Position Summary

The Project Manager Lead will be a key leader in SOM’s growing South Florida region, focused on successfully managing complex projects while driving client relationships and business development opportunities. This individual will be located in South Florida and lead project teams, oversee project scope, schedule, budget, contracts, and delivery, and serve as a trusted partner to clients throughout the project lifecycle. A significant part of the role will involve cultivating new and existing client relationships, identifying opportunities, supporting pursuits, and helping expand SOM’s portfolio and market presence across South Florida.

Position Responsibilities

• Market Expansion & Strategy: Serves as a key local leader in South Florida, collaborating closely with firm leadership to drive local growth, shape practice strategy, and expand SOM's presence in the region.

• Business Development & Pursuits: Actively leads regional business development and marketing efforts, identifying new opportunities, tracking upcoming projects, responding to marketing requests, and co-leading client pursuits and presentations.

• Industry Engagement & Networking: Acts as an ambassador for SOM within the South Florida architecture, real estate development, and civic communities through active involvement in industry organizations (e.g., ULI, AIA, NAIOP,CVU), panel discussions, and local networking events to maintain firm relationships.

• Project Delivery & Operations: Leads the Architectural Project Team through close collaboration with SOM Partners and local practice leadership to achieve design, technical, and financial success. Participates actively in project design and technical discussions and decision making.

• Client Management: Directly manages South Florida owner/client relationships and expectations to allow SOM and team to work effectively, efficiently, and collaboratively while fostering long-term partnerships.

• Work Planning & Execution: Collaborates with Partners and senior team to prepare, issue, and manage compliance plans to align project goals including budget, deliverables, and schedule. Gains agreement for labor allocation, and schedules and chairs weekly team meetings to address variances, develop meeting agendas, and provide project status updates.

• Project Administration & Communication: Communicates actively through chairing weekly meetings, issuing meeting minutes, maintaining accurate project record keeping, and sharing project information and correspondence.

• Agile Studio Operations: Helps establish and maintain office culture and operational rhythm within a lean, agile local studio environment. (Be part of the growth of the regional office)

• Agreements & Risk Management: Prepares, with Leadership input, quality agreements with clients including letters of intent, memoranda of understanding, and professional service agreements. Initiates and maintains SOM-Client Services Agreements, SOM Sub-Consultant Agreements, and requests for additional services. Monitors scope for contract compliance and actively engages in project risk management through close collaboration with SOM Partners and legal group.

• Financial & Controls Management: Administers internal control procedures with Project Accountant including billing, collections, percent complete, expense management, and year-end activities. Analyzes project reports, proactively manages the profitability of a project, and maintains project financial performance.

• Actively leads a project team, partnering directly with the Partners and Practice Leader to mentor local staff, establish studio culture, and guide team growth as the South Florida practice expands.

• Directly supervises, trains, and mentors team members, setting clear expectations and supporting professional development.

• Engages in talent strategy to find specialists, leaders, and future professionals for the firm through resume review, interviews, and recruiting local talent as the team scales.

• Demonstrates leadership in the implementation of sustainable strategies in all project assignments and the associated development of staff knowledge.

• Creates and drives new ways of working through contributing to the development of services, standards, and procedures based in an understanding of the business principles that protect SOM from financial and legal risk.

• Organization language

• Professional degree in Architecture.

• Licensed in state of practice (Florida preferred, or ability to achieve reciprocity promptly); LEED accreditation preferred.

• Minimum 8 years of experience or equivalent knowledge, skills, and abilities.

• Established professional network and demonstrated understanding of the South Florida real estate, development, and AEC landscape.

• Proven track record in business development, proposal preparation, client presentations, and fee negotiation.

• Demonstrated ability to successfully lead project teams and manage project schedule, budget, and program.

• General understanding of sustainable strategies and principles including familiarity with LEED or other green building rating systems.

• Familiarity with standard AIA contracts and sub-consultants management experience required.

• Proficiency in Deltek, Microsoft Office, Smartsheets, Google Workspace, Adobe Suite.

• AI workflows are a plus.

• Familiarity with Deltek Vision, Salesforce.

• Strong English written and verbal communication; Spanish is a plus.

Are you ready to join a team of creative professionals working on transformational projects around the world? Take advantage of this exciting opportunity to build a better future with SOM.

Compensation for this role is based upon experience, qualifications, location, and education and typically ranges from $100,000 to $130,000.

For more about SOM: 

Portfolios must be submitted for all design and project management positions (Architecture, Interiors, City Design, Graphics, etc).Applications without work samples will not be reviewed. Portfolios should be one PDF attachment, 10-20 pages, maximum 5 MB. Submit portfolios as part of your application in the section where the application asks you for your Resume or CV.