Application Guide

How to Apply for Consulting Director, Project Manager, Electric Transmission Routing and Siting

at Environmental Resources Management

🏢 About Environmental Resources Management

Environmental Resources Management (ERM) is a global sustainability consultancy uniquely positioned at the intersection of environmental science, engineering, and business strategy, helping clients navigate the energy transition. Unlike general consultancies, ERM specializes in practical, on-the-ground solutions for complex environmental and social challenges, particularly in the energy sector. Working here means contributing directly to shaping low-carbon infrastructure while being part of a firm that leads in ESG implementation worldwide.

About This Role

This Consulting Director role specifically leads the critical front-end phase of electric transmission development—determining where and how major power lines should be built through complex environmental and community landscapes. You'll be responsible for the entire study lifecycle, from initial routing analysis through expert testimony, directly influencing multi-million dollar infrastructure projects that enable grid modernization and renewable energy integration. Your work ensures these essential projects proceed responsibly, balancing technical feasibility, environmental protection, regulatory compliance, and stakeholder concerns.

💡 A Day in the Life

A typical day might involve morning meetings with a utility client to review GIS data on potential corridor alternatives, followed by delegating tasks to a team of specialists conducting field reviews or cultural resource desktop analyses. Afternoons could be spent drafting a section of a routing study report for regulatory submission, then mentoring a junior staff member on expert testimony preparation, before ending the day reviewing project budgets and timelines for multiple active siting studies to ensure they stay on track.

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Interview Prep

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🎯 Who Environmental Resources Management Is Looking For

  • A seasoned professional with 8+ years specifically in electric transmission routing and siting, not just general environmental consulting or power sector experience, who has personally managed the full lifecycle of at least 2-3 major line siting studies from corridor identification to permit application.
  • Someone with proven experience preparing and delivering expert witness testimony for state utility commission or siting board hearings, comfortable with cross-examination and translating technical analyses into persuasive regulatory arguments.
  • A strategic leader who has successfully delegated to and mentored teams including GIS specialists, environmental scientists (wetlands, wildlife), cultural resources experts, and visual impact analysts on routing projects.
  • An exceptional communicator who can write clear, defensible technical reports for regulators while also synthesizing complex information into executive briefings for C-suite power clients facing tight deadlines and public scrutiny.

📝 Tips for Applying to Environmental Resources Management

1

Quantify your routing experience: Instead of 'managed siting studies,' specify 'led routing analysis for a 230-mile 345kV transmission line crossing 3 ecoregions, reducing potential impacts to protected species habitat by 40% through alternative corridor evaluation.'

2

Highlight any direct experience with Texas-specific processes, such as the Public Utility Commission of Texas (PUCT) certification process or working with the Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT), given the Houston location and Texas's major grid expansion needs.

3

Demonstrate alignment with ERM's sustainability mission by describing how you've integrated climate resilience, environmental justice considerations, or community engagement into your routing methodologies, not just regulatory compliance.

4

Showcase project management rigor specific to consulting: mention how you've managed scope/budget/schedule concurrently across multiple transmission clients, perhaps using tools like Primavera or specific client governance frameworks common to utilities like NextEra, Duke, or American Electric Power.

5

If you lack the formal degree listed but have equivalent experience, explicitly address this in your application by detailing how your 8+ years constitute equivalent expertise, perhaps through specialized training in FERC/NEPA processes, advanced GIS certification, or leadership in industry working groups like the Western Electricity Coordinating Council (WECC).

✉️ What to Emphasize in Your Cover Letter

['Open with a specific example of a complex transmission routing challenge you solved (e.g., navigating conflicting stakeholder requirements, sensitive habitats, or ancestral lands) and the tangible outcome for the project and client.', "Explicitly connect your experience to ERM's stated mission by describing how your work on transmission siting enables low-carbon futures—perhaps by routing lines to access renewable generation or by using innovative siting to minimize opposition and accelerate project timelines.", 'Highlight your dual capability as both a technical subject matter expert who can oversee analyses and a project director who manages client relationships, budgets, and team development, emphasizing how this aligns with the Director-level responsibilities.', "Mention any familiarity with ERM's known methodologies or tools, such as their proprietary sustainability assessment frameworks or GIS platforms, or express specific interest in applying their global ESG expertise to transmission projects in the Texas market."]

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🔍 Research Before Applying

To stand out, make sure you've researched:

  • → Review ERM's recent project portfolios and thought leadership on their website, specifically looking for electric transmission case studies, white papers on grid modernization, or their work with major utility clients to understand their technical approaches and client base.
  • → Investigate ERM's sustainability commitments and ESG frameworks (like their partnership with the Science Based Targets initiative) to understand how they integrate these into client projects, so you can discuss how routing studies contribute to these broader goals.
  • → Research the specific challenges and opportunities in the Texas electric transmission market, including ERCOT's recent long-term system plans, PUCT rules, and major planned lines (like those supporting offshore wind or solar growth), to demonstrate localized knowledge.
  • → Look up the backgrounds of ERM's Energy sector leadership team on LinkedIn to understand their expertise and potentially identify commonalities with your experience or the firm's strategic direction in transmission planning.

💬 Prepare for These Interview Topics

Based on this role, you may be asked about:

1 "Walk us through your approach to a greenfield transmission routing study from the initial data gathering phase through to a recommended corridor, including how you balance environmental constraints, engineering costs, and community input."
2 "Describe a time you had to prepare an expert witness for a contested siting hearing. What was the key technical issue, how did you prepare them for cross-examination, and what was the outcome?"
3 "How do you stay current on evolving regulations and best practices for transmission siting, particularly regarding emerging issues like climate vulnerability assessment, environmental justice screening, or tribal consultation?"
4 "ERM works globally. How would your experience with U.S. siting processes (e.g., NEPA, state siting boards) translate to advising on an international transmission project, and what new challenges might arise?"
5 "Tell us about a time a transmission project you managed faced significant scope creep or budget overrun. How did you communicate this to the client and get the project back on track while preserving the relationship?"
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⚠️ Common Mistakes to Avoid

  • Presenting generic environmental consulting experience without explicitly linking it to electric transmission routing—this role requires niche expertise in power line siting, not general environmental impact assessment.
  • Focusing solely on technical analysis skills while neglecting to demonstrate experience with the business aspects of consulting, such as client management, budgeting, business development, or mentoring junior staff, which are key for a Director role.
  • Using vague language about 'sustainability' without concrete examples of how you've applied sustainability principles to transmission siting decisions, such as prioritizing corridors that minimize fragmentation of climate-resilient landscapes or engaging environmental justice communities early in the process.

📅 Application Timeline

This position is open until filled. However, we recommend applying as soon as possible as roles at mission-driven organizations tend to fill quickly.

Typical hiring timeline:

1

Application Review

1-2 weeks

2

Initial Screening

Phone call or written assessment

3

Interviews

1-2 rounds, usually virtual

✓

Offer

Congratulations!

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Good luck with your application to Environmental Resources Management!

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