Director, Pediatrics

HDR; Vancouver; On-site; CAD 100,000 - 130,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical, dental, vision insurance

Retirement savings plan with employer match

Paid time away and parental leave

Job summary

HDR is seeking a Director, Pediatrics in Vancouver, Canada, to lead and guide the growth of its Pediatric Practice. This role champions innovative and human-centered pediatric design, ensuring excellence in environment and care for children. The ideal candidate will possess extensive industry experience, a Bachelor's degree in Architecture, and expertise in client management. HDR offers a comprehensive benefits package and is committed to creating an inclusive environment for all employees.

Qualifications

• Minimum of 12 years industry experience including leadership.
• Registered Architect with experience in pediatric health projects.
• Strong business skills including handling budgets and staff issues.

Responsibilities

• Guide strategic growth of HDR's Pediatric Practice.
• Champion environments supporting whole-child health and family-centered care.
• Lead project expertise and maintain quality across pediatric projects.

Skills

Pediatric health expertise

Leadership skills

Client management

Communication skills

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Architecture or closely related field

Job description

At HDR, our employee-owners are fully engaged in creating a welcoming environment where each of us is valued and respected, a place where everyone is empowered to bring their authentic selves and novel ideas to work every day. As we foster a culture of inclusion throughout our company and within our communities, we constantly ask ourselves: What is our impact on the world?

Watch Our Story: https://www.hdrinc.com/our-story

Each and every role throughout our organization makes a difference in our ability to change the world for the better. Read further to learn how you could help make great things possible not only in your community, but around the world.

We believe architecture is more than designing buildings; it’s about providing solutions to societal challenges and creating stronger, more vibrant communities. As part of our Architecture practice at HDR, you’ll contribute to the design and delivery of spaces and experiences that advance community well‑being around the world. From healing environments and learning spaces to research labs and civic landmarks and infrastructure, your work will directly influence how individuals experience the world around them. We bring together architects, planners, designers, and technical experts to solve complex design challenges with creativity, curiosity, and collaboration. From championing design excellence, with an emphasis on resilience and sustainability to pioneering innovative building technologies, your contributions will leave a lasting impact on the built environment. This isn’t just a job, it’s a chance to drive meaningful change and help define the future of our communities.

Director, Pediatrics

The Director, Pediatrics will set the vision and guide the strategic growth of HDR’s Pediatric Practice while maintaining an active, hands‑on role in project leadership. This leader will champion environments that support whole‑child health, family‑centered care, clinical excellence, and positive developmental outcomes, advancing innovative, evidence‑informed, and human‑centered pediatric design across the full continuum of care.

Building on HDR’s depth of experience in pediatric healthcare planning and design, this role ensures our work continues to evolve in response to advancing clinical models, emerging research, technology, and the complex needs of children, families, caregivers, and communities.

Primary Responsibilities

• Lead and be directly involved in strategic planning, business development, thought leadership, talent development, and project leadership for HDR’s Pediatric Practice.
• Practice Development: Define and execute the long‑term vision and growth strategy for the pediatric practice.
• Practice Leadership: Advance design excellence, innovation, and consistency across all pediatric work firm‑wide.
• Project Leadership: Maintain a meaningful role in projects to ensure real world application of practice priorities, clinical insight, and core values.

Practice Development

• Grow HDR’s Pediatric Practice within the Health Sector while supporting collaboration across Architecture, Planning, Engineering, and other business groups.
• Strengthen HDR’s position as a recognized leader in pediatric healthcare planning and design, with a focus on whole child health, family engagement, safety, adaptability, and operational excellence.
• Inspire staff at all levels to contribute to the growth, innovation, and evolution of pediatric design expertise.
• Develop, nurture, and sustain strong relationships with children’s hospitals, healthcare systems, academic medical centers, pediatric providers, and community partners.
• Evaluate, mentor, and recruit professionals to build and strengthen a high‑performing, specialized pediatric practice team.
• Lead business development and marketing efforts in coordination with Health Sector and regional leadership.
• Represent HDR through industry engagement, research, publications, and speaking opportunities focused on pediatric healthcare.
• Expand relationships across clinical, academic, research, and advocacy communities supporting child health and wellness.
• Develop and implement annual and multi‑year business plans aligned with HDR’s Health Sector strategy.

Practice Leadership

• Collaborate with architecture, planning, and design leadership to establish shared goals for excellence in pediatric environments.
• Advance design approaches that support child development, family‑centered care, safety, infection control, flexibility, and long‑term adaptability.
• Promote inclusive and equitable environments that address the diverse needs of children and families across cultures, abilities, and life stages.
• Ensure HDR’s commitments to sustainability, resilience, and regenerative design are integrated into pediatric healthcare solutions.
• Assess talent, capabilities, and organizational structure to position the pediatric practice for long‑term growth and innovation.
• Develop strategies and frameworks that support consistency, scalability, and delivery excellence across regions.
• Identify opportunities for continuous improvement and implement initiatives that elevate practice performance and outcomes.
• Foster a culture of collaboration, curiosity, mentorship, and accountability across interdisciplinary teams.
• Work collaboratively with marketing and pursuit teams to develop compelling materials that support both pre‑positioning and active pursuits.

Project Leadership

• Provide direct project expertise and leadership on pediatric healthcare projects.
• Offer design oversight, technical guidance, and thought leadership across all phases of work.
• Establish and uphold processes that ensure consistent quality, innovation, and excellence across pediatric projects firm‑wide.
• Lead teams in understanding the impact of design decisions on child and family experience, safety, clinical outcomes, staff effectiveness, and operational performance.
• Support client relationship management and guide teams in achieving project goals, schedules, and expectations.
• Provide strategic problem solving and leadership support as project needs arise.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience in pediatric health projects as a subject matter expert.
• Registered Architect.
• Familiarity with current trends in pediatric healthcare delivery.
• Able to lead a team on projects and make client presentations.
• Experience in successfully developing and executing targeted market and client strategies.
• Desire to work towards the integration of holistic sustainable processes into design projects at early design stages.
• Experience in sustainable and/or regenerative design.
• Experience and understanding of basic building physics, low‑carbon materials, and high‑performance design strategies.
• Advanced credentialing desired (e.g., ACHA, LEED, EDAC, etc).
• Willing to travel.

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Architecture or closely related field.
• A minimum of 12 years industry experience including leadership.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills.
• Strong skills in client management, client development and a documented history of growing/leading a practice.
• Strong business skills; specifically handling budgets, staff and operational issues.
• Strong ability to analyze the marketplace and strategically position HDR.
• An attitude and commitment to being an active participant of our employee‑owned culture is a must.

What We Believe

HDR is our company. Together, we build on each other’s life experiences and perspectives to make great things possible every day. This shapes our collaborative culture, encourages organizational trust and connects us closer to the clients and communities we serve.

Our Commitment

As employee owners, we all have a role in creating an inclusive environment where each of us is welcomed, valued, respected and empowered to bring our authentic selves to work every day.

We provide a comprehensive benefits package that promotes employee ownership, employee health, performance, and success, which includes medical, dental, vision, short and long‑term disability, life insurance, an employee assistance program, paid time away, parental leave, paid holidays, a retirement savings plan with employer match, employee referral bonus and tuition reimbursement.

We also offer travel opportunities and a variety of benefits and compensations. (Details of pay range and locations omitted due to space.)

At HDR, we are committed to the principles of employment equity. We are an affirmative action and equal opportunity employer. We consider all qualified applicants, regardless of criminal histories, arrest and conviction records.