Job Description

Momentum is seeking a Project Lead with a hard-won understanding of how federal infrastructure, clean energy, and transportation programs are funded, structured, and implemented. This position requires someone who can move fluidly between grant strategy, technical assistance delivery, policy analysis, and client advisory work depending on what the engagement demands.

The ideal candidate has worked inside or alongside agencies such as MARAD, DOT, DOE, EPA, or similar, and understands how these programs function from the inside. Grant writing is a core part of this work, but the role extends to technical assistance programs, funding readiness assessments, strategic positioning, and other federal program advisory activities. You will own client engagements end-to-end, lead internal teams, and serve as the authoritative voice on federal program strategy for your assigned portfolio.

Project Leads play a critical role in business generation by maintaining consistent billable work by selling their own capabilities to Directors internally or by developing new opportunities with existing clients.

Duties and Responsibilities

• Own project strategy and execution. Lead the development and implementation of project plans that align client objectives with Momentum’s technical, policy, and market expertise.
• Serve as the project authority. Act as the primary point of accountability for assigned projects, overseeing scope, budget, and schedule with full decision-making authority unless a Director is directly leading the engagement.
• Delegate and manage resources. Determine how project budgets and responsibilities are allocated across Momentum’s internal and external teams, including Client Managers, Project Operations members, and contractors.
• Ensure quality and delivery standards. Maintain complete oversight of project quality, deliverables, and client satisfaction. Project Leads are responsible for the success of every output associated with their projects.
• Lead multidisciplinary teams. Provide clear direction, feedback, and support to team members, ensuring alignment, workload balance, and effective coordination across functions.
• Generate and maintain work. Meet utilization targets through a combination of selling capabilities internally to Directors and deepening relationships with existing clients to secure new scopes of work.
• Anticipate and solve problems. Identify delivery challenges early and implement solutions that preserve project quality, client satisfaction, and financial performance.
• Mentor through execution. Develop team capabilities through collaborative work, modeling high standards and strong project discipline within each engagement.
• Contribute to company growth. Identify emerging client needs and capability gaps that could strengthen Momentum’s offerings and inform future hiring or service expansion.
• Build client trust and presence. Serve as the face of Momentum for assigned projects, fostering relationships grounded in credibility and results that make clients view the Project Lead as their trusted partner.
• Collaborate cross-functionally. Work closely with Directors, Client Managers, and the Project Operations, and Business Operations teams to align project execution with organizational strategy and performance standards.
• Perform other related duties as assigned.

Billable Expectation

This client-facing position has an 80% utilization rate (1,664 billable hours annually for full-time workers). Project Leads are responsible for generating and maintaining their own billable workload through client and internal relationships.

Supervisory Responsibilities

This position does not have formal direct reports but leads project teams composed of Project Operations staff, Client Managers, and other Project Leads. Project Leads provide direction, feedback, and oversight for all project activities and outcomes under their leadership.

Reporting Relationship

The Project Lead reports to the Vice President, Project Leadership

Location

This position is remote-eligible. However, due to federal contract requirements or the geographic scope of current projects, the employee may be required to be based in California. The role may require occasional travel to Sacramento and various project sites throughout California and the U.S. Training and onboarding are carried out in person at our Sacramento office.

Application Period

June 15, 2026 – June 29, 2026

Requirements

Desired Skills and Abilities

Federal Program Strategy and Advisory

• Develop and execute federal program strategies for clients across clean energy, advanced transportation, maritime, environmental, and manufacturing sectors, including grant applications, technical assistance engagements, and funding readiness work.
• Author competitive state and federal grant applications including technical narratives, budget justifications, and cost-share documentation across programs administered by DOE, DOT, MARAD, EPA, EDA, and related agencies.
• Deliver technical assistance engagements that help clients understand, access, and implement federally funded programs, drawing on direct knowledge of how agencies design and administer these programs.
• Translate complex federal NOFOs, guidance documents, appropriations language, and agency priorities into clear client strategy and actionable recommendations.
• Produce high-quality strategic writing across deliverable types: grant narratives, white papers, policy memos, funding analyses, technical reports, and client-facing strategy documents.

Project Leadership and Client Delivery

• Own project strategy and execution from kickoff through completion, managing scope, budget, and schedule with full accountability for outcomes.
• Serve as the primary client relationship owner for assigned engagements, building trust and serving as a credible strategic partner.
• Lead multidisciplinary project teams including Client Managers, Project Operations staff, and contractors, providing direction, feedback, and quality oversight.
• Anticipate and resolve delivery challenges early to preserve project quality, client satisfaction, and financial performance.
• Generate and maintain billable work through internal capability selling and deepening existing client relationships.

Team Collaboration and Development

• Mentor team members through collaborative work on live engagements, modeling high standards for research, analysis, and writing.
• Collaborate cross-functionally with Market Strategists, Client Managers, and Business Operations to align project execution with organizational strategy.

Desired Education and Experience

• 6–8 years of professional experience in consulting, infrastructure strategy, federal program delivery, public-sector initiatives, or related client-facing advisory work.
• Experience working with or within federal agencies such as MARAD, DOT, DOE, EPA, or similar organizations strongly preferred.
• Experience supporting federal grants, loans, incentives, technical assistance programs, or other publicly funded infrastructure and clean technology initiatives preferred.
• Demonstrated success leading complex projects and managing client relationships.
• Experience developing scopes of work, budgets, and project strategies.
• History of consistent client retention and internal collaboration.
• Experience mentoring staff and coordinating cross-functional teams.

Benefits

Momentum offers a competitive package of benefits that includes:

• Competitive base salary.
• Annual target bonuses.
• 100% employer paid health premium options available for all full-time staff.
• Simple IRA with matching contributions.
• Paid-time-off (PTO) of 120 hours/year.
• Paid sick leave of 56 hours per year.
• 12 company holidays.
• Employer paid life insurance policy.
• $50 Cell phone stipend.
• $2,000 annual professional development stipend.

Salary Range

$124,000 - $136,000 + Bonus. The final offer will be determined based on the candidate's qualifications, experience, and internal equity. We strive to maintain a fair and competitive compensation structure. While we aim to make our initial offers as strong as possible, we also seek to ensure consistency and equity across our team.

Our Core Values

• Equity First: We strive to embed social justice, belonging, and inclusion in every aspect of our work.
• Expect Candor: We believe transparent, authentic communication produces meaningful results.
• Excellence Through Collaboration: We set high standards and together we exceed them. We strive to create a space where everyone can do the best work of their lives.
• Empowered Problem Solving: The challenges of our time will be solved through ground-breaking innovation. We mobilize teams to craft future-shaping solutions for the planet.
• Empathy-Driven Service: We step into the shoes of our clients and teammates to fully understand their unique challenges, hopes, dreams, and goals.

This is the job for you, if you want; a fast-paced, fun work environment with dedicated, hard-working co-workers; a challenging and interesting job, working with clients who are involved in valuable and important projects; a work environment where we take our corporate values and culture seriously; and above all, a job that helps make the world a better place.

If you share our enthusiasm, commitment, and passion for growing great ideas, we enthusiastically invite you to apply for an open position with our expanding team. Momentum offers a competitive salary package and benefits. We also offer significant opportunities for professional growth and quick advancement in a flexible and human-centered workplace.

Non-Discrimination Statement

Momentum does not and shall not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion (creed), gender, gender expression, age, national origin (ancestry), disability, marital status, sexual orientation, or military status, in any of its activities or operations. These activities include, but are not limited to, hiring and firing of staff, selection of vendors, and provision of services. We are committed to providing an inclusive and welcoming environment for all members of our staff, clients, subcontractors, vendors, and clients.

More About Momentum

Momentum designs and develops innovation campaigns for forward-thinking organizations working to deploy transformative energy, transportation, and manufacturing technologies. Founded in 2005, the company has grown to be among the most sought-after technology and commercialization partners in North America.

Momentum’s growing team consists of scientists and engineers, finance and fund development professionals, innovation and commercialization experts, and project managers and deployment specialists. Together, we are committed to clarity of thought, data-driven analysis, and excellence in presentation. We conduct rigorous research, thoughtful analysis, and strategic engagement to dramatically increase the ability of our clients to access and manage public and private investment, demonstrate and commercialize advanced technologies, and attract new customers and strategic partners.

Our process generates results: together with more than 1,000 clients and partners, we’ve designed and developed more than $6 billion in technology deployments—globally significant innovations in partnership with dozens of Fortune 1000 companies like Amazon, Volvo, General Motors, Schneider Electric, Waste Management and Cummins Engine, as well as demonstration partners at hundreds of campuses, air- and sea-ports, public- and investor-owned utilities, and manufacturing and distribution facilities. And along the way, we’ve assisted hundreds of early-stage and pre-commercial cleantech startups in plotting a course to successful funding and commercialization.

In 2021, Momentum was acknowledged by Sacramento Business Journal as one of the best places to work in Sacramento.