Director of Projects

Position Overview

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 Herons design vision and brand.

How the Role Contributes

Leadership & Department Support

• Translate the Vice President of Designs 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 Herons core values in daily leadership and decision-making.

Project & Portfolio Oversight

• 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.

Client Experience & Communication

• 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.

Process Standards & Continuous Improvement

• 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.

Cross-Functional Collaboration

• 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.

Essential Qualifications

Education & Experience

• 1012 years of architectural or design-related experience in residential and/or hospitality projects with 5 years in a supervisory or portfolio management role.
• Bachelors or masters degree in Architecture or a related field.
• Architectural licensure preferred (or actively in progress).
• Proven success managing multiple concurrent projects and teams balancing design quality budget and schedule expectations.

Knowledge & Skills

• 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.

Leadership & Behavioral Competencies

• 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.

Key Performance Indicators (KPIs)

• Schedule: On-time completion of major milestones and overall project schedules.
• Budget: Adherence to approved project budgets; proactive identification and management of cost risks.
• Work Plan Adherence: Alignment to resource and work plans; effective utilization and forecasting.
• Client NPS / Satisfaction: Client feedback scores and qualitative feedback reflecting an exceptional client experience.