Sr. Education Client Leader I

If you think your skills, experience and aspirations make you a good match for this position, we encourage you to apply.

ABOUT THE ROLE

Your role is focused on providing seasoned client leadership within the Education Market in the Great Lakes Region to build and maintain strategic long-term relationships for the Education Market with CannonDesign's premier target clients. You will contribute to the success of the firm, including in the areas of marketing and business development, client and team leadership, mentoring our people, and advancing the quality of our work. You will be accountable to integrate our range of design services, manage our processes and deliver solid financial performance for these clients. Importantly, you will be an ambassador of our brand, championing Living-Centered Design and bringing our Firm's purpose - to help people continuously flourish - to life in every touchpoint you have with our clients.

HERE’S WHAT YOU’LL DO

In this role the majority of your time will be spent on client and team leadership activities engaged directly on strategically important projects or for premier clients. In addition, you will be required to proactively engage in business development activities with new target clients, as well as create new business opportunities with existing ones.

• Client Leadership: Leading, engaging and partnering with our premier clients on billable project-specific work, fostering strong long term client relationships, driving successful project outcomes and financial success, while creating opportunities for future engagements. You will be accountable for the overall success of the client relationship.
• Top Line Growth: Developing new net signed fee opportunities for our markets, practices, and service lines. You will be expected to lead and actively pursue new target clients. In addition, you will be expected to develop new business with existing clients through the successful implementation of project opportunities. You will participate in marketing activities on strategically important pursuits and for premier clients with other leaders in the firm to support our firm’s top line capture.
• Team Leadership: Leading and mentoring project teams and engaging with the practice to advance the firm, the office, the market, and our services. Working collaboratively within our SFMO (Single-Firm, Multi-Office) culture to advance and support high-performing teams focused on delivering high-quality service and innovative design solutions to our clients.

AREAS OF FOCUS

• Client Leadership: Responsible for the leadership and growth of client relationships within an office or market. Must be a self-starter and an entrepreneurial person with the ability to lead clients and client teams. You must be able to collaborate effectively with others across the full range of services provided by our firm. You are expected to provide hands-on leadership in support of our clients and in the development of the work from the initial client visioning meetings through completion of the work.
• Top Line Development: Provide new net signed fee opportunities through the proactive identification, leadership and pursuit of new target clients. In addition, you will be expected to develop new business by securing “direct select”, repeat business and additional services with our existing clients. You will champion our Omnichannel approach by promoting and cross selling all markets, practices, and integrated services throughout all phases of client engagement. In this role you will have a personal goal of achieving top line success of $3.0M per year in net signed fees.
• Team Leadership Skills: Proactively develop and lead collaborative project teams. You will be expected to build and lead diverse and inclusive teams capable of both winning and executing transformational solutions that differentiate the firm and add value for our clients. Responsible for ensuring success both from a client and a CannonDesign perspective.
• Strategy and Planning: Develop an understanding of the business, operations and process needs of the client as well as the resulting market solutions. Possess the ability to bring together a comprehensive team of experts and thought leaders within CannonDesign focused on executing creative, state-of-the-art solutions.
• Bottom Line Growth: Working with the Business Practice Leaders and Market Leaders to ensure our firm’s business practices, goals and bottom-line initiatives are successfully implemented to achieve overall project success including financial success.
• Staff Development: Mentoring and growing emerging professionals. Providing leadership in establishing an environment that encourages leadership, integrity, humility, respect and responsibility, along with collaboration, experimentation, innovation, creativity and entrepreneurship. Building enthusiasm for Living-Centered Design among teams and showing emerging professionals how it applies to their work.

Time Commitments

• 35% of your time should be devoted to business development activities, including identifying and leading new business opportunities with both new and current client partners focused on the growth of the market.
• 45% of your time should be focused on engaging and partnering with clients on billable project work. Providing leadership and fostering strong client relationships that lead to high client satisfaction and potential opportunities for future work.
• 10% of your time should be devoted to team leadership, including the successful implementation of our business / process practices, management of resources, and related staff growth and development activities.

These targets are subject to change as CannonDesign periodically evaluates our performance metrics.

HERE'S WHAT YOU'LL NEED

• Must have at least 15 years of experience in the Education market with a proven track record of client and team leadership, and business development success.
• Must have previous experience in client leadership roles that have been connected to an office, market, or region with multiple successful client relationships.
• Bachelor's degree in a relevant field required.
• Current Registration/Licensure in Architecture, Interior Design or Engineering preferred.
• Additional certifications and/or training relevant to this role are preferred.
• Strong business acumen and proven ability to create and execute strategy is needed.
• Strong communication and leadership skills.
• Strong presentations skills.
• Exceptional client and people leadership skills.
• Professional acumen and maturity demonstrated by the ability to communicate authentically and respectfully is essential.
• Must be able to demonstrate sound judgement and a sound approach regarding risk management and mitigation.
• Ability to inspire, motivate and develop high-performing, accountable teams.
• Some travel required.

The salary range for this position is $143,800 to $179,800 annually. This salary range is the range we believe is the anticipated range of possible base compensation at the timing of the posting. We may ultimately pay more or less than the anticipated salary range for the position. Employees may be eligible for discretionary bonuses. We offer a full benefit package including medical, dental and vision coverage and flexible spending account options and voluntary insurances. We have paid time off, flex-time schedules, remote work options and a 401k plan and employee perk programs. For a general overview of our benefits, please visit our careers page at Actual compensation may vary from posting based on geographic location, work experience, education and/or skill level.

For a general overview of our benefits, please visit our careers page at

ABOUT OUR FIRM

CannonDesign is a design practice where strategy, experience, architecture, engineering, and social impact converge. We don’t just dream up solutions — we create and bring them to life in ways to solve some of the biggest challenges facing our clients and the society. At the heart of everything we do is Living-Centered Design, a bold commitment to using our talents to not just improve the world but to truly reshape it for the better. It’s more than a philosophy — it’s who we are, and it drives us to make a meaningful, lasting difference every day.

ABOUT WORKING HERE

• We are relentless in our pursuit of client adoration (not simply satisfaction). Consistent delivery of the best service is what we are about.
• We are committed to ensuring our practice provides equal opportunities for all employees, as we strive to connect with communities around us and focus on the future of design. We support equity, diversity, and inclusion efforts that benefit all employees through the leadership of our DEI Council, our Employee Resource Groups which are open to everyone, and other community initiatives.
• We’re about communication and transparency here. If you want to talk to someone about an idea you have, or a challenge that needs addressing, we’re ready for you.

Please note that candidates can only apply to our positions on our company Careers site. It's not uncommon for scammers to create positions that look legitimate on other sites; never enter your information or apply for CannonDesign positions on any platform. Should an issue arise that you feel we should be aware of, please contact us. Please provide your resume and portfolio when applying.

As a condition of employment, all employees are expected to complete mandatory training, including compliance training, within required timeframes and adhere to our internal policies and our Code of Conduct.

CannonDesign is an Equal Opportunity Employer. CannonDesign is committed to maintaining a work environment that is free from any and all forms of unlawful discrimination and harassment. It is therefore the firm’s policy to prohibit discrimination and harassment against any applicant, CannonDesign employee, vendor, contractor, or client on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, disability, pregnancy, veteran status, genetic information, citizenship status, or any other basis prohibited by applicable law. It is also CannonDesign’s policy to prohibit any and all forms of retaliation against any individual who has complained of harassing or discriminatory conduct, or participated in a firm or agency investigation into such complaints.