Director, S&T Planning

About the Role

We are seeking a visionary, strategic, and highly creative individual for the position of Director of Planning for the S&T design practice, to lead and grow our international planning team within the S&T Practice. This role is pivotal in shaping the future of S&T planning at CannonDesign—building a best-in-class team, mentoring talent, aligning resources to projects, and driving innovation for our clients.

Here's What You'll Do

The ideal candidate will be a dynamic leader with deep expertise in laboratory planning, a passion for mentoring and team development, and a track record of winning and delivering groundbreaking work. Creativity is essential—this person will bring fresh ideas, challenge conventional thinking, and inspire new approaches to planning that elevate our work and impact. This is both an inward- and outward-facing role, requiring strong leadership, collaboration, and thought leadership.

Team Leadership & Development

• Build, lead, and inspire a high-performing team of planners across the firm.
• Mentor and coach team members to elevate planning expertise and career growth.
• Foster a culture of excellence, innovation, and collaboration.

Strategic Resourcing & Operations

• Maintain a clear understanding of team capacity, project needs, and individual strengths in partnership with the Regional Directors.
• Align planning resources to the right projects to ensure quality and efficiency in partnership with the Regional Directors.
• Collaborate with practice and project leaders to optimize team performance.

Innovation & Vision

• Advance CannonDesign’s vision for innovative laboratory planning.
• Champion new approaches, tools, and methodologies that redefine planning excellence.
• Stay ahead of industry trends and integrate emerging ideas into practice.

Recruitment & Retention

• Lead recruitment efforts to attract top planning talent.
• Develop strategies to retain and engage team members.
• Promote diversity, equity, and inclusion in team building.

Business Development & Thought Leadership

• Partner with S&T Practice and Business Development teams to win transformative projects.
• Be responsible for generating top-line revenue, with a target of $1.25M in personal net signed fees (NSF) annually, and participating in $3M in NSF annually.
• Represent CannonDesign in client engagements, conferences, and industry forums.
• Contribute to thought leadership through writing, speaking, and advocacy with at least one published paper and two conference presentations per year.
• Be a recognized thought leader in the S&T industry—known by peers and clients alike for advancing innovation through published work, speaking engagements, and professional leadership.

Time Commitments

• 20% – Internal strategy and coordination across regions.
• 20% – Business development, brand building, and speaking/writing.
• 50% - Billable work.

Here's What You'll Need

• Bachelor's degree in Architecture, Interior Design, Engineering or a related degree required.
• Proven experience in S&T planning, preferred 15 years experience.
• Strong leadership and mentoring capabilities.
• Deep understanding of healthcare systems, planning methodologies, and laboratory design.