Senior Design Manager, Project Architect

Overview

The Role

Suffolk Design is Suffolk’s integrated design practice, bringing architectural expertise together with Suffolk’s construction capabilities, data, and technology. We work at the intersection of design and construction to deliver high-quality buildings with greater clarity, speed, and cost and schedule predictability.

We are seeking a Massachusetts-licensed architect to join our Boston Central Operations team as Project Architect. This is not primarily a production role. It is a project-leadership role for an architect who can direct the integrated design product, establish the technical and documentation strategy, and guide multidisciplinary teams from early planning through construction and closeout.

The Project Architect will provide overall architectural and technical leadership for assigned projects, working in partnership with the Project Manager, who leads the project’s commercial and operational delivery. The successful candidate will frame decisions, establish standards, direct the work of others, and maintain accountability for design intent, technical integration, consultant coordination, document quality, and milestone readiness.

Why This Role Matters

Central Operations supports projects and teams across Suffolk Design’s regions and market sectors. This role offers the opportunity to influence not only individual projects, but also how a growing national design practice plans, coordinates, reviews, and delivers its work. You will help build a more consistent and scalable AOR delivery model while remaining close to the consequential design and technical decisions that determine project success.

Responsibilities

Provide architectural and technical direction for assigned projects, translating design intent, client requirements, contractual obligations, cost, schedule, and construction needs into a coordinated path to delivery

Partner with the Project Manager as a peer project leader: the Project Manager leads fee, contract, schedule, staffing, change, risk, client management, and financial performance, while the Project Architect directs the integrated product and technical execution system

Establish the project’s deliverable strategy, information architecture, milestone requirements, and documentation plan before substantial production begins

Direct the architectural team and coordinate discipline leads, consultants, design-assist partners, trade partners, Digital Delivery, and construction personnel around clear responsibilities, decision dates, and interfaces

Lead major technical and design decisions, including building-code strategy, envelope and system integration, material and assembly selection, accessibility, life safety, and resolution of interdisciplinary conflicts

Plan and lead design and technical workshops that result in documented decisions, accountable owners, and resolved follow-up actions

Maintain the quality and coherence of the complete document set; direct progress reviews, interdisciplinary coordination, technical reviews, and closure of findings

Approve the milestone deliverable brief and controlled package baseline, and apply disciplined change control to sheets, views, details, and deliverable scope

Direct permitting and regulatory coordination in Massachusetts and, where applicable, other jurisdictions; maintain visibility into submission requirements, agency comments, and approval status

Integrate estimating, scheduling, procurement, constructability, logistics, and supply-chain information into design decisions without relinquishing professional design authority

Lead architectural construction-phase services, including response strategy for RFIs, submittals, design changes, field observations, and resolution of questions affecting design intent or technical compliance

Confirm that significant design and technical decisions are traceable, communicated, incorporated into affected documents and models, and released through the appropriate approval path

Provide architectural leadership across multiple projects or workstreams when appropriate, concentrating attention where complexity, risk, or critical decisions require senior direction

Mentor emerging project architects and design professionals by delegating meaningful work, reviewing outcomes, and building judgment rather than retaining all critical tasks personally

Contribute to reusable standards, milestone planning tools, quality practices, lessons learned, and practical applications of digital and AI-enabled workflows across Suffolk Design

Qualifications

Professional degree in Architecture from an accredited program

Current license to practice architecture in Massachusetts; NCARB certification is preferred

Approximately 12–18 years of progressively responsible architectural experience, including leadership of complex projects through design, documentation, permitting, and construction

Demonstrated success serving as Project Architect, Senior Project Architect, Technical Architect, or an equivalent project-level technical and design leader

Strong command of architectural practice, the Massachusetts State Building Code, accessibility and life-safety requirements, consultant coordination, specifications, and construction-phase obligations

Ability to direct and evaluate work produced by others, including distributed and global teams, without becoming the default hands-on producer for every assignment

Experience coordinating multidisciplinary teams and making sound decisions where design quality, technical requirements, cost, schedule, and constructability compete

Advanced proficiency in Revit and experience leading model-based coordination, common data environments, and digital quality-control workflows

Experience with design-build, design-assist, delegated design, or other integrated delivery models is strongly preferred; DBIA certification is a plus

Clear communication, facilitation, and visual explanation skills, including the ability to frame decisions for clients, builders, consultants, and design teams

Experience in one or more of Suffolk Design’s priority markets, such as higher education, healthcare, life sciences, commercial, aviation, mission critical, or institutional work, is preferred

Judgment, curiosity, and a willingness to challenge conventional approaches when a more reliable or efficient solution is available

Demonstrated alignment with Suffolk’s Core Values: Passion, Integrity, Hard Work, Professionalism, and Caring

Working Relationships

The Project Architect will be part of Boston Central Operations and will support project teams across regions and sectors. Depending on project scale and complexity, the role may be assigned as Project Architect, Design Integration Lead, Technical Lead, Quality Control Lead, or a combination of these roles. The Project Architect will collaborate closely with Project Managers, Design Leads, discipline leads, regional leadership, Engineering and Technical Services, Digital Delivery and Design Technology, Suffolk Global, estimating, planning, procurement, and construction operations.

Working Conditions

While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to sit for long periods of time; talk or hear; perform fine motor, hand and finger skills in the use of a keyboard, telephone, or writing. The employee is frequently required to stands; walk; and reach with arms and/or hands. Specific vision abilities include close vision, distance vision, depth perception and the ability to adjust focus. The employee will spend their time in an office environment with a quiet to moderate noise level. Job site walking.

EEO Statement

Suffolk provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, pregnancy or maternity, national origin, citizenship, genetic information, disability, protected veteran, gender identity, age or any other status protected by law. This policy applies to recruiting, hiring, transfers, promotions, terminations, compensation, benefits, and all other terms and conditions of employment. Suffolk will not tolerate any unlawful discrimination toward, or harassment of, applicants or employees by anyone at Suffolk, or anyone working on behalf of Suffolk.

Compensation Information

Where required by law, pay ranges can be found in Suffolk's job postings. Base Salary for this position is just one component of Suffolk’s total rewards package for employees. Actual salaries may be based on several factors including, but not limited to, a candidate's skill set, experience, education and other qualifications. Suffolk offers a comprehensive benefits package as part of its overall total rewards strategy. Salary ranges are reviewed regularly to reflect market trends.

About Suffolk

Suffolk is a national enterprise that builds, innovates, and invests. We provide value across the entire project lifecycle through our core construction management services and complementary business lines in real estate investment, design, self-perform construction, and technology start-up investment (Suffolk Technologies). By integrating data, artificial intelligence, and advanced technology through our Seamless Platform, we connect design, construction, and operations to deliver smarter, more predictable results and redefine how America builds.

Suffolk – America’s Contractor – is a national company with more than $13 billion in annual revenue, 3,000 employees, and 17 offices, including Boston (headquarters), New York City, Miami, West Palm Beach, Tampa, Estero, Dallas, Los Angeles, San Francisco, San Diego, Las Vegas, Herndon, U.S. Virgin Islands, and other key markets. Suffolk manages some of the most complex and transformative projects in the country, serving clients across healthcare, life sciences, education, gaming, aviation, transportation, government, mission critical, and commercial sectors. Suffolk is privately held and is led by founder, chairman and CEO John Fish. Suffolk is ranked #8 on ENR’s list of “Top CM-at-Risk Contractors.” For more information, visit www.suffolk.com and follow Suffolk on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, YouTube, and Instagram.

At Suffolk, we believe that our total rewards program should offer you and your family the support you need when it matters most. That’s why we have created a program that provides employees with access to a wide variety of options that can be personalized to support you and your loved ones physically, emotionally, and financially.

Benefits include, competitive salaries, auto allowances and gas cards for certain roles, access to market leading medical and emotional and mental health benefits, dental, and vision insurance plans, virtual care options for physical therapy and primary care, generous paid time off, 401k plan with employer match and access to expert financial resources, company paid and voluntary life insurance, tax deferred savings accounts, 10 backup daycare days each year, short- and long-term disability, commuter benefits and more.? For more information, click?here.