The Sr. Water Quality Client Solutions Manager (WQCSM) is responsible for selling advisory services, construction, and design-build water quality projects. The position is vital to the region’s sales and business development function and actively promotes RES’ solutions across the Southeast, including Tennessee, North Carolina, South Carolina and Georgia.  This position can be based in Raleigh, NC, Charlotte, NC, Athens, GA, Charleston, SC, Nashville, TN, or an alternative / remote location within the Southeast may be considered.

The candidate will possess in-depth knowledge of water quality regulations and ecological restoration practices as they pertain to improving water quality, and will have experience in business development/sales, project development, and delivery, particularly in integrated or alternative delivery methods (e.g., design-build, pay-for-performance). This role collaborates with clients in early sales efforts to understand their water quality issues.  The WQCSM coordinates with internal and external project team members to win business, execute projects, and drive growth in this sector. Key candidates will have experience with proposal writing/development, project discovery, advancing projects through a complex, lengthy sales process, and concept development.

The WQCSM works with the National Water Solutions Team to market watershed-scale integrated delivery projects in water quality and resilience directly to prospects and clients across the United States. The position is vital to the company’s strategic vision for landscape-scale restoration.

Responsibilities

• Achieve a defined annual sales target that enables RES to achieve its strategic growth plan
• Prospect and develop a sales pipeline of 4x to goal and drive growth in the core business and emerging strategic solutions
• Lead multi-disciplinary teams in the RES sales process to market its solutions to a list of target clients, to include working with RES’ marketing and proposal teams.
• Position RES as a strategic advisor that monitors relevant client issues and engages with innovative solutions
• Attend and speak at conferences and trade groups, and identify other external leadership roles to elevate brand awareness for RES and drive lead generation 
• Monitor and share feedback about changes in customer behavior and preferences so RES can actively refine its offering

We would like to talk to you if you have many of the following:

• BA/BS Biology, Environmental Science, Geology, Hydrology, Engineering, Agricultural Science, or similar Science
• Three or more years of Regulatory or Environmental consulting experience as a “seller-doer” responsible for leading the pursuit and delivery of projects
• Demonstrated existing relationships with public agencies and regulators, private developers, consulting and engineering firms, non-profits, and academia within the Southeast
• Demonstrated ability to sell to multiple stakeholders and create a consensus that enables a commercial booking
• Experience in the review and preparation of regulatory documents and deliverables, and responding to agency comments
• Advanced understanding of and experience with relevant environmental regulations and permits/approvals (e.g. CWA 404/402/401, NWP/IP, NPDES, ESA)
• Sound understanding of restoration design principles, approaches, and supporting technical information, such as engineering design plans, functional calculations, and ecological data
• Able to independently access state and federal databases to extract specific information and interpret and communicate the results of data collected
• Ability to travel up to 50% of your time, business depending

What will make you stand out?

• Strong familiarity with GIS capabilities and functions.
• Exposure to estimating, scheduling, and budget development for project delivery
• Experience leading a multidisciplinary team in a defined sales process to win projects
• Advanced Degree or additional qualifications in Project Management, such as Project Management Professional, that indicate an ability to work with multi-disciplinary teams
• Relevant ecological restoration certifications, such as Professional Wetlands Scientist, Wetland Professional in Training, Certified Ecological Restoration Practitioner, or a similar credential
• Experience with grant writing or working on grant-funded projects, including federal, state, or other funding sources, is highly desirable.

2026 Fellowship for Founding School Leaders- Tennessee 

BES seeks a Fellow for our Fellowship program starting in August 2026 to serve as a founding school leader in Tennessee.  This BES Fellowship offers highly motivated leaders committed to transforming education the rigorous, multi-year training needed to design, found, and lead a high-achieving school that meets the unique needs of its community.

BES welcomes applicants from any Tennessee region favorable for new public charter schools and aligned with authorizer priorities, with particular interest in leaders aiming to found schools in areas such as Knoxville, Nashville (outside the city limits), or Chattanooga metropolitan areas.   

Who We Are
Strong schools are built by strong leaders, which is why BES identifies and prepares exceptional individuals to transform education in their communities. From school founders and executive directors to operations leaders, deans, and curriculum directors, we train leaders to build schools, to ensure their schools excel, and to sustain their results over time.

The BES Fellowship and selection process fosters an equitable, inclusive, and empowering experience for Fellows. For over two decades, BES Fellows have founded over 220 schools and are currently serving more than 73,000 students, with many BES-trained leaders consistently driving student achievement beyond district and state averages and helping to close the opportunity gap. 

What You’ll Do 

The BES Fellowship for founding school leaders includes one year of training for Build Track Fellows followed by three years of Follow On Support to support leaders in building a high-performing, locally responsive school. For a comprehensive description of our Fellowship, please visit our website. An overview is provided below.  

Fellows in Tennessee begin with an intensive training year, where they engage in over 300 hours of coursework on school design, leadership, governance, and community engagement, as well as diversity, equity, and inclusion. Fellows also conduct in-depth studies of effective schools across the nation and complete residencies at high-performing schools, all while developing a charter application and establishing a founding board.

In year two, the planning year, Fellows partner with a BES coach to refine their project management and leadership skills, hire founding staff, recruit students, and solidify their school vision. This dedicated coaching and cohort-based training, known as Follow On Support, helps Fellows bridge the transition from founder to school leader, preparing them to launch a strong, sustainable school. During years three and four, the first two operational years, leaders put their vision into action, welcoming their inaugural class, coaching teachers, and using data to drive academic success. By the second year of operation, they deepen the academic focus, serving a growing population of students, and build leadership capacity to support future growth, all while fostering an empowered, mission-aligned team.  In year three of operation and beyond, BES Fellow-founded schools can opt-in to other leadership and professional development opportunities from BES to support their school and strengthen their leadership bench. 

What You Bring

• The ability to lead, manage and motivate: You have demonstrated the ability to lead and manage a team towards results, and you are committed to serving as a school leader in the community for at least 10 years. 
• Self awareness and humility: You possess a growth mindset and have a continuous desire to improve. You are eager to give, take, and implement feedback with humility and in real time.
• Commitment to community: You have experience in the community you are proposing for your school and bring strong organizational partnerships. You can articulate how you will gain and factor in community input. 
• Diversity, equity and inclusion in action: Your school model will primarily serve students from under-sourced communities and bring an anti-racist lens to the work. You have had success with similar populations of students and been responsive to community needs. 
• Commitment to excellence for all students: You have a clear vision for your school and can discuss key elements of the school in a detailed, compelling, and direct manner. You hold yourself accountable for results and believe that all students can achieve at high levels. 

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree required; Master’s or Professional degree preferred
• Minimum 8 years of professional experience, with instructional or instructional leadership experience required
• At least 2 years managing and supervising adults in a PreK-12 setting required, 2 years of school leadership experience preferred 
• Commitment to serving as a school leader in the proposed community for at least 10 years required 
• Ability to establish and activate local connections to support school enrollment
• Strong preference for candidates with at least 2-3 years of experience living or working in the proposed school region, especially those with strong ties to the community
• Clear, compelling rationale for the proposed school location

Compensation and Benefits 

• This is a contract role with a $100,000+ grant during the first year of the program (the Fellowship training year)
• Healthcare grants available 
• Travel and accommodations for training and during school study travel 
• Technology support 
• Reimbursement for up to $5,000 in moving expenses
• Up to $3,500 grants for school design expenses for Build Fellows 
• The opportunity to apply for BES start-up fund awards and/or those provided exclusively to Fellows by our partners

Additional Information

The BES Fellowship training year runs from August 2026 through July 2027, during which time BES Fellows will receive disbursements from their $100,000 grant. While grant disbursements will end in July 2027, the authorization process in certain regions can sometimes extend beyond that time. BES Fellows will continue to receive coaching and guidance from BES through this phase to help them navigate the entirety of the authorization process. In addition, BES will work with Fellows affected by this timeline to identify additional funding opportunities for Fellows, wherever possible. 

To Apply

Applications are reviewed on a rolling basis until the position is filled. As such, applicants are encouraged to apply as soon as possible in order to secure limited spots in our available regions. Before applying, please review our Applicant Toolkit, which includes helpful guidance and resources to support you through the application process. If you are interested in founding a school in a region other than Tennessee please note that additional regions will be announced as they become available. In the meantime, please consider these next steps: 

1. To stay updated on new regions, please subscribe to receive emails from BES here. 
2. We encourage you to complete this interest form to tell us about the region where you are interested in founding a new school.
3. Consider connecting with our team if you have questions about the Fellowship or selection process before you apply. Please visit our job board to submit your application. 

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