Technical Consulting Director, Cultural Heritage

ERM; New Orleans (LA); On-site; USD 180,000 - 260,000; Full time

Job summary

ERM seeks a Consulting Director, Cultural Heritage, based in Houston, TX, to lead the North America Cultural Heritage team across the Gulf region. You will guide regulatory compliance, advise on NHPA/NEPA issues, and drive growth while mentoring multidisciplinary teams.

This senior role emphasizes technical leadership, client relationships, and strategic development for major capital projects within the energy, infrastructure, and regulatory landscape.

Qualifications

• Master's degree or higher in Anthropology or related field, or equivalent experience.
• Must meet the Secretary of the Interior's Professional Standards for Archaeology to perform duties for NHPA Section 106 and NEPA compliance.
• Member of the Register of Professional Archaeologists (RPA).
• 8+ years (15+ years preferred) of related experience.
• Familiarity with state and federal regulatory processes.
• Technical expertise and practical experience with environmental permitting for large-scale capital projects.
• Required familiarity with NHPA and NEPA.
• Competency advising on SHPOs, THPOs, FERC, USACE and other agencies.
• Excellent technical report writing skills and demonstrated authorship for Phase I, II, and III projects.
• Ability to advise on artifact analysis and archaeological site NRHP recommendations.

Responsibilities

• Program management and leadership for regional cultural heritage projects within North America.
• Conduct literature reviews, field surveys, and archaeological excavations.
• Ensure technical quality of deliverables and regulatory compliance.
• Interact with regulators and collaborate with project teams.
• Support growth of ERM's archaeology and cultural heritage business.
• Collaborate across ERM practice areas to share resources and best practices.
• Represent ERM with agencies and clients, and manage subcontractors.
• Assist with proposal development to meet client needs.
• Lead and mentor multidisciplinary teams and drive revenue growth.

Skills

Regional leadership

Regulatory navigation

Client relationship mgmt

Team mentorship

Technical communication

Business development

Education

Master's degree in Anthropology

Job description

Lead the Future of Cultural Heritage Consulting Across North America

ERM is seeking a Consulting Director, Cultural Heritage, based in Houston, Texas, to serve as a regional leader within our Impact Assessment and Planning (IAP) Practice, supporting projects throughout the Gulf region while helping advance best practices across North America. Based in the Gulf region, with a focus on Texas, Louisiana, Arkansas, and Oklahoma, you will play a pivotal role in leading cultural heritage initiatives for key clients while advancing best practices across ERM's North America Cultural Heritage team.

This position combines technical leadership, client relationship management, business growth, and talent development, providing a unique opportunity to influence both project outcomes and the future direction of the practice. We are looking for a collaborative leader who is passionate about delivering excellence and mentoring the next generation of professionals.

Why This Role Matters

Cultural heritage considerations are increasingly critical to the successful development of energy, infrastructure, and capital projects. As a Consulting Director, you will play a pivotal role in helping clients navigate complex regulatory requirements while protecting cultural resources and advancing responsible development.

In this leadership position, you will guide high-profile projects, build trusted client relationships, contribute to business growth, and strengthen ERM's Cultural Heritage practice nationally. Your expertise will directly influence project outcomes, regulatory compliance, and the long‑term success of clients operating across the Gulf region and beyond.

What Your Impact Is

• Serve as a regional leader for ERM's North America Cultural Heritage team, sharing best practices and advancing technical excellence.
• Provide program management and leadership support for key energy‑sector clients throughout the Gulf region.
• Lead complex Cultural Heritage, NHPA, and NEPA compliance projects for major capital development initiatives.
• Drive the growth of ERM's archaeology and cultural heritage services through technical leadership and business development.
• Mentor, inspire, and develop multidisciplinary teams while fostering collaboration across ERM practices.
• Strengthen and expand client relationships, contributing to significant revenue growth and market presence.
• Represent ERM with clients, regulatory agencies, industry stakeholders, and professional organizations.

Required

What You'll Bring

• Master's degree or higher in Anthropology or related field, or equivalent experience.
• Must meet the Secretary of the Interior's Professional Standards for Archaeology to perform duties for NHPA Section 106 and NEPA compliance, pertaining especially to undertakings by multiple Federal agencies.
• Member of the Register of Professional Archaeologists (RPA).
• 8+ years (15+ years preferred) of related experience.
• Familiarity with state and federal regulatory processes.
• Technical expertise and practical experience with environmental permitting for large‑scale capital projects.
• Required familiarity with the National Historic Preservation Act (NHPA) and National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA).
• Competency advising on State Historic Preservation Offices (SHPOs), Tribal Historic Preservation Offices (THPOs), Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC), U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE), and other agency involvement.
• Excellent technical report writing skills and demonstrated authorship for Phase I, II, and III projects, including treatment plans, MOUs, resource reports, and related documentation.
• Ability to advise on artifact analysis and archaeological site NRHP recommendations, including identification of the need for additional studies.
• Demonstrated ability to carry research through to completion.
• Strong attention to detail in documentation and technical deliverables.
• Excellent communication and computer skills.
• Demonstrated business development abilities and the ability to maintain long‑term client relationships.
• Ability to manage and work effectively both independently and within multidisciplinary teams.
• Well‑developed team‑building and influencing skills, unquestioned integrity, and the experience, confidence, and stature to effectively address client and business challenges.
• Positive outlook, collaborative approach, and commitment to the success of ERM as a global company.
• Flexibility and responsiveness in a dynamic consulting environment where project needs and schedules may evolve.
• Driver's License Required: This position requires a valid driver's license and/or the ability to operate a company vehicle due to the nature of job duties, which include frequent travel to various client locations across a large geographical area.

Preferred

• Solid grasp of key impact assessment and management issues within the Power/Renewables sector.
• Experience interacting with regulatory agency personnel.
• Experience leading large multidisciplinary consulting teams and managing multiple projects simultaneously.
• Proven track record of expanding client relationships and growing market share within cultural heritage and archaeology consulting.
• Experience collaborating across multiple technical disciplines and geographic regions.

Key Responsibilities

• Program management and leadership in support of key energy‑sector clients in the Gulf region.
• Conduct research and writing for cultural heritage resource components of NHPA Section 106 and NEPA documents for private‑sector projects.
• Oversee teams conducting literature reviews, field reconnaissance, field surveys, and archaeological excavations.
• Be responsible for the technical content and quality of project deliverables.
• Interact with state and federal regulators and collaborate with project teams to analyze information using regional databases.
• Provide technical consulting expertise to support the growth of ERM's archaeology and cultural heritage business.
• Collaborate with other ERM practice areas to share multidisciplinary resources and best practices across the country.
• Represent ERM through communications and meetings with state, federal, and local agencies.
• Communicate regularly with clients through meetings, email, and conference calls.
• Oversee and manage subcontractors.
• Assist with proposal preparation and development to meet client needs.
• Manage multiple projects within scope, budget, and schedule expectations.
• Lead, hire, retain, mentor, inspire, and manage the performance of team members.
• Capitalize on existing ERM client relationships to expand ERM's profile and market share in the IAP Cultural Heritage market through technical excellence and business development.
• Partner with ERM colleagues to deepen existing client relationships and develop new client relationships that drive significant net revenue growth.

This is an excellent opportunity for a senior‑level professional seeking to elevate their career with a global sustainability leader while shaping the future of cultural heritage consulting across North America.

Who We Are:

As the largest global pure play sustainability consultancy, we partner with the world’s leading organizations, creating innovative solutions to sustainability challenges and unlocking commercial opportunities that meet the needs of today while preserving opportunity for future generations.

At ERM we know that creating a diverse, equitable and inclusive work environment is an essential part of making our company a great place to build a career. We also see our diversity as a strength that helps us create better solutions for our clients. Our diverse team of world‑class experts supports clients across the breadth of their organizations to operationalize sustainability, underpinned by our deep technical expertise in addressing their environmental, health, safety, risk and social issues. We call this capability our “boots to boardroom” approach for its comprehensive service model that allows ERM to develop strategic and technical solutions that advance objectives on the ground or at the executive level.

ERM is proud to be an Equal Employment Opportunity employer. We do not discriminate based upon race, religion, color, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, age, status as a protected veteran, status as an individual with a disability, or other applicable legally protected characteristics.

Thank you for your interest in ERM!