Cultural Resources Director

SWCA Environmental Consultants • Portland, OR

9h • $115,690 - $152,110 • Hybrid

About The Position

SWCA Environmental Consultants is seeking a Cultural Resources Director to lead a multidisciplinary team of anthropologists, archaeologists, and architectural historians across our Pacific Northwest offices in Portland and Corvallis, Oregon; Boise, Idaho; and Whitefish, Montana. This senior leadership role is ideal for a proven cultural resources professional who brings strong people leadership, project execution, and business development skills and is motivated to help grow and strengthen a thriving regional program. Reporting to the Pacific Northwest Vice President, the Cultural Resources Director will play a critical role in expanding SWCA’s cultural resources presence throughout the Pacific Northwest. The successful candidate will lead and mentor a geographically distributed team, ensure consistent delivery of high-quality work, and partner closely with clients to maintain trusted relationships and deliver exceptional service.
This is a full-time, regular salaried position with benefits, based in the Pacific Northwest. Candidates must have demonstrated experience working in the subregion and be willing to travel as needed to support staff, clients, and projects across the region. The role may be structured as a hybrid or distributed position, with a strong preference for the successful candidate to be physically located within one of SWCA’s Pacific Northwest offices. The continued growth of SWCA’s Pacific Northwest offices is central to the firm’s long-term success. In this role, you will collaborate with other program directors and local leaders to pursue new business opportunities, expand client relationships, and uphold technical excellence across projects. This position offers a unique opportunity to shape the future of SWCA’s cultural resources program while supporting the professional growth of a talented and engaged team in a growing market.
Applications must be received by February 4, 2026. A cover letter is required. We encourage interested candidates to apply early, as interviews will be scheduled promptly following the close of the application period. We appreciate the time and effort invested by all applicants and will carefully consider each submission

Requirements

• Graduate degree or the equivalent in anthropology, archaeology, geology, historic preservation, or a related field.
• 10+ years of experience in cultural resources management, including fieldwork, project oversight, scheduling, and budgeting.
• 5+ years of progressive leadership experience, including staff supervision and mentorship.
• Strong familiarity with multiple states in the Pacific Northwest cultural resources market and regulatory environment (Alaska, Montana, Oregon, and Idaho).
• Demonstrated expertise applying NHPA (especially Section 106), NEPA, and other federal, state, and local cultural resource regulations.
• Proven success developing client relationships and contributing to business development efforts.
• Experience working across multiple business lines and multidisciplinary teams.
• Ability to attract, develop, and retain high-performing professionals.
• Solid financial acumen and comfort working with industry financial metrics.
• Clear, confident communication skills and a collaborative leadership style.

Nice To Haves

• An Oregon Qualified Archaeologist (OQA) approved by the Oregon State Historic Preservation Office preferred.
• Currently listed (or eligible to be listed) as a Principal Investigator under an Oregon/Washington or Idaho BLM Region-wide Cultural Resources Permit.

Responsibilities

• Lead and grow the Pacific Northwest Cultural Resources team as a key member of the Pacific Northwest leadership team.
• Partner with subregional and regional Directors to build strong people leadership practices and support professional growth at all levels.
• Cultivate an inclusive, collaborative, and high-performing team culture aligned with SWCA’s core values.
• Shape and implement hiring and retention strategies that attract top cultural resources professionals to the Pacific Northwest.
• Directly support and manage principal- and lead-level staff, helping them balance technical excellence with sustainable workloads and billable targets.
• Inspire and engage team members through coaching, mentorship, and meaningful recognition.
• Lead performance reviews, compensation discussions, and career development planning.
• Align team priorities with regional and national business goals while supporting individual career paths.
• Ensure thoughtful resource planning to support successful project delivery and staff well-being.
• Champion SWCA’s Safety Culture and help embed safety into everyday work.
• Provide senior-level technical leadership and oversight for cultural resources projects across the Pacific Northwest.
• Ensure consistent application of SWCA’s Quality Control Procedures and support teams in delivering high-quality work.
• Stay current on regulatory requirements and share key updates with staff and clients.
• Support the implementation of company safety programs across projects and teams.
• Collaborate with Cultural Resources Technical Directors nationwide and engage with professional organizations to advance technical excellence and innovation.
• Build and maintain strong, long-term client relationships across local and regional markets.
• Stay engaged with industry trends, regulatory changes, and emerging opportunities in the Pacific Northwest.
• Identify and pursue new business opportunities that diversify and grow SWCA’s cultural resources portfolio.
• Lead and contribute to proposal development, including go/no-go decision-making.
• Partner closely with business development teams to align growth strategy with operational strengths.
• Provide oversight of budgets, proposals, and contracts to support strong financial performance and compliance.
• Monitor key financial metrics, including utilization, productivity, revenue, and profitability.
• Conduct regular project reviews to identify risks early and support project success.
• Collaborate with project managers, finance teams, and accounts receivable to support healthy project and client relationships.

Benefits

• Regular-status employees are also eligible for performance bonuses.
• SWCA’s Total Rewards package, which includes a competitive benefits package (https://www.swca.com/careers/benefits-wellness/), forward-thinking workplace flexibility, outstanding corporate culture, award-winning career development, and more.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Mid Level
• Number of Employees: 1,001-5,000 employees