Director of Architecture and Design

Director of Architecture & Design

Location: Utah (Salt Lake City area), with hybrid flexibility
Travel: Occasional local travel (site visits, agency meetings)
Reports to: Executive Leadership
Direct reports: Internal drafting staff and/or external consultant teams
Compensation: Competitive base bonus potential benefits

About the Role

An established real estate company is seeking a Director of Architecture & Design to lead design strategy and execution across a growing portfolio of projects (multifamily, townhomes, mixed-use retail/commercial). The Director of Architecture & Design will own the full design lifecycle – from early feasibility and entitlements through construction documentation, permitting, and construction administration – ensuring projects are design-forward, efficient to build, aligned with proforma realities, and code-compliant.

This is a high-impact, dynamic, and collaborative role for someone who can balance architecture, product design, constructability, municipal processes, and team leadership.

Key Responsibilities

Design Leadership & Product Strategy

• Guide early massing/site planning studies in coordination with the acquisitions and development teams, as well as civil, planning, and construction.
• Establish and maintain the company’s architectural and design standards and libraries (unit plans, elevations, materials, detailing, amenity packages, branding, scopes, etc.).
• Drive both design quality and the design process with an eye to repeatability, cost control, speed-to-permit, and constructability.
• Build and lead internal design capability (as applicable), improving processes, standards, and documentation workflows.
• Collaborate internally with ownership, acquisitions, and development, and externally with engineers, consultants, contractors, and other building lifecycle partners.

Entitlements & Agency Coordination

• Lead design and documentation for pre-application meetings, planning commission, design review, zoning compliance, and entitlement negotiations.
• Coordinate with planners and municipal staff to achieve approvals with minimal redesign churn.
• Ensure design packages are clear, defensible, and conform to municipal requirements.

Consultant Management & Documentation

• Select, manage, and hold accountable external consultants: civil, MEP, structural, landscape, interiors, signage/wayfinding, lighting, specialty consultants, etc.
• Oversee production of permit sets and construction documents, ensuring code compliance and building department responsiveness, constructability and clarity, value engineering, and coordination across disciplines.

Cost, Schedule, and Constructability

• Coordinate with general contractor precon/construction teams to align design decisions with budget, procurement realities, and schedule constraints.
• Lead iterative VE efforts and manage trade-offs to protect scope and performance outcomes.
• Reduce RFIs and change orders through rigorous coordination and quality control.

Construction Administration & Field Support

• Provide design leadership during construction: submittal review, RFI responses, site observations, punch support, and design issue resolution.
• Maintain design intent while making practical field decisions quickly.
• Function as an owner’s representative, leading or participating in on-site OAC meetings.

Qualifications

Required

• Professional degree in Architecture (or equivalent) and 10 years experience with increasing responsibility (development-facing preferred but not required).
• Proven leadership on residential projects (multifamily & townhomes) through entitlements, permitting, CA.
• Strong working knowledge of:
• IBC/IRC, accessibility requirements, and typical fire/life safety constraints
• Municipal entitlement processes and design review dynamics
• Construction documentation standards and consultant coordination
• Track record of delivering projects that meet design quality, budget, and schedule goals.
• Proficient in architecture and design softwares such as Revit, Sketchup, CAD, Photoshop and InDesign, Enscape/VRay, etc.
• Excellent communication skills with and ability to influence stakeholders and represent the company publicly when needed.

Preferred

• Licensed Architect (or ability to obtain license in first 90-days) – ARE reimbursed by employer; NCARB helpful.
• Direct experience working for or closely with a developer-builder or design-builder.
• Experience building repeatable product lines and standardized plan sets.
• Comfort with pro formas, hard/soft cost drivers, and cost-informed design decisions.

What Success Looks Like (First 6–12 Months)

• Establish clear design standards and decision-making processes across the developer’s pipeline.
• Reduce entitlement and permitting cycle friction through better pre-planning and document clarity.
• Improve construction outcomes (fewer RFIs, cleaner coordination, stronger VE discipline).
• Create a scalable consultant ecosystem and internal workflow that supports growth.

Why This Role

• High visibility, opportunity for ownership, and meaningful influence on the built product.
• Opportunity to shape a portfolio and design culture.
• Partner closely with decision-makers in a fast-moving development environment.

Confidential Application Process

To maintain confidentiality, the company name and project list will be shared later in the process. Interested candidates should submit:

• Resume/CV
• Portfolio or representative work samples (PDF or link)
• Brief note highlighting relevant residential entitlement construction delivery experience
• Any references