Sector Operations Leader - Mission Critical

Harley Ellis Devereaux (HED); Chicago (IL); On-site; USD 140,000 - 190,000; Full time

Job summary

Harley Ellis Devereaux (HED) seeks a Sector Operations Leader for Mission Critical to drive operational excellence across a national sector, partnering with Leaders, PMs, and technical teams to deliver high‑quality, client‑focused design outcomes.

The role emphasizes project lifecycle management, budgeting, risk oversight, recruitment support, and leadership across a matrix organization while maintaining alignment with firm goals and design process.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Architecture, Engineering, or related field.
• Professional licensure required.
• Minimum 15 years of professional experience, with at least 5 years in project management within an A/E environment.
• Strong understanding of architecture and engineering design process, technical coordination, and full project lifecycle management.
• Demonstrated business acumen including budgeting, risk management, contract review, and resource planning.
• Ability to influence without direct authority and thrive in a matrix leadership model.
• Skilled in cross-functional collaboration, written/verbal communication, and strategic decision-making.

Responsibilities

• Collaborate with Business and Sector Leaders to manage and improve operational workflows, resource planning, and project execution across a national portfolio.
• Partner with project managers to develop sound work plans, align budgets, and ensure delivery of quality documents within agreed-upon scopes, schedules, and fees.
• Provide guidance and feedback to Discipline Leaders, including input on performance evaluations, salary adjustments, and professional development.
• Oversee and support implementation of HED's design process and quality control milestones across sector projects.
• Lead weekly sector staffing and operations meetings to facilitate resource sharing, workload balancing, and timely escalation of operational concerns.
• Monitor project financial health and proactively support corrective action with PMs and finance teams when performance does not align with goals.
• Assist in developing project proposals, evaluating scope, risk, and fee structures to protect firm interests.
• Coordinate with legal, finance, and HR to review agreements and manage operational risks.
• Support recruitment and development of qualified project team members with deep sector knowledge and leadership capability.
• Partner with other Operations Leaders, Practice Technology Leaders, Sustainable Design Leaders, and the Operations Practice Discipline Leader to align sector-level execution with firmwide strategic and technological goals.
• Serve as a firm representative in the professional community and act as project executive, principal-in-charge, or project manager on selected projects as needed.

Skills

Leadership

Budgeting

Risk management

Contract review

Resource planning

Communication

Design process

Lifecycle management

Education

Bachelor's degree in Architecture/Engineering

Job description

Sector Operations Leader - Mission Critical

Our Mission Critical team is looking to add an experienced team member to our group of talented leaders. The Sector Operations Leader serves as a matrixed operational strategist and partner across an HED national sector. This pivotal leadership role is instrumental in guiding project management performance, operations excellence, and resource integration across the sector to ensure consistent delivery of high-quality, client-focused design outcomes.

Position Summary

Working closely with Business Leaders, Sector Leaders, Project Managers, and technical teams, this position drives operational consistency, mitigates project risk, and fosters a culture of accountability and continuous improvement aligned to HED's core values and design process. The Sector Operations Leader also serves as a model of HED's core values and represents the firm professionally in both internal and external environments.

Essential Functions

• Collaborate with Business and Sector Leaders to manage and improve operational workflows, resource planning, and project execution across a national portfolio.
• Partner with project managers to develop sound work plans, align budgets, and ensure delivery of quality documents within agreed‑upon scopes, schedules, and fees.
• Provide guidance and feedback to Discipline Leaders, including input on performance evaluations, salary adjustments, and professional development.
• Oversee and support implementation of HED's design process and quality control milestones across sector projects.
• Lead weekly sector staffing and operations meetings to facilitate resource sharing, workload balancing, and timely escalation of operational concerns.
• Monitor project financial health and proactively support corrective action with PMs and finance teams when performance does not align with goals.
• Assist in developing project proposals, evaluating scope, risk, and fee structures to protect firm interests.
• Coordinate with legal, finance, and HR to review agreements and manage operational risks.
• Support recruitment and development of qualified project team members with deep sector knowledge and leadership capability.
• Partner with other Operations Leaders, Practice Technology Leaders, Sustainable Design Leaders, and the Operations Practice Discipline Leader to align sector‑level execution with firmwide strategic and technological goals.
• Serve as a firm representative in the professional community and act as project executive, principal‑in‑charge, or project manager on selected projects as needed.

Requirements

• Bachelor's degree in Architecture, Engineering, or related field.
• Professional licensure required.
• Minimum 15 years of professional experience, with at least 5 years in project management within an A/E environment.
• Strong understanding of architecture and engineering design process, technical coordination, and full project lifecycle management.
• Demonstrated business acumen including budgeting, risk management, contract review, and resource planning.
• Ability to influence without direct authority and thrive in a matrix leadership model.
• Skilled in cross‑functional collaboration, written/verbal communication, and strategic decision‑making.

Physical Requirements

• Prolonged periods of sitting at a desk and working on a computer.
• Must be able to effectively communicate in writing and verbally via phone, video conferencing, and in‑person.
• Visual acuity to perform responsibilities.
• Ability to travel to other HED offices and project sites for observation, evaluation, or collaboration purposes.
• Ability to use digital tools and equipment for documentation and communication.

Work Environment

We embrace a hybrid model that promotes both autonomy and collaboration, including the freedom to work from home, with regular in‑office days to connect with teammates and build culture. The office is a professional, open‑space environment for collaborative and independent work.

Other Duties

This job description is not designed to cover or contain a comprehensive listing of activities, duties, or responsibilities that are required of the employee for this job. Duties, responsibilities, and activities may change at any time with or without notice.