Design Director / Senior Design Director

Kitchell is seeking an experienced and dedicated Senior Design Manager to join our Central California region in the San Luis Obispo, CA and build a long-term career at one of the most innovative and growth-oriented building companies in the United States.
This opportunity will be part of the leadership team leading a large project in the justice market sector. Provide Design Management and project development services as an Owner’s Representative by defining project requirements and managing pre-construction deliverables. (Relocation assistance will be considered).

Plans and coordinates the execution of pre-construction activities associated with a new design-build courthouse
Develop and monitor preconstruction schedules and budgets to ensure alignment with project goals and fiscal constraints.
Identify and mitigate design risks, including schedule delays, permitting hurdles, and budget overruns.
Ensure the design supports long-term sustainability goals, ADA accessibility, and DSA/code compliance.
Comments on the design professional’s deliverable identifying inconsistencies, ambiguities, conflicts, errors, and omissions in the progress plans
Ensures documents are coordinated between design disciplines
Anticipate and resolves complex planning, design, and construction project-related issues
Reviews project through all development phases, and assesses status, progress, and potential risks
Coordinates with representatives from various utility and government agencies to obtain timely action on successive phases of project completion
Provides functional direction over areas of responsibility including project schedules, contract administration, and quality control
Coordinates project activities, requirements, and schedules with the Design-Builder and the Owner’s project personnel
Conduct project meetings and provide documentation, administration, and tracking of relevant information.
Ensure Design-Builder adheres to contractual requirements.

Bachelor’s degree in construction management, architecture, engineering, or related field is required, degree in Architecture is highly preferred.
~12 years of related work experience in project/construction management or administration is required; Courthouse facility experience is strongly preferred.
~ Design-Build experience is required, Design-Build Institute of America (DBIA) Design-Build Professional certification is preferred.

Strong Proficiency with the Microsoft Project Suite of tools is required
Ability to provide leadership and management support to a project team is required

Travel Requirements
This position is site based at the project location in San Luis Obispo, CA.
Travel within the immediate region may be required as a Kitchell employee, and a valid California driver’s license is required

While performing the duties of this job, the employee regularly works in an office environment and frequently works in a construction environment. Conditions occasionally include exposure to outdoor elements, hot/cold temperatures, wet conditions, noise, atmospheric conditions, and cramped quarters. We provide general contracting, construction management, development, facilities management, engineering and architecture and myriad other services within the built environment. Our employee-owners manage projects from main offices in Arizona, California, and Texas. We offer an entrepreneurial environment that fosters personal and professional growth with in-house education programs, formal and informal mentoring, and cross-training opportunities. We prefer to grow from within, building careers and financial stability through long-term ownership. We are consistently ranked among the top places to work, attributable to our tenured staff and outstanding benefits including profit sharing, discretionary stock options, incentive bonuses, health and life insurance, health savings accounts (HSA) with wellness incentives, 401(k), college savings plans, business travel assistance and insurance, discounted auto and homeowner’s insurance, identity theft protection, rewards programs and much more.

Kitchell is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action employer and will consider all qualified applicants for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, protected veteran status, or disability status.

The Company’s salary ranges are determined by role, level, location, and alignment with market data. Individual pay is determined through interviews and an assessment of various factors, including job-related skills, relevant education and experience, abilities of the applicant and equity with other team members.