JLL Design is looking for a Senior Technical Director to lead our technical team across our national workplace interiors practice. You'll set the technical direction that carries a creative idea through documentation and construction, so it holds together as projects grow in complexity. Working with studio and practice leaders, you'll help grow our business through detail-oriented, process-minded project delivery for our clients.
As Senior Technical Director, you'll directly lead the team and take responsibility for the successful management of the design solution across multiple projects and studios. You'll serve as technical lead, producer and client liaison, set the practice's best practices, bring forward new solutions, and act as quality assurance and control lead through every phase of design for all projects across the practice.
Qualifications and skills
•20+ years' experience working on commercial Interior Design projects.
•Bachelor's or Master's Degree in Architecture.
•Completion of Architectural Registration Exams and licensure in at least one (1) state.
•Fluent in AutoCAD, Revit and Microsoft Office Suite.
•Extensive knowledge of building codes and accessibility guidelines, with the ability to research requirements across jurisdictions and provide interpretations consistent with best practices.
•Excellent client communication and relationship management skills, including with senior client stakeholders.
•Entrepreneurial attitude: self-motivated, self-managed and able to multitask and organize several projects at a time.
•Demonstrated experience directly leading, coaching and evaluating a technical team, including direct reports across multiple studios, offices or regions, with clear direction and performance assessments related to technical expertise.
•Ability to set a technical vision and roadmap for a national practice, turn it into clear priorities and measurable goals, and build consistent standards, templates and workflows that teams in different locations adopt and sustain.
•Track record of developing technical leaders, including coaching, succession planning and talent retention.
•Working knowledge of project risk management, contract documentation and professional liability considerations.
•Financial acumen, including technical budgets, staffing and utilization.
•Ability to influence and build trust with studio leaders, Architects of Record and consultants at senior levels.
•Experience evaluating and rolling out BIM standards and emerging tools to improve quality and efficiency.
•Excellent listening and problem-solving skills.
•Ability to manage multiple concurrent deadlines, prioritize assignments and excel under pressure.
•Collaborative culture builder who models inclusion and belonging.
•Seeks out and responds well to feedback and direction from others.
•Ability to work both independently and within the fabric of a design team.
Responsibilities
•Lead the national technical team directly: set priorities, allocate resources across studios, and provide clear direction, regular feedback and career development.
•Define and own the technical strategy for the practice, including standards, tools, templates, processes and workflows, and make sure studios apply them consistently.
•Hire, onboard, coach and retain technical talent, and build a bench of future technical leaders.
•Partner with studio and practice leaders to match technical resources to project demand and business goals.
•Set quality, risk and technical performance measures for the practice, report results to studio and practice leaders, flag areas that fall short of standards, and put corrective plans in place.
•Own technical excellence and quality control of all drawings produced across the practice: oversee documentation, redline drawings, and coach and mentor team members on technical aspects of work products and quality control policies and procedures.
•Champion firm standards for project delivery and internal quality assurance and control.
•Collaborate with firm Architects of Record to make sure work is produced to firm standards, in line with project design intent and translatable to buildable solutions.
•Conduct regular workshops, classes and sessions, including at the annual staff summit, to educate others on technical aspects of project work.
•Serve as the internal "go-to" champion for code reviews, technical content and production of contract documents.
•Attend industry conferences and seminars aimed at acquiring new education and credentials as required.
•Oversee the Construction Administration process in assuring work products are in compliance with documented design intent.
•Understand high level technical budgets, offering cost-effective solutions as needed.
•Communicate concepts and ideas to others through written, drawn and verbal means.
•Tell leadership which areas of investment are needed for annual planning and identify and plan for technical investment as part of fiscal strategy planning sessions.
•Travel to project sites and studios as required (expected 20%).
This position does not provide visa sponsorship. Candidates must be authorized to work in the United States without sponsorship.
Expected compensation for this position: 180,000.00 – 180,000.00 USD per year. Final compensation packages are determined by various considerations including but not limited to candidate qualifications, location, market conditions, and internal considerations.
Location: On-site – Chicago, IL
Benefits
•401(k) plan with matching company contributions
•Comprehensive Medical, Dental & Vision Care
•Paid parental leave at 100% of salary
•Paid Time Off and Company Holidays
•Early access to earned wages through Daily Pay
