Client Services Operations Manager Jobs in Ontario

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.

Client Relationship Ownership

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

Team Leadership & Coaching

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

People Management & Team Performance

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; escalate 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

Scope Intake & Handoff

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

Project Delivery

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

KPIs

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

Hiring Requirements (Skills, Abilities, Traits, Characteristics, Experience, Education & Accomplishments)

• 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 demonstrated project management experience will be considered in lieu of certification
• Demonstrated ownership of project margins, not just technical delivery. Experience with budget-to-actual tracking, WIP, and profitability conversations
• Experience managing change orders and scope negotiations with clients, including pushing back on scope creep
• AR ownership experience - has chased payment, understands invoicing cadence and aging, and can speak to the cash-flow impact of a slow-pay client
• Comfortable in commercial conversations with clients - rates, terms, contract review - without needing every interaction brokered by Sales
• Hands-on delivery experience across GEMS' core business lines - ECA / Aquatech, Groundwater & Dewatering, Excess Soils, Air Quality, Hazardous Materials, and Settlement Monitoring
• Working familiarity with Ministry of Environment, Conservation and Parks and Environmental Activity and Sector Registry regulatory workflows, or a clear ability to ramp quickly given the client-facing accountability of the role
• Comfortable reviewing and approving technical deliverables and scope without needing SME-level depth in every discipline - judgment over technical mastery
• Prior experience serving general contractors in the infrastructure sector is a strong asset, particularly with demanding, high-volume accounts similar to Aquatech
• Prior experience directly supervising a team of Project Managers or similar technical staff
• Track record running structured 1-on-1s that translate into real coaching, not just status updates
• Experience with HR-adjacent duties - approving time off, performance conversations, balancing workload and capacity across a team.
  

This is a new position within the organization.

GEMS is committed to providing an inclusive, accessible, and barrier-free recruitment process. If you require accommodation at any stage of the recruitment process, please let us know and we will work with you to meet your accessibility needs.