Business Group Director-Cultural Resources

Environmental Science Associates•Tampa, FL

6d•Hybrid

About The Position

Environmental Science Associates (ESA), a 100% employee-owned environmental consulting firm, is seeking an established cultural resources leader to launch and grow its Southeast cultural resources practice. The senior leadership role involves setting the regional practice’s direction, building a team, developing the business, and converting existing client and partner demand into new work and relationships. The practice will support ESA’s growth in transportation and aviation, water and public infrastructure, energy, and coastal restoration and resilience, building on its Florida foundation while pursuing opportunities in Georgia, the Carolinas, Texas, and the wider Gulf Coast. The director will work with the Regional Director, regional business group leaders, and ESA’s Cultural Resources Practice Leader to shape growth plans and hiring priorities. The role combines business development and practice leadership with recruiting, staff development, project delivery, regulatory coordination, and financial management. The position may be based in a hybrid arrangement at ESA’s Tampa, Orlando, Boynton Beach, Sarasota, or Pensacola offices, or remotely in Texas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Georgia, South Carolina, or North Carolina.

Requirements

At least 15 years of relevant cultural resources consulting experience.
Demonstrated success winning and retaining clients, leading teams, and managing complex projects and business performance.
Graduate degree in anthropology, archaeology, architectural history, cultural resources management, or a related field.
Qualifications meeting the Secretary of the Interior’s Professional Qualification Standards for Archaeology.
Experience directing cultural resources work in the Southeast, including archaeological investigations, historic architectural studies, resource evaluation, and treatment or mitigation planning.
Strong working knowledge of Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act, NEPA, and applicable state and local requirements.
Experience integrating cultural resources analyses into environmental reviews and coordinating complex compliance efforts.
Experience working with federal, state, and local agencies, State Historic Preservation Offices, Tribal representatives, and land managers, including a respectful approach to supporting agency-led Tribal consultation.
Ability to develop business and capture plans, lead proposals, negotiate scopes and budgets, and guide project managers through delivery, quality review, and financial management.
Entrepreneurial leadership and technical expertise, with sound judgment balancing growth, technical quality, staff development, and financial performance.
Ability to build client relationships and a focused pipeline, make hiring decisions, and remain involved in project delivery as the team grows.
Collaborative and approachable leadership, with the ability to earn trust among clients, colleagues, tribes, and agency partners, mentor future leaders, and create a respectful workplace.

Nice To Haves

A strong professional network in the Southeast, experience in Florida, and relationships across the Gulf or South Atlantic states.
A track record of growing cultural resources services or expanding into new markets.

Responsibilities

Develop and implement a regional growth plan with client, market, staffing, and financial priorities, aligning resources and hiring with the project pipeline.
Partner with ESA client managers to pursue cultural resources work through existing contracts and alongside biological resources services for architecture and engineering partners.
Build relationships with public agencies, infrastructure clients, and teaming partners; lead priority pursuits and grow a sustainable backlog.
Identify and recruit key talent, build local field capacity and project management depth, and coordinate with ESA’s national cultural resources practice for expertise and staff support.
Mentor staff, align assignments with professional development goals, foster collaboration and inclusion, and develop future project managers and practice leaders.
Serve as Project Director or senior technical advisor on strategic and complex assignments.
Guide regulatory coordination and quality review, and help multidisciplinary teams address cultural resources early in project planning.
Establish and manage the group’s annual business plan and budget; monitor backlog, utilization, profitability, and project risk.
Guide project managers in delivering commitments on scope, schedule, budget, quality, and financial management.