Design Project Manager

Metro National Corporation • Houston, TX

4h • Onsite

About The Position

As a Design Project Manager at MetroNational, you will deliver innovative design projects through all phases, from concept through completion. This role is responsible for managing internal and external project teams, coordinating consultants, supporting contract documentation, maintaining project schedules, and ensuring projects are delivered with attention to quality, budget, schedule, and client service. The Design Project Manager serves as a primary point of contact for assigned projects and works closely with Development, Design leadership, consultants, contractors, and internal stakeholders to support successful project execution.

Reporting to the Director of Design, this position plays an important role in advancing MetroNational’s design standards, supporting real estate development and renovation initiatives, and helping translate design vision into clear, coordinated, and executable project documentation. The role requires strong project management skills, architectural knowledge, consultant coordination experience, sound judgment, and the ability to communicate effectively across technical and non-technical audiences.

The Design Project Manager will also assist with consultant procurement, design documentation review, construction administration, jurisdictional coordination, project reporting, change order tracking, and cross-functional communication.
This position supports a culture of teamwork, accountability, creativity, professionalism, and continuous improvement while helping MetroNational deliver high-quality projects that support long-term value and legacy.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Architecture required.
• OR 7 or more years of experience in architecture, design project management, or a related design and construction environment.
• Diverse commercial project experience required, including hospitality, office, and retail project experience.
• Experience managing projects from concept through completion, including schedule, budget, documentation, consultant coordination, and construction administration responsibilities.
• Strong understanding of design phases, including pre-design, concept design, schematic design, design development, construction documentation, construction administration, and closeout.
• Ability to coordinate and review consultant documentation, drawings, details, shop drawings, submittals, materials, and specifications.
• Thorough understanding of accessibility codes, life-safety codes, building construction systems, means and methods, materials, and industry-associated standards.
• Proficiency with SketchUp, AutoCAD, and Revit required.
• Knowledge of Microsoft Project, Word, Excel, Bluebeam, and Procore required.
• Excellent verbal, written, visual, and presentation communication skills.
• Strong organizational skills with the ability to manage multiple projects, prioritize work, and meet deadlines in a fast-paced environment.
• Ability to work independently while collaborating effectively with leadership, internal teams, consultants, and external partners.
• Ability to exercise sound judgment and represent MetroNational with professionalism.

Nice To Haves

• Knowledge of AI rendering tools preferred.
• Experience with Adobe Creative Suite, Rhino, Enscape, Lumion, or similar rendering and presentation tools helpful.
• Texas Architectural Licensure preferred, but not required.

Responsibilities

• Manage assigned design projects from concept through completion, ensuring quality, schedule, and budget expectations are met.
• Manage multiple projects simultaneously while maintaining clear priorities, timelines, documentation, and communication.
• Prepare, maintain, and update project schedules, workplans, and project trackers to support design leadership visibility and weekly staffing discussions.
• Monitor overall project health, including administrative, financial, technical, schedule, consultant, and documentation-related matters.
• Identify changing project conditions, risks, or issues that require escalation to the Director of Design or Executive leadership.
• Support projects through planning, design development, construction documentation, construction administration, and project closeout.
• Help identify and mitigate design, cost, schedule, documentation, and coordination risks throughout the project lifecycle.
• Coordinate with internal design, development, construction, leasing, accounting, and other teams to support successful project execution.
• Coordinate project consultants through all phases of the project, including concept design, schematic design, design development, construction documentation, and construction administration.
• Communicate design intent clearly with architects, structural consultants, MEP consultants, contractors, and other project partners.
• Review design consultant documentation for alignment with project goals, design quality, code considerations, constructability, schedule, and budget.
• Oversee or support the production of high-quality drawing and documentation sets prepared by internal or external resources.
• Prepare, maintain, and distribute accurate project records, meeting notes, reports, action items, and related documentation.
• Support the development and review of contract documents, proposals, scopes of work, and consultant deliverables.
• Assemble consultant teams for assigned projects by identifying required scope, gathering fee proposals, supporting consultant selection, and facilitating contracts.
• Support the procurement process for outside design consultants, including RFP preparation, proposal review, scope evaluation, deliverables review, and fee analysis.
• Coordinate with Development and Design leadership to ensure consultant scopes support project goals, ownership expectations, and execution requirements.
• Issue additional services or change orders and obtain timely approval before additional scope begins.
• Coordinate with Accounting regarding accounts receivable, consultant payables, invoicing, and project-related financial documentation.
• Provide construction administration support, including site visits, shop drawing review, submittal review, consultant coordination, and issue resolution.
• Review and comment on shop drawings and submittals for design intent, quality control, and coordination with project documentation.
• Attend consultant coordination meetings, construction meetings, conference calls, and project check-ins as needed.
• Communicate critical project information, time-sensitive items, documentation gaps, and redesign needs to the Director of Design.
• Support quality assurance by reviewing drawings, details, materials, specifications, and documentation for consistency, completeness, cost effectiveness, and alignment with design intent.
• Apply working knowledge of accessibility codes, life-safety codes, building systems, construction means and methods, materials, and industry standards.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Mid Level