Studio Director

Westside Design, in partnership with Westside Build, is a Santa Monica–based design and construction firm rebuilding homes across the Pacific Palisades in the wake of the wildfire. We bring architecture, design, and construction under one roof, with a strong emphasis on technology, speed, and craft.

We are looking for a Studio Director to lead an entire studio across client management, contracts, design, technical coordination, and delivery. This is a senior leadership role for someone who can operate as a broad-based leader rather than a narrow specialist, someone who can move between client conversations, project strategy, technical issues, team leadership, and day-to-day studio needs with ease.

This role is intended to be more of a multi-tool leadership position: a person who can talk about contracts, deal with clients, guide design, engage technical and CA issues, and help support the Managing Principal lead the full studio. The Studio Director will directly lead our Project Managers and Project Architects, who are responsible for BIM model development, construction documentation, and permit-ready deliverables in Revit. You will set the design intent and quality bar that the team documents and executes against, review their work at key milestones, and serve as the design authority they escalate to on coordination, code, and client-facing design decisions.

Requirements

• 13+ years of professional experience in architecture, residential design-build, or a comparable studio environment.
• 8+ years leading complex residential projects through design, technical coordination, and delivery.
• 5+ years in a senior leadership role spanning client management, contracts, team oversight, and project execution.
• Residential experience, especially custom homes, ADUs, and rebuild work.
• Proven ability to lead across contracts, client management, design discussions, technical coordination, and CA.
• Strong leadership presence and sound judgment in a fast-moving environment.
• Experience overseeing teams, projects, and multiple stakeholder relationships.
• Strong communication skills and the ability to operate effectively with clients, internal teams, and leadership.
• Must bring direct experience in a comparable leadership seat; this is not intended as a step-up role from PM or senior project architect.

Preferred Qualifications

• 3+ years in a role such as Studio Director, Senior Project Manager, Design Director, or similar leadership role.
• Experience in integrated architecture/construction or design-build settings.
• Familiarity with consultant coordination, construction documentation, and field-related problem solving.

Studio Leadership

• Lead the overall performance of the studio across client service, project execution, staffing coordination, and day-to-day operations.
• Serve as a senior leader helping guide studio priorities, unblock issues, and maintain momentum across multiple active projects.
• Partner with firm leadership on studio structure, resourcing, and operational effectiveness.
• Help create accountability across the studio by following up on open items, pushing decisions forward, and keeping workstreams moving.

Client & Project Leadership

• Serve as a senior point of contact for clients and help manage relationships across active work.
• Navigate project conversations across scope, contracts, design, technical coordination, and delivery.
• Step into difficult project situations and help resolve issues with sound judgment and a broad understanding of project needs.
• Balance design intent, technical requirements, coordination demands, and client expectations across the life of a project.

Contracts, Technical Oversight & CA

• Engage directly in contract review, contract language discussions, and related project risk items as needed.
• Provide high-level oversight on technical issues and support teams in resolving project coordination challenges.
• Participate in CA-related discussions and help ensure project issues are being surfaced and addressed appropriately.
• Act as a senior escalation point when projects need broader leadership attention beyond pure design questions.

Team Leadership

• Help supervise and support team members working across design, project delivery, and technical execution.
• Provide oversight and direction to staff who need support coordinating clients, internal standards, and changing project demands.
• Mentor team members and help reinforce expectations for accountability, communication, and cross-functional coordination.
• Work closely with leadership to identify where additional supervision or stronger management coverage is needed.

Benefits

• Hybrid work schedule: four days in-office, one day remote.

• Comprehensive health insurance (medical, dental, and vision).

• Paid time off and holidays.

• Professional development opportunities.

• A collaborative, innovative work environment with a supportive culture focused on mentorship and growth.

Compensation: Commensurate with experience and scope of leadership responsibility. The salary range for this role is $140,000–$170,000.