Design Director

JOB DESCRIPTION

Spur is looking for a full-time Design Director to join our dynamic team and be the leading force in establishing the design direction of our projects. This ideal candidate is creative, enthusiastic, organized, a motivated self-starter, detail-oriented, and collaborative, and possesses demonstrated experience with GSA or US Department of State Design Excellence projects. The ideal candidate will have a demonstrated design reputation evident through design awards, thought leadership, education, and publication of designed/completed projects or articles. Capable of meeting design excellence goals while balancing management and project goals and budgets. Has the ability to guide projects from their initial design concepts through to successful completion. Effective in mentoring, challenging, and developing junior staff, and demonstrates a passion for excellence in all aspects of their professional and personal life.

JOB REQUIREMENTS

• Lead staff in the establishment of design standards and sets the design direction on all projects, coordinating with Project Managers, Discipline Leads, and other design staff.
• Provide design and documentation direction on projects within Spur Design offices including client liaison, design presentations, contract documentation, with some construction administration oversite to ensure design direction is maintained.
• Manage, instruct, and mentor junior design staff on all architectural and professional efforts.
• Assist firm leadership in the day-to-day operations of the Spur Design offices.
• Take responsibility for time management of assigned jobs.
• Keep an accurate daily record of the time spent on each assigned job.
• Attend office meetings and provide reports on a regular basis regarding the progress of individual projects under their responsibility.
• Work with other Spur leadership to ensure the firm is utilizing state-of-the-art design software and visualization platforms.
• Act at all times to ensure the safety of yourself, other staff, clients, and visitors.

QUALIFICATIONS

• Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Architecture
• 10+ years of experience functioning as a lead designer on a variety of projects of various scales and complexities
• Maintains Professional Registration with NCARB and/or RIBA Certification Preferred
• Knowledge of applicable BIM and CAD software(s).
• Must be capable of leading a team and making client presentations.
• Ability to lead and guide staff in the production of construction documents to ensure design intent is being properly documented.
• Portfolio of completed projects demonstrating a background in Design Excellence Projects as defined by the GSA or US Department of State.
• Work experience on International Projects is a plus.
• Ability to recruit, attract, and maintain new clients to the Spur Brand.
• Thorough knowledge of codes and zoning regulations
• Coordination skills with Project Managers, consultants, and schedules
• Extensive knowledge of construction detailing and ability to oversee the prepare a complete set of construction documents
• Leadership and mentorship of staff and internal project team
• Excellent communication and writing skills
• Committed to being a leader and working to build a vibrant and dynamic firm culture.
• Advanced project management skills
• Knowledge of construction costs and time frames

BENEFITS

Benefits offered with the full-time position include paid time off, sick time off, holiday time off; Healthcare, STD, LTD and Life Insurance plans; reimbursement for professional exams and continuing education; and retirement contributions as follows:

• 15-25 days of accrued personal time off (PTO) based on years in profession
• Paid Holidays including:
• New Year’s Day
• Spur Design Inception Day (observed the Friday before Memorial Day)
• Memorial Day
• Independence Day
• Labor Day
• Thanksgiving Day and the following Friday
• Christmas Day and the weekdays between Christmas and New Year’s Day
• Flex Time of up to 4 Hours per week
• Short-term Disability (STD) and Long-term Disability (LTD) are provided at no charge and include compensation of up to 60% of annual base salary.
• Life insurance in the amount of up to $100,000 or 2x annual base salary (whichever is less) is provided at no charge.
• Health Insurance, employer covers 100% of employee premiums and 50% of family premiums
• Dental Insurance, employer covers 100% of employee premiums and 50% of family premiums
• Vision Insurance. employer covers 100% of employee premiums and 50% of family premiums
• Retirement benefits include matching 401k contributions of 1-for-1 matching up to 3% and 1-for-2 matching up to 5%, with a maximum match of 4% for a 5% employee contribution. This plan is a “safe harbor” eligible plan and, subsequently, no vesting period is required past initial eligibility requirements.

Spur Design also offers reimbursement of training and professional organization dues or fees with prior approval by ownership.

Spur Design