Job Description

Client Development Leader Transportation (190136)

At HDR, our employee-owners are fully engaged in creating a welcoming environment where each of us is valued and respected, a place where everyone is empowered to bring their authentic selves and novel ideas to work every day. As we work to weave diversity, equity, and inclusion into our work and foster a sense of belonging throughout the company and within our communities, we constantly ask ourselves: What is our impact on the world?

Watch Our Story:

Each and every role throughout our organization makes a difference in our ability to change the world for the better. Read further to learn how you could help make great things possible not only in your community but around the world.

Position Overview

In collaboration with HDRs Southern California Transportation Business Group Management team, this role is responsible for identifying, developing, and directing business opportunities within the transportation industry sectors of Highway & Local Roads, Transit, Freight Rail, Aviation, and Maritime. This position covers all of Southern California, primarily focused on Los Angeles, the Inland Empire, and Orange County. A client development leader cultivates and develops relationships with regular and prospective clients. This would include tracking trends, opportunities, competitors, and challenges. To be effective in this role, it is important to have knowledge or familiarity with legislative and funding issues and mechanisms impacting our industry and clients.

Focus Areas

(1) Client Relationship Management, (2) Market Analysis and Networking, (3) Pursuit Leadership, (4) Marketing Collaboration, (5) Strategic Planning, (6) Annual Planning and Goal Setting

Primary Responsibilities

Work in partnership with the Business Group Manager and Business Development Leader; Market Sector Leaders, Area Program Managers, Section Managers, Project Managers, and other leaders within the firm to:

• Maintain and expand existing client relationships
• Identify, prioritize, and develop relationships with key decision-makers of targeted clients in partnership with the Client Development Teams.
• Support the development of annual and long-term strategic plans within established company direction and goals, including creating growth initiatives and prioritizing strategic investments
• Implement key growth initiatives and investments as defined in annual and long-term strategic plans
• Coordinate and participate in industry conferences, professional associations, and other external organizations to develop business contacts, promote and elevate HDRs brand in target markets, and engage potential clients and partner firms
• Plan and fulfill conference sponsorship benefits, as needed
• Provide leadership for strategic pursuits through capture planning, proposal development, and reviews to interview phases, resulting in shortlist, client selection, and contractual awards
• Collaborate on key and strategic teaming opportunities
• Identify high-value sponsorship opportunities
• Work directly with the marketing services team in preparing collateral materials such as qualifications packages, proposal reviews, interview presentations, specialty brochures, and other marketing information promoting our program
• Lead quality reviews of proposal and interview materials
• Facilitate other strategic planning and implement annual, including strategic and tactical, goals and objections that align with meeting Net Fees Booked goals #LI-JF1

Keywords: client development leader

Preferred Qualifications

• Deep knowledge of the A/E/C industrys standard approach to procurement of professional services
• Bachelors degree in Business, Engineering, Construction Management, or related field
• Minimum of 15 years of experience in the transportation and A&E consulting industry
• Proven business/client development success in the transportation consulting industry
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills
• Existing network of local transportation industry leaders is highly beneficial
• Experienced in the development and management of diverse teams
• Willingness to travel when necessary
• Commitment to HDRs core values of quality work and continuous improvement
• An attitude and commitment to being an active participant of our employee-owned culture is a must

Required Qualifications

• A minimum of 8 years relevant industry experience
• Demonstrated self-starter with a history of completing projects with limited oversight
• Demonstrated ability to motivate and inspire others
• Experience in sales and developing effective win strategies
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills
• Proficient in Microsoft Office applications, including Outlook, Word, Excel and PowerPoint
• Proficient in Adobe Creative Cloud applications, including InDesign
• Ability and desire to travel and engage with others in-person
• Demonstrated experience in winning high-value contracts in the A/E/C industry
• Demonstrated experience in writing compelling content based on information from technical staff

What We Believe

HDR is our company. Together, we build on each others life experiences and perspectives to make great things possible every day. This shapes our collaborative culture, encourages organizational trust and connects us closer to the clients and communities we serve.

Our Commitment

As employee owners, we all have a role in creating an inclusive environment where each of us is welcomed, valued, respected and empowered to bring our authentic selves to work every day.

Our eight Employee Network Groups (Asian Pacific, Black, Hispanic/Latino(a), LGBTQ , People with Disabilities, Veterans, Women, Young Professionals) help create a sense of belonging and foster a supportive environment where everyone is empowered to engage and contribute. Each group has an executive sponsor and is open to all employees.
We provide a comprehensive benefits package that promotes employee ownership, employee health, performance, and success, which includes medical, dental, vision, short and long-term disability, life insurance, an employee assistance program, paid time away, parental leave, paid holidays, a retirement savings plan with employer match, employee referral bonus and tuition reimbursement. The expected compensation range for this position depends upon skills, experience, education and geographical location. (Stated benefits are for full-time regular positions. Temporary and part-time roles eligible for limited benefits.) $162,000 $219,000

Primary Location
: United States-California-Los Angeles

Other Locations
: United States-California-Irvine, United States-California-Long Beach

Industry
: Transit

Schedule
: Full-time

Employee Status
: Regular
BusinessClass: Marketing and Admin

Job Posting
: Jan 10, 2026

At HDR, we are committed to the principles of employment equity.

We are an Aff... (You would replace with the full text: "We are an Aff")

We consider all qualified applicants, regardless of criminal histories, arrest and conviction records.

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