Senior Cultural Resource Leader

Environmental Science Associates•Boynton Beach, FL

8h•Hybrid

About The Position

Environmental Science Associates (ESA) is seeking an established cultural resources leader to build and grow its Southeast practice from the ground up. This senior leadership role offers the opportunity to set the direction, recruit a team, and develop a business that reflects your experience and ambition, with the support of a full-service environmental consulting firm that is employee-owned and has an established national cultural resources practice. The ideal candidate will launch a regional cultural resources group as a near-term priority in ESA’s South/East Growth Plan. Clients and teaming partners already seek these services alongside ESA's biological resources and environmental planning work. The role involves turning that demand into a regional practice, bringing more cultural resources work into ESA, and developing new client relationships. This practice will advance ESA’s broader growth in transportation and aviation, water and public infrastructure, energy, and coastal restoration and resilience. The role connects cultural resources expertise with environmental planning, permitting strategy, and natural resources services to help clients address complex projects. Building on ESA's Florida foundation, the role will help pursue opportunities in Georgia, the Carolinas, Texas, and the wider Gulf Coast. The position involves working closely with the Regional Director, regional business group leaders, and ESA’s Cultural Resources Practice Leader to shape the growth plan and priorities for hiring. Collaboration with cultural resources colleagues across ESA will connect the new team to technical expertise and project delivery support as the Southeast practice develops. This role can be based in a hybrid arrangement from ESA’s Tampa, Orlando, Boynton Beach, Sarasota, or Pensacola offices. Remote candidates in Texas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Georgia, South Carolina, and North Carolina are also considered.

Requirements

An entrepreneurial industry leader and technical expert who enjoys building a business and helping people succeed.
Ability to translate client relationships and market knowledge into a focused pipeline of work, make sound hiring decisions, and stay involved in project delivery while a team takes shape.
Excellent judgment to balance growth with technical quality, staff development, and financial performance.
Approachable and collaborative, with a record of earning trust among clients, colleagues, tribes, and agency partners.
Flexible and creative and value enduring client relationships and understand that protecting ESA’s employee-owner culture is central to successful growth.
Ability to mentor future leaders, welcome different perspectives, and create a respectful workplace where people can contribute and advance.
At least 10 years of relevant cultural resources consulting experience, with demonstrated success winning and retaining clients, leading teams, and managing complex projects and business performance.
A strong professional network in the Southeast, experience in Florida, and relationships across the Gulf or South Atlantic states are especially valuable.
A graduate degree in anthropology, archaeology, architectural history, cultural resources management, or a related field, and qualifications that meet 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, with the ability to assemble the right specialists for each assignment.
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, with a respectful approach to supporting agency-led Tribal consultation.
The ability to develop business and capture plans, lead proposals, negotiate scopes and budgets, and guide project managers through delivery, quality review, and financial management.

Nice To Haves

A track record of growing cultural resources services or expanding into new markets is especially valuable.

Responsibilities

Lead the development, operations, and financial performance of the Southeast cultural resources group.
Win work by developing and implementing a regional growth plan with clear client, market, staffing, and financial priorities.
Partner with ESA client managers to pursue cultural resources work on 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.
Recruit and develop the team by identifying and recruiting key talent, building local field capacity and project management depth.
Coordinate with ESA’s national cultural resources practice to draw on expertise and staff as the regional team grows.
Mentor staff, align assignments with professional development goals, and build a culture of collaboration, inclusion, and employee ownership.
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, and work with project managers to deliver on scope, schedule, and budget commitments.