What are the responsibilities and job description for the Associate Director of Engineering, Protection & Control position at Commonwealth Associates, Inc.?
The Substation Engineering Department is seeking an Associate Director to help lead our Protection & Controls group. This hybrid position is based in Columbus, OH; Jackson, MI; or Orlando, FL, and plays a critical leadership role in engineering operations, staff development, project performance, and client engagement.
The Associate Director will work closely with the Director of Engineering to provide hands-on leadership and strategic insight. This individual will guide technical teams, ensure successful project execution, promote process efficiency, and contribute to department-wide improvements and growth strategies.
Key Responsibilities:
Team & Operations Leadership
The Associate Director will work closely with the Director of Engineering to provide hands-on leadership and strategic insight. This individual will guide technical teams, ensure successful project execution, promote process efficiency, and contribute to department-wide improvements and growth strategies.
Key Responsibilities:
Team & Operations Leadership
- Lead the Protection & Controls team, driving accountability for quality, efficiency, and performance
- Communicate department goals, monitor progress on goals and help develop action plans for achievement of goals.
- Communicate corporate updates effectively to team members
- Discuss and plan project pipelines with Managers, Project Managers, and Business Development for proper staff utilization
- Develop succession and realignment plans to support future growth and technical delegation
- Mentor direct and indirect staff, supporting technical development and career advancement
- Lead staff retention strategies through meaningful engagement and strategic staffing decisions
- Provide input and coordinate discussions around training, hiring, and other staffing decisions such as promotions, raises, and performance.
- Ensure coordination between project management and design staff, resolving issues related to scope, schedule, and budget
- Collaborate with PMs to manage risk, project write-offs, and deliver results on time and within cost expectations
- Apply a structured approach to balancing new client opportunities with existing workload capacity
- Support reporting requirements from Director of Engineering
- Contribute to marketing and proposal development activities
- Participate in client engagement and relationship-building initiatives
- Business development and client visits
- Provide input on revenue growth strategies and help identify opportunities outside of core competencies with calculated risk management
- Continually evaluate internal processes to improve performance and team productivity\
- Bachelor’s degree in Electrical Engineering or related discipline
- Professional Engineer (PE) license required
- 12 years of experience in Protection & Controls or Physical Electrical projects (consulting environment preferred)
- Minimum 5 years of experience leading engineering teams and managing technical projects
- Strong communication, leadership, and problem-solving skills
- Experience balancing technical depth with team mentorship and business strategy
- Ability to travel 25% of time or more as required
