Executive Advisor - Water Asset Management (Southern California)
GHD · Irvine · $165,514–$275,856 (stated in the posting)
To solve complex challenges, you need to challenge the status-quo.
At GHD Advisory we are invested in creating sustainable commercial outcomes with clients driving change in water, energy and urbanization.
Join a team committed to solving complex challenges across the value chain, from capital deployment to asset management, enabling resilience, growth and sustainability.
Together, we’ll help create a future for generations to come.
Who are we looking for?
We are seeking an Executive Advisor - Water Asset Management (Southern California) to lead and grow our presence in Southern California. This role is suited to a highly experienced professional (20+ years) with deep expertise in water and wastewater systems, who can combine strategic advisory, client leadership, and business growth with strong technical credibility in asset management.
Our offices are located in Irvine and Los Angeles.
Working with an energetic and high performing team, this position offers a variety of work and will see you involved in:
- Lead and deliver complex water asset management and advisory engagements for utilities and public sector clients (e.g., condition assessment, asset planning, risk and lifecycle optimization, capital planning)
- Shape and grow the SoCal water AM market, developing trusted relationships with utilities, municipalities, and agencies
- Drive business development, including client engagement, positioning, and winning work across water/wastewater asset management and related advisory services
- Provide strategic leadership in defining service offerings aligned with client needs (e.g., asset management programs, digital asset strategies, risk-based investment planning)
- Serve as Project Director/Executive Sponsor on key projects, ensuring quality delivery, client satisfaction, and commercial performance
- Mentor and develop senior and emerging leaders within the Asset Management group
- Lead multidisciplinary teams, integrating engineering, data, and advisory capabilities to deliver practical, implementable solutions
- Guide pursuit strategy, including pricing, scoping, and win strategy for major opportunities
- Collaborate across GHD (market leaders, service lines, regions) to leverage global capability and deliver best-in-class outcomes
- Contribute to business planning, including growth strategy, market positioning, and team development in Southern California
What you will bring to the team:
- Professional Engineer (PE) required
- Bachelor’s degree in Civil, Environmental, or related engineering discipline (Master’s preferred)
- 20+ years of experience in water/wastewater infrastructure, with a strong focus on asset management and advisory services
- Proven experience working with water utilities and agencies in asset management planning, capital programs, or infrastructure advisory
- Strong understanding of asset lifecycle management, risk-based decision-making, and capital investment planning
- Demonstrated success in business development and client relationship management in the Southern California market
- Experience leading large, multidisciplinary projects and teams
- Ability to translate technical and data-driven insights into clear, actionable strategies for clients
- Strong commercial acumen, including scoping, pricing, and contract management
- Excellent communication and leadership skills, with the ability to influence at executive and operational levels
- A collaborative leader with a strong client focus and track record of building high-performing teams
What sets this role apart:
- Opportunity to lead and shape GHD’s Water Asset Management presence in Southern California
- Work with leading utilities on high-impact infrastructure and investment decisions
- Leverage GHD’s global AM, digital, and engineering capabilities to deliver integrated, forward-looking solutions
Salary Range: $165,514 to $275,856 based on location and experience
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As a multicultural organization, we encourage individual achievement and recognize the strength of a diverse workforce. GHD is an equal opportunity employer. We provide equal employment opportunities to all qualified employees and applicants without regard to race, color, religion, genetic information, national origin, sex (including same sex), sexual orientation, gender identity, pregnancy, childbirth, or related medical conditions, age, disability or handicap, citizenship status, service member status, or any other category protected by federal, state, or local law.