Senior Director of Campus Planning and Design

The University of Texas at Austin seeks a Senior Director of Campus Planning and Design. They will report to the AVP of Planning, Design, and Construction and will be responsible for establishing and sustaining a safe, inspiring and cohesive built environment that advances the institution’s goals while honoring UT’s rich history. As a trusted advisor to campus leadership, this role balances broad stakeholder interests and delivers practical solutions to challenges and opportunities in the physical environment. 

CPD advances the mission through implementation of the Campus Master Plan, a commitment to design excellence, and disciplined stewardship of university resources. They work within the Campus Operations & Planning unit and are responsible for managing all design, construction, and renovation projects for The University of Texas at Austin (UT Austin). The capital construction program has oversight of $5+ billion in construction over the next 5 years, 29 million square feet across 700 buildings and multiple campuses. The PDC team is currently overseeing 30 major projects valued at $5.0 billion and 1,000 minor projects totaling $650 million, with a $10 million threshold distinguishing between the two categories.

The Senior Director will lead the development and implementation of the campus master plan and all functional plans, ensuring land use, new construction, and renovation projects align with the university's mission while serving as guardian of campus architectural character, historic preservation, and design standards. They will oversee capital project intake, space planning, and project definition, including business case development, feasibility assessments, architect selection, and design review that balances maintainability and life-cycle costs. In addition, the Senior Director will support capital planning and strategies to evaluate long-term capital needs, maintain 5-year and 10-year capital plans, coordinate UT System board reporting and funding requests, and facilitate stakeholder engagement with administration, faculty, students, community partners, and regulatory agencies.

The ideal candidate will possess a bachelor’s degree in a design related field such as architecture, landscape architecture, urban design, etc., along with a minimum of 10 years of progressively responsible experience in design related field.

The full position description can be viewed here.

To Apply: University of Texas at Austin has retained Opus Partners to support this recruitment. Kenna Boyd, Partner, and Marisea Rivera, Senior Associate, are leading the search. Confidential inquiries applications, and nominations should be submitted by email to Marisea Rivera at marisea.rivera@opuspartners.net. To be considered, candidates must provide a CV/resume and a letter of introduction that addresses the specific responsibilities, expectations, and qualifications described above.

The University of Texas at Austin, as an equal opportunity/affirmative action employer, complies with all applicable federal and state laws regarding nondiscrimination and affirmative action. The university is committed to a policy of equal opportunity for all persons and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, age, marital status, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, disability, religion, or veteran status in employment, educational programs and activities and admissions.