Director of Projects

Blue Heron Companies•Enterprise, NV

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About The Position

The Director of Projects serves as a key leader connecting executive design leadership with project-level delivery teams. Building on the Manager of Project Design role, this position expands responsibility to portfolio-wide performance and client outcomes across all active projects. The Director of Projects is accountable for schedule, budget, and work plan adherence while ensuring an exceptional client experience at every stage. This role leads Project Design leaders and their teams to deliver comprehensive and accurate documentation, strong coordination, and proactive client communication. The Director monitors budgets and schedules across the portfolio, troubleshoots issues, and continuously improves design processes and standards to support Blue Heron’s design vision and brand.

Requirements

10–12+ years of architectural or design-related experience in residential and/or hospitality projects, with 5+ years in a supervisory or portfolio management role.
Bachelor’s or master’s degree in Architecture or a related field.
Strong understanding of architectural design principles, building systems, construction documentation, and applicable building codes and regulations.
High-level construction knowledge with the ability to communicate effectively with construction managers, superintendents, consultants, and trade partners.
Demonstrated ability to manage budgets, read and interpret financial reports, and connect design decisions to cost and schedule impacts.
Strong familiarity with residential project workflows, including schematic design, design development, construction documents, and field coordination.
Proficiency in Revit, AutoCAD, SketchUp, and other related design tools; familiarity with project management software (e.g., MS Project, Smartsheet) is a plus.
Excellent written, graphic, and verbal communication skills, including client presentations and executive reporting.
Skilled people leader who can mentor, coach, and hold teams accountable while maintaining morale and engagement.
Highly organized, proactive, and detail-oriented with the ability to prioritize effectively in a fast-paced environment.
Strong problem-solving and analytical skills, with the ability to define problems, collect data, establish facts, and draw valid conclusions.
Exceptional cross-functional collaborator with a track record of building strong partnerships across departments.
Commitment to continuous improvement, openness to feedback, and a mindset oriented toward scalable, repeatable solutions.

Nice To Haves

Architectural licensure preferred (or actively in progress).

Responsibilities

Translate the Vice President of Design’s strategic vision into actionable project and portfolio management practices across all project teams.
Lead, mentor, and develop Project Design Managers and their teams, fostering a culture of accountability, ownership, and high performance.
Align project teams with evolving project and client needs, ensuring resource management is coordinated and efficient across the Design organization.
Support department-wide staffing decisions, performance feedback, and professional development planning.
Champion Blue Heron’s core values in daily leadership and decision-making.
Lead project teams to deliver on budget, schedule, and work plan adherence across all assigned projects.
Monitor project budgets, schedules, and key milestones; anticipate risks and troubleshoot challenges with project leaders before they impact delivery.
Report portfolio and project status (budget, schedule, risks, and key decisions) to the Vice President of Design on a regular cadence.
Ensure comprehensive and accurate documentation for all projects, from early design through construction documentation and handoff.
Maintain direct leadership on select key or marquee projects while guiding broader portfolio performance.
Ensure teams are delivering an exceptional client experience across all “moments that matter” in the client journey.
Establish standards and expectations for client communication, ensuring that budget, square footage, and schedule are clearly communicated at every client interaction.
Require timely client approvals and signatures whenever budget, scope (including SF), or schedule parameters change.
Serve as a senior escalation point for client issues related to design scope, cost, schedule, or documentation and help teams navigate solutions that protect both client experience and business objectives.
Continuously improve design and project delivery processes, ensuring consistent adoption across all project teams.
Define and enforce standards for project planning, work plan development, and performance tracking, ensuring teams are aligned and accountable.
Oversee adherence to design processes and departmental standards, integrating lessons learned from completed and active projects.
Partner with production, QA/QC, and BIM leadership to ensure documentation quality, coordination, and constructability expectations are met.
Drive the creation, maintenance, and use of best-practice tools, checklists, and templates that support repeatable and efficient project delivery.
Collaborate with Architecture, Interior Design, Construction, Estimating, Purchasing, Sales, Marketing, and Accounting to ensure project deliverables align with company goals, budgets, and operational standards.
Work closely with Project Managers, Construction Managers, and Superintendents to resolve RFIs, field issues, and design changes efficiently and constructively.
Participate in interdepartmental initiatives aimed at improving workflow, handoffs, and communication between Design and other divisions.
Support coordination with external consultants (architectural, engineering, and specialty) to ensure compliant, coordinated documentation aligned with budget, schedule, and client goals.