Project Director

We are actively searching for a full-time Project Director in the IA Washington D.C. studio. Our incredible team works diligently & closely with our clients to realize goals, ideas, brand and culture into powerful, engaging workplaces. IA’s diverse, global client roster requires high-performance, inventive, visually compelling, adaptable and sustainable solutions moving their enterprise forward, support their culture, engage their staff, and integrate ever-changing technology. 

The Project Director is a senior leadership role within IA Interior Architects’ Washington, DC studio, responsible for the successful management and delivery of complex Workplace and Federal projects. The role focuses on project leadership, client relationships, team management, financial performance, and execution—ensuring projects are delivered successfully while supporting the studio’s broader business objectives.

Key Responsibilities

• Provide overall leadership and accountability for Workplace and Federal projects from project initiation through completion.
• Serve as a primary senior-level client contact, building trusted relationships and maintaining alignment around scope, schedule, budget, expectations, and project outcomes.
• Establish project execution plans, including scope, staffing, schedule, fees, deliverables, and consultant coordination.
• Maintain responsibility for project financial performance, including fee management, forecasting, work planning, invoicing, and identification of scope changes and additional services.
• Lead multidisciplinary project teams, establishing clear roles, responsibilities, priorities, and communication protocols.
• Oversee project delivery and quality, ensuring teams meet contractual requirements, IA standards, client expectations, and applicable project criteria.
• Direct the delivery of  projects, coordinating agency requirements, security protocols, technical criteria, approvals, and other government-specific processes.
• Manage project risk by proactively identifying issues related to scope, schedule, budget, staffing, contracts, consultants, and client expectations.
• Coordinate effectively with consultants, contractors, vendors, client representatives, and other project stakeholders.
• Partner with studio leadership on resource planning and staffing, balancing project requirements with team capacity and development opportunities.
• Mentor Project Managers and other team members, strengthening project management capabilities and promoting accountability across project teams.
• Support business development efforts through client relationship management, proposal development, interviews, fee and scope strategy, and identification of follow-on opportunities.
• Build and maintain relationships within the DC Workplace and Federal markets, supporting the studio’s reputation, client retention, and continued growth.
• Collaborate with design and technical leadership while maintaining clear accountability for overall project performance and delivery.

Qualifications

• Significant experience managing and delivering complex commercial interiors, architecture, or related projects, ideally including Workplace and Federal environments.
• Demonstrated success leading large or complex projects, multidisciplinary teams, and senior-level client relationships.
• Strong knowledge of project management practices, including contracts, scope, fees, schedules, staffing, forecasting, and risk management.
• Experience with Federal clients, agencies, procurement environments, or government project delivery is strongly preferred.
• Strong commercial and financial acumen with demonstrated responsibility for project profitability and performance.
• Excellent leadership, communication, negotiation, and client-management skills.
• Ability to anticipate challenges, make sound decisions, and provide clear direction to project teams.
• Proven ability to develop teams, mentor project leaders, and foster collaboration across disciplines.
• Professional degree in Interior Design, Architecture, or a related field preferred; relevant professional credentials are valued.

Education

•    Graduate of an accredited architecture design;
•    12 years of experience managing projects;
•    Licensure and/or accreditation in your discipline – AIA, NCARB, NCIDQ, LEED, WELL, etc.
•    Preference for Interior Architecture (Workplace) focus, but not required;
•    A proven history of robust client relationship skills, leadership, and design/delivery management.