Director, Architecture

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Join the Discovery family, where quality and service are at the heart of everything we do!

This role will be a remote role with regular travel to project sites.

Discovery Land Company is seeking a full time, year round Director, Architecture to join the Creative Services Department.

Job Summary:

The Director, Architecture serves as the lead architectural voice of Discovery Creative across assigned luxury residential, private club, and mixed use developments, from acquisition through delivery. Reporting to the Executive Director, Head of Discovery Creative, the Director engages at the earliest stages of a project, guides architectural direction with project teams and outside architects, and advises executive leadership on design decisions at critical milestones. The Director protects design intent, character, and sense of place, and is accountable for the quality and consistency of architecture across the Discovery portfolio. In this role, you will be part of creating the Discovery Land Company experience for our members and fellow employees.

Duties & Responsibilities:

• Early-Stage Strategy and Concept
  • Participate in acquisition and underwriting to align programming, vision, and business assumptions.
  • Develop land plan concepts, high level architectural concepts, test fits, and programming studies.
  • Establish architectural direction early, including massing, character, materiality, and the relationship of buildings to site.
• Design Direction and Review
  • Guide architectural design for clubhouses, amenity and golf buildings, residences, and mixed use components.
  • Lead architectural peer reviews through the Discovery Creative review process, providing clear and timely feedback at key milestones.
  • Verify that design intent is carried through each phase of design and development.
  • Participate in Discovery Creative team review sessions and consolidate comments for project leads.
• Team Formation
  • Advise on the selection of design architects, architects of record, and project design leadership; recommend selections to the Executive Director.
  • Draft scopes and RFPs, evaluate fee proposals, and support negotiation of agreements with development and legal.
• Standards and Creative Infrastructure
  • Develop and maintain architectural principles, standards, and guidelines within the Discovery Creative Library.
  • Promote consistency across the portfolio while encouraging innovation and evolution.
• Cross-Functional Integration
  • Partner with Development, Sales and Marketing, Operations, and Construction teams to balance aesthetic excellence with operational and financial performance.
  • Support amenity programming, sales center design, and launch strategy.
  • Contribute to value engineering decisions that preserve creative integrity.
  • Support projects through zoning, planning, architectural, and community design review.
  • Work with branding and marketing agencies and the sales team on the design story across collateral, digital, and broker materials.
  • Coordinate with the Discovery Creative interiors, landscape, golf, land planning, and procurement leads.
• Leadership
  • Present design recommendations to the Executive Director, development leaders, and project partners, and support the Executive Director in presentations to executive leadership and investors.
  • Manage and develop design staff and help build the internal architecture team as the portfolio grows.
  • Capture lessons learned and contribute to repeatable standards.

Skills & Qualifications:

• 10+ years in architecture on luxury projects, including 4+ years on the owner, developer, or advisory side.

• Experience on private club, resort residential, hospitality, or master planned projects, including horizontal development.

• Experience directing and critiquing the work of internationally recognized architects and design teams.

• Strong conceptual design skills, including massing, test fits, and sketching.

• Understanding of club operations, front and back of house, and how they shape design and programming.

• Solid understanding of how design drives pricing, absorption, and buyer experience.

• Working knowledge of construction, cost management, zoning, and offering plan requirements.

• Exceptional taste with commercial discipline.

• Strong presenter and communicator with internal leadership, consultants, and brand partners.

• Degree in architecture, interior design, or a related field; licensure a plus.

• Ability to travel regularly.

Additional Requirements:

• Flexibility and ability to pivot to new projects and desire to work in a dynamic, fast moving environment.

• Positive attitude, professional demeanor, and exceptional communication and interpersonal skills to deliver service to members, guests, and team members.

• Ability to work in a team environment.

• Ability to stay calm and focused during the busiest of times.

• Ability to read, write, speak, and understand English; additional languages preferred.

• Must be able to work flexible work hours/schedule including evenings, weekends, and holidays. Long hours may be required due to business demands.

• Ability to meet the physical demands of the position including, but not limited to, working indoors and outdoors in all weather conditions, standing, walking, and moving for periods of greater than eight (8) hours, and lifting and carrying items sometimes greater than fifty (50) pounds.

Benefits

• Medical, Dental, and Vision Benefits

• 401k Contribution

• Paid Time Off and Paid Holidays

• Employee Meals, Referral Incentives, and Recognition Programs
• Professional development and upward mobility opportunities

• Work–Family Culture

Discovery Land Company's good faith estimate of the salary range it reasonably expects to pay for this position upon hire is $175,000 - $198,000 plus bonus.

About Us

Discovery Land Company is a U.S. based real estate developer and operator of private residential communities with a world renowned portfolio of domestic and international properties. The mission of Discovery Land Company is to create one of a kind environments that provide individuals and families the freedom, security, and resources to learn, grow, and play in some of the most beautiful places in the world. For more information about our company, please visit:

Originally posted on Himalayas