Lead Designer

Lead Designer

Verve Partners is seeking a Lead Designer for a full-time, onsite position in Newcastle.

This role offers the opportunity to lead a high-performing design team and influence the future of residential design. You will shape strategy, quality, and innovation while building your long-term career.

About the Role

Reporting to the Pre-Construction & Estimating Manager, this position involves both technical and people leadership within the design function. You will oversee projects from concept to approval-ready documentation. Key aspects include mentoring designers, improving systems, and ensuring the delivery of market-leading residential designs. This is a hands-on leadership role where you will be the primary contact for design requirements and will lead and develop the team.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead and mentor an internal design team.
• Produce high-quality architectural documentation using ArchiCAD.
• Drive design quality while minimising rework.
• Manage design workflow, priorities, and team performance.
• Review and continuously improve an extensive residential design portfolio.
• Collaborate closely with estimating, construction, and sales teams.
• Ensure designs comply with NCC, NSW Planning requirements, and relevant Development Control Plans.
• Manage design risks, approvals, and project changes.
• Support the business as it expands into new project capabilities.

About You

To be successful, you will possess:

• A degree qualification in Architecture or a similar field.
• A minimum of 5 years' experience in residential architectural or building design.
• Demonstrated leadership or design management experience.
• Advanced ArchiCAD experience.
• A strong understanding of NCC/BCA and residential construction.
• Excellent documentation and detailing skills.
• Strong communication and stakeholder management abilities.
• A commercial mindset balanced with creative design thinking.
• A passion for mentoring and developing others.

Why Join Verve Partners?

• A leadership opportunity with genuine influence.
• Full-time position.
• A supportive and collaborative culture.
• The opportunity to mentor and develop an experienced team.
• Long-term career progression as the business continues to grow.
• A diverse residential project portfolio, encompassing approximately 200 projects each year.
• Join a stable, growing organisation that is investing in its future.

Salary: Not specified.

Application Instructions:

If you are an experienced architectural professional seeking your next leadership opportunity, please apply now. For further information, please contact Kate Lowe on 04•• ••• 042 or email kat•@vervepartners.com.au. A confidential conversation is welcomed.

Verve Partners acknowledges and pays its respects to the Traditional Owners of the land on which we work and live. We pay our respects to the First Peoples of this country, their culture and Elders past, present and emerging. We recognise that this land was and always will be Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander land.