Architectural Technical Director

Professional Credentials:

• Licensed architect in the state of practice
• NCARB Certificate
• Construction Specifications Institute CDT, CCS, or CCCA certification recommended
• LEED AP, RELi AP or approved similar credential within 6 months of hire
• Member of at least one relevant professional organization (e.g., AIA, CSI)

Required Experience/Expertise:

• Minimum fifteen years in the field of architecture
• Work on a variety of projects, including large-scale and complex projects, in all phases
• Work on projects employing commonly-used delivery methods: design-bid-build; CM at Risk/GMP; Negotiated Contract; public-private partnership (recommended)
• Work in two or more of the local Perkins+Will office market sectors

Duties:

In partnership with the office’s management, operations and design leaders, create a culture of technical excellence.

• Actively promote the importance of high-quality, innovative design, with emphasis on technical resolution of design challenges.
• Familiarize staff with, and promote regular use of, the Project Delivery Manual
• Quality Assurance and Quality Control
  • Ensure that all projects in the office:
    • Comply with applicable codes and resiliency and sustainability goals.
    • Comply with industry standard construction techniques and building science.
    • Are thoroughly documented.
  • Develop and maintain a system to manage and monitor technical quality of design and documentation in accordance with the firm’s Project Delivery Manual
  • Monitor progress of projects relative to schedule and budget (Perkins+Will fee and project costs).
• Manage the office specification procedures, including the development, maintenance and periodic updates of local masters.
• Champion fiscal responsibility and performance in the technical development of projects.
• Mentor staff to develop, support, and monitor technical quality.
  • Facilitate technical training to increase technical competency in staff
  • Facilitate documentation and dissemination of lessons learned and the resolution of project issues
• Manage high-risk project situations.
• Investigate and implement management systems that can improve the three legs of the project triangle: quality, cost, and time
• Research and report on new technologies, materials, and building systems

Management

• Collaborate with office leadership to ensure proper technical staffing assignments and facilitate performance of project technical teams
• Participate in the interviewing and hiring of potential technical staff.
• Represent and lead the local office in implementation of firmwide technical initiatives, project document planning, quality assurance, and quality control standards and processes
• Collaborate with local project managers to ensure project architects/technical team members understand their roles, responsibilities, and importance to project success
• Collaborate with specifications writers (whether in-house, or outside consultant) to periodically review content for enhancements and inclusion of local office preferences (e.g., sustainability and material health, best practices, and lessons learned)
• Ensure project teams are aware of and following established protocols for engagement of the specifications writer
• Maintain a working knowledge of standard AIA contract documents and Construction Specifications Institute’s Practice Guides
• Facilitate effective collaboration among technical personnel in multi-office projects

Advanced Technical Skills:

• Able to translate design intent into technical solutions
• Able to enhance and promote client needs with building technology
• In order of importance, a working knowledge of:
  • Quality assurance and quality control procedures
  • Building codes (national (e.g., IBC, NFPA), state, county, city)
  • Risk management, contracts, and legal aspects of design and construction, including claims and disputes
  • Building systems, construction materials, and construction types
  • Engineering systems, especially consultant requirements and coordination
  • Construction documentation
  • Specification writing
  • Construction contract administration
  • Construction delivery methods and procedures and changes in same.
    • Familiar with Lean project delivery
  • Application of computers to architecture and construction
    • Use of BIM for project delivery
    • Competency in Revit a plus

Competencies

• Effective oral and written communication and presentation skills, including public speaking
• Collaborative and professional work ethic
• Good organizational skills
• Ability to direct or coordinate work efforts of staff on multiple projects.
• Manage and coordinate office-wide Learning and Development (L&D) related to technical architecture.
  • Assist L&D in developing content
  • Develop and maintain contacts within the local and national construction industry to contribute to L&D content delivery

Internal Relationships

• Reports to: Operations Director or managing director, as applicable.
• Directly manages: Senior Project Architects, Design applications manager, quality control reviewers, specifications writers
• In consultation with: Projects’ architects of record, may direct all other technical staff (e.g., PMs and PAs,)

External Relationships

As an office leader, the technical director is encouraged to engage the local and national design and construction communities and professional organizations through publication, participation in industry groups, and presentations at conferences and symposiums.