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Senior Project Architect - Institutional

Role Description: Huitt-Zollars is seeking a full-time Senior Project Manager / Senior Project Architect for its Alexandria, Virginia (NCR) office. This role will lead and support multidisciplinary teams through the full project lifecycle, from business development and client engagement through planning, design, construction administration, and closeout. The ideal candidate will have strong architectural delivery experience, proven client leadership skills, and the ability to manage complex institutional, healthcare, higher education, commercial, and public-sector projects from concept through construction. This position requires strong business judgment, clear communication, effective presentation skills, relationship-building ability, collaboration, and a positive, team-oriented approach.

As a practice, the Huitt-Zollars Institutional Practice Area brings together architects, engineers, planners, and program managers to deliver complex healthcare, higher education, federal, and public-sector facilities for mission-driven organizations across the Mid-Atlantic. We provide full-service project delivery, combining strategic planning, technical design excellence, and proactive project leadership to help clients achieve their operational, financial, and community goals.

Location: Alexandria, Virginia, NCR Office

Employment Type: 40 FT Hours

Compensation Type: Salary

Reports To: Managing Principal and Principal-in-Charge of the Institutional Practice

Registration: Registered Architect Required, Virginia Registration Preferred, or ability to obtain reciprocity

Education: Bachelor's in Architecture, Interior Architecture, or Interior Design Required

Duties:

• Project Leadership: Lead and manage all phases of project development, from proposal and planning through design, construction administration, and closeout, while supporting technical excellence, quality, schedule, budget, and client satisfaction.
• Technical Design Leadership: Lead technical design efforts for the office and work as part of a multidisciplinary team to produce design documents for a wide range of building types.
• Client Management: Serve as a primary point of contact for clients, developing and maintaining strong relationships through proactive communication, responsiveness, and understanding of client needs and project goals.
• Team Coordination: Lead, coordinate, and collaborate with architects, engineers, designers, consultants, contractors, project managers, and project designers to achieve project objectives.
• Scope, Schedule, and Budget Management: Develop, monitor, and manage project scopes, schedules, and budgets; ensure project development and documentation meet schedule, budget, code, and technical quality requirements.
• Quality Control and Code Compliance: Review work for compliance with building codes, project requirements, budgets, firm standards, and regulatory requirements; facilitate quality assurance and internal review processes.
• Contract Administration: Oversee contracts, subconsultant agreements, change orders, and compliance with contract terms and conditions in accordance with firm and client standards.
• Risk and Issue Management: Identify and mitigate project risks, prepare plans of action to resolve project issues, and ensure appropriate quality control and risk management practices are applied to projects and daily operations.
• Business Development Support: Support proposal writing, fee development, interviews, presentations, negotiations, and new project pursuits in coordination with market sector teams.
• Construction and Contractor Coordination: Prepare bids or assist with contractor selection processes and support construction administration activities throughout project delivery.
• Mentorship and Staff Development: Provide guidance, leadership, and mentorship to junior staff while contributing to a positive, productive, and collaborative team environment.

Qualifications:

• Minimum 15 years of experience.
• Bachelor's in Architecture, Interior Architecture, or Interior Design Required.
• Registered Architect Required, Virginia Registration Preferred, or ability to obtain reciprocity.
• Demonstrated architectural experience in an A/E environment, with demonstrated experience managing or leading complex projects.
• Experience in institutional, healthcare, higher education, commercial, and/or public works markets preferred.
• Demonstrated building construction technical experience. Experience with design-build and other alternative delivery methods is a plus.
• Ability to prioritize and deliver multiple projects with varying deadlines.
• Strong understanding of building systems, architectural project delivery, contract administration, and construction documentation.
• Proficiency in Revit required; familiarity with AutoCAD, Adobe Suite, and other A/E design tools is a plus.
• Proficiency with project management software such as MS Project, Vantagpoint, Newforma or similar platforms preferred.
• Excellent verbal, written, graphic, organizational, leadership, and communication skills.
• Strong client-facing skills, negotiation ability, and capacity to interact effectively with owners, user groups, consultants, and internal teams.

Project Manager (PM) Role Annual Performance Goals & Expectations:

• Having a deep understanding of how your work and contributions as a co-owner add to Huitt-Zollars’ mission and core values.
• Maintaining expected Effective Labor Multiplier (ELM) on sum of all associated projects.
• Consistently upholds business processes including timely monthly A/R’s, invoicing, timekeeping, resource forecasting, percent completes, etc.
• Achieves personal sales goal.
• Achieves stated target personal utilization goal for PM.
• Understands, follows and ensures quality control measures and risk management measures are being applied and adhered to projects and daily operations.

This position is also required to adhere to Huitt-Zollars’ Core Value Competencies

About Huitt-Zollars:

• Huitt-Zollars, Inc. is a privately held, 100% employee-owned leading Architectural and Engineering (A/E) firm since being established in 1975. Since then, our firm has been providing innovative planning, engineering, architectural and interior design, construction and program management, and design-build services to our clients.
• Located in more than 20 locations throughout 11 different US states, Huitt-Zollars holds a vision to improve the environment in which we live, work, and play. Employees/co-owners can expect to collaborate with their team, listen to client and community needs, and deliver world-class professional services. Learn more about a career with #teamHZ by viewing our LinkedIN Life page.

Benefits & Perks:

• Health insurance (BCBS TX BlueChoice PPO)
• Dental insurance (BCBS TX BlueChoice PPO)
• Vision insurance (BCBS TX BlueChoice PPO)
• MDLive Telehealth
• Employer-Paid Short- & Long-Term disability
• 8 Paid Holidays
• Employee Morale/Teambuilding events and activities
• Paid Vacation/Annual Leave
• Paid Sick Leave
• Tuition Reimbursement
• Commuter Benefits
• Professional Societies and Registrations Fee Reimbursements
• Term Life / AD&D insurance
• Cancer and Specified Disease insurance
• Two retirement plans: 401(k) and an ESOP
• Work for an Employee-Owned firm

Physical Requirements:

• Prolonged periods sitting at a desk and working on a computer, type/key-in data
• Able to walk project site while wearing personal protective equipment
• May lift and carry up to 25 pounds at times
• The employee must be able to concentrate on details, work under deadline pressures, apply sound logic and judgment, and prioritize tasks and responsibilities
• Employee may be asked to walk on uneven terrain
• May work in extreme weather conditions

Applicants must be legally authorized to work for Huitt-Zollars in the U.S. without employer sponsorship. Currently, Huitt-Zollars does not sponsor H1-B or any other work visa petitions.

Annual Base Salary Range: $160,000-$180,000 and up depending on experience and qualifications of the selected candidate(s). The expected salary range for this position is displayed in accordance with the Virginia HB 636 and SB 215. The final agreed upon compensation is based on the success candidate's individual education, qualifications, experience, and work location. The total annual compensation package will consist of a base salary and consideration to participate in our discretionary annual bonus incentive program.

Huitt-Zollars does not accept unsolicited resumes from third-party recruiters without a previously signed third-party agreement. Any unsolicited third-party resumes forwarded by recruiters to any Huitt-Zollars hiring manager or employee will be considered public information, may be treated as a direct application from the person identified in the resume, and will not be eligible for placement fee payment to the agency submitting the unsolicited resume. Huitt-Zollars will not pay a fee to a third-party recruiter or agency that has not coordinated their recruiting activity with the appropriate member of the Human Resources team and without an active, fully executed service agreement.

All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, religion, national origin, disability, veteran status, or any other legally protected status. Huitt-Zollars is a federal contractor and subcontractor and abides by the requirements of 41 CFR 60-300.5(a) and 41 CFR 60-741.5(a), which prohibit discrimination against qualified individuals based on protected veteran status or disability and require affirmative action to employ and advance qualified protected veterans and individuals with disabilities. #IND