The Role

David Kohn Architects is looking to recruit a senior architect to lead a high-profile project and to drive the studio’s broader development. The successful candidate will be a highly motivated individual with the ability to lead the successful delivery of a major (c£60M construction) civic project initially to planning over the next year. There is the opportunity to become a key member of the practice, leading on the delivery of projects more widely and contributing to the direction of the business.

The Practice

David Kohn Architects was established in 2007 and has gained an international reputation for the quality of its design. We collaborate with our clients, consultant teams and end users to deliver highly tailored schemes that exceed expectations. We are currently working on major projects including an architecture faculty in Belgium, a university campus in Oxford and creative workspace buildings in Greenwich. Supporting our clients in the drive towards carbon negative futures is an important part of our current and future work.

Key Responsibilities

  • Lead project team, stakeholders and consultants effectively on mixed use development across all RIBA stages, with a strong emphasis on collaborative design and performing to targets;
  • Advocate for carbon negative futures at all stages of the project and benchmark design development against targets;
  • Build relationship with a key client to ensure continuity through project stages and further collaborations;
  • Embody and contribute to the studio’s identity and design ethos;
  • Work closely with directors and inspire success in others to provide the scope and deliverables within agreed resources and timeframe;
  • Lead and contribute to new business acquisition through bids, design competitions, industry and public engagement.

Experience and Knowledge 

  • You will have proven experience, five to ten years or more, including delivering similar projects (mixed use including retail and public realm) in scale and complexity, of at least £40m construction value;
  • Your experience will include UK processes and standards;
  • You will be commercially astute, having delivered projects within constraints such as agreed timescales, construction cost and internal resource budget;
  • A sensitive and rigorous approach to brief development, design and materiality supported by a portfolio of the highest quality;
  • Strong presentation skills with an emphasis on hand sketching;
  • A knowledge of architectural history, the work of David Kohn Architects and the practice’s design approach.

Skills

  • You will be a confident leader with excellent interpersonal skills and thrive in leadership roles.
  • You will be highly organized, be able to prioritise both the design team’s and your own internal team’s work to meet deadlines under pressure;
  • You will be able to communicate complex issues, verbally, in writing, and through drawings and models, to different audiences;
  • You can develop creative solutions such that the interests of different stakeholders are appropriately addressed;
  • You are able to hand draw ideas, plans and details confidently in design discussions;
  • You understand physical model-making and are able to direct the team to explore ideas efficiently.

Benefits

  • Competitive salary and performance related bonus;
  • Profit share bonus scheme;
  • Competitive workplace pension;
  • Training (formal and informal);
  • Annual office trip (COVID permitting);
  • Tickets to evening lectures (COVID permitting);
  • Friday lunches and evening drinks (COVID permitting).

How to Apply

Applications should be made through the practice’s online job board at https://davidkohn.bamboohr.com/jobs/ and requires:

  • A cover letter explaining how you meet all the criteria for the post, and why you want to work for DKA; 
  • CV detailing previous experience and qualifications;
  • A portfolio of up to eight sides of A4 showing examples of relevant projects;
  • We will only be able to enter into correspondence with shortlisted candidates; 
  • Direct applications, no recruitment agencies please;
  • David Kohn Architects is an Equal Opportunities Employer.