Lead Architect

Job description / Role

Overview

KEO is a creative enterprise, where innovation is a way of life. We are uniquely resourced with end-to-end services to take clients from inspiration through conceptualization to realization of planning, design, or project delivery in the built and natural environments. For over 60 years, we've led with vision, contributing to many of the world's most ambitious projects, iconic places, remarkable experiences, and prosperous communities.

As a highly integrated and agile AEP/PMCM firm, KEO is recognized by ENR as one of the Top 225 International Design Firms and one of the Top 20 International PM/CM Firms. We are also ranked by World Architecture as the 51st largest global architecture firm and the #1 firm in the Middle East Region in their 2024 WA100 Survey.

We invite you to join us. Why?

When you join KEO, you'll discover more than just a job - you'll find a supportive environment that fosters your professional development through internal global mobility and career development and does so within a culture that supports company-wide health and well-being through on-demand counseling services and regular workplace clinics. You will be invited to celebrate community events such as sports days, fun runs, in-house sports teams, and beach clean-ups. In addition to your competitive package and benefits, you will have access to a suite of policies that include hybrid working arrangements, individual athletic sponsorship, study assistance sponsorship, and employee referral rewards.

Responsibilities

Our newest opportunity is for a talented Lead Architect to join our Project Management Division based in Al Madinah, KSA. This position is responsible for leading and overseeing the design process of the project. This entails providing clear guidance and direction to the team members to ensure the client's specifications, budget, and timeline are met along with ensuring accurate data is captured and reported relating to architectural tasks.

We envisage success in this role to include:

• Providing guidance and subject matter expertise to the project to achieve time, cost, quality, and safety objectives.
• Monitoring and reporting on the production of information with respect to the discipline-related services submittal progress.
• Reviewing submitted shop drawings and material submittals against the drawings and specifications, local codes, statutory requirements, and international best practices.
• Checking and ensuring coordination between discipline-related services works and all other disciplines.
• Providing technical input and experience to resolve discipline-related engineering issues on the project.
• Maintaining open communication with the client and contractor's discipline engineers on project-related issues.
• Coordinating the works to ensure successful project hand-over.
• Attending technical and progress meetings with the contractor's or client's representative.
• Identifying issues and risks that need to be brought to the attention of senior project management as necessary.
• Managing the QA/QC project requirements with the related discipline.
• Preparing correspondence on subject matter expertise to issue to the client or contractor as required to meet project objectives.
• Reviewing as-built and O&M manuals for completeness.
• Being the primary point of contact for the Project Team Manager and senior site personnel on project architectural-related issues.
• Maintaining an open dialogue with the relevant authorities.
• Assisting the Quantity Surveyor in the assessment of contractor's claims for variation to contract.
• Assisting the Planner in the assessment of contractor schedules and other planning matters (EDT, procurement, production).
• Researching, establishing, and documenting the regulatory and code requirements related to the project.
• Ensuring the orderly completion and timely assessment of project submittals and documentation.
• Reviewing CAD drawings, renderings, layouts, study models, construction documents, and color boards prepared by Architectural Designers.
• Making new proposals and/or modifying existing drawings when necessary. Ensuring compliance with applicable codes and standards as well as client requirements.
• Writing construction specifications and preparing detailed requisitions for equipment and materials when needed. Interfaces with suppliers as required.
• Making sure that any activity offered for inspection has an approved shop drawing, Method Statement (MS), Quality Control Procedure (QCP), and Inspection and Test Plan (ITP) and that the latest version of the applicable document is available at the point of use.
• Issuing Non-Conformance (NCR) and following up for closing after rectification prior to release inspection request (IRF) approval.
• Preparing a punch list jointly with the site engineer and signing off upon rectification.
• Reviewing documents such as drawings, Inspection and Test Plan (ITP), Quality Control Procedures (QCP), and Method Statement (MS) provided by contractors.

Qualifications

To be successful in this dynamic opportunity, we envision that your career journey to date will include 15 years of work experience partnered with a Bachelor's degree in Architectural studies.

LEED is highly regarded. Membership in RIBA and/or AIA would also be of interest. You will have strong knowledge of using the REVIT tool.

KEO's performance is founded upon integrity, results, innovation, safety, and our people. We embrace diversity and recognize its contribution to client success wherever we work.

We are excited to hear how you can partner with our award-winning team and treat all expressions of interest confidentially.

About the Company

KEO is a creative enterprise, where innovation is a way of life. We are uniquely resourced with end-to-end services to take clients from inspiration – through conceptualization – to realization of planning, design or project delivery in the built and natural environments. For over 57 years we’ve led with vision, contributing to many of the world’s most ambitious projects, iconic places, remarkable experiences and prosperous communities.

As a highly integrated and agile AEP/PMCM firm, KEO is ranked by ENR in the Top 225 International Design Firms; in the Top 20 International PM/CM Firms; and by World Architecture as 50th largest global architecture firm and #1 Firm in the Middle East Region in their 2021 WAS 100 Survey.

We invite you to join us.