Director of Practice Management

Job DescriptionJob Description

At Strategic Mission Critical, we are more than just engineers; we are experts focusing solely on mission critical facilities. Our leadership team brings together decades of experience, equipping data center providers worldwide with robust, reliable solutions that keep pace with the evolving digital landscape.

As demand for high-performance infrastructure accelerates — fueled by AI and the expanding digital landscape — SMC continues to lead through technical rigor and operational excellence. We’re seeking leaders who think beyond projects to improve the way we deliver them: individuals who elevate people, process, and performance across the firm.

Overview:

The Director of Practice Management (DPM) is a strategic leadership role that ensures the firm’s design and delivery practices are consistent, high-quality, and continuously improving.

In this new role, we are looking for someone passionate about the technical practice of what we do, the Director of Practice Management is a systems-level leader who will provide strategic technical leadership and delivery oversight.

This role focuses on how the firm delivers work — aligning standards, education, and operational excellence across all studios. They create frameworks that enable teams to deliver excellent work efficiently and consistently.

The DPM leads firm-wide initiatives in:

• Professional development and internal education
• Technical standards and documentation systems
• Quality assurance and quality control (QA/QC)
• Knowledge management and best practice sharing

This position serves as a bridge between leadership, project teams, and support departments (HR, IT, Operations), ensuring that best practices are documented, taught, and upheld throughout the firm.

Responsibilities (including but not limited to):

Education & Professional Development

• Develop and oversee the firm’s internal learning program, including technical training, design education, and licensure support (AIA, NCIDQ, LEED, etc.).
• Partner with HR and discipline leaders to define career paths and competencies.
• Lead onboarding and continuous training/education initiatives to ensure alignment with firm standards and tools.

Standards Management

• Maintain and evolve firm-wide standards for drawings, BIM/CAD libraries, specifications, documentation protocols, and file management.
• Collaborate with technical and design leaders to align standards with best practices and firm culture.
• Conduct regular standards audits to ensure consistency and adoption.

QA/QC Oversight

• Develop and manage the firm’s QA/QC framework, including project reviews, milestone checks, and peer review programs.
• Establish feedback loops and performance metrics for quality improvement.
• Support project managers with QA/QC tools, templates, and training.

Knowledge Management

• Create systems to capture lessons learned and best practices from completed projects.
• Curate and maintain internal knowledge platforms (SharePoint, Notion, intranet, etc.).
• Foster a culture of transparency, learning, and continuous improvement.

Strategic Leadership

• Partner with firm leadership to align practice strategy with business goals, technology, and talent development.
• Identify opportunities for innovation in process, technology, and education.
• Lead cross-functional initiatives to enhance project delivery efficiency and quality.
• Report progress, impact, and key metrics to leadership teams.

Skills & Competencies

• Deep understanding of project delivery, documentation standards, and QA/QC workflows.
• Ability to design scalable systems across teams, studios, and geographies.
• Exceptional communication and facilitation skills; adept at mentoring and inspiring others.
• Proficiency in industry tools (Revit, AutoCAD, Bluebeam, Deltek, Smartsheet, etc.).
• Balance of technical rigor and creative empathy — understands and supports design culture.

Education & Experience:

• Professional licensure (AIA, NCARB, NCIDQ) but not required.
• 10+ years of experience in architectural or design practice with increasing leadership responsibilities.
• Demonstrated success developing firm-wide standards, education programs, or QA/QC systems.
• Proven track record in managing complex, geographically dispersed teams with demonstrated success in operational efficiency.

SMC offers a competitive benefits package, with a 36-hour standard work week, hybrid working arrangement, 13 paid holidays, 100% coverage of medical, health, and dental insurance premiums for our full-time employees, and reimbursement of professional licensing costs. Spouse and family insurance premiums are subsidized by SMC. All full-time employees are additionally eligible for employer-sponsored life and long-term insurance as well as participation in our 401(k) plan, with annual safe harbor contribution.