Client Leader, Sports

DLR Group; Overland Park (KS); Hybrid; USD 120,000 - 190,000; Full time

Job summary

DLR Group Sports in Kansas City seeks a Client Leader to drive business development, manage client relationships, and guide contract negotiations across professional sports projects. You will educate clients on our design process, collaborate with project managers, and ensure financial success while maintaining strong communication and a collaborative culture.

The role requires leadership, strategic thinking, and a track record of delivering high-profile sports facilities, with a four-day

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Architecture; professional licensure preferred.
• 10+ years in AEC with 5+ years client-facing sports projects.
• Strong business management, leadership, and strategic planning.
• Experience with client service, needs assessment, and quality standards.
• Ability to lead design teams and communicate effectively.

Responsibilities

• Manage project execution, ensuring alignment with budget, schedule, and scope while maintaining client expectations.
• Collaborate with the Project Manager on staffing, responsibilities, and performance feedback for project team members.
• Track project milestones and deliverables, ensuring adherence to quality standards and preparing regular status reports.
• Facilitate and document meetings with staff and clients, coordinating project personnel, vendors, and consultants.
• Participate in client contract negotiations, manage change requests, and approve project plan modifications.
• Support business development initiatives by contributing to RFP responses and participating in client interviews.
• Oversee project invoicing, ensuring accuracy and alignment with work deliverables, and manage account receivables.

Skills

Client Leadership

Business Development

Contract Negotiations

Project Management

Budgeting

Communication

Education

Bachelor's degree in Architecture

Job description

DLR Group is an integrated design firm with a promise to elevate the human experience through design. This fuels the work we do around the world and inspires our mission to improve the lives of our clients, our communities, and our planet. If this sparks your interest, you’re in the right place.

DLR Group's Sports team is seeking a Sports Client Leader in our Kansas City studio.

The DLR Group Sports practice designs facilities that inspire athletes, engage fans, and strengthen communities. Our teams create environments where performance, culture, and experience come together—spaces that attract top talent, energize programs, and celebrate the spirit of competition. As part of the Sports Studio, you’ll collaborate with passionate designers and clients to shape venues that elevate every athlete, coach, and fan to a championship level.

Position Summary

As a Client Leader, you will play a key role in business development, managing client relationships and leading contract negotiations. You will educate clients on our design process while collaborating with the project manager to ensure the financial success of each project. Throughout the project lifecycle, you will maintain consistent client contact, foster a collaborative and innovative work environment, and ensure that both client and DLR Group goals are met.

What you will do:

• Manage project execution, ensuring alignment with budget, schedule, and scope while maintaining client expectations
• Collaborate with the Project Manager on staffing, responsibilities, and performance feedback for project team members
• Track project milestones and deliverables, ensuring adherence to quality standards and preparing regular status reports
• Facilitate and document meetings with staff and clients, coordinating project personnel, vendors, and consultants
• Participate in client contract negotiations, manage change requests, and approve project plan modifications
• Support business development initiatives by contributing to RFP responses and participating in client interviews
• Oversee project invoicing, ensuring accuracy and alignment with work deliverables, and manage account receivables

Required Qualifications:

• Bachelor's degree in Architecture (Professional licensure preferred)
• At least 10 years of professional experience in the AEC industry, inclusive of at least 5 years in a client-facing role leading Professional Sports projects
• Strong understanding of business management principles, including strategic planning, resource allocation, and leadership
• Knowledge of customer service principles, including needs assessment, quality standards, and customer satisfaction
• Expertise in design techniques and tools for producing technical plans, drawings, and models
• Familiarity with building methods, materials, and systems for construction and renovation projects
• Strong critical thinking, time management, and communication skills, both verbal and written
• Ability to actively listen, understand others' perspectives, and respond thoughtfully in conversations

*TO BE CONSIDERED, PLEASE SUBMIT CURRENT PORTFOLIO/WORK SAMPLES IN PDF FORMAT*

Through our values – commitment, creativity, environmental stewardship, fun, integrity, ownership, sharing, teamwork – we elevate the human experience through design, together.
DLR Group follows a four-day in-office work model, with employees having the flexibility to work somewhere other than the office on Fridays.

We are proud to be an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action/M/F/Veteran/Disabled employer.

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As set forth in DLR Group’s Equal Employment Opportunity policy,we do not discriminate on the basis of any protected group status under any applicable law.

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A "disabled veteran" is one of the following: a veteran of the U.S. military, ground, naval or air service who is entitled to compensation (or who but for the receipt of military retired pay would be entitled to compensation) under laws administered by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs; or a person who was discharged or released from active duty because of a service-connected disability.

A "recently separated veteran" means any veteran during the three-year period beginning on the date of such veteran's discharge or release from active duty in the U.S. military, ground, naval, or air service.

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An "Armed forces service medal veteran" means a veteran who, while serving on active duty in the U.S. military, ground, naval or air service, participated in a United States military operation for which an Armed Forces service medal was awarded pursuant to Executive Order 12985.