Step out of practice. Keep the design quality. Be paid your worth.
Are you an Architect, Interior Architect or experienced Part II who’s:
* Tired of 3-5 year projects that never seem to land?
* Ready to actually see your designs built in 8-16 weeks, not 8-16 quarters?
* Wondering why you’re delivering £50m+ schemes on a salary that doesn’t seem to add up?
This is a chance to move from traditional practice into a high-growth Design & Build employer in Central London, specialising in award-winning workplace projects across the city - typically £5m-£200m construction values.
You’ll join a tight, 20-person team, reporting directly to the Managing Director, working alongside designers, technical designers, Project Manager's and commercial leads - all under one roof.
No endless coordination chains. No waiting years to see if your idea survived value engineering.
Here, you design it, draw it, and see it completed on site within months.
The Opportunity
You’ll step in as a Technical Architect / Designer, owning the technical side of multiple projects while staying close to design and clients.
* Take schemes from concept handover through tender and construction information.
* Work on central London workplace projects ranging from boutique 5,000-10,000 sqft spaces to major multi-floor, 90,000 sqft HQ fit-outs.
* Operate at a faster pace of 8-16 week programmes, often with 3-5 live projects at any one time (depending on scale).
* Sit at the intersection of design, delivery and commercial - you’ll be the person who makes sure great ideas actually work in reality.
This is for someone who enjoys owning the detail and seeing it through.
What you’ll do
* Lead technical delivery
* Translate design intent into coordinated technical drawing packages - plans, sections, joinery details, setting-out, the works.
* Take responsibility for information actually being buildable, safe and compliant.
* Juggle a meaningful workload
* Run one major workplace project or several small to mid-sized fit-outs in parallel.
* Balance deadlines across multiple teams without dropping quality.
* Coordinate the whole puzzle
* Work closely with structural, MEP, acoustic and joinery subcontractors, as well as in-house PM's and commercial managers.
* Resolve clashes and site issues fast and pragmatically.
* Be client-facing, not hidden in the back room.
* Join client meetings as the technical voice in the room - explain constraints, propose options, protect design intent.
* Support pitch-to-delivery continuity: concept designers hand over to you, but you stay visible through to completion.
* Help drive the Revit transition - several live projects are in Revit, whilst others transition from 2D.
* Over time: help steer the wider team’s move into Revit on larger and more complex schemes - your Revit fluency will be a genuine asset.
Why this is different (especially if you’re in practice)
* You’ll actually see the result of your work - fast
* Projects don’t sit in planning limbo for years. You see steel, studs and finishes within weeks/months, not years.
* You’ll see design, technical, cost and buildability on every scheme - not just one slice of the process.
* You’ll become the architect/technical designer who can walk onto the site and immediately understand what’s going on.
* Serious salary uplift vs traditional practice.
* Design & Build pays at a level that reflects the pace and responsibility.
* Expect a meaningful step up from typical central London practice bands for comparable experience.
* Genuinely fast progression.
* The business is aiming to double headcount and project size over the next two years.
* If you perform, there’s room for rapid growth into leadership or even alternative pathways such as Project Management - without having to change companies.
* A young, hungry environment.
* The team is fresh, ambitious and award-focused - they care about design quality, not just churning out square metres.
* Social is strong: regular team events, CPD's, talks, gym sessions, plus summer/Christmas parties.
You’ll thrive here if…
* You’re an Architect, Interior Architect or experienced Part II with:
* Solid workplace/office fit-out experience (ideally central London, £5m-£200m schemes).
* Experience across technical design and detailing, not just visuals and competitions.
* The idea of seeing a space go from strip-out to handover in 12-16 weeks excites you, whilst working in a highly collaborative team environment.
* You actually like the nuts and bolts of delivery.
* You enjoy solving coordination problems.
* You want to understand how things go together, not just what they look like.
* You’re open to a high-energy, office-first culture.
* You’re curious about future pathways.
* In a few years, you can see yourself either as a go-to technical lead or moving into a design or more client-side/PM-style role.
* You like the idea of doing that within one company, rather than hopping around.
What you’ll bring
* Typically 3-8+ years’ post-Part II experience in architecture or interior architecture.
* Proven experience on central London workplace projects or comparable commercial fit-out.
* Technical skills:
* Strong AutoCAD &/or Revit skills.
* Confident reading and producing construction details and coordinated packages.
* Project experience:
* Exposure to projects between £5m–£200m construction value.
* Comfortable operating in a live site context and working with contractors.
* Soft skills:
* Clear communicator, able to hold your own with clients, PM's, contractors and designers.
* Calm under pressure.
Practicalities
* Location: Central London studio, office-based (with WFH allowance).
* Start: ASAP, Jan/Feb 2026.
* Package: Highly competitive salary + benefits, with a substantial step up from typical practice pay for equivalent experience.
If you’re an architect or interior architect who wants to get closer to the real decisions, accelerate your learning and be paid properly for your impact, this is one of those rare moves that can genuinely change your trajectory.
How to Apply
Send your CV to Grõ Careers by hitting the apply button. Shortlisted applicants will be invited to share a concise portfolio. Additional details will be shared discreetly with shortlisted candidates only.
About Grõ Careers - Your Route Out of Practice
We specialise in helping architects step out of traditional practice and into alternative environments: Design & Build, design management, project leadership and client-side roles where you’re closer to decisions, budgets and delivery.
Our approach is selective, hands-on, and ethics-first - we map realistic routes out of practice, sharpen your narrative, and prepare you for the commercial realities so you can land and deliver with confidence.
Many of our moves are exclusive and not widely advertised.