Are you looking for an opportunity to grow, to be challenged, and to be part of a team that’s shaping the future of the built environment? As a national Practice Leader at Progressive Companies, you will lead the strategic growth of the Science, Industrial, and Technology market sector. You’ll collaborate with internal leaders and external partners to drive innovation, client impact, and talent development across projects that matter. You’ll be a visible, trusted advisor, shaping outcomes for clients, guiding teams, and delivering measurable value.
Progressive Companies is a practice-led, client leadership culture that consistently delivers on its brand promise: to unlock the potential of each client’s unique opportunity, designing and stewarding a healthy, inclusive, sustainable future together, transforming spaces, empowering people, and delivering measurable value.
As the Practice Leader, you are responsible for leading the development of a market sector, encompassing business development, client engagement, project delivery oversight, financial stewardship, and staff development. You are a resilient, persuasive, and values-driven leader who communicates effectively, earns trust, and consistently prioritizes client impact and team growth. You bring a strategic mindset and business insight to developing new opportunities while elevating the Progressive Companies brand in the region and beyond.

Strategic Leadership

• Develop and execute a strategic growth plan for your market sector in collaboration with firm leadership.
• Partner with the Director of Practice Development and regional Principals to build the firm’s presence in the Carolinas and other key markets.
• Identify key community and industry organizations for staff engagement to strengthen regional visibility.
• Stay current on market trends and identify strategic opportunities for innovation, expansion, and competitive differentiation.

Client and Market Development

• Serve as a senior client advisor and maintain deep, trust-based relationships with clients.
• Lead business development and sales efforts, including interviewing, pricing, negotiating, and closing deals.
• Drive market penetration and cross-selling within Science, Industry, and Technology, while supporting other practice areas.
• Represent the firm at industry events, conferences, and thought leadership forums.

Practice Collaboration and Oversight

• Work with Team Leaders, Design Leads, and Project Managers to ensure the alignment of project scope, design vision, client expectations, and deliverables.
• Engage in project delivery as needed to ensure consistent quality and client satisfaction.
• Collaborate with Business Development and Marketing on RFPs, proposals, and strategic pitches.

Team Development

• Support and mentor project team members to encourage engagement, skill development, and career growth.
• Identify future business development talent within your team and work with Team Leaders to develop their potential.
• Act as a visible ambassador for Progressive’s culture, values, and ethical standards of practice.

Financial Management

• Monitor project profitability and financial performance across your practice.
• Ensure alignment between contractual scope and evolving client expectations.
• Collaborate with Team Leaders to maintain project health while maximizing value and quality.

QUALIFICATIONS:

• Bachelor’s degree in Architecture, Engineering, Business Administration, or a related field (Master’s degree preferred).
• Professional licensure in a relevant discipline (preferred but not required).
• 15 years of experience in the professional services industry, ideally in planning, design, or architecture.
• At least 5 years of experience leading a practice area or market sector, with a proven record of growth, strategic leadership, and client success.
• Deep understanding of market trends, innovations, and emerging opportunities within the Science, Industry, and Technology sectors.
• Demonstrated ability to lead high-profile client engagements, strategic initiatives, and cross-functional teams.
• Strong business development, negotiation, and client relationship management skills.
• Familiarity with project management platforms, CRM systems, digital marketing tools, and business analytics (preferred).
• Strong industry reputation and established professional network.
  People Matter
  Each individual’s background, knowledge, ability, and experience contributes to strengthening our organization and projects. Our dedication to diversity includes company provided training and education, equitable recruitment, a grassroots employee DEI committee, and robust community partnerships.
  Progressive Companies is comprised of people with a variety of abilities, races, colors, religions, genders, sexual orientations, national origins, ages, veteran statuses, and more. As an equal opportunity employer, we believe diversity, equity, and inclusion are essential elements of innovative design. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable qualified individuals with disabilities to perform essential job functions.
  Transforming Spaces. Empowering People.
  The talented professionals of Progressive Companies are designers of a bold new future, creating high-performance structures and pathways, delivering on today’s needs and preparing for what’s to come. We live by the idea that design isn’t simply about beauty, it’s about improving strategic outcomes—what we call Performance Based Design. Our work spans across the nation, allowing team members to work on a variety of exciting projects and maximize impact as trusted partners to our clients and communities.
  Sustainable and Inclusive
  We are dedicated to human-centered, sustainable, and inclusive design practices. We believe diversity, equity, and inclusion are essential to building trust, respect, and truly innovative design making spaces welcoming and accessible to all. Our sustainability approach embraces the AIA 2030 Commitment, together with a range of high performance, restorative, and regenerative strategies with a focus on climate responsive results to maximize positive impact in our industry.
  Employee Owned
  We act like owners—because we are. From modest beginnings of four original engineering partners in 1962, to almost 300 architects, engineers, designers, and consultants across multiple regional offices today, the energy, resourcefulness, and entrepreneurial mindset you expect from a CEO come standard with every team member.
  Culture of Excellence
  The firm is continually ranked as one of the Best and Brightest Companies to Work For in the Nation®, with comprehensive benefits including an award-winning wellness program, hybrid work schedule, summer hours, profit-sharing, and employee stock ownership plan (ESOP). We take our work seriously, but have fun along the way, which fuels the creative spirit and supports a focus on work and life integration.
  Progressive Companies is committed to development and growth of team members through continuing education, mentorship, growth opportunities, and more. We are dedicated to giving back to our communities, with paid service-learning hours available to every employee and corporate sponsorship for a wide range of community organizations and activities

Please refer the Job description for details