Senior Principal – Management and Funding Consulting

At Stantec, we design with community in mind. We bring together engineering, environmental sciences, architecture, and consulting to solve complex infrastructure challenges and improve quality of life around the world. We approach infrastructure as an interconnected system—shaped by policy, funding, technology, and people.

Our Management and Technology Consulting (MTC) team is an industry leader in funding, financial, economic, and strategic advisory services for communities and utilities across North America. Join us and help shape resilient infrastructure and sustainable public services at scale.

Role Overview

We are seeking a Senior Principal – Management and Funding Consulting to provide strategic leadership across complex client engagements, drive growth, and oversee delivery of high-impact consulting services to public agencies and utilities. This is a senior leadership role responsible for managing multidisciplinary teams, cultivating key client relationships, and advancing Stantec’s funding and advisory practice across California and the Western U.S.

The role requires a combination of deep technical expertise, executive-level client engagement, and strong people leadership, with accountability for project performance, client satisfaction, and business development outcomes.

Key Responsibilities

Client Leadership & Delivery

• Serve as a trusted advisor to executive-level clients, including city managers, utility directors, and elected officials, on funding strategies, financial planning, and infrastructure investment decisions.
• Lead complex, multi-disciplinary engagements, ensuring delivery of high-quality, on-time, and on-budget outcomes.
• Provide strategic direction on funding, financial, organizational, and technology consulting services for public agencies and utilities.
• Oversee preparation and review of complex financial models, business cases, and grant/loan applications, ensuring technical rigor and alignment with client objectives.

People Leadership

• Lead, mentor, and grow a team of consultants, including direct people management, performance development, and career progression.
• Foster a collaborative, high-performing team environment across disciplines and geographies.
• Provide coaching and quality oversight to ensure consistent excellence in deliverables and client engagement.

Business Development & Practice Growth

• Drive business development strategy and execution, including identifying opportunities, cultivating relationships, and leading RFQs/RFPs, interviews, and proposals.
• Expand Stantec’s presence with key clients and partners, building long-term, trusted relationships.
• Contribute to and help lead the North America Funding Program, including development of frameworks, tools, and market insights.
• Position Stantec as a market leader through thought leadership, partnerships, and industry engagement.

Industry Leadership

• Represent Stantec as a senior leader at conferences, workshops, and public forums.
• Deliver presentations to boards, councils, and advisory committees on funding strategies and infrastructure planning.
• Track and interpret federal and state funding policies and advise clients and internal teams on implications.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in business, finance, economics, engineering, or related field (Master’s preferred).
• 15+ years of progressive experience, including leadership roles in consulting and/or public-sector organizations.
• Demonstrated success managing clients, teams, and complex programs in the infrastructure, water, or public sector.
• Deep knowledge of federal and state funding programs, particularly in California and the Western U.S.
• Proven ability to lead large, strategic proposals and secure new work.
• Strong analytical skills; proficiency in Excel, PowerPoint, and Word; experience with data and visualization tools (Power BI, GIS, SQL, Python, or R) is a plus.
• Excellent communication and presentation skills, including the ability to engage executive audiences and translate complex concepts.
• Experience navigating public-sector governance, procurement, and stakeholder processes.

Traits of Top Performers

• Strategic, big-picture thinker with strong business acumen
• Effective leader of people, teams, and complex client relationships
• Collaborative, adaptable, and capable of influencing across organizations
• Entrepreneurial mindset with a strong client-service orientation

Comfortable operating at both high-level strategy and detailed execution