Director of Project Development & Client Experience

Housewrights; Madison (WI); On-site; USD 90,000 - 130,000; Full time

Job summary

Associated Housewrights is a premier residential design-build firm in the Madison area seeking a Director of Project Development & Client Experience. You will lead the front end of the client journey, serving as primary contact for homeowners, guiding them from initial consult through handoff, and collaborating with Design and Construction teams to ensure a seamless experience.

You will manage leads, conduct discovery calls, build trust, educate clients on processes, and negotiate contracts,

Qualifications

• Five or more years of experience in sales, business development, project development, or related field.
• Proven ability to build relationships, trust, and close sales.
• Excellent communication, presentation, negotiation, and listening skills.

Responsibilities

• Manage incoming leads, referrals, and sales opportunities with an active pipeline.
• Conduct discovery calls, in-home consultations, site visits, and walkthroughs to capture goals, scope, budget and timeline.
• Build relationships with prospective clients through consultative selling and exceptional service.
• Educate homeowners on the design-build process and value of partnering with the company.
• Establish expectations around scope, budgets, schedules, and design requirements.
• Prepare and secure project development and design agreements and other contracts.
• Maintain CRM records, communications, sales activity, pipeline updates, and forecasts.
• Develop relationships with architects, designers, real estate pros, and past clients for new opportunities.
• Collaborate with design and construction teams to ensure smooth handoff from signed agreement to kickoff.
• Track sales performance, pipeline health, and market trends to support growth.

Skills

Sales experience

Relationship building

Communication

Negotiation

Active listening

CRM software

Pipeline management

Cross-functional collaboration

Strategic thinking

Presentation

Education

Bachelor's degree

Construction management degree

Communications degree

Tools

CRM software

Job description

Associated Housewrights is a premier residential design-build firm specializing in custom homes, additions, and remodeling projects throughout the Madison area. We're committed to delivering an exceptional client experience by building strong relationships, providing expert guidance, and helping homeowners confidently navigate every step of the project development process.

We're looking for a Director of Project Development & Client Experience to lead the front end of the client journey. In this role, you'll serve as the primary point of contact for prospective homeowners, building trust, understanding their goals, qualifying opportunities, and guiding them through our design-build process. You'll work closely with our Design and Construction teams to ensure each client experiences a seamless transition from the initial consultation through project handoff while contributing to the continued growth and success of Associated Housewrights.

What You'll Do

• Manage incoming leads, referrals, and sales opportunities while maintaining an active sales pipeline.
• Conduct discovery calls, in-home consultations, site visits, and project walkthroughs to understand each homeowner's goals, project scope, budget, and timeline.
• Build strong relationships with prospective clients through consultative selling, active listening, and exceptional customer service.
• Educate homeowners on our design-build process, services, project delivery approach, and the value of partnering with Associated Housewrights.
• Establish realistic expectations regarding project scope, budgets, schedules, design requirements, and construction timelines.
• Collaborate with Construction to develop preliminary project budgets and confidently discuss project investment and value with clients.
• Prepare, present, negotiate, and secure project development agreements, design agreements, and other sales-related contracts.
• Maintain accurate CRM records, client communications, sales activity, pipeline updates, and forecasting.
• Build and maintain strong relationships with architects, residential designers, referral partners, real estate professionals, and past clients to generate new project opportunities and strengthen long-term business partnerships.
• Actively expand Associated Housewrights' professional network by developing relationships with outside architects and designers who can serve as trusted referral partners and collaborators on future projects.
• Partner with the Design and Construction teams to ensure a smooth, well-documented transition from signed agreement through project kickoff.
• Track sales performance, pipeline health, conversion metrics, and market trends to support business growth.
• Serve as a member of the Leadership Team by contributing to strategic planning, client experience initiatives, and continuous improvement efforts.

What We're Looking For

Required Qualifications

• Five or more years of experience in sales, business development, project development, customer relationship management, or a related field.
• Proven ability to build relationships, establish trust, and successfully close sales.
• Excellent communication, presentation, negotiation, and active listening skills.
• Ability to confidently discuss project budgets, pricing, and investment expectations.
• Experience using CRM software and managing an active sales pipeline.
• Strong organizational skills with the ability to manage multiple clients and priorities simultaneously.
• Ability to work independently while collaborating effectively with cross-functional teams.
• Strong strategic thinking, problem-solving, and decision-making skills.
• Professional, customer-focused approach with a commitment to delivering an exceptional client experience.

Preferred Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Business Administration, Construction Management, Communications, or a related field.
• Experience in residential remodeling, construction, design-build, architecture, real estate, or a related industry.
• Demonstrated leadership potential and a desire to grow into expanded leadership responsibilities.

Why Join Associated Housewrights?

• Build lasting relationships while helping homeowners bring their vision to life.
• Play a key role in the continued growth and success of an established design-build company.
• Work alongside talented Design and Construction professionals in a collaborative, team-oriented environment.
• Join the Leadership Team and help shape the future of our sales process and overall client experience.
• Be part of a company that values professionalism, integrity, collaboration, continuous improvement, and outstanding customer service.
• Enjoy opportunities for professional growth and long-term career development.

Associated Housewrights is an Equal Opportunity Employer.

We offer a competitive salary and excellent benefits.