HEAD OF DESIGN / SENIOR PROJECT ARCHITECT
7 days ago
Newcastle upon Tyne
HEAD OF DESIGN / SENIOR PROJECT ARCHITECT £50,000 - £70,000 plus performance bonus (Title flexible for the right person) Most architectural roles keep you in a defined lane. You contribute, but rarely lead. You design, but don’t always influence the bigger picture. This is not one of them. At Acre Design, you will play a leading role in shaping bespoke residential projects. You will be involved from the earliest conversations, helping define design direction, guiding clients, and supporting the team to deliver strong outcomes. You will take ownership of key projects, while also mentoring and supporting others across the studio. This is about leading design, influencing decisions, and driving projects forward, not just working in isolation. This role is for someone who is equally creative and driven. Someone who enjoys design, but also wants more influence, more responsibility, and a bigger role in how projects and the business perform. It suits someone ready to step up. Someone who does not just want to be an architect, but wants to help lead projects, support a team, and grow into a senior position with real impact. If you are looking for more autonomy, more flexibility, and a genuine step forward in your career, this is it. ABOUT ACRE DESIGN Acre Design specialises in bespoke and luxury home extensions and refurbishments for private clients across the North East. We do not produce generic schemes. We work closely with clients to explore layouts, materials and form, creating homes that feel considered, personal, and better than the sum of their parts. From first conversation through planning, technical design and construction support, we guide clients through the entire process with clarity and confidence. We are growing and building a team that can deliver exceptional work without constant oversight. THE ROLE This is a senior, client-facing leadership role focused on design direction, project oversight, and team support. You will lead key projects directly, while also mentoring project leads and guiding work across the studio. You will work closely with clients, shape design outcomes, and ensure projects move forward with clarity and confidence. This role sits between design leadership, client relationship, and business performance. It is for someone ready to step up and take responsibility beyond their own projects. WHAT YOU WILL DO • Lead design direction across multiple projects, not just your own, • Develop and test creative options, not just single solutions, • Mentor and support project leads, stepping in where needed to guide direction and resolve issues, • Build strong relationships with clients and guide them through key decisions, • Run key projects independently and make clear, confident decisions, • Act as the main point of contact for clients and create a high-quality experience, • Identify and resolve issues early, including managing more complex or sensitive situations, • Liaise with planning officers and navigate approvals proactively, • Keep projects moving and maintain momentum across all stages WHAT WE ARE LOOKING FOR • Strong experience delivering UK residential projects such as extensions or one-off homes, • Excellent understanding of planning policy, • A natural communicator who builds trust quickly and handles conversations with ease, • A strong design instinct and ability to explore ideas, not just deliver solutions, • Confidence leading projects, people, and conversations, • Decisive and proactive, comfortable taking ownership and making calls, • Commercial awareness and interest in how projects and the business perform, • Comfortable managing a small team and taking responsibility for outcomes WHAT THIS IS NOT • Not for someone who finds it difficult to lead conversations or take control of meetings, • Not a back-office role producing drawings all day, • Not a role where you wait for instructions or constant sign-off, • Not for someone who avoids responsibility for decisions or team direction THE TYPE OF PERSON WHO THRIVES HERE • Enjoys leading both design and people, • Takes ownership and drives projects forward, • Builds trust and long-term relationships with clients, • Makes decisions confidently and stands behind them, • Balances creativity with commercial awareness, • Spots problems early and deals with them directly, • Wants a senior role with real responsibility and influence WHY JOIN ACRE • High level of autonomy and ownership, • Strong pipeline of high-quality residential projects, • Support from an in-house technical team with advanced Revit capability, • Clear processes without unnecessary meetings or micromanagement, • Performance-related pay alongside a strong base salary, • Genuine opportunity to grow into a senior leadership role