Cuningham Group

Architecture and design for complex environments

Market Leader

Field SalesConfirmed live in the last 24 hours

Full-timeLos Angeles, CA, USA$115k - $215k /yr

About the Job

Requirements

At least 15 years of experience in architecture, design, or a related professional services field, including experience in a manager- or director-level leadership role.
A proven seller-doer track record of winning work and leading it through planning, design, and construction.
Experience selling architecture, design, or similarly complex services across multiple market sectors, such as workplace, residential and mixed-use, hospitality, entertainment, education, or healthcare.
Established relationships with developers, owners, operators, brokers, and public agencies in the Los Angeles region.
A strong understanding of the Los Angeles development and business environment, including entitlements, funding, and the practical constraints that shape what is feasible, fundable, and buildable.
Demonstrated success converting relationships into revenue and developing strategic accounts.
Ability to build trust with client executives and community leaders through clear, confident communication and executive presence.
Bachelor's or master's degree in architecture, interior design, or a related field.
Proficiency with customer relationship management tools and Microsoft Office.
Ability to travel throughout the Los Angeles region.

Responsibilities

Set and lead the Culver City office's business development strategy, deciding which clients, market sectors, and relationships to prioritize and where to invest time.
Build and manage a pipeline of opportunities across multiple markets, engaging projects before requests for proposals and advancing opportunities from early conversations through contract award.
Develop and deepen relationships with developers, owners, operators, brokers, public agencies, community leaders, consultants, and contractors who influence client decisions.
Expand and diversify the office's client base and market-sector presence to build a resilient, sustainable portfolio of work.
Monitor Los Angeles development activity, emerging client needs, economic conditions, and competitor activity, and turn those insights into new opportunities.
Lead priority pursuits from go/no-go decisions and win strategy through proposals, fees, and interviews; build pursuit teams and communicate how the firm can address client needs.
Coordinate client relationships and priorities with Office Directors, Market Leaders, and firm leadership to grow local and regional market share.
Represent the firm in the Los Angeles community through industry organizations, business and civic groups, conferences, speaking engagements, and networking events.
Contribute to annual office and market business plans, marketing priorities, and budgets, and maintain current pipeline, relationship, and pursuit data in the customer relationship management system to support forecasting.
Serve as a project leader on select projects, guiding clients and teams from planning and programming through design and construction and partnering with project managers on scope, schedule, and fee.
Transition newly won work to project teams and help ensure that pursuit commitments are understood and carried through delivery.
Advise clients by understanding their business goals and priorities, solving problems with them, and staying connected with key clients to build long-term partnerships and repeat work.
Coach project leaders on client relationships, business development, and pursuit strategy.
Align market opportunities with talent, delivery capabilities, and long-term growth goals in partnership with firm leadership.

Desired Qualifications

Architect licensure is strongly preferred.
Proficiency with Deltek Vantagepoint is preferred.

Salary Range: 115000 to 215000 (Currency: USD) (Pay period: per-year-salary)

At Cuningham, our purpose is to design a better world with deep respect for the real one. With bold, pragmatic creativity, we approach every project grounded in its realities and inspired by its possibilities. That takes curiosity to look beyond the obvious answer, disciplined delivery to work through practical constraints, and humility to keep our client’s goals at the center. Join our team to help create beautiful design that people feel.

As Market Leader, Los Angeles, you'll lead the growth of our Culver City office across Los Angeles and the greater Los Angeles region. This is a seller-doer role that spans multiple markets. You'll open doors, build relationships with the clients and partners who shape future work, lead pursuits, and serve as a project leader on select projects, so the people who sold the vision are the ones who make it real.

Working closely with Office Directors, Market Leaders, and firm leadership, you'll identify where we can compete most effectively, diversify the office's client and market portfolio, and position us well ahead of pursuits. This role is less about chasing RFPs and more about building a proactive business development culture in Los Angeles.

You're a highly connected, curious leader who knows the Los Angeles development and business environment and has a track record of turning relationships into revenue.

What You'd Be Doing:

Market Growth and Business Development

Set and lead the Culver City office's business development strategy, deciding which clients, market sectors, and relationships to prioritize and where to invest our time.

Build and manage a strong pipeline of opportunities across multiple markets, getting in front of projects well before RFPs and advancing them from early conversations through contract award.

Develop and deepen relationships with developers, owners, operators, brokers, public agencies, and community leaders, as well as the consultants and contractors who influence their decisions.

Expand and diversify the office's client base and market sector presence to build a more resilient, sustainable portfolio of work.

Stay ahead of the Los Angeles market, including development activity, emerging client needs, economic conditions, and competitor activity, and turn that insight into new opportunities.

Lead priority pursuits from go/no-go decisions and win strategy through proposals, fees, and interviews. Build pursuit teams and help them show clients we heard them and why Cuningham is the right call.

Partner with Office Directors, Market Leaders, and firm leadership to coordinate client relationships, align on priorities, and grow our local and regional market share.

Represent Cuningham in the Los Angeles community through industry organizations, business and civic groups, conferences, speaking, and networking events.

Contribute to annual office and market business plans, marketing priorities, and budgets, and keep pipeline, relationship, and pursuit data current in our CRM to support accurate forecasting.

Client and Team Leadership

Serve as a project leader on select projects, guiding clients and teams from planning and programming through design and construction, and partnering with project managers on scope, schedule, and fee.

Transition newly won work to project teams and help set them up for success, so commitments made during the pursuit are understood and carried into disciplined delivery.

Act as a trusted advisor to clients, understanding their business goals and priorities and solving difficult problems with them, not just for them. Stay connected with key clients to build long-term partnerships and repeat work.

Coach project leaders on client relationships, business development, and pursuit strategy, building a culture where everyone shares in winning work, so we all get better together.

Partner with firm leadership to align market opportunities with talent, delivery capabilities, and long-term growth goals.

What We Look For:

What We Look For

15+ years of experience in architecture, design, or a related professional services field, including time in a leadership role (manager or director level).

A proven seller-doer track record: winning work and leading it through planning, design, and construction.

Experience selling architecture, design, or similarly complex services across multiple market sectors, such as workplace, residential and mixed-use, hospitality, entertainment, education, or healthcare.

Established relationships with developers, owners, operators, brokers, and public agencies in the Los Angeles region.

A strong understanding of the Los Angeles development and business environment, including entitlements, funding, and the real-world constraints that shape what's feasible, fundable and buildable.

Demonstrated success converting relationships into revenue and developing strategic accounts.

Executive presence and clear, confident communication, with the ability to build trust with client executives and community leaders.

Bachelor's or Master's degree in architecture, interior design, or a related field.

Architect licensure strongly preferred.

Proficiency with CRM tools (Deltek Vantagepoint preferred) and Microsoft Office; ability to travel throughout the Los Angeles region.

Additional Position Details

Role Structure. Seller-doer leading business development across multiple markets for the Culver City office. Market Leader Level is set based on experience.

Measuring Success. Pipeline growth, new clients, revenue, repeat business, pursuit conversion, diversification of the office portfolio, client satisfaction, and project financial performance.

Geographic Focus. Los Angeles and the greater Los Angeles region, based in our Culver City office.

Decision Authority. You'll help decide which sectors, clients, pursuits, sponsorships, and relationships receive investment.

Why Cuningham?

At Cuningham, we believe the best work happens when people are supported, challenged, and connected. Whether collaborating across teams, engaging with our communities, or shaping meaningful design solutions, we bring pragmatic creativity and disciplined execution to every project — and we support each other through it all.

We nurture an equitable work environment where curiosity is celebrated, craft is valued, and growth is prioritized. Alongside a team that brings low-ego expertise and active leadership day-to-day, you’ll work on complex, high-stakes projects that demand bold thinking and disciplined delivery.

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Cuningham is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer and values the strength diversity brings to the workplace when combined with equity and justice. Qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, ethnicity, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, marital status, age, genetic information, national origin, disability, military, or veteran status.

About the Company

Cuningham Group

Architecture and design for complex environments

Cuningham Group provides architecture and design services for complex, high-stakes built environments, partnering with clients across many sectors to turn vision into reality. Its process involves collaborative work with project partners to translate requirements into architectural and interior design solutions, while managing complexity, risk, and the project life cycle from planning through occupancy. The firm combines pragmatic creativity with rigorous project delivery and lifecycle engagement to prioritize value, clear communication, and risk reduction, not just aesthetics. Its goal is to deliver bold, precise architecture and design that meet real-world constraints and deliver enduring value for clients and the communities they serve.

Company size: 201-500
Company stage: Not listed
Total funding: Not listed
Headquarters: Minneapolis, MN
Founded: 1968

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