience with remedial technologies (pump-and-treat, in-situ chemical oxidation/reduction, bioremediation, soil vapor extraction, thermal remediation) and remedial design documentation.
Site investigation & characterization: expert in subsurface investigation methods, well installation, soil/groundwater sampling, and development of conceptual site models (CSMs).
Health & Safety and HAZWOPER: ability to write and enforce HASPs and lead HAZWOPER-compliant field programs (40-hour training strongly preferred).
Sampling QA/QC & data validation: experience with chain-of-custody protocols, laboratory QA/QC, data validation practices, and environmental data management.
Risk assessment & modeling: experience with human health and ecological risk assessments, fate & transport modeling (e.g., MODFLOW, MT3D), and risk-based cleanup criteria development.
Permitting & NEPA documentation: experience preparing permit applications, environmental assessments (EA) and environmental impact statements (EIS).
GIS & spatial analysis: competence using ArcGIS/QGIS to produce maps, contaminant plume visualizations, and spatial analytics for site characterization.
Technical writing & reporting: ability to produce technically accurate, concise reports, remedial action plans, work plans, and regulatory submittals that withstand regulatory and legal review.
Contract & subcontract management: experience preparing scopes, RFPs, statements of work, and managing subcontractor performance and invoicing.
Data systems & digital tools: familiarity with environmental data management platforms, LIMS, field data collection tools (e.g., tablet/GPS apps), and MS Office/SharePoint collaboration.

Soft Skills

Client-facing communication: professional and persuasive communicator who builds client trust, manages expectations, and delivers difficult messages clearly and diplomatically.
Leadership & team development: experience leading multidisciplinary teams, delegating effectively, and mentoring junior staff to elevate team capabilities.
Stakeholder engagement & public outreach: experience organizing and facilitating public meetings, addressing community concerns, and maintaining positive government relations.
Problem solving & critical thinking: pragmatic decision-maker who balances technical rigor with cost, schedule, and regulatory constraints.
Negotiation & conflict resolution: ability to negotiate contracts, change orders, and regulatory settlements while protecting client and firm interests.
Time management & prioritization: adept at juggling multiple projects, deadlines, and client demands with strong organizational skills.
Attention to detail & quality orientation: commitment to quality assurance practices and thorough review of technical deliverables.
Adaptability & resilience: comfortable working in field conditions and adapting to shifting project requirements and emergent technical challenges.
Commercial acumen: understanding of project economics, profit margins, and business development pipeline management.
Ethical judgment & regulatory integrity: high standard of professional ethics and commitment to regulatory compliance and safety.

Education & Experience

Educational Background

Minimum Education:

Bachelor’s degree in Environmental Science, Environmental Engineering, Civil Engineering, Geology, Chemistry, Biology, or related STEM discipline.

Preferred Education:

Master’s degree in Environmental Engineering, Environmental Science, Geosciences, or an MBA for combined technical/business leadership roles.
Professional certifications: PMP (Project Management Professional), PE (Professional Engineer) in relevant discipline, CSP (Certified Safety Professional), CIH, or equivalent.

Relevant Fields of Study:

Environmental Engineering
Environmental Science / Ecology
Geology / Hydrogeology
Civil Engineering
Chemistry / Soil Science
Occupational Health & Safety

Experience Requirements

Typical Experience Range: 5–12 years of progressively responsible experience in environmental consulting, remediation, permitting, or EHS management with demonstrated project leadership.

Preferred:

7+ years managing full lifecycle environmental projects including field work, regulatory negotiations, and client management.
Demonstrated experience with federal/state regulatory programs (RCRA, CERCLA, NEPA), remedial design and implementation, and complex permit acquisitions.
Prior experience supervising field crews, subcontractors, and multidisciplinary teams; proven track record of delivering projects on time and on budget.

Certifications such as HAZWOPER 40-hour, PMP, PE, or ISO 14001 Lead Auditor are highly desirable and will be given preference during candidate selection.