Director of Design Insight

HGA • Washington, DC

2d • $150,000 - $168,000

About The Position

HGA is seeking a visionary leader to shape the future of our design practice through research, innovation, and human‑centered insight.
As our Director of Design Insight, you will help drive a culture of curiosity and creative experimentation across our interdisciplinary teams—spanning strategists, design researchers, data visualizers, design thinkers, and more.
Partnering closely with Market Leaders and Digital Insight Group (DIG) researchers and innovators, the Director will define and advance a forward-looking agenda that centers human experience - connecting emerging ideas, technologies to market strategies and translating insight into action that differentiates and elevates the firm's brand, enriches design outcomes, and amplifies the impact of the built environment.

Requirements

• Bachelor's degree in a relevant field such as architecture, engineering, interior design, or business (or equivalent experience) required.
• Minimum 10 years of experience in organizational service design involving the built environment, architecture, or design.
• Minimum 5 years of leadership experience, including formal management or equivalent team leadership.
• Proven experience shaping organizational service design and contributing to the strategic direction of a professional services organization, with the ability to identify industry and market trends and translate them into market strategy and research priorities.
• A strong background in human-centered, mixed-method research within the built environment and the ability to translate insight into innovation and business value.
• Exceptional leadership, communication, and relationship-building skills, with a demonstrated capacity to influence across disciplines and engage stakeholders at all levels.

Nice To Haves

• A graduate degree in strategy, leadership, business, or management is preferred.

Responsibilities

• Develop an organizational service design strategy that positions the firm to anticipate a changing client landscape and seize new opportunities to leverage research and innovation expanding upon the current service offerings:
• Define goals and lead successful change initiatives by guiding teams through structured decision-making processes that produce clear roadmaps for transformation while building trust, alignment, and long-term adoption.
• Engage and empower stakeholders across all levels-including owners, employees, users, and community members-by facilitating inclusive processes that integrate diverse perspectives into shared decisions and meaningful outcomes.
• Explore new ideas and uncharted opportunities by challenging assumptions, questioning the status quo, and helping clients envision innovative, future-focused solutions.
• Generate research-driven insights by applying qualitative and quantitative research methods to understand how people interact with environments and how design decisions influence behavior, performance, and experience.
• Align space with operational processes by applying Lean and efficiency-based methodologies to reduce waste, optimize workflows, lower costs, and enhance the overall user experience.
• Capture, measure, and advance design outcomes by defining success metrics, evaluating performance against organizational goals, and using evidence-based findings to continuously improve project results, firm knowledge, and industry practice.
• Guide DIG's strategic planning, policy, operations, budgeting, and performance to deliver exceptional service and engagement for both internal and external stakeholders.
• Lead with consideration to both business success and innovation-refining structures, systems, policies, and KPls to drive operational excellence and measurable impact.
• Build a transdisciplinary practice that differentiates the firm's research and innovation services.
• Leverage and grow a shared knowledge base to advance design solutions by collaborating with other groups in the firm to develop tools and techniques that translate research into project applications and client-facing deliverables, strengthening DIG's market differentiation.
• Work as a complementary practitioner, contributing to research and innovation in project pursuits, firm-funded initiatives, and billable project work approximately 35% of the time.
• Foster a high-performing, collaborative DIG culture by developing distinctive capabilities, cultivating leadership, and strategically recruiting talent that differentiates the firm in the marketplace and responds to evolving client demands.
• Build and sustain firmwide partnerships with practice groups, markets, and design leaders to align strategy, integrate DIG capabilities, and deliver differentiated, high-value solutions that strengthen the firm's competitive position.

Benefits

• annual bonus and success sharing bonus program
• 401(k) guaranteed contribution
• paid parental leave
• medical, dental and life insurance plans as well as PTO and short- and long-term disability programs

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Director
• Number of Employees: 1,001-5,000 employees