Director of Finance & Operations (Architecture FIrm)

Robert Siegel Architects; New York (NY); In loco; USD 90.000 - 150.000; Tempo pieno

Vantaggi offerti da questo lavoro

Bonus opportunities

401(k) with employer matching

Medical and health benefits

Paid Time Off (PTO) and holidays

Professional development and mentoring

Descrizione del lavoro

Siegel invites you to join our team as Director of Finance & Operations, directing the finances, operations, and administrative health of the practice from either New York City or Katonah. This full-time role requires leadership, strategic oversight, and hands-on work to deliver client value on schedule and within budget.

The ideal candidate has strong financial skills, MBA or equivalent business training, and an architectural/design background, with fluency in AI tools.

Competenze

• MBA or graduate business training required.
• Experience understanding how design projects are scoped, staffed, contracted, billed, and delivered.
• Strong financial skills and familiarity with accounting software.
• Fluency with AI tools (Claude Code) within Terminal or similar.
• Excellent written and verbal communication with clients, consultants, staff.

Mansioni

• Own the financial, operational, and administrative health of the practice.
• Lead firm-wide budgeting, forecasting, cash flow management, and financial reporting.
• Run invoicing, collections, accounts payable, payroll, and benefits administration.
• Prepare and manage client and consultant contracts, fee proposals, insurance renewals, and firm licenses.
• Plan staffing and project resourcing to keep projects on schedule and budget.
• Build and run AI-assisted tools and workflows with the Principal.
• Partner with the Principal on annual planning, growth strategy, and operational decisions.

Conoscenze

Budgeting & forecasting

Cash flow management

Financial reporting

AI tools fluency (Claude Code)

Client & staff communication

Leadership & ownership

Formazione

MBA or graduate business training

Architecture or design business background

CDFO (SDA) certificate (plus)

Strumenti

QuickBooks Online

Xero

Gusto

Descrizione del lavoro

DIRECTOR OF FINANCE & OPERATIONS

Outstanding business leadership, financial command, and AI fluency for an award-winning architecture firm

This is a full-time position based in our New York City or Katonah office.

Remote and hybrid work arrangements are not available for this role.

Compensation ranges from $90,000 to $150,000, commensurate with experience.

Create Architecture That Matters.

Are you an architect with a head for business, or a business mind who loves how buildings get made? Do you enjoy setting the strategy and then doing the hands-on work that makes it happen? Are you energized by building smarter systems, including AI tools, that leverage passionate and talented designers to do their best work while delivering maximum client value on schedule and within budget?

If you are driven to own the finances and operations of a growing design practice, on a path to running the business of the firm, we invite you to join our team.

About Siegel

Siegel, formerly Robert Siegel Architects, improves the built world one building at a time. From our studios in New York City and Katonah, New York, we design higher-education, civic, cultural, commercial, residential, and public-sector projects throughout the United States and abroad.

We design architecture that enriches the human spirit and improves daily life. We study how people move, work, gather, and experience a place, then translate those specific observations into architecture that is easy to use and beautiful to look at.

We seek clients with a clear mission. We unite functional clarity, high performance, technical innovation, and craftsmanship. We integrate planning, structure, building systems, and materials to make buildings intuitive, comfortable, durable, energy-efficient, and adaptable. We lead project teams toward sustainable solutions that meet budget and schedule requirements. Through critical thinking and close collaboration, we create architecture that reflects its time and feels as though it has always been there.

Responsibilities

Siegel is a growing firm, and this role reports directly to the Principal. You will own the financial, operational, and administrative health of the practice, thinking like an owner and doing the hands-on work yourself, so that our design leadership can focus on architecture, mentorship, and new business. Responsibilities include:

• Lead firm-wide budgeting, forecasting, cash flow management, and financial reporting, and keep the Principal informed with clear, current numbers.

• Own project financial management: fee tracking by phase, fixed-fee and hourly billing, reimbursable expenses, consultant costs, and project profitability.

• Run invoicing, collections, accounts payable, payroll, and benefits administration.

• Prepare and manage client and consultant contracts, fee proposals, insurance renewals, and firm licenses and registrations.

• Plan staffing and project resourcing so that the right people are on the right work and projects stay on schedule and on budget.

• Build and run the firm's AI-assisted tools and workflows alongside the Principal, replacing manual routines with reliable systems.

• Partner with the Principal on annual planning, growth strategy, and the operational decisions that shape the firm's future.

Qualifications

Successful candidates will possess:

• Intellectual curiosity, initiative, and a record of academic excellence (minimum 3.6 GPA).

• An MBA or graduate business training, ideally paired with an architecture or design background. Architects with business training are especially welcome.

• A working understanding of how design projects are scoped, staffed, contracted, billed, and delivered.

• Strong financial skills, including budgeting, forecasting, and cash flow management, and proficiency with accounting software such as QuickBooks Online, Xero, and Gusto.

• Demonstrated fluency with AI tools including Claude Code within Terminal. This fluency is shown by something you have built or automated rather than by a list of software.

• Exceptional organization, follow-through, and attention to detail.

• Excellent written and verbal communication skills with clients, consultants, advisors, and staff.

• The SDA Certificate in Design Firm Operations (CDFO), or an interest in earning it, is a plus.

• Legal authorization to work in the United States.

Salary & Benefits

Siegel offers a competitive compensation package that includes:

• Competitive salary
• Twice-yearly performance bonus opportunities
• 401(k) with employer matching
• Comprehensive medical and health benefits
• Generous Paid Time Off (PTO) and paid holidays
• Professional development, mentorship, and opportunities for long-term career growth.

Our Culture

Since our founding in 1991, we have believed that diverse perspectives create better architecture. Our studio brings together architects with different backgrounds, experiences, and ways of thinking because meaningful innovation comes from the exchange of ideas. We foster a culture of curiosity, collaboration, mentorship, and continuous learning, where every member of the team is encouraged to challenge conventions and contribute to the evolution of our practice.

Siegel is proud to be an Equal Opportunity Employer. We celebrate diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive workplace where all individuals are treated with dignity, respect, and equal opportunity regardless of race, color, ancestry, religion, sex, national origin, sexual orientation, age, citizenship, marital status, disability, gender identity, or veteran status.