Principal Client Services Lead

About the opportunity

SWCA Environmental Consultants is seeking a Principal Client Services Lead to join our Southeast team. In this role, you will support multidisciplinary environmental consulting and project delivery efforts for projects across a range of markets, services, clients, and geographies throughout the Southeast.

 

This is a remote opportunity for the right candidate, with preference for candidates located within the Southeast United States. Depending on project needs, this position may require approximately 5–10% travel throughout the Southeast to support client engagement, regional coordination, and project delivery. You will work closely with clients, leadership, and multidisciplinary teams to guide project direction, ensure technical quality, and support successful delivery. This role offers the opportunity to mentor staff, lead technical work, develop strategic pursuits, and play a key role in advancing project and client success.

 

Application Deadline:

 

Applications are reviewed on a rolling basis, and interviews may be scheduled as qualified candidates are identified. This position may close without prior notice once a strong candidate pool is established.

What you will accomplish

• Establishes and strengthens client relationships by proactively engaging with existing and potential clients and partners.
• Drives business development strategy by identifying market trends, targeting key opportunities, and setting strategic priorities.
• Holds self and others accountable for meeting sales targets and business development goals, ensuring consistent performance.
• Identifies and secures opportunities to bid on projects by monitoring the marketplace and leveraging industry connections.
• Develops teaming relationships by initiating and nurturing partnerships with other firms and organizations.
• Coordinates internal staff and strategy meetings to align business development efforts and share market intelligence.
• Conducts external market research to inform business development decisions and anticipate client needs and industry shifts.
• Disseminates the SWCA brand by representing the company at industry events, conferences, and through targeted outreach efforts (~5-10% travel required)
• Performs internal mentorship by guiding junior staff in client services best practices and professional growth.
• Advances SWCA’s overall business development efforts by collaborating with Technical and Operations leaders to deliver integrated solutions.
• Follows applicable federal, Tribal, state, local, industry, contractual, and company regulations, standards, and specifications.
• Performs related work as assigned.

Additional Job-Specific Responsibilities

• Leads complex, multidisciplinary client pursuits and capture strategies across the Southeast, coordinating local and national teams to develop and secure strategic opportunities aligned with regional growth priorities, while maintaining awareness of market conditions, competitors, and opportunities to differentiate SWCA.
• Provides strategic project leadership and technical oversight for complex, high-profile projects spanning multiple sites, jurisdictions, agencies, and disciplines, managing project scope, schedule, budget, risk, and quality while ensuring successful delivery and client satisfaction.
• Serves as a technical and professional resource for clients and internal teams, developing innovative approaches, methodologies, tools, and standards; leading stakeholder and client communications as appropriate; mentoring and developing staff; and identifying opportunities to expand client relationships and generate additional work.

Experience and qualifications for success

• Demonstrated success leading business development, strategic pursuits, capture planning, and client relationship management within the environmental consulting industry, with experience identifying and developing opportunities across the Southeast and building relationships with clients, regulators, industry partners, and other stakeholders.
• Proven experience leading complex multidisciplinary projects and teams, including responsibility for project strategy, technical approach, QA/QC, risk management, budgets, schedules, client and agency communication, and successful delivery of multiple concurrent projects or pursuits.
• Strong leadership and collaboration skills, with the ability to influence across offices, geographies, and disciplines; lead teams with and without formal authority; mentor and develop staff; manage competing priorities; and lead effectively with minimal guidance and extensive latitude.

Preferred qualifications: 

• Established professional network and demonstrated relationships with clients, regulators, industry partners, and/or other stakeholders across the Southeast.
• Recognized technical or professional expertise in an environmental consulting discipline, with demonstrated ability to develop innovative solutions, methodologies, tools, or standards that advance client outcomes and SWCA’s technical reputation.
• Experience leading pursuits and projects of the highest complexity involving multiple jurisdictions, agencies, disciplines, phases, significant budgets, elevated levels of risk, controversy, or regulatory complexity, as well as experience supervising or providing leadership through other supervisors.

Demonstrated success in business development and client relationship management in environmental consulting; proven experience leading complex multidisciplinary projects and teams; strong leadership and collaboration skills.

Key Responsibilities

• developing client relationships
• driving business development
• leading project pursuits

Job Details

• Category: Business Development
• Seniority: Senior Level
• Commitment: Full Time
• Workplace: Remote — North Carolina or South Carolina or Georgia or Florida or Alabama or Tennessee or Kentucky or Virginia or West Virginia or Mississippi or Louisiana or Arkansas or Oklahoma or Texas
• Languages: English

About SWCA Environmental Consultants

An environmental consulting firm providing multidisciplinary project delivery and client services. — Industry: Consulting Services