Associate Principal, Architect

Arcadis is the world's leading company delivering sustainable design, engineering, and consultancy solutions for natural and built assets.

We are more than 34,000 people, in over 30 countries, dedicated to improving quality of life. Everyone has an important role to play. With the power of many curious minds, together we can solve the world’s most complex challenges and deliver more impact together.

Role description:

Arcadis is seeking an experienced and motivated Associate Principal, Architect to join our Architecture team in Cardiff. This is a senior leadership position for an accomplished architect who can lead complex projects, build trusted client relationships, mentor and develop teams, and contribute to the continued growth of the practice.

As an Associate Principal, you will take responsibility for projects from early design through delivery, providing strong design, technical and commercial leadership. You will coordinate multidisciplinary teams, manage programme, budget and resources, resolve complex design and technical challenges, and help maintain high standards of project delivery.

You will also play an important role in growing the defence & security sector architectural team by strengthening client relationships, supporting bids and proposals, identifying new opportunities and leading business development initiatives.

Role accountabilities:

• Lead architectural projects and multidisciplinary teams from initial concept and design development through technical design, construction and completion.
• Take responsibility for programme, budget, resources and overall project delivery, ensuring projects are effectively managed and coordinated.
• Lead significant elements of large and complex projects while independently managing smaller projects where appropriate.
• Manage and develop strong relationships with clients, consultants, contractors and wider project stakeholders.
• Provide senior design and technical leadership, resolving complex architectural, coordination and delivery challenges.
• Coordinate architectural documentation, drawings and specifications with other disciplines and consultant teams.
• Oversee project activities during construction, including site reviews, change control, RFIs and coordination with statutory authorities.
• Promote design excellence, innovation, sustainability and best practice across projects and the wider studio.
• Mentor, coach and develop architects and emerging professionals, creating an environment that supports high performance, collaboration and career development. Arcadis' internal accountability profile specifically emphasises people management, mentoring and professional development.
• Build and maintain long-term client relationships, acting as a trusted senior architectural advisor.
• Contribute to business development and market growth, helping identify and pursue new project and client opportunities.
• Support and lead the preparation of fee proposals, bids, tender submissions, presentations and pursuits.
• Leverage existing industry relationships while developing new connections to strengthen Arcadis' position in the UK market.
• Promote collaboration across Arcadis' wider UK and global architecture, design, engineering and consultancy capabilities.
• Champion quality, health and safety, environmental standards and relevant Arcadis management systems throughout project delivery.

Qualifications & Experience:

• Professionally qualified Architect with RIBA Part 3 qualification and ARB registration.
• Fluent in defence sector design standards, terminology, and ways of working.
• Significant architectural experience with a strong track record of leading complex projects and multidisciplinary design teams.
• Strong knowledge of the RIBA Plan of Work and experience delivering projects through multiple RIBA stages.
• Strong understanding of UK Building Regulations, design standards and architectural delivery requirements.
• Demonstrated experience managing project programmes, budgets, resources and commercial considerations.
• Excellent client relationship, stakeholder management and communication skills.
• Proven ability to lead, mentor and develop architectural professionals.
• Strong design judgement combined with the ability to resolve complex technical and project-delivery issues.
• Commercial awareness and an interest in identifying opportunities, supporting bids and helping secure new work.
• Strong presentation and communication skills, with confidence engaging senior clients and stakeholders.
• Collaborative leadership style with the ability to work effectively across architecture, engineering and multidisciplinary teams.

Why Arcadis?

We can only achieve our goals when everyone is empowered to be their best. We believe everyone's contribution matters. It’s why we are pioneering a skills-based approach, where you can harness your unique experience and expertise to carve your career path and maximize the impact we can make together.

You’ll do meaningful work, and no matter what role, you’ll be helping to deliver sustainable solutions for a more prosperous planet. Make your mark, on your career, your colleagues, your clients, your life and the world around you.

Together, we can create a lasting legacy.

Join Arcadis. Create a Legacy.

Our Commitment to Equality, Diversity, Inclusion & Belonging

We want you to be able to bring your best self to work every day which is why we take equality and inclusion seriously and hold ourselves to account for our actions. Our ambition is to be an employer of choice and provide a great place to work for all our people. We believe that by working together diverse people with different experiences develop the most innovative ideas. Equality, diversity and inclusion is at the heart of how we improve quality of life and we work closely with our people across six ED&I Workstreams: Age, Disability, Faith, Gender, LGBT+ and Race. A diverse and skilled workforce is essential to our success.

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