Lead Architect / Designer

Fixed-term (United Kingdom), Full-time · London

Overview

At Zaha Hadid Architects, we are seeking to hire Lead Architects / Lead Designers on a fixed-term contract to join our growing team in London. In this role you will be closely working with the Associates and the wider Senior Team to create excellent-quality design in line with the ethos and integrity of the ZHA brand. This role is a key position responsible for contributing to the Business’ strategic goals. You will be able to steer projects through all work stages whilst leading by example, inspiring your Team to reach their targets and creative potential.

Main responsibilities

Lead on architectural design; project and design management from Financial to Contract Management; Client and quality supervision.
Constructively question and develop a brief for a project, responding effectively, using your own initiative to analyse options and prioritise alternatives.
Create plausible concept or detailed solutions that are delightful and deliverable and managing this with the wider design team, in-house and externally, while responding to the constraints of site, programme, budget, and brief.
Prepare contractual documents without supervision, leading, supervising and managing others as they create key stage drawings, specifications, and construction information such that a building can be costed and built.
Provide authority, direction, and resilience on a number of projects, anticipating resourcing requirements and/or changing contractual circumstances on given projects and bringing these to the attention of the relevant Associate.
Influence, nurture and motivate colleagues in-house and externally inspiring them to meet set targets in creating and presenting their best work.
Understand and apply all appropriate legislation to a project: H&S, Building Regulations, professional Code of Conduct, etc.
Maintain and protect the integrity of a design concept as a project develops, through their own work and that of others in the project team.
Devise and manage Post Occupancy Evaluations on projects.
Initiate, maintain, and develop relationships with day-to-day clients, other consultants, contractors, and suppliers on a number of projects.
Ensure that both client budgets and ZHA’s fee limitations are met on their projects.
Understand ZHA’s responsibilities and the wider legal implications on given projects and mitigate risk by adjusting working methods to accommodate constraints.
Understand ZHA’s financial responsibilities and targets on given projects – budgets and fees, and work accordingly supporting the business targets that have been set for the Cluster and assist the Cluster Rep and Associates to deliver accordingly.
Understand and respond effectively to the construction processes and logistics used on projects.
Take a lead in creating submissions for new work, demonstrating commercial skills including an understanding of project profitability and understanding what is required for good financial management on projects and act accordingly, leading other members of the team as required.
Recognise the importance of marketing and PR at a strategic level across the practice by identifying project-based marketing opportunities, new business prospects and generating repeat business within the existing client base by delivering successful projects.
Respect and work within the practice management and administration frameworks, leading by example. However, not being afraid to constructively challenge working methods, to help quality of service, quality of design and efficiency.
Demonstrate a basic understanding of employment legislation by taking responsibility and interest for staff welfare and personnel development on given projects and career aspirations. From leading Staff appraisals, to dealing with conflict management within project teams, discussing difficult decisions with colleagues and superiors and knowing when to seek advice.
Deliver complex presentations at a project level, structuring and delivering formal presentations to clients and the project teams.
Be able to, and take responsibility/overview of projects teams, written work and drawings ensuring they are clear, accurate and professional in accordance with ZHA’s QA protocols

Your profile

Effective communicator when describing complex ideas for drawings or models
Collaborative and influential team leader and team player
Highly organised, effectively managing your time and that of others.
Confident in exercising judgement, making, and implementing reasoned decisions.
Professional always and leading by example.
Enquiring and adaptable.
Self-motivated and self-critical.
Willing to develop, learn and go the extra mile.

Skills Required

Confident in Software skills such as 3D, 2D, CAD, Word Processing and Rivet.

Required experience

Qualified Part 3 Architect (or equivalent international qualification) with demonstrable and relevant experience of working in practice and having already been responsible for delivering at least one significant project.

How to apply

Along with your CV and Portfolio, please also include detailed examples of projects using Revit in your application.

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About us

Zaha Hadid Architects (ZHA) redefined architecture for the 21st century with a repertoire of projects that have captured imaginations across the globe. Creating buildings uniquely tailored to the communities they serve, ZHA has been awarded the highest honours from professional and academic institutions worldwide. Founded by Zaha Hadid in 1979, ZHA is one of the world’s most consistently inventive architectural studios—and has been for four decades. These decades of pioneering research are inscribed within our architecture to become more spatially inventive, more structurally efficient, more technologically advanced, and more environmentally considerate with every new design. Combining innovative architectural solutions with ecologically sound materials and sustainable construction practices, we do not look at the disparate parts, but work to understand them as a whole to meet the aspirations of each new generation. As an employee-owned business, we reinvest all profits back into our people and our company; continually enhancing our multidisciplinary research to address the challenges impacting communities around the world.

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We are looking forward to hearing from you!

Thank you for your interest in Zaha Hadid Architects. Please fill out the following short form. Should you have difficulties with the upload of your data, please send an email to people@zaha-hadid.com