Lead Electrical Designer - Grocery and Distribution

Colonial Group; Phoenix (AZ); On-site; USD 90,000 - 140,000; Full time

Job summary

Colonial Group is seeking an experienced Lead Designer to guide advanced building systems engineering from concept through completion. You will mentor designers and engineers, coordinate with project teams across disciplines, and contribute to business development and risk management activities.

The role emphasizes leadership, design standards, client communication, and delivering high-quality designs while supporting project success and client satisfaction.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in engineering with 9–10+ years of relevant experience (or 10+ years with a high school diploma or equivalent).
• Certifications/accreditations aligned with the field (FE exam preferred; sustainability accreditations such as CDP, LEED, WELL preferred).
• Proficiency in Revit and Bluebeam Revu.
• Strong communication and leadership skills; ability to mentor staff and lead design teams.
• Ability to manage multiple tasks, coordinate with cross-disciplinary teams, and ensure quality across projects.

Responsibilities

• Lead project and design efforts from concept design through completion.
• Review shop drawings for conformance to plans and specifications.
• Mentor and supervise designers and engineers.
• Develop client relationships and support business development.
• Oversee project coordination, schedules, and quality; ensure compliance with codes and standards.

Skills

Leadership

Mentoring

Project management

Client communication

Education

Bachelor's degree in engineering (mechanical/electrical/fire protection/architectural)

Tools

Revit

Bluebeam Revu

Job description

Position Summary

A Lead Designer designs advanced building systems, prepares design documents and performs engineering calculations in coordination with project teams and multiple disciplines. They train, mentor and provide leadership to design staff which may include directly supervising/managing others. Lead Designers are involved in aspects of business development, corporate operations and risk management activities.

Essential Job Functions & Accountabilities

Drafting & Design

• Prepares or directs the preparation of simple to complex design documents, system layouts, detailed drawings, schematics and specifications.
• Leads project and design efforts from concept design through completion.
• Reviews shop drawings for conformance to plans and specifications.
• Performs research and makes recommendations as to the feasibility of systems or equipment. Evaluates products for their application.
• Responsible for producing solutions to complex engineering problems and complicated design challenges through direct involvement or in an advisory capacity.
• Ensures that production of drawings, specifications, reports and analyses meet scope, schedule, cost and quality requirements.

Team & Technical Leadership

• Proactively advises and mentors less experienced designers and engineers, providing oversight and technical guidance. Takes responsibility for the success of those under their supervision.
• Makes recommendations on project staffing.
• May direct activities of technical and administrative staff.
• Strives to continuously develop and expand personal knowledge and the knowledge of others.
• Assists Technical Managers and directors with establishing and implementing goals, policies, objectives and standards at the practice and/or sector level.
• Involved in the development of tools, resources and company practices.
• Implements and reinforces design and engineering standards at the team or practice level.
• Oversees the quality of projects and designs through the quality review process and regular check-ins. May include providing final reviews for projects under purview.

Business Development

• Takes the lead in developing, establishing and maintaining relationships with strategic partners and customers in support of and to expand business opportunities.
• Participates in client, company and/or industry events to build and maintain professional relationships.

Client Experience

• Fosters a client-centric mindset and approach individually and within their team.
• Communicates with clients as needed for the development and coordination of requirements and scope of work. Maintains proactive communication throughout the project cycle.
• Anticipates and answers questions from clients and architects. Acts as a resource to others and directs in fact-finding and/or assists with answering questions.
• Visits job sites to verify existing conditions and observe construction progress.
• Resolves conflicts involving owners, architects and contractors as needed.

Continuous Learning

• Identifies and seeks to fill gaps in industry and/or discipline knowledge on a continuous basis.
• Identifies and understands emerging technologies and industry trends and stays up to date on evolving codes and standards.
• Proactively shares information and updates and related ideas and suggestions for technical and process improvements with peers and leaders.
• Understands, teaches and applies Henderson’s design guidelines, standards, policies and procedures.

Project Management

• Performs a range of project management responsibilities in collaboration with experienced project managers. Asks questions when performing unfamiliar tasks.
• Responsible for project coordination activities such as managing emails, coordinating scope and schedule, coordinating design team, attending client meetings, ensuring project quality, responding to client questions and coordinating project delivery.

Core Competencies

Communication

• Keeps others well informed and prioritizes audiences, accuracy, and timeliness.
• Facilitates an efficient, consistent workflow and exchange of information.
• Adjusts communication based on needs and make-up of audience.

Integrity

• Leads by example, challenges assumptions, and creates candid feedback loops.
• Aligns personal actions and words, extends and receives trust, and upholds commitments.
• Maintains the confidence of clients and colleagues, especially when handling sensitive information.

Quality Orientation

• Creates a sense of urgency to tackle problems and rewards responsiveness.
• Recognizes opportunity for improvement, creating and supporting processes and feedback to improve results.
• Holds others accountable for doing their best work.

Teamwork/Inclusion

• Promotes a culture of collaboration across roles and teams.
• Navigates difficult conversations with diplomacy and leverages cooperative efforts to resolve conflict.
• Confronts exclusionary behavior and participates productively in discussions of diverse, sensitive societal topics.

Continuous Learning

• Pursues challenging assignments and new knowledge.
• Encourages experimentation when faced with new challenges.
• Examines mistakes, clarifies lessons learned, and applies to future work.

Functional/Technical Expertise

• Leverages area of expertise to contribute to team and company goals.
• Promotes an environment where people openly share their expertise, experiences, opinions, ideas and perspectives.
• Maintains knowledge, skills, and abilities relevant to success throughout job functions.

Leadership

• Personifies the values of the organization and champions organizational culture and vision, earnestly supporting and mobilizing decisions made by organizational leadership.
• Navigates ambiguity and change in a positive way, proactively seeking support from leadership when needed.

INSPIRES THE ORGANIZATION

• Personifies the values of the organization and champions organizational culture and vision, earnestly supporting and mobilizing decisions made by organizational leadership.
• Navigates ambiguity and change in a positive way, proactively seeking support from leadership when needed.

FOCUSES ON CLIENT EXPERIENCE

• Fosters positive client relationships and coaches others to do the same, striving for best-in-class service and internal and external client satisfaction.
• Anticipates and responds proactively to changes in client needs, priorities, and/or expectations, ensuring quality results.

DEVELOPS THE STRENGTHS OF OTHERS

• Demonstrates empathy and builds strong relationships with colleagues.
• Seeks and shares productive feedback with candor to help others grow, celebrating the effort, progress, and everyday wins of colleagues.

DRIVES ACCOUNTABILITY, QUALITY, AND INNOVATION

• Expects and drives high-quality results and welcomes innovative strategies, especially in times of change.
• Models financially responsible behaviours and coaches others to be fiscally mindful as employee-owners.

Required Education, Experience, Licenses & Technical Competencies

• Bachelor's degree in relevant field of engineering (i.e., mechanical, electrical, fire protection or architectural) and 9 years of relevant experience or 10 years of experience with high school diploma or equivalent is required.
• Additional certifications and accreditations aligned with the relevant technical field (e.g., BEMP, CPD, CDP, NICET, RCDD, etc.) required.
• Completion of the Fundamentals of Engineering (FE) exam preferred.
• Certifications and accreditations aligned with sustainability backgrounds (e.g., CDP, LEED, WELL, etc.) preferred.
• Advanced knowledge and proficiency in engineering design, A&E industry, codes, design guides and standards relating to a broad range of practices, projects and/or program types required.
• Knowledge of earned value, contracts and construction processes and methods required.
• Proficiency in Revit and Bluebeam Revu required.
• High technical aptitude: ability to learn, understand and utilize various systems and processes. Comfortability with training others on systems and processes.
• Effective verbal and written communication skills; ability to communicate with designers at all levels in a clear and concise manner.
• Effective critical thinking and problem-solving skills.
• Team oriented and willingness and ability to function in a highly collaborative environment, in group projects and leading less experienced designers. Ability to also work independently as needed.
• Adapts to changing work environments, priorities and organizational needs.
• Ability to prioritize and execute multiple tasks in a dynamic environment.
• Ability to give and receive constructive feedback and adjust to coaching.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office suite and engineering design software applicable to your discipline or focus.
• Must be a self-starter, proactive and willing to teach, manage and/or help others as needed.
• Must demonstrate proficiency in all core competencies as described and characterized in this job description.

Physical & Other Requirements

• Other duties as assigned.
• Prolonged periods of sitting or standing at a desk and working on a computer.
• Occasional travel may be required (10-15%).
• Ability to read, write and communicate in English.