Director of Design, Purchasing & Project Planning

About the Company

A diversified Southern California real estate investment developer acquiring and transforming thousands of homes throughout Los Angeles County and Orange County.

Position Overview

We are seeking a hands-on, execution-focused, dynamic, and detail-oriented leader responsible for purchasing, design production, architect and engineering coordination, and project planning across value-added residential renovations to join an innovative team. This role offers an exciting opportunity to lead architectural projects from conception through completion bridging acquisitions and construction by taking projects from acquisition through planning, purchasing, permitting, and preconstruction before turnover to the construction team. The company focuses on substantial interior and exterior transformations of older homes, including design upgrades, landscaping, structural modifications and coordination, and, in many cases, major system improvements such as plumbing, electrical, rooting, and related construction components before the homes are ultimately delivered to the sales team for resale. Projects typically involve higher-end value-add residential renovations with average exit values generally ranging from approximately $1.5M to $2.5M+ depending on market and project scope. Projects are executed through a hybrid construction model utilizing both general contractors and direct subcontractor coordination. This is a director-level ownership role focused on direct execution, with limited administrative support.

The ideal candidate will possess a passion for renovation and remodel design, with strength vetting, soliticting and sourcing subcontractors and trade awarding purchasing agreements with vendors and with exceptional project planning organizational skills, and proactive project management. You will play a key role in a production-oriented residential investment and renovation environment with approximately 4-5 new projects entering planning and preconstruction monthly. While many projects move efficiently through the process, certain homes may require extended timelines due to HOA approvals, city processing, structural coordination, permitting, or more complex design and planning requirements.

Responsibilities

Purchasing, Contract & Trade Management

• Source and onboard general contractors and subcontractors. Negotiate contracts, pricing, and scopes of work. Develop scopes of work and associated budgets, ensuring alignment between design, cost, and execution
• Oversee contract administration with contract admin support
• Oversee general contractor and subcontractor insurance compliance
• Implement cost control system and execute cost reduction initiatives across all general contractors, subcontractors, and vendors while managing budgets, POs, change orders, and cost tracking

Design & Construction Documentation

• Produce light design work including floor plans, cabinet layouts, space planning, and preliminary drafting
• Hand draft and/or use CAD for layouts and documentation
• Translate designs into clear, buildable scopes and construction-ready documentation
• Conduct site visits to verify design details, field coordination, and alignment with architectural and structural plans, including coordination with structural engineers as needed.

Architecture & Engineering Coordination

• Coordinate with architects for select projects, including landscape design and complex design elements beyond in-house scope and coordinate structural engineering for retrofits and modifications.
• Manage architectural and engineering plans for integration into construction
• Identify cost-effective structural and design solution

Project Planning

• Coordinate HOA submittals and approvals and manage city planning and permitting processes
• Coordinate with City Planning and Building & Safety from application through approvals
• Track timelines, maintain project readiness schedules, and resolve approval bottlenecks.
• Build repeatable systems and workflows
• Standardize scopes, templates, and execution
• Improve cost control, planning consistency, and project readiness processes

Qualifications

• Minimum 7+ years of experience in high-volume residential renovation, production homebuilding or construction management.
• Must have strong knowledge of residential construction methods, plans, project management, trade sourcing, trade costs, subcontractor and GC coordination, contracts, insurance compliance, design coordination, permitting, plans and working with field operations for renovation execution.
• Experience operating within a fast-paced, production-oriented residential renovation environment managing multiple concurrent renovation projects simultaneously is strongly preferred.
• Highly organized, detail-oriented, self-directed, and capable of managing multiple priorities simultaneously.
• Strong communication, negotiation, and problem-solving skills required.

Why This Role

• Direct involvement in residential renovation projects from acquisition through resale

• High level of purchasing, design, and project planning responsibility and project ownership

• Exposure to acquisitions, purchasing, construction, design, process development, and architectural and engineering coordination

• Lean, execution-driven operating environment with significant autonomy

• Opportunity to grow within a well-established Southern California residential real estate investment and construction company

Benefits:

Medical, dental, vision, 401(k), paid vacation/holidays, and auto allowance