Associate Principal or Principal Architect – Civic

Are you a strategic, relationship-driven leader with a passion for shaping the future of civic environments? Do you thrive at the intersection of design excellence, market growth, and mentoring high-performing teams? If so, we’re looking for you: an Associate Principal or Principal to help lead, grow, and elevate our civic project practice in San Diego.

This role blends executive leadership, business development, and project oversight, offering the opportunity to influence firmwide strategy while building meaningful, long-term client partnerships. You’ll play a key role in advancing our mission, vision, and standards of excellence within the Civic market.

As an Associate Principal or Principal, you will…

Lead (or Help Lead) and Grow the Civic Project Practice

Serve as a leader of the Civic market, building and sustaining strong client relationships throughout the San Diego region and Southern CaliforniaCollaborate with Market and Firm leadership to develop and execute long-term market and practice strategiesProvide leadership for planning, programming, design, and project management across a portfolio of complex education projectsParticipate in firmwide leadership initiatives, strategic planning efforts, and management committees

Drive (or Help Drive) Business Development and Client Engagement

Lead marketing and business development efforts aligned with the Firm’s strategic planIdentify and pursue new market opportunities, including team formation, proposal development, and participation in interviewsRepresent the Firm at industry events and within professional and client networksMeet or exceed performance metrics related to business development, contracts secured, and client satisfaction

Provide Project Oversight and Financial Leadership

Serve as Principal-in-Charge for assigned projects, overseeing quality, profitability, staffing, and revenue performanceReview and develop fee proposals, service scopes, and staffing plans to support project successSupport project managers with contract negotiations, additional services, and financial performance monitoringLead Quality Control/Quality Assurance efforts and champion Firm standards and lessons learned

Mentor and Develop Talent

Foster a collaborative, respectful, and high-performing work environmentAct as a mentor and coach to support professional growth, leadership development, and succession planningCollaborate across studios, markets, and disciplines to support Firm-wide initiatives and shared goals

The Must-Haves

Bachelor’s degree in architecture, engineering, or interior design (or equivalent) and a minimum of 16 years of relevant professional experienceEstablished Southern California professional network within justice, government and other public sector project marketsStrong leadership, communication, and relationship-building skillsProficiency in Microsoft Office Suite (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook)California Licensed Architect

The Like-to-Haves

LEED accreditation

Why You’ll Love Lionakis…

At Lionakis, people and design come first. You’ll find:

A collaborative, design-forward culture that values creativity, mentorship, and shared successThe chance to shape stories that impact real communitiesA comprehensive benefits package (bonus plan, 401(k) with match, health/dental/vision, generous PTO)A workplace deeply committed to Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion – in our projects, our people, and our culture

Join us and help bring our design vision to life—one story at a time.

Salary Range: $158,300-$220,500 annually. Compensation and level DOE.

Studies have shown that underrepresented individuals like women; LGBTQIA+; and BIPOC, among others, are less likely to apply for jobs unless they believe they meet every single one of the qualifications in a job description or posting. Because we are committed to building a diverse and inclusive organization, we understand the best candidate may come from a non-traditional background to our field of work. We strongly encourage you to apply, even if you don't believe you meet every one of the qualifications described above. Diversity makes us better.