Director of Business Development
API Partners, LLC, New York, NY, United States
Our client is an internationally recognized architecture and design firm with a distinguished legacy of design excellence spanning five decades. With a global office presence, the firm’s portfolio encompasses landmark projects inclusive of sophisticated towers, mixed-use developments, cultural institutions, and civic buildings worldwide.
Known for contextually-responsive design solutions that balance architectural ambition with pragmatic client service, the firm has earned recognition through completed projects that demonstrate both design quality and technical delivery rigor. Their award-winning portfolio emphasizes sustainable, thoughtful design that respects context while pushing creative boundaries, resulting in long-term client relationships and repeat commissions from major institutions and developers alike.
The firm's culture prioritizes collaborative professionalism, design intelligence, and reliable project delivery. Led by a partnership team that includes accomplished principals across multiple studios, the firm values talented professionals who bring both specialized expertise and authentic relationship-building capabilities. The firm provides potential progression to ownership participation for senior leadership, fostering an environment where business development, design quality, and team development are equally valued.
THE OPPORTUNITY:
Our client seeks a Director of Business Development to create consistent BD infrastructure, support principal-level relationship-building, and provide strategic firm-wide pipeline management. This position represents a strategic opportunity that emerged during comprehensive consultation with the firm's leadership, recognizing the value of dedicated BD leadership to complement the firm's architectural principals and position the firm for accelerated growth.
The ideal candidate is a strong, independent business development professional with proven experience in professional services who can partner effectively with architectural principals while driving strategic BD initiatives. This non-architect leadership role will complement the firm's principal-level talent, creating dedicated BD infrastructure that amplifies the firm's capabilities and supports the firm's growth during a pivotal generational transition.
The Director of Business Development will serve as a strategic partner to the principals, maximizing the firm's business development impact by identifying and qualifying opportunities so principals can focus their expertise on winning work and leading design excellence. This role offers the opportunity to build professional BD infrastructure at a distinguished firm with strong market positioning and established client relationships, while helping shape the firm's future direction during an exciting evolution.
THE POSITION:
The Director of Business Development will play a pivotal role in expanding the firm's presence across multiple sectors and markets. You will support the partnership team in approaching new and existing clients to win work across mixed‑use development, cultural institutions, higher education, transportation, and civic buildings. This position involves identifying new business opportunities, building and maintaining client relationships, and collaborating with principals and studio teams to drive strategic growth.
The Director of Business Development is responsible for expanding the firm's business network, researching business opportunities, managing strategic partnerships essential for sector diversification, and coordinating planning and preparation of pursuit materials, RFPs, and proposals. You will work in close collaboration with the managing principal, partnership team, studio leaders, and the Director of Operations to create firm‑wide pipeline visibility and strategic resource allocation.
KEY RESPONSIBILITIES
Business Development Strategy & Leadership:
- Develop and implement strategic plans to achieve business growth objectives aligned with firm's sector priorities
- Create dedicated BD infrastructure that enhances the firm's business development capabilities
- Identify and pursue new business opportunities across multiple sectors including mixed‑use, cultural, transportation, higher education, and civic projects
- Serve as strategic partner to principals, qualifying opportunities and developing relationships that enable principals to focus on winning work and design leadership
- Lead pursuit strategy development and win strategy formulation for major opportunities
- Manage strategic partnerships essential for accessing target sectors (particularly transportation, healthcare, and cultural institutions)
- Provide firm‑wide pipeline visibility and strategic resource allocation insights
- Establish and nurture relationships with key stakeholders including developers, institutional clients, government agencies, and industry partners
- Support principals in building their client portfolios and navigating the firm's BD ecosystem
- Serve as primary point of contact for strategic relationship development, coordinating principal involvement at appropriate stages
- Ensure consistent client engagement and relationship cultivation across all firm activities
- Coordinate with new principals to support their integration and client development efforts
- Conduct comprehensive market research to identify emerging trends, potential clients, and new project opportunities
- Analyze competitive landscape and provide insights to inform strategic decision‑making
- Monitor sector‑specific procurement processes, funding mechanisms, and delivery requirements
- Track pursuit outcomes and maintain competitive intelligence on major opportunities
- Provide strategic market insights to support firm positioning and sector diversification efforts
- Lead pursuit planning and coordination for major opportunities, managing timelines and team involvement
- Develop proposal content strategy and coordinate with principals, project teams, and consultants
- Manage RFP/RFQ responses, ensuring compliance while showcasing firm capabilities effectively
- Coordinate pursuit presentations and interview preparation with principals and project teams
- Implement and maintain CRM systems for pipeline management and pursuit tracking
- Create pursuit templates, processes, and tools that improve efficiency and win rates
Collaboration & Internal Coordination:
- Work closely with principals and studio teams to align business development efforts with firm capabilities and project pipelines
- Coordinate with Director of Operations on pursuit resources, strategic initiatives, and operational support
- Collaborate with principals on strategic planning, sector priorities, and growth opportunities
- Foster integrated pursuit approaches and knowledge sharing across the firm
- Support organizational evolution toward enhanced collaborative, project‑based pursuit teams
Representation & Industry Engagement:
- Represent the firm at industry conferences, association events, and networking forums
- Build visibility and thought leadership presence for the firm in target sectors and markets
- Develop and maintain relationships with industry associations, partner firms, and strategic consultants
- Create opportunities for principal engagement and visibility in target markets
Reporting & Documentation:
- Prepare regular reports on business development activities, including pipeline status, pursuit outcomes, and market insights
- Maintain accurate records of all business development initiatives, client communications, and strategic partnerships
- Provide metrics and analysis to support strategic decision‑making and resource allocation
- Document pursuit lessons learned and best practices to improve firm capabilities
QUALIFICATIONS
Required Experience & Credentials:
- 15+ years of business development experience in architecture or closely related professional services
- Proven track record leading BD teams and driving revenue growth in complex professional services environment
- Bachelor's/Master's degree in Business, Marketing, Architecture, or related field
- Documented success securing new business and managing client relationships in competitive markets
- Experience with CRM/pipeline management systems and pursuit process development
Strategic Capabilities:
- Strategic relationship development and opportunity identification skills with ability to identify high‑probability pursuits
- Understanding of architectural procurement processes, delivery methods, and client decision‑making dynamics
- Market research and competitive intelligence capabilities to inform strategic positioning
- Win strategy development and proposal management expertise
- Partnership development skills for accessing opportunities in specialized sectors
Professional Services & Architecture Industry Knowledge:
- Strong understanding of the architecture, engineering, and construction landscape and market dynamics
- Familiarity with institutional procurement, developer relationships, and public sector processes
- Knowledge of sector‑specific requirements (cultural, transportation, healthcare, higher education, mixed‑use)
- Understanding of integrated project delivery methods and collaborative frameworks
- Awareness of design excellence standards and ability to articulate firm capabilities authentically