Design Manager - Education, Culture & Community

Gensler; San Francisco (CA); On-site; USD 106,000 - 150,000; Full time

Job summary

Gensler is seeking a Design Manager in our San Francisco Cities studio with 7–12 years of experience to lead higher education, cultural, and mission-driven projects. The role emphasizes collaboration, design leadership, and client engagement across all project phases.

You will mentor designers, coordinate multidisciplinary teams, and ensure alignment between design ambition, budget, and schedule while supporting development of leadership skills and delivering high-quality projects in a

Qualifications

• 8+ years of architecture experience including leading projects or major workstreams through multiple phases.
• Licensed architect or actively pursuing licensure.
• Experience as Project Architect or project lead with increasing responsibility for client communication and delivery.
• Strong design judgment and technical understanding to support vision and execution.
• Experience in design development, construction documentation, bidding, and construction administration.
• Proficient in coordinating multidisciplinary teams and consultants.

Responsibilities

• Lead educational, cultural, and community-focused projects through all design and construction phases.
• Build relationships with clients, user groups, consultants, contractors, and teams.
• Facilitate communication, decisions, and coordination across project phases.
• Maintain alignment between design intent, goals, schedule, budget, and quality.
• Support planning, staffing, scheduling, consultant coordination, and execution.
• Participate in programming, stakeholder engagement, workshops, and client meetings.
• Mentor emerging designers and technical staff.
• Contribute to studio culture valuing design excellence and collaboration.

Skills

Project leadership

Client engagement

Communication

Design judgment

Team coordination

Multiphase delivery

Education

Bachelor's or Master's degree in Architecture

Licensed architect or pursuing licensure

Tools

Revit

Job description

Cities are shaped by the strength of their institutions. Universities inspire discovery. Cultural organizations connect communities. Mission-driven organizations create opportunities for learning, innovation, and belonging. Our San Francisco Cities studio partners with clients who are advancing education, culture, research, and community impact to create places that contribute to a more vibrant, resilient, and equitable future.

We believe great design can strengthen institutions, enrich communities, and positively shape the future of our cities. As designers, thinkers, makers, and problem-solvers, we see creativity, technical rigor, sustainability, and collaboration as essential parts of the same process. The best work emerges when bold ideas, thoughtful execution, and deep human understanding come together, and we are committed to developing designers and architects who embrace all three.

Your Role

Gensler's San Francisco Cities studio is seeking a Design Manager with 7-12 years of experience to join our team focused on higher education, cultural, community, and other mission-driven projects.

We are looking for a collaborative project leader who is interested in building upon a strong foundation in design and project delivery while developing deeper expertise in project leadership, client engagement, and design management.

Design Managers are active participants throughout the life of a project. They help lead projects by building trust, facilitating decisions, coordinating teams, and maintaining alignment between design ambition, technical execution, project goals, schedule, budget, and client expectations.

The ideal candidate enjoys being deeply engaged in projects, from early planning conversations and stakeholder engagement through documentation, bidding, construction administration, and occupancy. Our projects are often delivered by small, highly collaborative teams, and project leaders remain closely connected to both design and delivery throughout the process.

This role is ideal for someone who has begun managing projects or major project workstreams and wants to continue developing leadership skills while remaining closely connected to design, technical quality, and client service.

What You Will Do

• Help lead educational, cultural, and community-focused projects through all phases of design and construction.
• Build productive relationships with clients, user groups, consultants, contractors, and project teams.
• Facilitate project communication, decision-making, and coordination across all project phases.
• Collaborate with project teams to maintain alignment between design intent, project goals, schedule, budget, and quality.
• Support project planning, staffing, scheduling, consultant coordination, and project execution.
• Participate in programming, stakeholder engagement, workshops, presentations, design reviews, and client meetings.
• Coordinate multidisciplinary teams and help resolve project challenges through proactive leadership and communication.
• Monitor project scope, schedule, resources, and project performance while supporting overall project success.
• Help guide projects through permitting, bidding, construction administration, and project closeout.
• Support fee proposals, scope development, and project planning activities.
• Mentor and support emerging designers and technical staff.
• Contribute to a collaborative studio culture that values design excellence, technical rigor, mentorship, continuous learning, and shared success.

Your Qualifications

• Bachelor's or Master's degree in Architecture from an accredited program.
• 8+ years of professional experience in architecture, including experience leading projects or significant project workstreams through multiple phases of design and delivery.
• Licensed architect or actively pursuing professional licensure.
• Experience serving as a Project Architect, project lead, or similar role with increasing responsibility for project coordination, client communication, and project delivery.
• Demonstrated ability to build trust with clients, consultants, contractors, and project teams.
• Strong design judgment and technical understanding, with the ability to support both project vision and project execution.
• Experience contributing to projects through design development, construction documentation, bidding, and construction administration.
• Strong organizational, communication, and collaboration skills.
• Ability to manage multiple priorities while maintaining attention to quality, detail, and team performance.
• Proficiency in Revit and familiarity with project delivery workflows and consultant coordination.
• Understanding of building systems, construction methodologies, project delivery methods, and architectural detailing.
• Familiarity with building codes, accessibility requirements, and the fundamentals of project delivery.
• Initiative, accountability, and a desire to continue growing as a project leader.

What Will Help You Succeed

• Experience working on higher education, cultural, institutional, civic, or other mission-driven projects.
• Experience contributing to projects from programming and planning through construction administration.
• Familiarity with public bid environments, institutional procurement processes, and/or publicly funded projects.
• Experience working with highly engaged clients, user groups, and stakeholders who actively participate in shaping project outcomes throughout the design process.
• Curiosity about both the design and business sides of professional practice.
• Success balancing diverse stakeholder perspectives while advancing project goals, design vision, and project outcomes.
• Comfort working within small, highly collaborative project teams where responsibilities evolve across project phases.
• Experience coordinating consultants and multidisciplinary project teams.
• Experience working within design-build, progressive design-build, or other highly collaborative project delivery models.
• Interest in building long-term client relationships and serving as a trusted advisor.
• Experience coordinating projects with sustainability, resilience, wellness, electrification, LEED certification, or other high-performance building goals as part of project planning, design, and delivery. Familiarity with LEED, WELL, Living Building Challenge, Fitwel, Net Zero, or similar frameworks is a plus.
• Interest in the relationship between design excellence, technical craft, client experience, and project delivery.

Qualified candidates should submit a resume, cover letter, and portfolio that demonstrates their design excellence, technical expertise, and creative problem-solving abilities.

We offer a competitive compensation package that includes an estimated base salary of $106,000-$150,000, bonus opportunities, and comprehensive benefits. In addition, you'll have access to industry-leading training, mentorship, and professional development resources designed to support your career growth at Gensler. Compensation is based on experience, qualifications, and market factors.

This is not a remote position. This position is expected to be in the office full-time.

Life at Gensler

At Gensler, we are as committed to enjoying life as we are to delivering best-in-class design. From curated art exhibits to internal design competitions to “Well-being Awareness Week,” our offices reflect our people’s diverse interests.

We encourage every person at Gensler to lead a healthy and balanced life. Our comprehensive benefits include medical, dental, vision, disability, wellness programs, flex spending, paid holidays, and paid time off. We also offer a 401k, profit sharing, employee stock ownership, and twice annual bonus opportunities. Our annual base salary range has been established based on local markets.

As part of the firm’s commitment to licensure and professional development, Gensler offers reimbursement for certain professional licenses and associated renewals and exam fees. In addition, we reimburse tuition for certain eligible programs or classes. We view our professional development programs as strategic investments in our future.

NOTICE TO APPLICANTS

We are proud to be an Equal Employment Opportunity and Affi­? All aspects of employment decisions will be based on merit, performance, and business needs. We do not discriminate on the basis of any status protected under federal, state and local law.

Individuals with disabilities and protected veterans are encouraged to apply. We also consider qualified applicants with criminal histories consistent with federal, state and local law.

Gensler endeavors to make gensler.com/careers accessible to all applicants. If you need assistance or an accommodation due to a disability, you may contact us .

Regarding Gensler’s approach to recruiting new talent, we will never ask an applicant for sensitive or personal financial information during the recruitment process. We advise all applicants seeking employment with Gensler to review available information on recruitment fraud . Anyone who suspects that they have been contacted by someone falsely representing Gensler should email [e-mail] .

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Area of Expertise: Mixed Use + Retail Centers

Area of Expertise: Professional Services

Area of Expertise: Mixed Use + Retail Centers

Area of Expertise: Professional Services

Area of Expertise: Cities + Urban Design

Area of Expertise: Professional Services

Area of Expertise: Mixed Use + Retail Centers

Area of Expertise: Mixed Use + Retail Centers