Director - Design Operations

XCORP AvalonBay Communities Inc.; Arlington (VT); On-site; USD 111,000 - 185,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Competitive benefits package

Job summary

Vivmark Residential is seeking a Director of Design Operations to lead the design organization across Architecture and Interiors, ensuring resources, systems, and processes support day-to-day operations and growth.

The role partners with Design leadership and stakeholders to improve project visibility, planning, and delivery, while guiding staffing decisions, workflow standards, and technology innovations that drive measurable improvements.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Architecture, Interior Design, Construction Management, Engineering, Business, or a related field.
• 8–12 years of experience in operations, project management, or team leadership.
• Experience improving processes and systems for multidisciplinary teams across locations.
• Strong organizational, analytical, communication, and problem-solving skills.

Responsibilities

• Lead Operations and Resource Planning across Architecture and Interiors.
• Maintain visibility into the project pipeline, schedules, milestones, and delivery.
• Assess workload and capacity with Design leadership to inform staffing and assignments.
• Identify risks and coordinate with stakeholders to resolve issues.
• Define group-wide priorities, translate into plans, and track progress.
• Improve processes and systems; manage workflows, standards, and tools.
• Standardise design processes and clarify roles and responsibilities.
• Track adoption of design standards; use reporting to identify gaps and guide improvements.
• Lead technology and innovation; research AI-enabled tools and workflows.
• Evaluate opportunities and lead implementation for measurable improvements.
• Coordinate onboarding, training, and systems adoption.
• Address capability gaps and promote collaboration across functions and locations.

Skills

Project management

Resource planning

Staffing coordination

Communication

Analytical thinking

Education

Bachelor's degree in Architecture

Tools

PM systems

Scheduling tools

Reporting tools

Job description

Director - Design Operations Position Type: Full time Weekly Scheduled Hours: 40 State: Virginia City: Arlington Zip Code: 22203 Total Base Pay Range: $110,800.00 - $184,800.00

Overview

Vivmark Residential exists to set the mark for what home can be. Formed through the merger of AvalonBay Communities and Equity Residential, Vivmark brings together two industry leaders with a shared commitment to excellence, innovation, and delivering exceptional living experiences. Our vision is to be the most trusted and best-performing rental housing company in America – one that continues to get better as it grows. And we're looking for people who want to help us do it. As an owner, developer, and manager of more than 180,000 apartment homes in major markets across the US, we have the scale to offer something most companies can't. At Vivmark, team members move up and across functions, markets, and disciplines, building lasting careers. We invest in team members’ growth, development, and capabilities that make them and us better, and we hold ourselves to the highest standard as an employer. The best people want to work here. We hope you're one of them.

The Role

The Director of Design Operations provides operational leadership and hands‑on execution for Vivmark’s Design organization, ensuring that resources, systems, and processes support effective day‑to‑day operations and continued growth. Working with Design leadership and internal stakeholders, the role strengthens project visibility, resource planning, coordination, and delivery. The successful candidate brings operational discipline, sound judgment, curiosity, and a practical approach to solving problems and helping multidisciplinary teams work effectively.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead Operations and Resource Planning
• Maintain visibility into the project pipeline, schedules, milestones, and delivery across Architecture and Interiors.
• Assess workload and capacity with Design leadership to inform staffing and project assignments.
• Identify risks and competing priorities, and coordinate with internal stakeholders to resolve issues.
• Work with Design leadership to define group-wide business priorities, translate them into plans and track commitments and progress.
• Improve Processes and Systems
• Manage and refine existing workflows, standards, templates, and tools.
• Work with internal stakeholders and external partners to standardise design processes and clarify roles and responsibilities.
• Track adoption of design standards and assess process effectiveness, using regular reporting to identify gaps and guide improvements.
• Lead Technology and Innovation
• Research emerging technologies and industry trends, including AI-enabled tools and workflows relevant to architecture, interior design, and project delivery.
• Evaluate opportunities, recommend solutions, and lead implementation to deliver measurable improvements.
• Support Team Development and Systems Adoption
• Coordinate the operational aspects of onboarding, training, and systems adoption.
• Work with team leaders to identify and address capability gaps, supporting collaboration and consistent practices across functions and locations.

Candidate Profile

• Bachelor's degree in Architecture, Interior Design, Construction Management, Engineering, Business, or a related field, with 8–12 years of experience in operations, project management, or team leadership, ideally within architecture, design, or a related industry.
• Demonstrated experience improving processes and systems for multidisciplinary teams across multiple functions or locations.
• Strong organisational, analytical, communication, and problem-solving skills, with the ability to anticipate challenges, navigate ambiguity, manage competing priorities, and follow through independently.
• Experience with project management systems, project pipeline and schedule tracking, reporting tools, and business planning.
• Curiosity about emerging technologies and the ability to evaluate new tools and translate promising ideas into practical improvements.
• Ability to build relationships and work effectively across teams in a collaborative, creative environment.

How Vivmark Supports You

We know that our teams are the beating heart of our success and we’re committed to showing our appreciation.

• A competitive benefits package that supports your health, financial well-being, and work‑life balance, including medical, dental, and vision coverage, a 401(k) with company match, paid vacation and company holidays, and exclusive team member housing discounts.

Additional Info

Vivmark Residential is proud to be an equal opportunity employer and is committed to an inclusive and diverse work environment free of discrimination and harassment. We believe that in order to achieve our purpose of creating a better way to live, we must recruit, develop and retain associates with a wide range of backgrounds, experiences and perspectives and create an environment that encourages all voices to be heard, understood and appreciated. With this we know we can do great things. Vivmark Residential makes employment decisions without regard to a person’s race, ethnicity, colour, religion, sex, national origin, sexual orientation, gender identity, pregnancy (including childbirth, lactation or related medical conditions), age, physical or mental disability, genetic information (including characteristics or testing), citizenship status, military or veteran status, or any other status protected by the law. Vivmark Residential will consider for employment qualified applicants with criminal histories in a manner consistent with requirements under the law. Vivmark Residential does not require or request that you provide any information that identifies your age, date of birth, or dates of school attendance or graduation. Please redact this information prior to the submission of your application and/or leave these fields incomplete on your application. For California residents, if you elect to apply to Vivmark Residential you accept the Vivmark Residential California Personnel Privacy Notice.

Creating a better way to live is the purpose that binds Vivmark’s Team Members. At Vivmark, every day is an opportunity to make a difference in someone’s life. Whether it’s helping someone choose one of our communities as their home, providing great service to our residents, or supporting our fellow team members, we are committed to creating an unforgettable experience as a great place to live - and work. We are always on the lookout for new talent!