GIS Manager

About the role

HDR is seeking a Geospatial Information Systems (GIS) Manager to lead the Geospatial practice in Michigan. The ideal candidate will provide technical expertise, manage geospatial technicians and analysts, and support business development.

Responsibilities

• Lead and grow the Michigan Geospatial Team, driving a high-performing culture focused on staff development, engagement, quality, and operational excellence.
• Align team resources to deliver scalable solutions across projects and programs while coordinating with other HDR teams and prioritizing projects and staffing to meet scope, schedule, and budget commitments.
• Support business development and strategic growth, contributing to pursuits, proposals, and client engagement strategies that position HDR as a leader in geospatial and digital delivery.
• Provide technical leadership and strategic direction for geospatial workflows, ensuring deliverables are high quality, consistent, and aligned with HDR’s GIS and digital delivery standards.
• Partner with HDR project managers and clients to define data strategies for complex infrastructure projects, establishing clear approaches for how data is created, managed, integrated, and delivered across the project lifecycle.
• Enable platform-first solution delivery by implementing and integrating Esri and other geospatial technologies, including web applications, dashboards, Hub sites, 3D/visualization tools, and enterprise data environments.
• Understand current GIS demands and determine how best to meet them; ensure that GIS technology is being used properly and efficiently. This includes coordinating different GIS activities across groups, agencies, departments, or individuals across multiple disciplines.
• Drive adoption of integrated CAD/BIM-to-GIS workflows and support alignment with digital delivery initiatives, ensuring geospatial solutions are embedded within broader project delivery workflows.
• Oversee project delivery and execution, including planning, budgeting, staffing, and performance tracking for geospatial scopes across multiple projects and clients. Champion quality and data integrity, implementing QA/QC processes and strengthening a culture of consistency, accountability, and continuous improvement.
• Mentor and develop geospatial professionals and GIS users, building capability across the region and contributing to HDR’s broader geospatial community.
• Support internal business development by supporting content development for GIS projects for use in developing proposals, presentations, scope and fee.
• Coordinate with the area Cross Sector Services Manager and area Project Managers, as needed to identify, maintain, and support project work.

Requirements

• Esri Certification (GISP, AICP, PE or other professional certification a plus)
• 10 years of experience related to geospatial technology development and/or delivery
• Background applying geospatial analysis to the planning and design of civil infrastructure systems
• Experience with current technology architecture, database design, and the software development lifecycle
• Expertise in data analysis
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills, including ability to write reports that summarize spatial analyses and communicate findings with charts, tables and narrative
• Demonstrated ability to serve as a GIS project leader including development of technical approach, budget, scheduling, and quality assurance
• Demonstrated ability to identify industry trends and determine where company capabilities can be marketed to existing and potential clients

Preferred Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree or equivalent experience
• A minimum of 8 years of practical GIS experience; an advanced degree in relevant field may offset 4 years of experience
• Proficient in use of ArcGIS, ArcGIS extensions and Microsoft 365 Apps

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree or equivalent experience
• Minimum of 8 years of practical GIS experience; an advanced degree in relevant field may offset 4 years of experience

Skills

• Technical leadership and strategic direction for geospatial workflows
• Data analysis
• Communication skills (verbal and written)
• Project management
• Team management
• Client engagement
• Proposal development
• Business development
• Quality assurance
• Industry trends identification

Benefits

As an employee-owner at HDR, you will benefit from:

• Employee ownership model shaping everything we do
• Commitment to fostering a culture of inclusion and diversity
• Opportunities for professional growth and development
• Competitive compensation and benefits package
• Flexible work arrangements
• Work-life balance

Pay

The salary range for this position is $75,000 - $100,000 annually, depending on experience and qualifications.

Schedule

This is a full-time position with standard business hours.

Company Culture

We believe in creating a welcoming environment where each of us is valued and respected, a place where everyone is empowered to bring their authentic selves and novel ideas to work every day. HDR is committed to the principles of employment equity and is an Equal Opportunity Employer.