Director of Healthcare Design

Skidmore Owings & Merrill • Chicago, IL

2d • $150,000 - $180,000

About The Position

At SOM, we are a collective committed to shaping a better future for our clients, communities and planet. We aspire to create the most sustainable, impactful work through creative, interdisciplinary teams with all the resources and diversity of a global firm. We value those who are passionate about excellence, innovation, integrity, inclusivity, and collaboration. Together we can achieve great things. Success at SOM Means Ideas: We believe in a meritocracy of ideas. We look to everyone to actively contribute to the discourse in the firm. Knowledge: We believe that expertise is the result of lifelong learning. We are not expected to know everything, but rather to passionately pursue answers, develop new skills and deepen our knowledge. Product: We strive for excellence in the concept, quality, and delivery of our work. Individual: We value individuals who bring the highest standards of professionalism and personal integrity in the way they work. Each person can develop and contribute their wealth of attributes, skills and knowledge to support the overall health of the firm. Team: We value the power of interdisciplinary integration. A positive team culture in which everyone collaborates openly towards common goals is essential. Firm: We have a history of making transformative contributions to the profession and our communities. We are constantly innovating and attempting to bring new approaches, solutions and processes to our work. Position Overview We are seeking a Director of Healthcare Design to join SOM. This full–time position, will require the designer to direct and provide leadership in project work, work in coordinated and strategic marketing/business development activities, prioritize client satisfaction and employee growth and development, to drive the strategic growth of the firmwide healthcare practice (and adjacent functional market areas), and ultimately, to deliver the highest possible caliber work on projects that have great ambition. Our aim is to innovate and transform the entire healthcare design industry, and we need a leader with aligned goals. The Director of Healthcare is a highly experienced leader in the planning, design, development and delivery of healthcare buildings, with a thorough understanding of medical planning concepts and standards. The Director of Healthcare has demonstrated experience in leading projects ranging from new academic medical centers to expansions and alterations of existing facilities. The Director of Healthcare is a highly motivated, creative leader with a deep understanding of professional practice, and aspires to the highest level of design excellence. The Director of Healthcare is an entrepreneur with exemplary skills, talents and expertise that extends across disciplines to optimize interdisciplinary collaboration and apply practice expertise. The Director of Healthcare is an entrepreneur, broadly experienced in business development with an extensive network of contacts in the industry, both regional and national. The Director of Healthcare is committed to a shared practice; is passionate about quality, ethics, and the importance of interdisciplinary collaboration.

Requirements

• Applicants should have deep healthcare design project knowledge in conjunction with superb communication skills, as well as the ability to prioritize, anticipate and organize workflow.
• This position will require close coordination with marketing and project design and management teams across SOM offices firmwide.
• Preference will be given to service-oriented individuals with the discretion, confidence and poise to effectively promote the company’s principles and expectations to high-value clients.
• Minimum of 20 years of experience in the various aspects of architecture and planning including business development.
• Minimum 15 years demonstrated leadership experience in the Healthcare sector.
• Maintains a recognized professional licensure in either architecture or engineering.
• Demonstrates advanced knowledge of architectural design practice, with strong interests for the built environment and ability to discuss and promote design excellence at all levels.
• Demonstrates experience in leading teams in the completion of architectural and engineering design projects.
• Demonstrates awareness of latest industry initiatives, technologies and processes in the A/E/C community.
• Demonstrates effective communication both orally and in writing, with the ability to build quick rapport with all levels of employees, clients, consultants and vendors.
• Demonstrates ability to lead presentations, seminars, discussions with large groups.
• Demonstrates strong analytical skills as well as abilities in problem identification, problem solving and conflict resolution.
• Demonstrates a regional commercial awareness with the ability to exercise independent judgment and initiative.
• A well-organized good team player who is responsible and able to multi-task and work under pressure, ability to manage workload and meet deliverables, deadlines and commitments on time.

Responsibilities

• Provides leadership and design expertise in all phases of work on state of the art flagship medical institutions, in partnership with design and planning teams.
• Leads master planning efforts for health and academic facilities.
• Collaborates with business development teams at SOM and externally to identify important teaming opportunities for projects and pursuits.
• Contributes to marketing and business development pursuits.
• Identifies top health design talent internally and externally; supports training and mentoring in areas of expertise.
• Establishes the design direction and innovation(s) and furthers the development of architectural projects through all phases that are consistent with the scope of work and goals of the firm.
• Integrates criteria and input from all disciplines into design solutions.
• Establishes, communicates, and maintains standards of quality for design and work products for the full internal and external team.
• Possesses a strong understanding of the local parameters and criteria for the project, including relevant local codes.
• Oversees the design, programmatic, contextual, and cultural research and analysis required for the project.
• Finalizes a comprehensive design narrative for the project that will inform the client and other disciplines about the design intent, as well as contributes to publications and business development initiatives.
• Communicates the design goals to the project team on a regular basis.
• Fosters lasting and positive relationships with clients, the design community, and important government agencies (i.e. planning departments, commissions, and advocacy groups).
• Assists the Project Manager in establishing project budgets, schedules, and work plans.
• Monitors budgets and profitability targets for your projects and practice.
• Supports the team’s construction phase services scope including making periodic site visits to monitor construction progress and identifying areas needing correction and/or modification; attending visual mockup review; and assisting the Technical Designer in reviewing shop drawings for design intent.
• Attends and presents in owner/architect design meetings.
• Attends and facilitates weekly internal project team meetings.
• Together with Project Manager, Technical Designer, and/or Project Architect, develops the meeting agenda and project status update.
• Works with OT, Marketing, and Records Management to archive all final and preferred drawings, renderings, and photos for future use.
• Actively participates in and leads local and firm-wide Design Review Meetings and makes meaningful contributions to the advancement of activities led by these groups.
• Learns and embraces the portfolio of the broad SOM healthcare, science and higher education projects and past pursuits in order to bring fresh new thinking to the approach on future pursuits.
• Works firmwide with Partners, Principals, Studio/Design Leadership, Project Managers, Finance team, to ensure awareness and provide leadership of all issues relating to the Go/No Go process and the financial health of the Healthcare Design Practice.
• Responsible for building and maintaining positive client relationships with all projects within the practice.
• Attend client meetings, review design and provide leadership, inspiration and motivation to the team to ensure the highest quality design documentation is produced and client satisfaction is achieved.
• Evaluates relevant industry insights and information to drive the healthcare design business strategies.
• Monitor existing and emerging market trends to identify potential opportunities for the firm.
• Collaborates with project team leaders on project negotiations and execution of contracts.
• Understands, participates in and promotes larger firm-wide initiatives.
• Represents and communicates activities of the healthcare design practice relative to firmwide goals.
• Champions firm news updates and long-term value through various media platforms in collaboration with the SOM Communications team.
• Actively leads multiple projects, teams, and initiatives.
• Established as a firmwide resource in an area of expertise for market, discipline, or department.
• Directly trains and mentors team members and, more broadly, architectural, engineers, interiors, planning and graphics staff in the office and at large as appropriate.
• Develops and engages in talent strategy to find specialists, leaders, and future professionals for the firm through resume review, interviews, and leveraging personal network.
• Demonstrates leadership in the implementation of sustainable strategies in all project assignments and the associated development of staff knowledge.
• Advocates for sustainable approaches at an office-wide scale.
• Creates and drives new ways of working through contributing to the development of services, standards, procedures.
• Responsible for financial and legal risk management of projects.

Benefits

• Health and Wellness: Medical, dental, vision, disability, and life & accident insurance
• Savings: 401K matching, pre-tax spending accounts, and employee discount programs
• Work/Life Balance: Inquire about our approach to flexible schedules, paid family leave, paid vacation, backup child and elder care, and an employee assistance program
• Professional Development: Reimbursement for professional licenses, associated renewals, and exam fees as well as specialized in-house career development

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Director
• Education Level: No Education Listed