Position Overview
HDR is seeking a dynamic, strategic, and client-focused Civic Principal to lead and grow our Civic practice throughout the Florida market. This leadership role will be responsible for advancing HDR's presence across justice, public safety, municipal, county, state, and civic-focused sectors while fostering strong relationships with key public-sector clients and industry partners.
The successful candidate will provide strategic market leadership, drive business development and client engagement initiatives, oversee major project pursuits and delivery efforts, and mentor the next generation of Civic leaders. This individual will serve as a visible ambassador for HDR in Florida and will play a critical role in shaping the long-term growth strategy of the Civic practice across the region.
The Civic Principal will collaborate closely with architecture, engineering, planning, and consulting leaders across HDR to deliver integrated solutions that help communities thrive.
Key ResponsibilitiesStrategic Leadership
• Establish and execute the vision, strategy, and growth objectives for HDR's Civic practice.
• Lead efforts to achieve annual business performance goals, including net fee bookings, revenue growth, profitability, and market expansion.
• Identify emerging opportunities within municipal, county, state, justice, public and community project types.
• Position HDR as a leading civic design and consulting partner.
• Represent HDR through leadership roles in professional organizations, industry associations, conferences, and community engagement initiatives.
• Share HDR's desire to drive compliance with our 3 Pillars: Towards a Regenerative Future, Community Well-Being and Transforming Project Delivery on all projects.
• Actively work towards meeting HDR sustainable initiatives, elevate sustainable design literacy and ensure that an integrated design process is occurring on all projects.
• Responsible for spearheading AIA 2030 reporting for their design projects through HDR's 100% energy modeling initiative.
Client Development and Market Growth
• Develop and maintain executive-level relationships with key public-sector clients, elected officials, agency leaders, and industry partners.
• Lead strategic client account planning, capture planning, and pursuit efforts for major civic opportunities.
• Direct proposal development, interview preparation, and pursuit strategies for high-profile projects.
• Collaborate with local, regional, and national leadership to identify and secure transformational project opportunities.
• Expand HDR's visibility and reputation across the civic marketplace through thought leadership and community engagement.
• Maintain a strong network of consultants, contractors, developers, and industry stakeholders to support market intelligence and strategic growth.
Project Leadership and Delivery
• Serve as Principal-in-Charge, Executive Sponsor, Project Director, or similar leadership role on key civic projects.
• Provide executive oversight for project performance, quality, client satisfaction, risk management, and financial results.
• Support project teams in contract negotiations, project planning, staffing, and delivery strategies.
• Ensure project execution aligns with HDR's standards for design excellence, innovation, quality, and operational performance.
• Promote collaboration across disciplines to deliver comprehensive solutions that address clients' evolving needs.
Team Leadership and Practice Development
• Mentor and develop Civic practice leaders and emerging professionals.
• Foster a culture of collaboration, accountability, innovation, and client service excellence.
• Support recruiting, retention, succession planning, and workforce development initiatives.
• Collaborate with regional and national Civic leadership on practice advancement strategies and knowledge-sharing initiatives.
• Champion HDR's design excellence, sustainability, resilience, and community-focused design initiatives.
Business Operation
• Lead business planning, forecasting, resource management, and strategic investment decisions for the Civic sector.
• Participate in Go/No-Go evaluations, risk management reviews, fee approvals, contract negotiations, and major pursuit decisions.
• Support CRM management, pipeline development, and strategic opportunity tracking.
• Coordinate with regional and national leadership to achieve long-term business objectives.
• Travel throughout the region and occasionally throughout North America as needed.
Preferred Qualifications• Minimum 15 years of professional experience in architecture, planning, or related civic-sector leadership.
• Proven track record of winning and delivering significant civic, justice, public safety, municipal, county, state, or community-focused projects.
• Demonstrated success in business development, client management, and market growth.
• Experience leading multidisciplinary teams and complex project pursuits.
• Strong understanding of Florida public-sector procurement processes and project delivery methods.
• Established relationships with Florida public-sector agencies, municipalities, counties, or civic institutions.
• Experience serving as Principal-in-Charge or Executive Sponsor on large-scale civic projects.
• Active participation in AIA, DBIA, SAME, ULI, SCUP, APWA, or similar professional organizations.
• Strong understanding of California sustainability, resilience, and public infrastructure initiatives.
• Experience in sustainable and / or regenerative design.
• Experience and understanding of basic building physics, low carbon materials and high-performance design strategies.
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QualificationsRequired Qualifications - Bachelor's degree in Architecture
- 15 years related experience
- A minimum 7 years project management experience
- Registered Architect
- Must have experience on large-scale projects
- Must be able to lead a team on projects and make client presentations
- Experience with Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, Project)
- Extensive knowledge and experience within the local and regional market
- Strong team leadership, mentoring, motivational/organizational and people skills
- Desire to work towards the integration of holistic sustainable processes into design projects at early design stages
- Excellent written and verbal communication skills
- Must be willing to travel
- An attitude and commitment to being an active participant of our employee-owned culture is a must
