Practice Director na Westside Build LLC

Description

Practice Director, Design-Build 

Overview 

Westside Build is a Santa Monica–based home builder that specializes in helping homeowners rebuild high-quality, resilient homes after disasters such as fires, guiding clients from initial concept through to move-in. Our process starts with a deep discovery phase to understand clients’ needs and preferences, followed by custom design, permitting, construction, and a final hand-over of the finished home. We emphasize efficiency, transparency, and craftsmanship, offering expedited rebuild options that can significantly shorten typical construction timelines. Westside Build also integrates sustainable and fire-resilient features into their homes to improve durability and performance. 

The Practice Director partners closely with Design, Preconstruction, Construction, and Operations leaders to scale the practice, drive profitability, and deliver exceptional client outcomes. 

You are a visionary leader who lives at the intersection of "what if" and "how to." You don’t just see blueprints; you see the finished masterpiece. You’re obsessed with the magic that happens when world-class architecture is fused seamlessly with precision construction. As our Practice Director, you won't just be managing a department—you’ll be the architect of our design-build evolution, running an architectural practice that is "attached at the hip" to our construction powerhouse. 

You thrive in environments where… 

• The stakes are high and the impact is higher. You love the challenge of scaling a practice that changes lives by rebuilding homes and communities. 

• Silos don't exist. You enjoy partnering across Design, Precon, and Ops to create a frictionless, integrated machine. Owning the drawing details and reviewing the sets for technical accuracy is your complete domain 

• The P&L is your playground. You have an owner’s mindset, driving profitability and growth while maintaining an uncompromising standard for quality. 

• Innovation is the default. You’re constantly refining workflows and standardizing excellence to eliminate "rework" from your vocabulary. 

What you’ll be doing: 

• Masterminding Strategy: Defining the roadmap for the design-build practice and partnering with Business Development to hunt and win the right projects. 

• Owning the Outcome: Taking full command of the practice’s financial health, KPIs, and operational efficiency. 

• Bridging the Gap: Championing "constructability" and value engineering, ensuring design and construction teams are in a constant, productive dance from concept to completion. 

• Building a Legacy: Leading, coaching, and mentoring a high-performing team of designers and builders, fostering a culture of extreme ownership and collaboration. 

• Being the Face: Serving as the executive sponsor for our most vital clients, ensuring their vision is realized with every brick and beam. 

Are you ready to build what matters? 

Software & Tools 

Candidates should be comfortable operating at an executive level within modern design-build technology stacks, including: 

Design & BIM 

• Autodesk Revit (working knowledge for coordination and constructability review) 

• AutoCAD (general familiarity) 

• Navisworks (model coordination and clash detection) 

• Bluebeam Revu (drawing review and markup) 

Preconstruction & Estimating 

• Procore Estimating or similar 

• Sage Estimating, WinEst, or comparable platforms 

• Excel / Google Sheets (advanced financial and scenario modeling) 

Construction & Project Management 

• Procore (preferred) or similar construction management platforms 

• Primavera P6 or Microsoft Project (schedule oversight) 

• PlanGrid, Fieldwire, or similar field collaboration tools 

Financial & Reporting 

• ERP systems such as Sage 300, Viewpoint Vista, or similar 

• Power BI, Tableau, or dashboard-based KPI reporting tools 

Collaboration & Communication 

• Microsoft 365 or Google Workspace 

• Slack, Teams, or similar collaboration platforms 

Note: This role is not expected to perform day-to-day production work but must demonstrate fluency in how these tools support integrated design-build delivery, forecasting, and performance management. 

Success Metrics 

• Practice revenue growth, margin, and backlog health 

• Owning the drawing details and reviewing the sets for technical accuracy. 

• Schedule and cost performance across design-build projects 

• Client satisfaction, referrals, and repeat business 

• Team engagement, retention, and leadership bench strength 

• Reduction in design-construction friction and rework 

Why Westside Build? 

• Impact: We aren’t just building houses; we are rebuilding lives. 

• Innovation: We are small enough to be nimble but ambitious enough to redefine how homes are built. 

• Culture: A high-performance, low-ego team that values speed, precision, and automation. 

Requirements

Qualifications 

• 12+ years of experience in design-build, construction, architecture, or integrated project delivery 

• 5+ years in a senior leadership role with P&L responsibility 

• Proven track record delivering complex design-build projects on time and on budget 

• Deep understanding of design development, preconstruction, and construction execution 

• Strong leadership, financial, and operational acumen 

• Excellent communication and client management skills 

Education 

• Bachelor’s degree in Construction Management, Architecture, Engineering, or a related field required 

• Master’s degree in Business Administration (MBA), Construction Management, or Architecture preferred 

• Equivalent combination of education and extensive design-build leadership experience will be considered 

Certifications (Strongly Preferred): 

• Licensed Architect (RA) or Professional Engineer (PE) 

• DBIA (Design-Build Institute of America) certification 

• PMP, CCM, or similar project leadership credentials 

Preferred Experience 

• High-end residential or commercial design-build environments 

• Experience scaling design-build teams or practices 

• Familiarity with prefabrication, off-site construction, or technology-enabled delivery 

• Experience operating in fast-growth or transformation settings 

Benefits

Benefits & Perks 

Comprehensive medical, dental, and vision coverage 

Paid time off 

Retirement savings plan 

This role is Hybrid working onsite 4 days a week. 

Salary range is $130,000 – 180,000 commensurate with experience