Higher Education Design Strategist - Smith Group (Boston, MA)
About the job
SmithGroup is an award-winning, integrated design firm that blends research, data and technology with innovation and a creative spirit to deliver resilient, inclusive spaces that solve our clients' greatest challenges. Our teams create exceptional design solutions for healthcare, science and technology, workplace, mixed use, higher education, cultural, waterfront, parks and open spaces, and urban environments. We are looking for passionate problem solvers who want to elevate design, push boundaries and move us closer to a carbon-free future. Care to join us?
The Boston office of SmithGroup is looking for a Higher Education Design Strategist to join our team.
Working with us, you will:
Plan and lead client strategy engagements.
Lead in all aspects of design research, research execution, and analysis (data gathering and research, engaging diverse stakeholders, and assembling multiple stakeholder perspectives.)
Structure, analyze, and synthesize primary and secondary research and data (quantitative and qualitative) to generate actionable materials
Articulate hypotheses, insights, and points of view to facilitate the development of design solutions and organizational recommendations
Produce high-quality deliverables such as client presentations, strategic design briefs and collateral materials
Lead programming efforts (observations, data gathering, interviews and workshops), development of program and space requirement reports
Develop design strategy briefs through writing, analysis, and graphic content development
Work with project teams to implement strategy through planning and design concepts
Support and partner with strategy team and others to create thought leadership
Initiate design and marketing ideas relative to the strategy team
Assist in establishing a strong network of SmithGroup strategists across offices
Support design strategy awareness and inclusion in proposals and pursuits
Support and develop strategy marketing materials and proposal graphics
Assist with guiding and on-boarding of other internal staff
Strengthen and grow team expertise
An ideal candidate has:
Bachelor’s degree in relevant field minimum
10+ years professional experience, with a minimum of 5 years of direct experience in Higher Education programming, planning, design, and strategy
Proficient in MS Office (advanced skill in Excel), Adobe Creative Suite, AutoCAD and/or Revit (preferred but not required)
Familiarity with data analytics tools, e.g. Power BI, Tableau is a plus but not required
Strong graphic skills, including data visualization, process and adjacency diagrams, and plan visualization
Strong communication and presentation skills
Proficient in programming and planning
Confidence in facilitating strategic conversations
Sufficient knowledge of commercial office industry
Analytical, creative thinker
Flexible and adaptable to work with multiple teams and initiatives
Entrepreneurial mindset
Collaborative, team-player mentality as foundational quality
SmithGroup's competitive compensation and benefit package is designed to meet the needs of a diverse staff. It includes flexible scheduling, a hybrid work environment, 401(k), parental leave, wellbeing resources, PTO immediately available to new hires, plus 15 extra Fridays off - on top of holidays. Join us and see first-hand how these and other programs - like one-on-one career coaching and professional development opportunities - build culture, enhance collaboration and yield richer, more inclusive solutions.
If you are not sure that you meet all of the suggested qualifications described above, please don't leave this page. Your talents and attributes could be just what we're looking for - and we strongly encourage you to apply. If you need additional accommodations to complete the application process, please contact careers@smithgroup.com
