Architecture and Design Lead

Morgan Stanley•Dallas, TX

5d•$108,000 - $147,000•Hybrid

About The Position

We're seeking someone to join our team as an Architecture and Design Lead to serve as the senior design authority for Morgan Stanley's workplace portfolio across the Americas, shaping environments that strengthen employee experience, client engagement, brand expression, and project delivery outcomes. In the Corporate Services division, we empower our businesses by creating collaborative workplace solutions and commercial services that enhance the employee and client experience, while optimizing the value of our sourcing and third-party lifecycle to enable the Firm to do-and-win business. Since 1935, Morgan Stanley is known as a global leader in financial services, always evolving and innovating to better serve our clients and our communities in more than 40 countries around the world.

Requirements

Extensive experience in architecture, interior design, workplace strategy, corporate real estate, construction, or a related field, with a track record of leading complex, multi-site design programs.
Strong understanding of workplace planning, design governance, brand standards, project delivery, construction coordination, budgeting, and consultant management.
Demonstrated ability to balance design excellence with practical delivery considerations, including cost, schedule, operational requirements, stakeholder priorities, and user experience.
Executive presence and communication skills, with the ability to advise senior leaders, influence decisions, and translate complex design concepts into clear business recommendations.
Experience managing external architects, designers, vendors, and consultants, including reviewing deliverables, setting expectations, and holding partners accountable for quality outcomes.
Bachelor's degree in Architecture, Interior Design, Workplace Strategy, Real Estate, Construction Management, or a related discipline preferred; professional design credentials or equivalent experience a plus.

Responsibilities

Serve as the senior design authority for the Americas workplace portfolio, setting design direction and governance standards across active and future real estate projects.
Provide executive oversight of architects, designers, consultants, and internal partners to ensure design solutions align with business priorities, brand standards, user experience goals, and delivery objectives.
Lead design strategy for approximately 15 buildings in the current book of work, including the Uptown Dallas design effort, while balancing project costs, schedules, risk, and stakeholder expectations.
Drive workplace innovation by translating employee, client, and business needs into design concepts that support collaboration, flexibility, productivity, wellness, and the Firm's evolving operating model.
Establish and maintain design standards, review processes, and decision-making forums that promote consistency, quality, cost discipline, and efficient execution across the real estate portfolio.
Influence senior stakeholders and cross-functional teams through clear design recommendations, business cases, presentations, and governance materials that support informed decision-making.