Chief Digital Information Officer

About the opportunity

Build What’s Next with Technology and Purpose

SWCA Environmental Consultants is seeking a visionary, collaborative, and execution-oriented Chief Digital Information Officer (CDIO), to lead the next evolution of technology across our employee-owned organization. This is a unique opportunity to advance SWCA’s long-term strategic goals by developing and deploying innovative technologies that enhance internal operations, elevate client experiences, and drive long-term value.

As CDIO, you will be a key member of SWCA’s Senior Leadership Team (SLT), working alongside leaders across the business to design and execute our technology strategy. Your leadership will shape how we apply innovation—from AI and automation to data systems and software solutions—in service of our people, clients, and planet. You will guide a growing team including Technology Delivery, Technology & Data Solutions, and Practice Technologies, leading with both business acumen and technical insight.

We are looking for a leader with a passion for solving complex challenges in a collaborative way, a strategic mindset, and a commitment to building inclusive, people-centered solutions at scale with pace.

Apply Now – Let’s Build the Future Together

Please include a Letter of Interest with your resume. We’ll begin reviewing applications immediately and will interview qualified candidates on a rolling basis. Once we find the right match, the application process may close without notice.

Who We Are

At SWCA, we are scientists, planners, and technical experts driven by purpose. We collaborate across disciplines and geographies. We innovate relentlessly, challenge the status quo, and learn continuously. We are 100% employee-owned, and we build our future together.

We are united by a singular purpose: preserving natural and cultural resources for tomorrow while enabling projects that benefit people today.

Join us. Let’s create what’s next.

Application deadline: Our team will begin reviewing applications immediately, and interviews will be scheduled with qualified candidates on a rolling basis. The application process will remain open until we have received a robust pool of qualified candidates. Once we have identified suitable individuals, we may close the application process without prior notice. We appreciate the time and effort invested by all applicants and will carefully consider each submission.

What you will accomplish

• Lead with Vision: Develop and execute a long-term, enterprise-wide technology strategy that aligns with SWCA’s business objectives and empowers our people and delivers for our clients.
• Elevate Infrastructure: Drive system design, architecture, and implementation of scalable, secure, and future-ready infrastructure across the company.
• Champion Technology Innovation: Embrace and deploy technologies such as machine learning, AI, and automation where they create real value. Partner with the SLT to develop a robust process for selecting, piloting, scaling, and sunsetting technology-related initiatives.
• Advance Client Impact: Deliver technology solutions that enhance our service offerings and differentiate SWCA in a competitive market. In our industry, there's growing focus on converting intellectual property into repeatable, tech-enabled products (e.g., permitting platforms, risk assessment tools, mobile data collection apps).
• Foster Integration: Collaborate across regions, functions, and disciplines to break down silos and lead high-impact digital transformation initiatives.
• Cultivate a Culture of Security and Compliance: Ensure best-in-class security practices in line with frameworks like NIST CSF, ISO 27001:2022, and CMMC while being mindful of our ability to meet our client’s needs.
• Develop Talent: Mentor and grow high-performing technology teams, fostering innovation, accountability, and cross-functional collaboration that align with SWCA’s culture.
• Data Governance and Analytics Strategy: Champion a companywide data strategy with peers, ensuring high-quality, secure, and accessible data that informs business decisions, project performance, and client value. This goes beyond IT infrastructure—it's about enabling analytics, dashboards, and insight across functions.
• Elevating Practice Technologies/GIS: Partner with business units across SWCA to elevate our services and ability to meet client’s needs with geospatial and remote sensing services. Work to align resources and strategy with our greatest opportunities to create return on investment and value.
• Sustainability & Tech Intersection: Highlight how technology supports sustainability goals and aligns with our North Star: enabling collaboration, smarter asset management, or streamlining reporting for compliance.
• Tech Stack Modernization & Cloud Strategy:  Continue cloud migration, legacy system retirement, and leverage technology/vendor stacks to enable better data integration and ease of use for employees, which is especially relevant in AEC, where systems may be outdated or past useful life.
• Drive Strategic Growth: Support enterprise initiatives such as ERP transition, business planning, and strategic investment in digital capabilities.
• Be a Trusted Advisor: Provide insights and counsel to the CEO, SLT, and business leaders, bringing a future-focused lens to business and technology alignment.

Competencies and Commitment

• Strategic Mindset
• Business Insight
• Drives Vision and Purpose
• Communicates Effectively
• Manages Complexity
• Collaborates Across Boundaries

You’ll Thrive Here If You

• See technology as a tool for empowering people and driving meaningful outcomes.
• Think strategically but execute pragmatically.
• Are energized by complex, enterprise-scale challenges.
• Inspire trust through transparency, empathy, and decisiveness.
• Lead with a growth mindset and a deep commitment to learning.
• Believe in the power of innovation to create a more sustainable future.

What Success Looks Like

• Strategic technology roadmap is aligned and delivering measurable impact.
• Improved efficiency, security, and scalability of technology systems across SWCA.
• High-performing, agile, and collaborative tech teams across the organization.
• Enhanced client offerings through digital solutions and innovation.
• SWCA continues to be recognized as a technology-forward, purpose-driven leader in our space.

Experience and qualifications for success

• Bachelor’s degree in a related field.
• Minimum 15 years of experience in information technology, including 8 years in a leadership role.
• Proven experience executing digital strategy and leading large-scale transformation.
• Background in architecture, infrastructure, application development, and enterprise systems.
• Familiarity with compliance frameworks, cybersecurity standards, and change management.
• Strong interpersonal and leadership skills with demonstrated experience influencing at the executive level.

Preferred Qualifications: 

• Bachelor's degree in a technology- related field
• Master’s degree in a related field.
• Experience in the A/E/C industry.

Why Work at SWCA:

SWCA Environmental Consultants is a growing employee-owned firm, providing a full-spectrum of environmental services.  Our Vision (the North Star) is to make SWCA the best workplace and industry leader in sustainability, bringing sound science and creative solutions to global environmental challenges while maintaining a dedication to employee-ownership. We live our core values: we collaborate as #OneSWCA; we are #AlwaysLearning, we #NeverSettle, and we #GiveBack.

We are 100% employee-owned, and we build our success together. With offices across the United States, SWCA is one of the largest environmental compliance firms and ranks among Engineering News-Record’s Top 200 Environmental Firms. We offer a supportive, team-oriented work environment and competitive wages and benefits, including an 100% employee stock ownership plan (retirement).

At SWCA, we support our team members in developing their careers to make them leaders in their industry. Our Career Landscape initiative is a process and guide designed to help develop chart rewarding career paths for employees at SWCA. We encourage professional conference attendance, internal and external professional development and training programs, education reimbursement, and bonuses for publications meeting certain criteria. All regular status employees are eligible to participate in SWCA medical, dental, vision, employee assistance, wellness, life and disability plans, and are eligible to participate in the SWCA 401(k) Profit Sharing Plan and Trust.

If you need assistance accessing SWCA’s website, completing the online application, or require accommodations at any point during the hiring process due to a disability, please contact us at accommodations@swca.com or call 1-480-581-5378. We’re committed to providing an inclusive and supportive experience for all candidates. This contact information is specifically for accommodation requests; other inquiries will not receive a response. 

EOE - women, minorities, individuals with disabilities and veterans are encouraged to apply. At SWCA Environmental Consultants, we celebrate diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive work environment. We strongly encourage candidates from all backgrounds, including those with diverse experiences and veterans, to apply. We believe that a diverse and inclusive workforce enhances creativity, innovation, and overall organizational success.

SWCA is committed to salary equity and salary transparency for all its employees.  In alignment with this commitment, SWCA posts good faith pay ranges in all its advertised job postings to promote pay equity and transparency.

An employee in this US-based position can expect an annual salary of $230,000 - $315,000. Actual pay within this range may depend on experience, qualifications, geographic location, client requirements where applicable, and other factors permitted by law.  Bonus targets are up to 75% of salary depending upon both company and individual performance. Candidates are also encouraged to consider SWCA’s Total Rewards package, which includes a competitive benefits package (https://www.swca.com/careers/benefits-wellness/), forward-thinking workplace flexibility, outstanding corporate culture, award-winning career development, and more.

SWCA continues to invest deeply in career development programs, delivering our award-winning Career Landscape support resources to accelerate the growth of our staff. We recognize the valuable skills and experiences our internal team members bring to SWCA’s continued success. Qualified internal candidates are encouraged to apply and will be seriously considered for this position. We believe in promoting from within, where possible, providing our existing employees with compelling opportunities to advance their careers.

#LI-KB1

#LI-Remote