Design Architect

Overview

In this hands-on senior role you will lead design direction on large, complex projects from concept to schematic design, shaping narratives that connect context, program and material choices. You will stay close to the work, manage teams and workflows with clarity, and drive collaboration across disciplines. Your design leadership will influence presentations, client conversations and the studio’s creative direction. This is about delivering strong, design-driven outcomes within a global practice.

Responsibilities

• Lead design direction on large, complex projects from first principles through schematic design
• Identify and strengthen emerging design ideas and test them iteratively
• Set cadence across teams to maintain momentum and clarity
• Lead teams and workstreams while remaining hands-on in the design
• Develop design narratives linking concept, context, program, structure, material and experience
• Shape presentations with strong editorial quality and visual storytelling
• Translate design ambition into coherent spatial, structural, environmental and material strategies
• Guide senior clients and collaborators through complex design decisions
• Lead interdisciplinary reviews and maintain design quality
• Collaborate with clients, consultants and SOM’s global studios
• Mentor designers and contribute to studio culture
• Contribute to competitions, pitches and new business
• Shape the wider creative direction of SOM London

Key requirements

• At least 8 years of experience leading architectural design
• Proven track record of concept development for large, complex projects through schematic design
• Experience leading teams, projects or major design workstreams
• Strong judgement across form, program, structure, material, environmental performance and context
• Ability to turn complex ideas into clear narratives and presentations
• Experience advising senior clients and guiding interdisciplinary teams
• Proven mentoring ability and positive contribution to studio culture
• Professional registration mandatory

• leadership and team mentoring
• clear communication and storytelling
• client-facing diplomacy
• concept development for large schemes
• design storytelling and presentation design
• interdisciplinary coordination (architecture, engineering, consultants)

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