Senior Designer

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.
• Support the Project Manager in confirming that discipline staffing aligns with the allocated project budget.
• Identify potential changes in scope and schedule early and work closely with the Project Manager, who approves change management and establishes additional services.
• Communicate approved changes to the client and manage the internal project team through the implementation of scope and schedule changes.
• 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.
• Oversee design development and technical documentation in partnership with the Project Architect.
• Own the detailed design schedule and confirm that milestones and deliverables are met.
• 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.
• 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.
• Confirm QA/QC reviews are completed for addenda, bid submissions, and key deliverables.
• Reinforce firmwide design standards, workflows, and technical quality at every phase.
Construction Administration
• Manage construction-phase activity in partnership with the Project Architect.
• Design Manager: Lead CA meeting management, logs, and reporting, and confirm disciplines coordinate responses to RFIs and submittals.
• Project Architect: 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.
• Foster collaboration, proactive communication, and accountability across all project participants.
• 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:
$149,671.54 - $171,053.19
STV offers the following benefits • Health insurance, including an option with a Health Savings Account • Dental insurance • Vision insurance • Flexible Spending Accounts (Healthcare, Dependent Care and Transit and Parking where applicable) • Disability insurance • Life Insurance and Accidental Death & Dismemberment • 401(k) Plan • Retirement Counseling • Employee Assistance Program • Paid Time Off • Paid Holidays • Back-Up Dependent Care • Parental Leave • Continuing Education Program • Professional Licensure and Society Memberships
STV is committed to paying all of its employees in a fair, equitable, and transparent manner. The listed pay range is STV’s good-faith salary estimate for this position. Please note that the final salary offered for this position may be outside of this published range based on many factors, including but not limited to geography, education, experience, and/or certifications.
Not sure this role is the perfect match? We encourage you to apply if STV’s work and values resonate with you. We know great candidates don’t always meet every qualification, and research shows women and people of color are less likely to apply unless they do. At STV, we believe strong talent comes from a wide range of backgrounds, and your skills and experience may align with this or another opportunity as we continue to grow.