Project Lead

GMB Architects/Engineers, Inc.; Grand Rapids (MI); On-site; USD 80,000 - 120,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Excellent benefit package

Flexible workplace

Job summary

GMB Architects/Engineers, Inc. is seeking a Project Lead to join their team, focusing on educational design in K-12 and Higher Education. The ideal candidate will possess strong leadership skills and experience in managing various projects from initiation to completion.

This role offers the opportunity to collaborate within an employee-owned culture that promotes creative solutions and teamwork, without traditional hierarchy. The position is full-time and requires a professional degree in Architecture or Engineering, as well as a minimum of 10 years in the industry.

Qualifications

• 10+ years of experience in an A/E firm or AEC related industry.
• Excellent organization, communication and planning skills.
• Experience with K-12 and Higher Education markets.

Responsibilities

• Facilitate a positive project experience for clients and design team.
• Serve as the client liaison and advocate.
• Manage multiple projects through the design process.

Skills

Leadership

Communication

Project Management

Organizational Skills

Education

Professional degree in Architecture or Engineering

Job description

Description

GMB is hiring a Project Lead to join our team of teams. Our ideal candidate has a passion for educational design and the ability to effectively organize and optimize each team member's contributions toward positive project outcomes - both for our teams and our clients. This role provides a unique opportunity to foster avenues for communication, creativity, and fun while promoting a culture of trust, knowledge sharing, mentorship, growth, and learning.

At GMB we believe that effective project teams are fundamental to success. Teams that have good project leadership create an environment where people are fully engaged, informed, empowered, challenged, and mentored. Does this resonate with you? Read on!

Why work with us?

We focus on projects within the educational ecosystem, from Pre‑K through Higher Education and spaces in our community that support lifelong learning. Our integrated team gets to work together on a wide range of project types – building design, performance engineering, communications campaigns, branding, enrollment marketing, financial analysis, projections and planning – and we’re proud of the impact that our work has on the lives and trajectories of students across the United States.

As a Project Lead with GMB, you will get to:

• Facilitate a consistent and positive project experience for both GMB’s clients and Design team members for a variety of projects in K‑12 and Higher Education Markets
• Capitalize on potential project opportunities and write project proposals
• Serve as the client liaison, meeting with key stakeholders to understand project scope and goals.
• Provide client advocacy to assist in developing the unknown scope
• Collaborate with our marketing team on a response to RFP opportunities
• Participate in strategy meetings for future projects
• Coordinate and execute contracts appropriate for the selected delivery method
• Manage multiple projects of different scale and type within our multidisciplinary offerings through the design process, from initiation to closeout.
• Champion client interaction and decision making and keeping the project team informed
• Lead the team in identifying needed project roles and tasks, enable each team member to have ownership and help identify roadblocks and solutions
• Establish project schedules appropriate for the scope of work
• Responsible for project budget awareness and holding the team accountable to it
• Focus on quality in all aspects of the work, from initial presentations through design, documentation, and delivery of architectural and engineering services
• Coordinate and write front end specifications
• Execute the project vision and communicate with clients throughout the entirety of the project
• Facilitate Construction Administration paperwork
• Engage consultants necessary to complete projects
• Responsible to facilitate permitting and plan review activities with the team
• Care for projects after completion and enrich client relationships.
• Foster avenues for communication, creativity, and fun while promoting a culture of trust, knowledge sharing, mentorship, growth and learning.
• Actively participate in an internal PM/PL team to develop and implement strategies, tools and best practices for client leadership, project quality, organization and to promote a culture of teamwork, communication, and feedback.

What type of knowledge do I need to succeed in this role?

More than a specific degree and exact number of years of experience, we’re most excited about what kind of knowledge you bring! For this role, we are seeking someone with wide‑ranging experience who uses professional concepts to resolve complex issues in creative and effective ways.

• Professional degree in Architecture, Engineering or equivalent from an accredited college/university.
• 10+ years of experience in an A/E firm or an AEC related industry.
• Experience with the K‑12 and Higher Education markets.
• Demonstrated leadership credentials.
• Excellent organization, communication and planning skills.
• Proficiency in understanding construction documents, specifications and graphic presentations.
• Practiced understanding of overall project financials including design and construction activities.

What might set you apart from other candidates?

• Practiced understanding of overall project financials including design and construction activities.
• A drive to push the boundary for innovative and effective design and business solutions.
• Experience with educational funding sources.
• Professional registration.Interest in exploring opportunities in new business service offerings.
• Experience leading full‑service AE teams, including Architecture, Interior Design, MEP, Civil, and Structural.

We might be a great match for each other if you are:

• A self‑starter with great time management who thrives in an environment with cross‑discipline collaboration and team‑level decision making.
• An individual who contributes beyond themselves, is motivated by their team’s success and works hard to ensure it.
• Someone who enjoys trying new ideas, failing fast, and constantly improving.

What you might also like to know:

We’re an employee‑owned company. This means that 100% of the ownership at GMB is held by us as employees. Your role as a teammate will have a direct impact on the company’s actions and result in a share in its profits.

GMB doesn’t operate within a hierarchical pyramid structure; instead we operate like a network of teams that come together around specific goals working toward our overarching purpose. We think this is a better way to work and help everyone reach their potential.

Finally, GMB embraces a flexible workplace that empowers each person to decide where and how they work best. Our inclusive, people‑first culture encourages teams to collaborate, communicate and find fulfillment personally and professionally, regardless of location or schedule.

We’re a direct hire, full‑time position. Salary will be commensurate with experience, including an excellent benefit package. Must have current and continuing right to work in the United States without sponsorship. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, age, sexual orientation, gender identity or national origin.