Market Director, Education & Public Sector (Architecture)

Market Director

Stratus is an integrated, multi-disciplinary engineering, architecture, interior design, and consulting firm. Consistently ranking among the Top 500 Design Firms in Engineering News-Record, the firm offers a deep bench of industry experts through a highly collaborative approach, delivering innovative solutions across the full project lifecycle. Operating coast to coast, Stratus serves clients nationwide while maintaining a strategic commitment to supporting high-growth economies and building vibrant communities that foster the professional growth of its team. Serving public- and private-sector clients, the firm is dedicated to delivering the highest-quality service wherever projects take shape. Across the Civic, Commercial, Industrial, Transportation, Education, Water Resources, and Government sectors, we bring precision, insight, and purpose to every project, from targeted renovations to large-scale infrastructure. Stratus designs spaces, systems, and solutions that perform, endure, and make an impact, delivering on our promise of Better Plans. Better Places.

The Role

We are seeking an experienced and visionary Market Director to lead the delivery, growth, and operational performance of our Educational market throughout the Tampa region. This leadership role is responsible for ensuring design excellence, fostering strong client relationships, and driving successful project execution across K-12, Higher Education, and Independent School projects. As a key partner to the Market Leader, the Market Director will oversee resource planning, financial performance, team development, and strategic market initiatives while supporting business growth opportunities. The ideal candidate is a licensed Registered Architect with a proven track record in educational design and a passion for building high-performing teams and lasting client partnerships.

Responsibilities

• Support the Market Leader in executing strategic, operational, and growth initiatives across the assigned market, with emphasis on Educational clients and pursuits in the Tampa region.
• Oversee daily operations to ensure projects are delivered on time, on budget, within scope, and aligned with design excellence and quality standards.
• Provide architectural leadership and oversight to ensure strong design outcomes, technical rigor, and consistent documentation across project teams.
• Lead resource planning and workforce management, aligning architectural talent and expertise to Educational and public-sector client needs.
• Manage and monitor key financial metrics including revenue forecasts, backlog, utilization, project profitability, and overall delivery health.
• Support business development through proposal preparation, interview strategy, pursuit planning, and long-term client relationship management.
• Serve as a trusted client partner for school districts, universities, and independent schools, strengthening client satisfaction, repeat work, and strategic account growth.
• Collaborate with project managers to monitor performance and ensure alignment with contractual requirements, agency standards, and public procurement processes.
• Promote strong stakeholder engagement practices appropriate to Educational and public-sector environments, including board presentations and user-group coordination.
• Partner with HR and market leadership to support employee development, mentoring, career planning, and performance management.
• Drive operational consistency and continuous improvement by implementing best practices in project delivery, QA/QC, and team performance.
• Act as a culture ambassador by promoting an inclusive, collaborative, and high-performance environment across offices and disciplines.
• Contribute to annual planning and budgeting processes by identifying growth opportunities, efficiencies, and risk mitigation actions.
• Serve as a liaison between project teams and executive leadership, escalating delivery risks, staffing needs, and client concerns as appropriate.
• Oversee compliance with health, safety, and quality assurance standards across the market.
• Represent the market in internal forums, leadership meetings, and town halls when needed, acting as a proxy for the Market Leader/VP.
• Collaborate effectively with clients and colleagues across cross-functional teams, peers, direct reports, and leadership to foster a positive work environment.
• Collaborate with other key offices to effectively execute work, including but not limited to offices across Florida.

Qualifications

Required

• Bachelor's degree in Architecture from an accredited program.
• Registered Architect (active licensure required).
• Minimum of 15 years of progressive experience in architecture, including leadership in project delivery, operations, and/or market leadership within the A/E/C industry.
• Demonstrated experience leading teams, managing budgets, and overseeing project portfolios.
• Demonstrated depth of experience delivering Educational projects, including K-12 and/or Higher Education.
• Ability to support and grow Educational work in the Tampa region, including independent school clients and project delivery.

Preferred

• Master's degree or advanced certification in architecture, operations, management, or related field.
• Experience managing multidisciplinary teams across distributed offices or remote work environments.
• Prior experience supporting market financial accountability and profit-center performance (direct or support role).
• Additional public-sector project experience (municipal, civic, justice, or other government work).

Why You'll Love Stratus

• A team-oriented environment that values transparency, creativity, and shared success
• Meaningful career paths, leadership opportunities, and space to specialize
• Learning & Development Education and Professional Licensing
• We believe flexible, hybrid work supports the balance and well-being our team deserves
• Excellent Health Care Programs Medical, Dental, and Vision Insurance
• Company-paid Life Insurance, Short-Term Disability, and Long-Term Disability
• Voluntary Life Insurance options for employees, spouses, and dependents
• 401k Retirement Plan with employer match
• Paid Holidays & Competitive PTO plans