Manager, Client Services

The Manager, Client Services is responsible for leading client relationships, project delivery, and team performance across an assigned portfolio of environmental projects. This role serves as the primary point of contact for portfolio-level client relationships, ensuring a high level of customer service while partnering with the Director of Client Services to develop account strategies for key and repeat clients.

The Manager provides day-to-day leadership, coaching, and accountability for Project Managers, ensuring projects are delivered safely, efficiently, on time, within scope, and in alignment with GEMS’ core values. The role also oversees scope intake and handoffs, change order management, project financial performance, invoicing, accounts receivable, and client satisfaction, while maintaining appropriate oversight of high-risk projects and supporting the team in resolving delivery challenges.

Success in this role is measured through portfolio profitability, timely AR and invoicing, client satisfaction, team performance, adherence to core values, and effective people leadership.

• Ensure there is a positive client relationship through all clients within the portfolio, increasingly for clients with multiple awarded projects within the Manager’s segment
• Serve as the primary point of contact for portfolio-level conversations with clients
• Coordinate with the Director of Client Services on account planning for key repeat clients and action plans

• Oversee, mentor, and coach subordinate project managers through managing projects, achieving KPIs, and with mindset
• Set expectations and track results through monthly 1-on-1 meetings with each direct report
• Evaluate effectiveness of communication between PMs and PCs / Technicians

• Approve time off requests for direct reports and ensure team capacity to continue executing on portfolio
• Own day-to-day people management for the team; elevate policy exceptions to the Director of Client Services
• Set clear expectation that are in line with the direction of Director CS and own accountability on team’s project margins, AR payment timeliness, positive client feedback, optimization of invoicing, and upholding all GEMS core values across the team

• Receive scope, RFPs, and work requests from Sales Team
• Clarify contract scope, fees, and terms as well as client signature before execution
• Own change order conversations on projects; review with Director of Client Services before submission
• Ensure POs cover requested work and ensure budget updated prior to work on any scope

• Decide on which scopes to self-perform and which to hand off to subordinates to run.
• Run own projects beginning to end
• Step in to support PM-led projects as needed
• Own client-facing commitments and deadlines on own projects
• Monitor customer service and delivery on subordinate projects
• Review major deliverables before release on high-risk projects, whether own or PM-led
• Flag financial risk early, ie. slow pay, disputed invoices, scope-fee mismatch

• Portfolio margins
• Portfolio AR on-time payment
• Portfolio client satisfaction / feedback
• Portfolio on-time invoicing
• Core values adherence, team and individual
• Monthly 1-on-1 completion rate with direct reports

• 5 - 8+ years running environmental or infrastructure consulting projects end-to-end including establishing project scope, budget, schedule, and delivery
• 3 - 5+ years of direct people management experience, ideally supervising Project Managers or similarly senior technical staff
• PMP designation preferred, not required — equivalent…