Lead Architect

Reporting to: The Associate or Project Director.

The role of Lead Architect requires the successful applicant to run a portfolio of projects independently, adhere, enforce and maintain agreed standards within the project teams, and provide assistance to the Associates and Managing Partner to improve the overall performance of the practice. The Lead Architect is an active and integral member of the management structure at BSBG.

Enquiries and Proposals

• Assist senior management team in providing all necessary information required in order to submit fee proposals.
• Review fee proposals to understand and be fully aware of scope and deliverables.
• Provide full and detailed appraisal of project requirements as issued by client.
• Take sole ownership of draft design brief and present for comment and approval prior to beginning next stage.

Concept and Schematic

• Set up full project programme with Senior Architect.
• Work with concept department to realise deliverables on time and within budget.
• Work with Associate to develop cost/time chart based on project deliverables, required resources and agreed programme.
• Sub-consultant liaison, agreeing deliverables, scope and timescales.
• Present concept in PowerPoint format.
• Attend meetings and file notes and actions of meetings.
• Coordinate sub-consultants and Senior Architect/ Project Architect to produce stage deliverables.
• Brief specialist sub-consultants and soil investigators.
• Track client approvals.
• Take ownership of schematic design development with design team.
• Ensure local authority compliance.
• Ensure project tracking schedule is current, monitored and submitted on a weekly basis.
• Manage any value engineering and make client aware of potential variations to consultancy agreement.
• Orchestrate detailed design package, review progress daily with Senior Architect, and resolve all outstanding issues where client input is required.

Detailed Design

• Oversee submissions for building permit and Civil Defence.
• Take responsibility for writing specifications, assisted by the Senior Architect.
• Take responsibility for issued information for each stage of the project.
• Select a suitable procurement route to suit client's requirements.
• Propose tender list, pre-qualify all tenderers.
• Work with QS regarding BOQ and tender documents.
• Agree procurement strategy and compile a procurement programme.
• Attend mid-bid interviews/contractor interviews.
• Technical compliance review of all tenders.
• Review tender report and propose successful tenderer to client.
• Arrange for contract documentation to be signed.
• Liaise with post-contract staff to agree resources.
• Arrange and chair pre-commencement meeting.

Post Contract

• Act as continuous link to pre-contract staff, client and sub-consultants.
• Administrate FIDC contract.

Leadership

• Decide objectives for Senior Architects and Project Architects and track.
• Set and maintain acceptable efficiency levels and 'lead' by example.
• Adopt BSBG's leadership style - based on teamwork, helpfulness and hard work.

Quality

• Ensure that all staff are aware of Company's Quality Policy and Quality Objectives.
• Ensure that the Company Quality Management System is effectively implemented.
• Ensure that corrective/preventive actions are implemented effectively as required.

Communication

• Chair quarterly cascade meeting.
• Chair weekly Senior / Project Architect meeting to formally track project programmes.
• Track development of staff communication.

Delegation

• Provide opportunities for all staff members to develop through delegating responsibility.
• Provide adequate support and an appropriate reporting structure to enable successful delegation.

Motivation

• Help staff to achieve their professional ambition.
• Encourage staff to take responsibility.
• Provide opportunities for staff.

General

• General performance of staff to be constantly reviewed.
• Review standard of drafting, letter writing and report writing.
• Ensure all time sheets are reviewed and signed off at end of each week.
• Agree staff leave and authorise through Associates.
• Track sick leave/absenteeism through administrator and report to Associate.
• Ensure timekeeping, punctuality, professionalism and appearance of staff on a daily basis.

Finance

• Responsibility to appraise each team member annually.
• Complete awareness of consultancy agreements with clients and sub-consultants.
• Detailed awareness of payment terms and invoicing.
• Agree invoicing strategy with finance department.
• Certify invoices from sub consultants.
• Instruct finance to invoice to clients.

Profitability

• Track profitability of projects and report to Associate in charge.
• Understand key financial objectives of each project.

Expenditure

• All expenditure for equipment to be fully substantiated and presented within a proposal to Director for approval.
• All expenditure on consumables to be referred to Director prior to purchase.

Marketing

• Actively market the practice in all professional situations.
• Feedback any potential leads to Associate and ensure follow up.

Appraisals and Feedback

• Responsibility to appraise each team member annually.

Practice Management

• Communicate ideas and project implementations to enable work to become more efficient and better coordinated.
• Ensure reference material is available for staff members to use.
• Ensure all staff members have the correct tools for the project.

Key Relationships

• Client
• Sub-consultant
• Contractor
• Supplier
• Manufacturer
• Statutory Authority
• All staff members
• Senior management