Studio Manager - Architecture

About HMA Architecture

HMA Architecture Inc. is a California-based architecture firm focused on custom residential, multifamily, developer-driven residential, and select tribal government work. We are a design-driven firm that runs residential projects with the rigor, clarity, and discipline of a larger practice.

Our work ranges from custom homes and residential remodels to technical documentation, consultant coordination, and larger-scale residential development planning. Recent HMA work includes detailed architectural assembly documentation such as acoustical ceiling retrofit coordination and conceptual residential development planning at the scale of 50 duplex buildings / 100 units.

We are looking for a Studio Manager — Architecture to help manage the day-to-day production workflow of the firm, improve project accountability, support staff execution, and keep architectural work moving with consistency, urgency, and professionalism.

Position Summary

The Studio Manager — Architecture is responsible for managing the daily execution of architectural production work across active projects. This role coordinates project schedules, task assignments, workload priorities, project status tracking, consultant follow-up, labor/budget awareness, and production team accountability.

This is not a purely administrative role. The Studio Manager must understand architectural production well enough to manage project flow, identify bottlenecks, follow up with Job Captains and Architectural Assistants, and recognize when technical, consultant, schedule, or scope issues need to be escalated.

The Studio Manager works closely with the VP of Architecture, who is responsible for architectural standards, QA/QC expectations, technical leadership, and staff development. The Studio Manager owns the daily movement of work; the VP of Architecture owns the architectural standard.

This role is ideal for someone who is highly organized, proactive, direct, calm under pressure, and experienced in architectural production environments.

Key Responsibilities

Production Management

• Manage daily production workflows across active architectural projects.
• Maintain schedules, milestones, task tracking, and project status dashboards.
• Coordinate priorities with leadership and monitor weekly assignments for Job Captains and Architectural Assistants.
• Follow up on deliverables, redlines, permit corrections, and outstanding tasks to ensure progress.
• Identify bottlenecks, stalled projects, consultant delays, and missing information before they impact schedules.
• Keep projects moving proactively and support efficient production operations.

Team Coordination & Accountability

• Oversee project execution support for Job Captains and Architectural Assistants.
• Ensure team members understand priorities, deadlines, and deliverables.
• Monitor workload distribution, accountability, communication, and performance.
• Escalate recurring issues and support a disciplined, organized production culture.

Project Scheduling & Delivery

• Track project progress through design, documentation, permitting, consultant coordination, and construction phases.
• Identify schedule risks early and recommend recovery strategies.
• Ensure deliverables, decisions, and coordination efforts are completed in the proper sequence and readiness for submission.

Budget & Resource Awareness

• Review labor tracking, project budgets, and utilization with leadership.
• Identify projects trending over budget, fee erosion risks, inefficiencies, or scope changes.
• Flag concerns early to support profitability and efficient project delivery.

Consultant & Client Coordination

• Track consultant deliverables, coordination items, and follow-up needs.
• Support communication and coordination between consultants, internal teams, and clients as directed.
• Escalate scope creep, delays, or unclear direction before additional uncompensated work occurs.

QA/QC Support

• Coordinate completion of redlines, review comments, and jurisdictional corrections.
• Support QA/QC readiness before major deadlines.
• Identify recurring production or documentation issues and reinforce expectations for coordinated, buildable drawing sets.

Reporting & Communication

• Prepare weekly production reports and support production meetings.
• Track action items and follow-through.
• Provide leadership updates on project status, schedule risks, budgets, staffing, consultant coordination, QA/QC needs, and required decisions.

Required Qualifications

• 7 years of experience in architectural production, project coordination, project management, or studio operations.
• Prior experience in an architecture firm is required.
• Residential architecture experience strongly preferred.
• Experience with custom residential, multifamily, developer housing, production housing, or permit-driven documentation preferred.
• Strong understanding of architectural drawing sets, project phases, consultant coordination, permit submittals, and correction responses.
• Ability to manage multiple active projects and team members simultaneously.
• Strong organizational and follow-up skills.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills.
• Ability to hold team members accountable in a professional and direct manner.
• Ability to identify schedule, staffing, coordination, and production risks early.
• Comfortable working in a small firm environment where structure, initiative, and ownership matter.
• Architectural license preferred but not required.

Technical Skills

Preferred experience with:

• AutoCAD and/or Revit
• Bluebeam
• Microsoft Teams
• Microsoft Planner
• Microsoft 365
• Monograph or similar project/time tracking software
• Dropbox or similar cloud-based file systems
• Architectural drawing coordination workflows

How to Apply

Qualified candidates should submit a resume and a brief note describing their experience managing architectural production, coordinating project teams, and keeping projects organized through documentation, consultant coordination, and permit delivery.

Portfolio samples are welcome but not required. We are more interested in production leadership, organization, follow-through, and architectural project execution experience than presentation graphics alone.

Pay: $105,000.00 - $125,000.00 per year

Benefits:

• 401(k)
• 401(k) matching
• Dental insurance
• Health insurance
• Paid time off
• Vision insurance

People with a criminal record are encouraged to apply

Work Location: In person

Salary : $105,000 - $125,000