Archicad Draftsperson / Pre-Construction Coordinator

Express Portables; Gold Coast City; On-site; AUD 70,000 - 100,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Flexible hours

4 weeks annual leave

10 days personal leave

Paid public holidays

Modern Gold Coast workplace

Job summary

Express Portables on the Gold Coast is seeking an experienced Building Designer / Draftsperson with Archicad skills to guide customer projects from sales through to approvals, drafting and documentation.

Based in Molendinar, you’ll work with an in-house team across sales, production and approvals, contribute ideas, refine floor plans and help develop modular building designs that can be manufactured and shipped across Australia.

Qualifications

• Strong Archicad skills and experience drafting Australian residential buildings and preparing construction or approval documentation.
• Experience coordinating approvals with councils and certifiers across states.
• Comfortable communicating with customers and guiding projects through to approvals.

Responsibilities

• Turn designs into approval-ready projects and prepare Archicad drawings and site plans.
• Coordinate submissions with councils and certifiers; assemble reports and drawings.
• Manage sales handover and inform customers about progress and next steps.
• Collaborate with internal teams and external consultants to keep drawings and docs accurate.
• Track milestones and follow up on outstanding items and information requests.
• Refine reusable plans and support manufacturing-friendly design improvements.
• Prepare organized drawing packs for build handover to builders.

Skills

Archicad

Drafting

Residential buildings

Approvals coordination

Customer service

Tools

HubSpot

Job description

Help shape the next generation of affordable Australian housing.

At Express Portables, we’re pushing affordable housing forward through smarter design, modern construction methods and manufacturing partnerships with overseas factories.

We’re looking for an experienced Building Designer / Draftsperson with strong Archicad skills who wants to contribute to that progress. Someone who enjoys practical design, speaking with customers and bringing together the details that turn a purchase into an approved project.

Based full time in our Gold Coast office, you’ll combine Archicad drafting, pre-construction documentation, approvals coordination and customer service.

You’ll also contribute ideas, refine floor plans and help develop building designs that can be manufactured and supplied throughout Australia.

Your ideas could become our next home design or improve how a building is manufactured.

About Express Portables

Express Portables is one of Australia's leading suppliers of affordable modular housing and portable building solutions. Our range spans homes, accommodation, commercial buildings, offices and lifestyle products.

We combine Australian design and engineering expertise with overseas factory manufacturing.

Our buildings are imported into Australia and delivered to customers for installation and completion by their appointed builders or contractors.

That approach creates opportunities to rethink layouts, refine manufacturing methods and make well-designed buildings more accessible. We work closely with Australian engineers, building certifiers and manufacturing partners to bring those improvements to life.

If you believe affordable housing deserves the same thought and innovation as premium homes, you’ll find plenty to get involved in here.

About the Role

You’ll help guide customer projects from sales acceptance through to the relevant council and building approvals, keeping the drawings, documentation and communication on track.

Working alongside our experienced Building Designer and approvals specialist, you’ll receive guidance through the approvals process while taking ownership of your work and project follow-ups.

You’ll also have an experienced in-house team around you across sales, production, warranty, operations, drafting and design, alongside a builder, carpenters, electrician, labourers and warehouse staff.

It’s a role with variety: focused drawing time, customer conversations, consultant coordination and opportunities to improve our products.

What You’ll Take Ownership Of

Turn designs into approval-ready projects. Prepare and update Archicad drawings, site plans and supporting documentation for residential and commercial buildings, incorporating site information and engineering requirements.

Keep approvals moving. Coordinate submissions with councils and building certifiers across multiple states, bringing together consultant reports, drawings and customer information.

Be the customer’s go-to after sales. Manage the sales handover, explain the approvals journey and keep customers informed about progress and next steps.

Connect the people and the paperwork. Work with our internal teams and external consultants to keep drawings, specifications and documentation accurate, consistent and ready for each stage.

Spot roadblocks early. Track milestones, follow up outstanding reports, signatures and customer decisions and respond to requests for information with specialist support where needed.

Help shape our next building designs. Refine reusable plans and work with our design and production teams to improve layouts, functionality and manufacturing practicality.

Prepare a clear handover for the build. Compile organised drawing and documentation packs for customers and their appointed builders or contractors.

Where Express Is Heading

Smarter buildings. Smarter systems. More time for work that matters.

We’re investing heavily in AI, automation and connected systems to improve how we work across Express Portables. As the technology evolves, we’re committed to putting useful tools into practice.

For our pre-construction team, that means building towards:

More efficient documentation. Using AI and automation to help prepare, organise and check project information, with experienced team members responsible for technical accuracy.

Connected workflows in HubSpot. Bringing customer communication, project milestones, tasks and follow-ups together so information flows smoothly from sales through to approvals.

Less manual chasing. Automating reminders, document requests and progress updates to reduce repetitive administration.

Better ways of working. Testing new tools, questioning unnecessary steps and turning the team's ideas into practical improvements.

You’ll have a say in how these processes develop. If you can see a smarter way to collect information, manage documentation or keep customers updated, we want to hear it.

About You

You’re confident in Archicad and want to take your drawings further, working with customers, coordinating approvals and helping improve the buildings we manufacture.

You’ll bring:

Strong Archicad skills and experience drafting Australian residential buildings and preparing construction or approval documentation.

Confidence explaining next steps to customers and following up with certifiers, councils and consultants.

The organisation to manage several projects and follow outstanding items through to completion.

An interest in modular construction and repeatable designs that work for factory production and Australian sites.

A willingness to embrace AI, automation and new ways of working.

Approvals experience would be valuable, but you don’t need to arrive knowing every council’s process. You’ll have guidance from our experienced approvals specialist.

What’s in It for You?

A working week that works for you. Monday to Friday, 38 hours per week with flexible start and finish times. Your weekends are yours.

See your ideas become buildings. Contribute to designs that move from Archicad to factory production and into the hands of customers across Australia.

Broaden your experience. Develop your skills across drafting, approvals, customer coordination and product development, with experienced people to learn from.

Help shape the way we work. Have input into the tools and processes we introduce as we grow.

Make a long-term move. Join a growing Australian company investing in its products, technology and team.

A modern Gold Coast workplace. Work from our Molendinar office with colleagues across design, technical, production and customer‑facing roles.

Salary based on your experience, plus four weeks annual leave, 10 days paid personal leave and paid public holidays.

Learn more at www.expressportables.com.au