Senior Designer

stvinc; New York (NY); On-site; USD 150,000 - 171,000; Full time

Job summary

STV is seeking a Senior Designer to join our Buildings Group in NYC. The Senior Designer serves as Design Manager, sharing leadership duties with the Project Manager to guide design, interface with clients, manage the design schedule, and coordinate consultants and team members.

Role collaborates with Project Architect and Senior Architect of record, driving programming, space planning, and conceptual design while maintaining STV’s high technical standards and ethics.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in architecture from an accredited program.
• 12+ years of progressive professional experience on complex building projects with leadership of design teams.
• Expected architectural licensure within 12 months.
• Fluency in Revit workflows and familiarity with Bluebeam and MS Office.
• Strong leadership, communication skills with clients, staff, and consultants.
• Experience with scheduling, budgeting, and project controls software preferred.
• Knowledge of NYC Building Code and DOB filing processes is a plus.

Responsibilities

• Lead design teams and coordinate with Project Manager, Project Architect, and subconsultants.
• Manage programming, space planning, and conceptual design to meet client goals.
• Oversee design development and technical documentation in collaboration with the Project Architect.
• Own the detailed design schedule and ensure milestones are met.
• Coordinate internal meetings and manage consultant deliverables and QA/QC reviews.
• Serve as the client’s day-to-day contact and lead regular project meetings.
• Mentor staff and uphold STV design standards and documentation quality.
• Support construction administration, RFIs, submittals, and responses.

Skills

Team leadership

Client liaison

Communication

Mentorship

Project coordination

Education

Bachelor's degree in Architecture

Tools

Revit

Bluebeam

MS Office

Project management software

Job description

STV is seeking a Senior Designer to join our Buildings Group in NYC.

The Senior Designer serves as Design Manager, a project-assigned leadership role in which the traditional Project Manager responsibilities are divided between the Project Manager - who holds commercial responsibility for the project - and the Design Manager, who owns design leadership, day-to-day client interface, the design schedule, and consultant and team coordination.

The Design Manager embodies high technical standards, ethics, and professionalism on behalf of STV in leading the design of every project to which they are assigned, and works alongside the Project Manager toward the overall successful delivery of that project. The role is the voice of the design team to the client, partners with the Project Architect through documentation and construction administration, and relies on the Senior Architect of record for professional seal and signature.

Role Positioning

Scope Project-assigned Design Manager role on Buildings projects across STV offices; not limited to a single region.

Reports to Studio Development Leader (SDL).

Partners with Project Manager, Project Architect, Senior Architect of record, Project Designer, discipline leads, BIM leadership, and subconsultants.

Distinct from Project Manager (commercial responsibility) and Senior Architect of record (professional seal and signature).

Project Types

All STV Buildings market sectors, including justice, education, health and well-being, transportation, science and technology, federal programs, and civic and cities work.

Key Responsibilities

• Proposals and Pursuits – Support designated pursuits with the Project Manager and Pursuit Leader, contributing to the project approach, design narrative, staffing input, and presentations.
• Project Controls and Change Management – Be consulted in finalizing the project budget and overall schedule.
• Project Controls and Change Management – Support the Project Manager in confirming that discipline staffing aligns with the allocated project budget.
• Project Controls and Change Management – Identify potential changes in scope and schedule early and work closely with the Project Manager, who approves change management and establishes additional services.
• Project Controls and Change Management – Communicate approved changes to the client and manage the internal project team through the implementation of scope and schedule changes.
• Project Controls and Change Management – Work with the Project Manager to define consultant scopes and fees.
• Design and Project Delivery – Lead the team through programming, space planning, and conceptual design, translating client goals and program requirements into clear design strategies.
• Design and Project Delivery – Oversee design development and technical documentation in partnership with the Project Architect.
• Design and Project Delivery – Own the detailed design schedule and confirm that milestones and deliverables are met.
• Design and Project Delivery – Host internal coordination meetings across disciplines and direct the technical coordination of consultant work, confirming consultant deliverables meet STV's technical and documentation standards and are integrated into the architectural documents.
• Design and Project Delivery – Serve as the client's day-to-day point of contact and lead regular project meetings.
• Quality Assurance – Serve as final reviewer of each design package to assure quality prior to submission, overseeing interdisciplinary coordination across all disciplines and subconsultants.
• Quality Assurance – Confirm QA/QC reviews are completed for addenda, bid submissions, and key deliverables.
• Quality Assurance – Reinforce firmwide design standards, workflows, and technical quality at every phase.
• Construction Administration – Manage construction-phase activity in partnership with the Project Architect.
• Construction Administration – Lead CA meeting management, logs, and reporting, and confirm disciplines coordinate responses to RFIs and submittals.
• Construction Administration – Lead technical interpretation of the documents and direct technical responses.
• Leadership and Mentorship – Mentor staff on assigned projects, supporting their professional and technical growth through live project execution.
• Leadership and Mentorship – Foster collaboration, proactive communication, and accountability across all project participants.
• Leadership and Mentorship – Promote STV's culture of integrity, partnership, and optimism in all aspects of delivery.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in architecture from a program recognized by the applicable state licensing authority and NCARB toward architectural licensure.
• 12+ years of progressive professional experience on complex building projects, including leadership of design teams and consultants from concept through construction.
• Expected to obtain architectural licensure within 12 months.
• Fluency in managing teams working in Revit workflows.
• Fluency in Bluebeam and the Microsoft Office Suite.
• Strong leadership and communication skills with clients, staff, and consultants.
• Experience with project management software for scheduling, budgeting, and related project controls preferred.
• Knowledge of the New York City Building Code and NYC DOB filing processes preferred.

Compensation Range

Compensation Range: $149,671.54 - $171,053.19