Client Leader

DLR Group
San Diego, CA
On-site

Who this role is best for

Geared toward seasoned AEC professionals comfortable with managing client relationships and project execution.

Best fit for

  • Seasoned AEC professionals with leadership experience in client-facing roles and a track record in project management.
    — “20 years of professional experience in the AEC industry, with at least 5 years in a client-facing leadership role”
  • Candidates who can balance business development with project execution and client satisfaction.
    — “Support business development initiatives by contributing to RFP responses and participating in client interviews”
  • Individuals with a strong grasp of design and construction processes and the ability to coordinate interdisciplinary teams.
    — “interdisciplinary teams engaged in every step of project lifecycles”

Things to consider

  • Portfolio submission is mandatory, requiring current work samples in PDF format.
    — “*TO BE CONSIDERED, PLEASE SUBMIT CURRENT PORTFOLIO/WORK SAMPLES IN PDF FORMAT*”
  • The role requires on-site presence for four days of the workweek, with Friday flexibility.
    — “four-day in-office work model, with employees having the flexibility to work somewhere other than the office on Fridays”

How to stand out

  • Highlight your experience in client negotiations and project financial success in your resume.
    — “Participate in client contract negotiations, manage change requests, and approve project plan modifications”
  • Emphasize your ability to maintain client expectations while managing project scope and budget.
    — “Manage project execution, ensuring alignment with budget, schedule, and scope while maintaining client expectations”
  • Showcase your experience in fostering collaborative and innovative work environments.
    — “foster a collaborative and innovative work environment”
  • Demonstrate your knowledge of construction methods and materials in your application materials.
    — “Familiarity with building methods, materials, and systems for construction and renovation projects”
  • Demonstrate your ability to document and facilitate meetings effectively.
    — “Facilitate and document meetings with staff and clients, coordinating project personnel, vendors, and consultants”
Pace · SteadyCollaboration · HighAutonomy · HighDecision Impact · Team

Derived from job-description analysis by Serendipath's career intelligence engine.

What success looks like

  • successful project execution
  • client satisfaction
Typical background
20+ years of professional experience in AEC industry

Skills & requirements

Required

Business DevelopmentClient Relationship ManagementContract NegotiationProject ManagementTeam Leadership

Preferred

Portfolio ManagementStrategic Planning

Stack & domain

Project ManagementBusiness DevelopmentContract NegotiationsRFP ResponsesClient InterviewsProject InvoicingAccount ReceivablesDesign TechniquesTechnical PlansDrawingsModelsBuilding MethodsMaterialsSystemsCritical ThinkingTime ManagementCommunicationListeningUnderstanding PerspectivesResponsiveArchitectureEngineeringInterior Design

About the role

Original posting from DLR Group via Greenhouse

DLR Group is an integrated design firm with a promise to elevate the human experience through design. This fuels the work we do around the world and inspires our mission to improve the lives of our clients, our communities, and our planet. If this sparks your interest, you’re in the right place.

Position Summary

As a Client Leader, you will play a key role in business development, managing client relationships and leading contract negotiations. You will educate clients on our design process while collaborating with the project manager to ensure the financial success of each project. Throughout the project lifecycle, you will maintain consistent client contact, foster a collaborative and innovative work environment, and ensure that both client and DLR Group goals are met.

What you will do:

Manage project execution, ensuring alignment with budget, schedule, and scope while maintaining client expectations

Collaborate with the Project Manager on staffing, responsibilities, and performance feedback for project team members

Track project milestones and deliverables, ensuring adherence to quality standards and preparing regular status reports

Facilitate and document meetings with staff and clients, coordinating project personnel, vendors, and consultants

Participate in client contract negotiations, manage change requests, and approve project plan modifications

Support business development initiatives by contributing to RFP responses and participating in client interviews

Oversee project invoicing, ensuring accuracy and alignment with work deliverables, and manage account receivables

Required Qualifications:

Bachelor's degree in Architecture, Engineering, or Interior Design

20 years of professional experience in the AEC industry,  with at least 5 years in a client-facing leadership role 

Professional Licensure

Strong understanding of business management principles, including strategic planning, resource allocation, and leadership

Knowledge of customer service principles, including needs assessment, quality standards, and customer satisfaction

Expertise in design techniques and tools for producing technical plans, drawings, and models

Familiarity with building methods, materials, and systems for construction and renovation projects

Strong critical thinking, time management, and communication skills, both verbal and written

Ability to actively listen, understand others' perspectives, and respond thoughtfully in conversations

*TO BE CONSIDERED, PLEASE SUBMIT CURRENT PORTFOLIO/WORK SAMPLES IN PDF FORMAT*

#LI-JD

Our comprehensive Benefits at DLR Group include medical, dental, vision, disability, wellness programs, flex spending, paid holidays, and paid time off. We also offer a 401(k) plan, employee stock ownership, and bonus opportunities. Compensation considerations are based on location, experience, and skills. The suggested pay range for this position is:

Pay Range$160,000—$200,000 USDDLR Group is an integrated design firm delivering architecture, engineering, interiors, planning, and building optimization for new builds, renovations, and adaptive reuse projects.

We are 100% employee-owned: every employee is literally invested in our clients’ success. At the core of our firm are interdisciplinary teams engaged in every step of project lifecycles. Our teams champion true collaboration, open information sharing, shared risk and reward, value-based decision making, and proficient use of technology to deliver exceptional design. We are pursuing the goals of the 2030 Challenge, the ME2040, and the SE2050, and are an initial signatory of the China Accord and the AIA 2030 Commitment.

Through our values – commitment, creativity, environmental stewardship, fun, integrity, ownership, sharing, teamwork – we elevate the human experience through design, together.

DLR Group follows a four-day in-office work model, with employees having the flexibility to work somewhere other than the office on Fridays.

We are proud to be an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action/M/F/Veteran/Disabled employer.

Source: DLR Group careers (Greenhouse)

Similar roles

More roles at DLR Group