Geotechnical Division Manager

Monday, March 10, 2025

Based in Western Canada for over 110 years, McElhanney offers innovative and practical engineering, surveying, mapping, planning, landscape architecture, and environmental services. As a 100% employee-owned and operated firm, with over 1,400 staff members in 33 locations, we are proud to offer qualified staff with shareholding options in our company. At McElhanney, we work in teams to build strong connections with our staff, clients, and local communities. Our employees enjoy working here because of our varied projects, high levels of autonomy, opportunities for career development, excellent total compensation and benefits package, and collaborating with a team of great professionals.

The Opportunity:

We have an exciting opportunity for an experienced people manager with strong leadership abilities and technical expertise in geotechnical engineering to join our team in Nanaimo as the Geotechnical Division Manager. The successful candidate may be based in Nanaimo or Courtenay, BC.

Reporting to the Nanaimo Branch Manager, you will work alongside multi-discipline divisions across McElhanney’s 30+ Branches, and directly lead a team of 7 dedicated technical professionals to support a diverse range of projects, including municipal infrastructure, hydrotechnical, land development, planning, design, and construction for a wide range of private, local government and First Nation Clients. You will foster a strong culture through trust and open communication, empowering your team to excel. Building on our reputation as the “go-to” local consultant, you will be deeply immersed in this small community and continue to establish the division as a leader in delivering high-quality engineering solutions while mentoring and developing talent, driving business development, and strengthening client relationships—all to ensure the long-term success of both the division and the branch.

This is an excellent opportunity for someone who is looking to advance both their leadership and technical expertise, while having the autonomy to shape and grow the division as they see fit and continue to integrate the division’s business strategy and outcomes with the branch for operational alignment and McElhanney’s Geotechnical Technical Service Group (TSG) through collaboration, knowledge and resource sharing.

Aligned with McElhanney’s culture of mentorship and career development, the successful candidate will receive mentorship, training, and support from experienced regional leaders and technical professionals across the company.

What You’ll Be Doing:

• Work closely with the Branch Manager and other division managers to achieve operational excellence through collaboration and resource sharing across the region and company.
• Build a strong, cohesive team culture that incorporates and prioritizes our shared commitment to safety, project management excellence, and client satisfaction.
• Hire, mentor, coach, and manage performance to develop and retain top talent.
• Oversee diverse multi-disciplinary projects; envision, manage technical, logistical, and financial aspects, and carry out design from proposal stage through to construction.
• Lead operations for the division including building relationships with key clients, business development, workload, staffing, equipment, safety, quality, and financial outcomes.
• Assist the Branch Manager in developing and executing branch strategic plans and budgets.
• Represent McElhanney to the external environment including clients, business partners, community organizations and professional associations to enhance McElhanney’s positive public profile.

What You'll Bring:

• Education: A bachelor’s degree in civil or geological engineering. A master’s would be considered an asset.
• Professional Designation: Registered or eligible to register as a Professional Engineer in the province of British Columbia.
• Experience: A minimum of 10 years of relevant geotechnical and design experience with hands-on experience of leading small teams and overseeing projects from engineering through to construction with a proven ability to develop and retain clients, win projects, and consistently provide high quality deliverables on time and on budget. Experience in site investigations, seismic and soft ground considered an asset.

Skills & Attributes for Success:

• Operational Acumen: Proven ability to evaluate existing processes, identify inefficiencies, and implement changes that enhance operational performance and profitability.
• People Leadership: Ability to empower, coach and mentor teams to achieve high performance, fostering a culture of collaboration, accountability, and continuous growth.
• Strategic Thinking: A flexible mindset, embracing new methods and technologies to align with business objectives and drive success.
• Safety Mindset: Commitment to a “safety-first” culture, ensuring employees understand and prioritize safe work practices in all operations.
• Business Acumen: Strategic thinker with a proven ability to identify market opportunities, expand service offerings, and drive business growth.
• Customer-Focused: Customer-centric mindset when dealing with internal and external clients.

What Can We Offer You?

The salary range for this position is $130,000 to $180,000 per annum. McElhanney offers fair compensation that is commensurate with the individual’s education, experience, skills, and professional qualifications. The posted base salary/wage range is representative of the required level of qualifications and experience for the position as noted in the job posting. The salary offered will be based on the experience and qualifications of the successful candidate.

• Opportunity for the right candidate to become a shareholder in an employee-owned company.
• Flexible work hours to accommodate your lifestyle.
• Great benefits, including extended health and dental coverage, healthcare spending account, and RRSP matching.
• Maternity leave top-up and parental leave top-up.
• Participation in our generous Performance Bonus Plan.
• Employee and Family assistance program, which offers 24/7 support for all employees and their families either online or over the phone.
• Continuous support for your professional development and growth.

Application Instructions:

Please include the following in your application:

• An updated resume that is relevant to the position.
• A cover letter that includes:
  • Your motivation for applying for this position, highlighting what specifically attracts you to the role.
  • Explain how your unique blend of skills and experiences would enable you to make a significant impact as both a people leader and a business leader at McElhanney.

Our Commitment to Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion:

At McElhanney, our unwavering commitment lies in cultivating a culture that aligns with our core values and fosters diversity, equity, and inclusion. We celebrate the collective achievements of a team rich in expertise, experiences, and perspectives, and welcome applications from individuals of diverse ethnicities, religions, backgrounds, genders, sexual orientations, gender identities, aboriginal statuses, various age groups, and those with disabilities. Requests for accommodations can be made at any stage of the selection process. If this job description resonates with you, we encourage you to apply even if you don’t meet all of the requirements outlined. We’re interested in getting to know you and explore the unique contributions you can bring to McElhanney!

If this is the opportunity for you, apply now or visit www.mcelhanney.com/careers to learn more. We thank all applicants for their interest; however, only shortlisted candidates will be contacted.

To learn more about our recognition as Canada's Top 100 Employers (2024), visit Top Employer: McElhanney Ltd. (canadastop100.com).

Visit us on Glassdoor to learn more about our employee experience.

Our Purpose: Amaze our clients. Care for our communities. Empower our people.

McElhanney is aware of activities where individuals have received fraudulent job offers. Please be advised that McElhanney will not ask applicants for any form of monetary exchange at any point in the recruitment process. To learn more visit: www.mcelhanney.com/careers/fraud-warning.