Design Project Manager

Description

 As a Design Project Manager at MetroNational, you will deliver innovative design projects through all phases, from concept through completion. This role is responsible for managing internal and external project teams, coordinating consultants, supporting contract documentation, maintaining project schedules, and ensuring projects are delivered with attention to quality, budget, schedule, and client service. The Design Project Manager serves as a primary point of contact for assigned projects and works closely with Development, Design leadership, consultants, contractors, and internal stakeholders to support successful project execution. 

Reporting to the Director of Design, this position plays an important role in advancing MetroNational’s design standards, supporting real estate development and renovation initiatives, and helping translate design vision into clear, coordinated, and executable project documentation. The role requires strong project management skills, architectural knowledge, consultant coordination experience, sound judgment, and the ability to communicate effectively across technical and non-technical audiences. 

The Design Project Manager will also assist with consultant procurement, design documentation review, construction administration, jurisdictional coordination, project reporting, change order tracking, and cross-functional communication. 

This position supports a culture of teamwork, accountability, creativity, professionalism, and continuous improvement while helping MetroNational deliver high-quality projects that support long-term value and legacy. 

Core Values

At MetroNational, Integrity, Trust, Impact, and Legacy are more than Core Values. They guide how we work, lead, and show up every day. These Values shape our decisions, interactions, and expectations across the organization. 

• Integrity: We do what’s      right, the right way, every time. 
• Trust: People can      count on us because we do what we say. 
• Impact: We are driven      to make everything we touch better. 
• Legacy: Rooted in      history, we build with the future in mind. 

Key Responsibilities

Project Management and Delivery

• Manage assigned      design projects from concept through completion, ensuring quality,      schedule, and budget expectations are met. 
• Manage multiple      projects simultaneously while maintaining clear priorities, timelines,      documentation, and communication. 
• Prepare,      maintain, and update project schedules, workplans, and project trackers to      support design leadership visibility and weekly staffing discussions. 
• Monitor overall      project health, including administrative, financial, technical, schedule,      consultant, and documentation-related matters. 
• Identify      changing project conditions, risks, or issues that require escalation to      the Director of Design or Executive leadership. 
• Support      projects through planning, design development, construction documentation,      construction administration, and project closeout. 
• Help identify      and mitigate design, cost, schedule, documentation, and coordination risks      throughout the project lifecycle.  

Design Leadership, Coordination, and Documentation

• Coordinate with      internal design, development, construction, leasing, accounting, and other      teams to support successful project execution. 
• Coordinate      project consultants through all phases of the project, including concept      design, schematic design, design development, construction documentation,      and construction administration. 
• Communicate      design intent clearly with architects, structural consultants, MEP      consultants, contractors, and other project partners.  
• Review design      consultant documentation for alignment with project goals, design quality,      code considerations, constructability, schedule, and budget. 
• Oversee or      support the production of high-quality drawing and documentation sets      prepared by internal or external resources. 
• Prepare,      maintain, and distribute accurate project records, meeting notes, reports,      action items, and related documentation. 
• Support the      development and review of contract documents, proposals, scopes of work,      and consultant deliverables. 

Consultant Procurement and Contract Support

• Assemble      consultant teams for assigned projects by identifying required scope,      gathering fee proposals, supporting consultant selection, and facilitating      contracts. 
• Support the      procurement process for outside design consultants, including RFP      preparation, proposal review, scope evaluation, deliverables review, and      fee analysis. 
• Coordinate with      Development and Design leadership to ensure consultant scopes support      project goals, ownership expectations, and execution requirements. 
• Issue      additional services or change orders and obtain timely approval before      additional scope begins. 
• Coordinate with Accounting regarding accounts receivable, consultant      payables, invoicing, and project-related financial documentation. 

Construction Administration and Quality Assurance

• Provide      construction administration support, including site visits, shop drawing      review, submittal review, consultant coordination, and issue resolution. 
• Review and      comment on shop drawings and submittals for design intent, quality      control, and coordination with project documentation. 
• Attend      consultant coordination meetings, construction meetings, conference calls,      and project check-ins as needed. 
• Communicate      critical project information, time-sensitive items, documentation gaps,      and redesign needs to the Director of Design. 
• Support quality      assurance by reviewing drawings, details, materials, specifications, and      documentation for consistency, completeness, cost effectiveness, and      alignment with design intent. 
• Apply working      knowledge of accessibility codes, life-safety codes, building systems,      construction means and methods, materials, and industry standards.  

Requirements

Experience and Qualifications

• Preferred Bachelor’s      or Master’s degree in Architecture required. 
  • OR 7 or more       years of experience in architecture, design project management, or a       related design and construction environment.  
• Diverse      commercial project experience required, including hospitality, office, and      retail project experience. 
• Experience      managing projects from concept through completion, including schedule,      budget, documentation, consultant coordination, and construction      administration responsibilities. 
• Strong      understanding of design phases, including pre-design, concept design,      schematic design, design development, construction documentation,      construction administration, and closeout. 
• Ability to      coordinate and review consultant documentation, drawings, details, shop      drawings, submittals, materials, and specifications. 
• Thorough      understanding of accessibility codes, life-safety codes, building      construction systems, means and methods, materials, and      industry-associated standards. 
• Proficiency      with SketchUp, AutoCAD, and Revit required. 
• Knowledge of AI      rendering tools preferred. 
• Knowledge of      Microsoft Project, Word, Excel, Bluebeam, and Procore required. 
• Experience with      Adobe Creative Suite, Rhino, Enscape, Lumion, or similar rendering and      presentation tools helpful. 
• Excellent      verbal, written, visual, and presentation communication skills. 
• Strong      organizational skills with the ability to manage multiple projects,      prioritize work, and meet deadlines in a fast-paced environment. 
• Ability to work      independently while collaborating effectively with leadership, internal      teams, consultants, and external partners. 
• Ability to      exercise sound judgment and represent MetroNational with professionalism.
• Texas      Architectural Licensure preferred, but not required. 

Core Competencies

• Aligns actions      and behaviors with MetroNational’s Core Values of Integrity, Trust,      Impact, and Legacy. 
• Communicates      effectively and builds positive working relationships across teams. 
• Exercises sound      judgment, accountability, and professionalism in decision-making and      execution. 
• Adapts to      changing priorities while maintaining focus on quality results and      continuous improvement. 
• Demonstrates      strong project ownership, follow-through, and attention to detail.
• Balances      creativity, technical execution, financial awareness, and stakeholder      service.
• Anticipates      project needs, escalates issues appropriately, and supports timely      decision-making.
• Collaborates      with internal and external partners to deliver coordinated, high-quality      design outcomes.

Physical Requirements and Work Environment

• Requires      sufficient personal mobility and physical reflexes to function in a      general office environment and accomplish the tasks and duties outlined      above. 
• The work      environment characteristics are representative of those an employee      encounters while performing the essential functions of this job.      Reasonable accommodation may be made to enable individuals with      disabilities to perform the essential functions. The noise level in the      work environment is usually quiet. 
• Role may      require attendance at project sites, consultant meetings, construction      meetings, public review meetings, and project presentations as needed.