Design Manager Jobs in Maryland

About the Position

Please note: The salary range above represents this position’s earning potential. The anticipated hiring range for this position will be $116,956 to $203,245, based on the candidate’s qualifications and experience.

WHO WE ARE

The Department of General Services (DGS) is comprised of many diverse functions sharing a common and critical mission: Providing service to Montgomery County departments and offices that enables them to serve the public. Our success is measured by how we help others succeed.

WHO WE ARE LOOKING FOR

The Department of General Services is seeking a Division Chief to lead the Division of Building Design & Construction (DBDC). Reporting directly to the Deputy Director, this senior executive will be responsible for directing the County’s strategy for development, construction, capital project delivery, and long-term asset execution.

The Division Chief will oversee the full lifecycle of capital development projects—including site identification, feasibility analysis, entitlement, design, financing, construction, turnover, and stabilization. This role provides strategic leadership across a broad portfolio of projects to ensure safe, timely, and cost-effective delivery aligned with County policies and long-term strategic objectives. The position requires strong decision-making skills, effective risk management, and a commitment to excellence in safety, quality, and performance.

This leader will guide teams of professional architects, engineers, and construction management staff, while managing relationships with third-party architects, engineers, contractors, consultants, regulatory agencies, client departments, community members, and other key stakeholders.

What You'll Be Doing

Capital Project Leadership

• Lead the planning, design, and construction of a large portfolio of Capital Improvement Program (CIP) projects ranging from several million dollars to over $100 million each.
• Oversee approximately $1 billion in active projects annually, ensuring quality delivery of an average of 30 completed projects per year.
• Provide executive oversight of all construction activities across the County’s capital improvement portfolio.
• Establish project delivery standards, processes, controls, and best practices.
• Oversee the performance of general contractors, construction managers, architects, engineers, and specialty consultants.
• Ensure projects meet approved budgets, schedules, quality standards, and design objectives.
• Monitor project performance and proactively identify and mitigate cost, schedule, quality, and execution risks.
• Lead resolution of major construction issues, disputes, change orders, and claims.
• Ensure appropriate safety, insurance, compliance, and risk-management practices are maintained.
• Coordinate extensively with permitting and regulatory authorities such as M-NCPPC, Department of Permitting Services, WSSC Water, PEPCO, Washington Gas, local municipalities, and state and federal agencies.

Financial & Operational Management

• Establish and manage annual development and construction budgets.
• Monitor project-level financials, commitments, contingencies, and forecasts.
• Review and approve major contracts, change orders, purchase orders, and project expenditures within delegated authority.
• Work closely with Finance, Procurement and Legal to ensure financial discipline and accurate reporting.
• Lead annual coordination between departments and Management and Budget in updating the Capital Improvement Program
• Develop executive-level reporting on portfolio performance, project risks, capital requirements, and expected returns.

Stakeholder & Partner Management

• Serve as a senior representative of the Department with contractors, consultants, municipalities, and community stakeholders.
• Routinely meet with client department leadership to ensure clear and consistent communication on key projects and schedules
• Develop and maintain strong relationships with key external partners.
• Participate in committees, task forces, work groups, and other discussions as assigned regarding development and construction activities.
• Negotiate major agreements and terms with strategic partners and project stakeholders.

Additional Responsibilities include:

• Researching, developing, and implementing new policies, procedures, protocols, standards, and process manuals for design and construction.
• Conducting forensic analyses of design and construction processes; creating facility design guidelines; developing improved budgeting and project management methods; and producing tools that support project managers and consultants. The role also serves as a technical leader in green building and sustainability, provides reviews and testimony on policies affecting CIP, and participates in public presentations to explain County policies and CIP projects.

Minimum Qualifications

Education: Graduation from an accredited college or university with a bachelor’s degree.

Experience: Seven years of progressively responsible professional experience in architecture, engineering, project management, design and construction, three years of which were in a supervisory or executive capacity.

License: Possession of valid class "C" or equivalent driver's license from the applicant's state of residence.

Preferred Criteria, Interview Preferences

• Bachelor’s degree in construction management, Civil Engineering, Architecture, Real Estate, Business, or a related field. (MBA, MS degree, LEED and PMP certification preferred)
• 10-15+years of progressive experience in real estate development, construction, capital projects, or a related industry.
• 7+ years of senior leadership experience with responsibility for large-scale development or construction portfolios.
• Demonstrated experience managing complex projects from concept through completion.
• Proven track record managing significant construction budgets and multiple concurrent projects.
• Strong understanding of development, entitlement, design, contracting, procurement, construction, and project finance.
• Experience managing general contractors, design professionals, consultants, and internal project teams.
• Excellent negotiation, communication, presentation, and relationship-management skills.
• Demonstrated ability to lead diverse groups through complex projects and rapidly changing business environments.
• Familiarity with project management software (BIM360)

IMPORTANT INFORMATION

The Office of Human Resources (OHR) reviews the minimum qualifications of all applicants, irrespective of whether the candidate has previously been found to have met the minimum requirements for the job or been temporarily promoted to the same position. This evaluation is based solely on the information contained in the application/resume submitted for this specific position.

Montgomery County Government(MCG) is an equal opportunity employer, committed to workforce diversity. Accordingly, as it relates to employment opportunities, the County will provide reasonable accommodations to applicants with disabilities, in accordance with the law. Applicants requiring reasonable accommodation for any part of the application and hiring process should email OHR at Hiring@montgomerycountymd.gov. Individual determinations on requests for reasonable accommodation will be made in accordance with all applicable laws.

MCG also provides hiring preference to certain categories of veterans and veterans/persons with a disability. For more information and to claim employment preference, refer to the Careers webpage on Hiring Preference.

All applicants will respond to a series of questions related to their education, relevant experience, knowledge, skills, and abilities required to minimally perform the job. The applicant's responses in conjunction with their resume and all other information provided in the employment application process will be evaluated to determine the minimum qualifications and preferred criteria or interview preference status. Based on the results, the highest qualified applicants will be placed on an Eligible List and may be considered for an interview. Employees meeting minimum qualifications who are the same grade will be placed on the Eligible List as a "Lateral Transfer" candidate and may be considered for an interview.

This will establish an Eligible List that may be used to fill both current and future vacancies.

If selected for consideration for this position, you may be required to provide evidence that you possess the knowledge, skills, and abilities indicated on your resume.

Montgomery County Ethics Law: Except as provided by law or regulation, the County's "Public Employees" (which does not include employees of the Sheriff's office) are subject to the County's ethics law including the requirements to obtain advanced approval of any outside employment and the prohibitions on certain outside employment. The outside employment requirements of the ethics law can be found at 19A-12 of the County Code. Additional information about outside employment can be obtained from the Ethics Commission website.