Design Director Jobs in Iowa (NOW HIRING)

At RDG, our designers are dedicated to pushing the boundaries of possibility for our clients in the communities and institutions we serve. As we continue to plan and design significant projects nationwide, we're seeking an experienced architect or interior designer who can serve as a doer-seller and play a pivotal role, both in creating innovative spaces and helping RDG pursue meaningful wellness and recreation facilities nationwide.

As a seasoned architect or interior designer, you'll lead marketing efforts and facilitate strong client and prospective client relationships, continuing to build our national market. You won’t be alone! You’ll work alongside a successful team of other doer-sellers focused on athletic and outdoor venue project types.

Beyond your client service and marketing responsibilities, you'll help inspire and mentor others within our Sports team. This dual focus on client relationships and market development offers a unique opportunity to influence both our projects and our practice at a fundamental level.

Because this role is unique, our ideal candidate will be entrepreneurial, action-focused, continually looking for prospective projects and will leverage our team atmosphere to grow this market. This person will seek out opportunities for personal development and be proactive in pursuing pathways that enhance both individual and collective achievements. They will be motivated to make a significant impact in this market nationally. While working alongside other market leaders, they will go the extra mile to ensure the continued success of our wellness and recreation clients.

Essential Functions:

• Develop client relationships, nationally, focused on those in need or our professional services within the wellness and recreation space.
• Initiate strategies and talking points to secure work via thought leadership, seminar presentations, responses to RFQ/RFP solicitations and project proposals.
• Collaborate and brainstorm across RDG’s Sports Studio.
• Collaborate across disciplines, both in and outside RDG. We are not looking for a lone ranger.
• Serve as a resource and mentor for internal team members.
• Create compelling presentations that communicate our design knowledge, inspire our clients, and communicate strong design solutions.
• Serve as a project manager, leading some portions of the planning and design of dynamic, award-winning sports, wellness and recreation facilities. The best candidates will have experience in all parts of the architectural process, from programming through post-occupancy evaluations.

• Exceptional oral presentation and written communication skills, ability to lead others and build confidence in client prospects.
• Compelling leadership to guide, build and direct others, including staff, client prospects and clients.
• Excellent critical thinking and collaboration ability, combined with strong relationship skills and executing strengths.
• Demonstrated history of building long-term relationships with team members and clients. The best candidate will have demonstrated experience in building ground-up relationships with client prospects.
• Proven ability to develop and execute successful strategies for initiating and completing marketing tasks and billable project work, on time and budget.
• Proven flexibility to perform at high capacity (on task, on time, as planned), when faced with a changing landscape (changing markets, market demands and needs of client prospects) across multiple communication platforms (via virtual and in-person project interviews, design workshops, public presentations), while leveraging technology, research and depth of experience to continually build confidence in others.
• Travel is required, and the best candidate will have a proven ability, or expressed willingness, to fulfill the requirements of this role while traveling frequently.

Education and Experience:

• 10 or more years of professional work experience with five plus years of focus on wellness, recreation, and /or related sports facilities.
• Licensed architect or certified interior designer, preferably with specialty credentials (LEED, WELL, etc.).
• Knowledge of trends in wellness and recreational facility planning, design, and operations.
• Demonstrated leadership and marketing experience.
• Past project management experience initiating planning, feasibility, fit-studies, conceptual design and design development. The best candidate will have strong experience in all phases of a traditional architectural process.
• Broad technical understanding of building systems and project delivery.
• Experience as a collaborative teammate in interdisciplinary planning, design and construction environments.

Location:

• Des Moines and St. Louis, with consideration for Denver, Iowa City, Madison or Omaha.