Director of Design Build Operations

Director of Design-Build Operations

Leadership across design, project delivery, client experience, and operations

Carlsbad / San Diego, CA • Full-time • 100% on-site • Reports to: COO

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This Is Not Just Another Operations Role

B.A. Worthing is a family-owned design-build firm built on trust, craftsmanship, and a reputation for quality. As the company grows, we are adding a Director of Design-Build Operations to become the leadership and operating layer connecting design, project delivery, clients, people, and systems across the full project lifecycle.

This is a hands-on leadership role with responsibility for both the Design/Drafting and Project Management teams. You will help translate design vision into buildable projects, strengthen how work moves from design through construction, develop the people doing the work, and build the processes that allow the company to scale without losing the quality and service that built its reputation. Over time, routine design, project, client, and team decisions should increasingly be resolved through this role rather than defaulting to ownership.

What You'll Own & Drive

1. Design Division Leadership

Own the quality, consistency, and execution of design while progressively taking on greater design authority.

• Lead design execution from feasibility and schematic development through construction documents, permitting, and plan-check; stay hands-on with drawings, technical review, and redlines when needed.

• Translate design vision and client objectives into buildable solutions while balancing aesthetics, constructability, budget, client expectations, and downstream construction needs; strengthen design quality controls and team capability.

• Lead design direction independently on projects under $500K. On larger projects, partner closely with ownership during an initial trust-building period, with independent authority expected to expand over time.

1. Lifecycle Ownership & Project Delivery

Own the connective tissue across the full design-build lifecycle so projects move with clarity, accountability, and momentum.

• Maintain portfolio visibility into status, milestones, dependencies, priorities, budgets, risks, and decisions across design, preconstruction, and construction.

• Create clear accountability through each project phase, surface risks early, resolve cross-functional issues at the appropriate level, and ensure information moves effectively between Design/Drafting, Project Management, estimating/preconstruction, and construction.

• Ensure Project Managers are prepared to assume construction-phase ownership with the right plans, project context, decisions, and expectations in hand.

1. Preconstruction & Estimation Leadership

Drive a disciplined transition from design into preconstruction so scope, pricing, constructability, and client expectations are aligned before construction begins.

• Review scope, estimates, proposals, assumptions, and supporting project information; identify constructability, scope, and pricing issues early enough to address them before construction.

• Keep design intent, project scope, pricing, and assumptions aligned; build working knowledge of B.A. Worthing's historical costs, estimating practices, and project economics.

• Strengthen checks and balances before estimates and cost breakdowns are presented to clients, reducing preventable scope gaps and late-stage pricing surprises.

1. Client Experience & Communication

Be the senior day-to-day leadership presence clients can rely on from design through project delivery.

• Guide clients confidently through design and project decisions, keeping them clear on status, next steps, decisions required, and potential risks.

• Drive proactive communication and timely follow-up, reset expectations early when timing changes, resolve routine issues without unnecessary escalation, and surface sensitive or high-risk matters appropriately.

• Build trusted relationships that reinforce B.A. Worthing's reputation and support strong satisfaction, repeat business, and referrals.

1. Operational Systems & Process Improvement

Build practical systems that make great work more consistent and scalable—not more bureaucratic.

• Identify workflow gaps, bottlenecks, inconsistent practices, and areas that rely too heavily on individual knowledge; develop, implement, and continuously improve SOPs and workflows across the design-build lifecycle.

• Drive adoption—not just documentation—so agreed processes improve information flow, accountability, handoffs, and execution across teams.

• Optimize JobTread and other operating tools around B.A. Worthing's real workflows so project information, visibility, standards, and reporting reinforce how the business should operate.

1. Team Leadership & Organizational Development

Lead the Design/Drafting and Project Management teams day to day and raise the level of ownership across the organization.

• Set clear expectations for performance, communication, accountability, and follow-through; provide regular coaching, feedback, and development.

• Address performance and interpersonal issues directly and constructively, navigate different personalities with strong emotional intelligence, and build team capability and confidence.

• Create an environment where routine questions and issues are resolved at the appropriate level rather than defaulting to ownership.

1. Construction Operations Oversight

Maintain strong operational visibility through construction while empowering Project Managers to own successful day-to-day execution.

• Maintain visibility into construction schedules, procurement, material readiness, field coordination, and major project risks; hold Project Managers accountable for proactive scheduling, communication, change management, and follow-through.

• Address critical dependencies and cross-functional obstacles early, support resolution of significant project issues, and ensure material risks are escalated appropriately.

• Ensure 100% of applicable projects receive a complete design-to-construction handoff and that Project Managers understand the plans, estimate, contract, anomalies, client expectations, and key decisions before taking construction-phase leadership.

How Success Is Measured

Success in this role is about creating a more predictable, accountable, and scalable design-build operation. You'll be expected to strengthen project delivery, improve design and construction handoffs, elevate the client experience, develop the team, and build operating processes that reduce bottlenecks and keep projects moving.

Performance will be evaluated against clearly defined expectations and outcomes for the role.

What You Bring

• Approximately 8–10+ years of progressive experience in architecture, design-build, architectural project leadership, or a closely related environment.

• A California architectural license, or active progress toward licensure with at least 50% of the required exams completed (3 of 6).

• Strong schematic design, construction documentation, code, permitting, and constructability capability, with the willingness to work directly with drawings and redlines.

• Proficiency in AutoCAD and Revit.

• Demonstrated experience leading and developing people, with strong client-facing communication, judgment, and emotional intelligence.

• Working knowledge of construction, estimating, and project delivery.

• Hands-on experience improving processes and SOPs, implementing change, and getting teams to adopt new ways of working.

• The ability to move comfortably between design, clients, projects, people, and operations rather than operating within a narrow specialty.

Employment Requirements

• 100% on-site role based in Carlsbad / San Diego.

• Valid California driver's license; this role requires the regular and frequent operation of a vehicle to travel between the office and active job sites, and is part of the essential duties of this position.

• Employment is contingent upon completion of applicable post-offer pre-employment screening requirements, which may include a background check, drug screening, and physical, consistent with applicable law.

• Legal authorization to work in the United States.

Work Environment & Physical Requirements

• Work Environment: This role primarily operates in an office/design-studio setting, with regular visits to active construction sites for client meetings, project walkthroughs, and coordination with Project Managers and trade partners. Site visits may involve exposure to typical construction-site conditions, including uneven terrain, dust, noise, and varying weather.

• Physical Requirements: Ability to walk and stand for extended periods while navigating active construction sites; ability to operate a motor vehicle to travel between the office and job sites; ability to work at a computer or drafting station for extended periods reviewing plans and drawings.

Compensation & Benefits

• Base Salary: Up to $150K base salary.

• Annual Performance Incentive tied to documented results across project financial & delivery performance, design quality, client experience, operational systems, and team leadership.

• Benefits: Personal & Family Health Benefits; 401(k) Savings & Matching Program; 10 Paid Holidays + Additional PTO.

You won't just manage a function. You'll help shape what comes next.

B.A. Worthing, Inc. is committed to providing equal opportunity in all of our employment practices, including selection, hiring, promotion, transfer, compensation, termination, and training, without regard to race, religion, color, sex, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity, national origin, ancestry, citizenship status, marital status, pregnancy, age, medical condition, genetic information, military and veteran status, disability, or any other basis protected by federal, state, and local law. Reasonable accommodation is available for qualified individuals with disabilities, upon request. xhyhwjd

B.A. Worthing, Inc. | Director of Design-Build Operations