Digital Services Department Manager

Digital Services Department Manager
Location: Flexible (Remote or Hybrid, Washington State preferred)

Compensation: $121,000 - $162,000 (negotiable based on experience)

Position Summary

The Digital Services Department Manager is responsible for the leadership, growth, and overall performance of Spheros Environmental’s Northwest Digital Services Department. The Department Manager reports to the Northwest Regional Director. This role provides strategic and operational leadership to the team, with responsibility for hands-on technical contributions, financial performance, project delivery, staff development, client relationships, and business development.

The Digital Services Department Manager works collaboratively with Practice Area Leads, Managers and key contributors of complementary services (air quality, fisheries, aquatic and riparian sciences, water resources, ecology and lab testing), and other Spheros leaders to expand the company’s digital service capabilities by identifying opportunities to deliver innovative technology solutions to clients. The Department Manager also directly supervises the department's Group Managers, overseeing proposals, project delivery, and people leadership across software, data management, and broader department staff (field and technical).

Essential Functions

Personnel Management & Development

• Lead, mentor, and develop department staff, including technical staff and field supervisors and technicians to support both individual and department growth.
• Foster a collaborative, people-focused, and high-performance culture.
• Ensure the department is appropriately staffed and positioned while initiating recruiting, hiring, onboarding, and workforce planning for the team.
• Provide coaching and career development opportunities for employees.
• Monitor employee engagement and retention and work with Regional Director and Human Resources to proactively address concerns.
• Identify future leadership needs and support succession planning within the department.

Financial & Operational Management

• Responsible for monitoring and supporting the financial performance of the department.
• Develop and monitor budgets, forecasts, utilization, revenue, and other key financial metrics.
• Identify financial or operational risks and develop corrective actions as needed.
• Monitor project performance and support project leaders in addressing scope, schedule, budget, and resource concerns.
• Recommend processes and procedures that improve efficiency, quality, and client value.
• Hold team members and project leaders accountable for agreed-upon goals and performance expectations.

Business Development & Growth

• Develop and execute a multi-year sustained growth plan to grow the NW digital services portfolio through cross-selling and expanded business development.
• Identify new markets, clients, and opportunities for services, with the agility and foresight to leverage AI/ML to improve client offerings according to market and industry needs.
• Build and maintain strong relationships with existing and prospective clients.
• Partner with Digital Services Practice Area Lead on pursuit strategies and client development.
• Lead and support proposals, presentations, interviews, and other business development activities, including coaching others into lead role and overseeing quality of proposals from team.

Client & Project Delivery

• Ensure projects are delivered efficiently, effectively, and in alignment with client expectations.
• Provide senior project management, including scope, schedule, budget, staffing, and client communication, as well as oversight and coaching for team members in the PM role.
• Monitor the quality of deliverables and provide guidance when improvements are needed.
• Support project teams in resolving technical, operational, and client-related challenges.
• Ensure work is performed in accordance with Spheros’ quality, health, safety, and compliance standards.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in water resources, information technology, computer science, engineering, business, or a related field preferred.
• 10+ years of experience in environmental data systems, software or data engineering for natural resources, or a related field.
• Demonstrated experience leading technical teams and/or business operations.
• Experience managing projects, budgets, and client relationships.
• Demonstrated success in business development and growing client relationships. Consulting or client-facing experience is a plus.
• Strong understanding of environmental and natural resource data (fisheries, water, and ecological monitoring) and the software, database, and cloud systems that manage it.
• Strong communication, leadership, organizational, and problem-solving skills.
• Ability to work collaboratively across technical disciplines and business units.
• Ability to balance technical, operational, financial, and client priorities.
• Demonstrated ability to mentor and develop technical professionals and future leaders.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience serving hydropower, utility, or public-agency clients, including regulatory and compliance-driven work.
• Familiarity with information security and compliance frameworks for government and utility clients (e.g., SOC 2, NIST SP 800-171).

Apply today! Spheros is an equal-opportunity employer.