National Design Director - Sports Performance

What We're Looking For

• At HNTB, you can create a career that is meaningful to you while building communities that matter to all of us. For more than a century, we have been delivering solutions for some of the largest, most complex infrastructure projects across the country. With our historic growth, it is an exciting time to join our team of employee-owners.
• This opportunity entails being responsible for achieving the firm’s design goals by providing leadership, creativity, and mentorship throughout the practice. This role establishes foundational design goals and values serving select market sectors or specialized discipline in support of firmwide philosophy, values, ad principles governed by the Chief Design Officer and other practice-wide leadership. This role serves as a primary source of leadership and accountability for the consistency, quality, and innovation within the role’s market and/or discipline focus. Design Directors also foster a positive creative culture across all studios and with clients to ensure the delivery of high-quality design work across the organization.
• Define the vision and quality standards for innovative sports performance and training facilities.
• Advocate for athlete-centered design solutions that enhance performance, recovery, and well-being.
• Integrate cutting-edge sports science and technology into facility designs.
• Collaborate with coaches and performance experts to align design with athletic needs.
• Shape multipurpose training environments that balance functionality and aesthetics.
• Promote sustainable and health-focused design elements in training facilities.
• Guide the creation of spaces such as weight rooms, locker rooms, and recovery areas.
• Develop strategies for adaptable and future-ready training environments.
• Lead thought leadership in trends such as data-driven training and recovery-focused spaces.
• Represent the firm’s expertise in sports performance design through industry engagement.
• Ensure designs reflect team identity and foster pride among athletes and staff.
• Emphasize the role of research and innovation in creating next-generation facilities.
• Shape holistic environments that enhance athlete, staff, and community experiences.

What You’ll Do:

• Works in conjunction with each Office Design Leader to coordinate and produce a consistently high quality design product achieving HNTB's 4 for 4 standards (Consistent delivery of quality work, on time, on budget and to the client's satisfaction on every project).
• Instills a design culture of excellence by conducting regular project design reviews within all offices to ensure project design performance.
• Leads the development and implementation of the activities of the National Design Committee.
• Provides HNTB an active link to academia through studio and advisory council participation.
• Represents HNTB at the national level within professional and design societies.
• Works closely with Officers by representing design with strategic planning framework.
• Assists Office Leaders in the hiring, supervision, development and evaluation of the design staff throughout the organization.
• Actively participates in the development and presentation of pursuit strategies across all market sectors within the firm.
• Performs other duties as assigned.

What You’ll Need:

Bachelor’s Degree in Architecture, Engineering, or Planning as appropriate to the specific core practice and 15 years of experience in progressively responsible positions, ideally with a large, multi-discipline firm

10 years’ experience in design of complex projects

1.      Support and maintain foundational design philosophy, values, and principles applicable across all markets, ensuring alignment with the firm’s goals and strategies.

2.      Coordinate with the Chief Design Officer and Office Design Leaders to deliver a consistently high-quality design product, achieving the firm’s "4 for 4" standards (quality, on time, on budget, and client satisfaction).

3.      Facilitate regular design reviews to ensure project performance and encourage a positive creative culture within the roles market focus.

4.      Participate in the National Design Council to develop and implement firm-wide design strategies and initiatives.

5.      Maintain strong relationships with academia, industry partners, and professional organizations to foster thought leadership and design research.

6.      Oversee the implementation of investment strategies in design research, technology, sustainability, and marketing to differentiate client services within the market or discipline focus area.

7.      Represent the firm at the national and international level within professional societies, conferences, and media outlets to enhance its design reputation.

8.      Actively participate in pursuit strategies and interviews for large-scale projects across all market sectors, ensuring the firm’s design excellence is evident.

9.      Mentor and supervise design staff to attract, develop, and retain talented professionals, contributing to the growth of the design culture.

10.  Collaborate with business development teams to maximize quality design reputation and align strategies with client and market needs.

11.  Drive recruitment strategies focused on artistic talent and technical capability.

12.  Ensure the integration of visual and physical branding in partnership with marketing teams and the Chief Design Officer

13.  Provide strategic direction on large-scale project activities, including design vision, implementation, and team oversight.

14.  Ensure all pursuits and active assignments have a designated designer with sufficient time in the workplan to facilitate a proper design oversight.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Master’s Degree in Architecture or related field.
• 20+ years of experience, including leadership roles.
• Professional registration (AIA, NCARB, etc.) in good standing.
• Recognized industry thought leader with a robust network of professional relationships.
• Extensive network of professional relationships within the architecture and design industry.
• Competencies: Proven experience in the design of major projects with a strong track record of success.
• Exceptional leadership and mentorship skills.
• Advanced client relationship and management capabilities.
• Strategic thinking and operational planning expertise.
• Ability to align design culture with firm-wide goals and strategies.
• Strong Diplomatic and Storytelling skills focused on leading clients towards expected and unexpected outcomes.
• Travel Requirements: 25%-50% as needed to support design efforts and business development.
• Work Environment: Work is primarily performed in an office environment, with occasional site visits or attendance at client meetings and industry events.
• Additional Information
• Click here for benefits information: HNTB Total Rewards
• Click here to learn more about Equal Opportunity Employer/Disability/Veteran
• Visa sponsorship is not available for this position.
• #ET #Architecture #LI-ET1.
• Locations: Kansas City, MO .
• NOTICE TO THIRD-PARTY AGENCIES: HNTB does not accept unsolicited resumes from recruiters or agencies.  Any staffing/employment agency, person or entity that submits an unsolicited resume to this site does so with the understanding that the applicant's resume will become the property of HNTB.  HNTB will have the right to hire that applicant at its discretion and without any fee owed to the submitting staffing/employment agency, person or entity. Staffing/employment agencies who have fee agreements with HNTB must submit applicants to the designated HNTB recruiter to be eligible for placement fees.