If you think your skills, experience and aspirations make you a good match for this position, we encourage you to apply.

ABOUT THE ROLE

Your role is focused on providing leadership the Education market within an office of CannonDesign. This includes being responsible for developing and leading high-performance diverse teams focused on the development and implementation of the Market Business Plan.  You will contribute to the success of the firm including the areas of business development and client engagement, client, and team leadership, mentoring of our people, and advancing the quality of work. You will be accountable to integrate our range of design services, managing our processes and delivering solid financial performance for the market. Importantly, you will be an ambassador of our brand, championing Living-Centered Design and bringing our Firm's purpose - to help people continuously flourish - to life in every touchpoint you have with our clients.

HERE'S WHAT YOU'LL DO

In this role you will divide your time equally between activities that support the growth and impact of the Education market, including external brand opportunities, and client leadership responsibilities engaged directly on projects.

Expectations of success:

Market Growth: Developing new business opportunities with new and current client partners to achieve top line targets, which will support a minimum 10% growth of the practice year over year. You will be responsible for the growth and success of the Market.
Client Leadership: Leading, engaging and partnering, at the highest levels, with our clients on billable project-specific work. Advancing innovative solutions that differentiate the firm and foster strong long term client relationships that present opportunities for future work.
Market Brand Enhancement: Acting as a leading voice for the market both externally and internally, visible in speaking events, writing and other activities that promote the firm and our work.
Practice Support: Engaging in activities to advance our firm, the region, the market and your office. Working with and mentoring our market team members and recruiting talented candidates to be part of a high-performing team.

Areas of Focus

Market Leadership: Responsible for advancing strategic initiatives and client pursuit discussions and strategies. Working with Office and other Market Leadership, lead the development of a market business plan. This plan will outline strategies and actionable items that advance client engagement and development, market differentiation and team building to foster the growth of the market in concert with firm-wide goals. You will participate and engage in ways to improve our practice globally.
Top Line Development: Work with Client Leaders and other firm-wide resources to focus on growing the top line of the market by identifying and actively pursuing new target clients as well as nurturing existing client relationships. You will seek to differentiate CannonDesign in the marketplace and promote the full range of our integrated design services, supporting the advancement of Living-Centered Design in all phases of client engagement. In this role you will be accountable for the overall top line results of the market and will have a personal goal of achieving top line success of $3.0M per year in net signed fees.
Client and Team Leadership: Lead by example. Demonstrate commitment to our clients by undertaking the work in an active way on select client project opportunities. Serve as a client leader and/or subject matter expert where appropriate.
Understand the Market: Identify future market trends and opportunities for growth and advancement of the market. Demonstrate a high level of knowledge of the market, including “Best Practices,” and evidence-based and research-based design.
Bottom Line Success: Collaborate with the Office Practice Leader, Business Practice Leader and Client Leaders to ensure that the business plan bottom line initiatives are successfully implemented. Achieve a minimum of 10% firm profitability level for the market each year.
Staff Development: Assess, mentor and coach, and recruit staff to build a high-performance team, and to develop future leaders within your market. Take ownership for the growth of a diverse and inclusive team. Assist in establishing an environment that encourages leadership, integrity, humility, respect, and responsibility, along with collaboration, experimentation, innovation, creativity and entrepreneurship.

Time Commitments

35% of your time should be devoted to activities that advance our brand and develop new business opportunities with client partners focused on the growth of the market and the office.
45% of your time should be focused on engaging and partnering with clients on billable project work. As the leader of the market, we expect you to not only find ways to grow top-line revenue, but also to partner with clients at a high level. Providing leadership and fostering strong client relationships that lead to high client satisfaction and potential opportunities for future work.
10% of your time should be devoted to market leadership including strategy development, market intelligence and differentiation, business practice support, recruiting and other related staff growth and development activities.

Targets and performance metrics for this role are subject to change as CannonDesign periodically evaluates our performance metrics.

HERE'S WHAT YOU'LL NEED

Bachelor’s degree in a relevant field required.
Current Registration/Licensure in Architecture, Interior Design or Engineering preferred.
Must have 12 years minimum experience in the Education Market with a proven track record of strategic growth, market and team leadership, and business development success.
Additional certifications and/or training relevant to this role are preferred.
Strong presentations skills are essential.
Exceptional client and people leadership skills required.
Professional acumen and maturity demonstrated by the ability to communicate authentically and respectfully is essential.
Strong business acumen and proven ability to create and execute strategy is needed.
Ability to inspire, motivate and develop high-performing, accountable teams.
Must be able to demonstrate sound judgement and a sound approach regarding risk management and mitigation.
Some travel required.

The salary range for this position is $117,000 to $146,300 annually. This salary range is the range we believe is the anticipated range of possible base compensation at the timing of the posting. We may ultimately pay more or less than the anticipated salary range for the position. Employees may be eligible for discretionary bonuses. We offer a full benefit package including medical, dental and vision coverage and flexible spending account options and voluntary insurances. We have paid time off, flex-time schedules, remote work options and a 401k plan and employee perk programs. For a general overview of our benefits, please visit our careers page at https://www.cannondesign.com/careers/benefits. Actual compensation may vary from posting based on geographic location, work experience, education and/or skill level.

ABOUT OUR FIRM

CannonDesign is a design practice where strategy, experience, architecture, engineering, and social impact converge. We don’t just dream up solutions — we create and bring them to life in ways to solve some of the biggest challenges facing our clients and the society. At the heart of everything we do is Living-Centered Design, a bold commitment to using our talents to not just improve the world but to truly reshape it for the better. It’s more than a philosophy — it’s who we are, and it drives us to make a meaningful, lasting difference every day.

ABOUT WORKING HERE

We are relentless in our pursuit of client adoration (not simply satisfaction). Consistent delivery of the best service is what we are about.
We are committed to ensuring our practice provides equal opportunities for all employees, as we strive to connect with communities around us and focus on the future of design. We support equity, diversity, and inclusion efforts that benefit all employees through the leadership of our DEI Council, our Employee Resource Groups which are open to everyone, and other community initiatives.
We’re about communication and transparency here. If you want to talk to someone about an idea you have, or a challenge that needs addressing, we’re ready for you.

Please note that candidates can only apply to our positions on our company Careers site. It's not uncommon for scammers to create positions that look legitimate on other sites; never enter your information or apply for CannonDesign positions on any platform. Should an issue arise that you feel we should be aware of, please contact us. Please provide your resume and portfolio when applying.

As a condition of employment, all employees are expected to complete mandatory training, including compliance training, within required timeframes and adhere to our internal policies and our Code of Conduct.

CannonDesign is an Equal Opportunity Employer. CannonDesign is committed to maintaining a work environment that is free from any and all forms of unlawful discrimination and harassment. It is therefore the firm’s policy to prohibit discrimination and harassment against any applicant, CannonDesign employee, vendor, contractor, or client on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, disability, pregnancy, veteran status, genetic information, citizenship status, or any other basis prohibited by applicable law. It is also CannonDesign’s policy to prohibit any and all forms of retaliation against any individual who has complained of harassing or discriminatory conduct, or participated in a firm or agency investigation into such complaints.

About the company

CannonDesign is a global architecture and engineering design firm that provides integrated design services, including architecture, engineering, and strategic planning for education, healthcare, corporate workplaces, and cultural institutions. The firm focuses on transforming spaces to improve life and helps clients achieve goals like enhanced learning, medical training, workplace productivity, and social inclusion.

Company Size

1,001-5,000

Company Stage

M&A

Total Funding

$2.7M

Headquarters

New York City, New York

Founded

1945

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See people who can refer or advise you

Simplify's Take

What believers are saying

August 2026 healthcare awards validate CannonDesign's physician, campus, and clinical planning strength.
May 2026 regional health leaders and August 2026 planning promotions expand account coverage quickly.
September 8, 2026 Bassin appointment strengthens Incubate & Launch and new venture development.

What critics are saying

Integrating Ennead through 2027 can distract leaders and blur studio autonomy.
Healthcare revenue concentration exposes CannonDesign to hospital capital freezes at Northwestern Medicine and Cleveland Clinic.
HKS, Perkins&Will, and Gensler keep bidding aggressively; one weak pursuit can erase margin.

What makes CannonDesign unique

CannonDesign combines architecture, engineering, Blue Cottage consulting, and Amp innovation under one platform.
April 21, 2026 Ennead acquisition deepens CannonDesign's education, health, and civic expertise instantly.
Rob Masters, Ben Bassin, and Curtis Clay show CannonDesign attracts specialized leaders from elite institutions.

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Benefits

Health Insurance

Dental Insurance

Vision Insurance

Health Savings Account/Flexible Spending Account

Paid Vacation

Remote Work Options

401(k) Retirement Plan

Company News

Building Design + Construction Media

Sep 22nd, 2026

Top 60 Public Library architecture firms for 2026.

Top 60 Public Library architecture firms for 2026. CannonDesign, HBM Architects, Quinn Evans, SmithGroup, JLG Architects, Diamond Schmitt Architects, Gensler, Finegold Alexander Architects, and Stantec top Building Design+Construction's ranking of the nation's largest public library architecture and architecture/engineering (AE) firms for 2026, as reported in BD+C's 2026 Giants 400 Report. By David Barista, Editorial Director Sept. 22, 2026 CannonDesign, HBM Architects, Quinn Evans, SmithGroup, JLG Architects, Diamond Schmitt Architects, Gensler, Finegold Alexander Architects, and Stantec top Building Design+Construction's ranking of the nation's largest public library architecture and architecture/engineering (AE) firms for 2026, as reported in BD+C's 2026 Giants 400 Report. 2025 Public Library Revenue CannonDesign $9,000,000 HBM Architects $7,500,000 Quinn Evans $5,190,523 SmithGroup $4,612,621 JLG Architects $4,500,000 Diamond Schmitt Architects $3,155,000 $2,964,288 Finegold Alexander Architects $2,408,544 $2,316,368 Perkins&Will $2,166,965 McMillan Pazdan Smith $1,736,425 Grimm + Parker Architects $1,730,311 $1,538,000 $1,298,438 Steinberg Hart $1,102,390 Clark Nexsen $1,101,358 Netta Architects $1,000,000 MKM architecture + design LSE Architects H2M architects + engineers Cushing Terrell

CannonDesign

Sep 21st, 2026

Introducing our 2025 Sustainability Impact Report.

Introducing its 2025 Sustainability Impact Report. September 21, 2026 CannonDesign is proud to share its third annual Sustainability Impact Report, building on the work CannonDesign outlined in 2023 and 2024. This year's report focuses on its 2025 actions, offering a transparent look at its progress to date and the priorities that will guide CannonDesign next. Planet 2100 continues to anchor the report, pushing CannonDesign to weigh how today's decisions ripple into the future. CannonDesign believe design has real power to shape a healthier planet, and this report shows how that belief is playing out in practice. A few highlights from this year's report: * CannonDesign achieved carbon neutrality in its business operations. Its 2025 emissions are fully accounted for, with Scope 2 electricity use offset by 100% unbundled Renewable Energy Certificates and remaining emissions covered through carbon credits. * CannonDesign now have 379 LEED certified projects and counting. * Its sustainability team has grown to 23 teammates dedicated to sustainable and regenerative design. * CannonDesign advanced its work bringing building material impacts into the center of its design and specification process. * Its acquisition of Christner Architects and Jenkins - Peer Architects deepened its firm's expertise in adaptive reuse and sustainable historic preservation. Christner also brought an in-house landscape architecture team with deep experience designing native landscapes and a broader range of sustainable design work. * CannonDesign climbed eight spots to #4 in Interior Design magazine's "Sustainability Giants" ranking. * Fortune named us to its "Change the World List," citing its sustainability leadership as a key factor. * CannonDesign hit new milestones in mass timber, building electrification, historic preservation and adaptive-reuse design. Thank you for your continued interest in its sustainability journey. This report is part of an ongoing commitment, and CannonDesign hope you'll continue to follow its progress in the years to come.

Glass Magazine

Sep 15th, 2026

Skyline Glass fabricates feature wall for Cancer Center.

Skyline Glass fabricates feature wall for Cancer Center. September 15, 2026 Skyline Glass partnered with CannonDesign to fabricate a floor-to-ceiling donor recognition feature wall for the Irma and Norman Braman Comprehensive Cancer Center, a new cancer care facility overlooking Biscayne Bay in Miami Beach, Florida. Project details. Inspired by the colors and atmosphere of the waterfront setting, the installation transforms a functional donor recognition element into a signature architectural feature within the lobby. The project showcases the integration of four decorative glass processes within a single wall system, all executed at Skyline's Chicago manufacturing facility. The custom installation combines a color-matched digital gradient, eco-etch patterning from Skyline's design library, back-painting for opacity, and laminated construction. Together, these processes create a layered visual experience that complements the center's contemporary seaside aesthetic while supporting both donor recognition and wayfinding. "Projects like Braman demonstrate what's possible when multiple decorative glass disciplines are brought together under one roof," says Mark Toth, national sales director, Skyline Glass. "By coordinating digital printing, etching, back-painting, and lamination as a single fabrication process, we're able to help designers realize concepts that would be difficult to achieve through fragmented production." The digitally printed gradient establishes the custom color palette, while the etched pattern introduces texture and visual depth across the glass surface. Back-painting provides the opacity required for wall cladding applications, and lamination protects the decorative layers while enhancing durability for a demanding healthcare environment. Skyline fabricated the feature wall as a fully integrated glass system and installed the panels using the company's Vector Glass System. Project team. * Project: Irma and Norman Braman Comprehensive Cancer Center * Location: Miami Beach, Florida * Architect: CannonDesign * Glass Fabricator: Skyline Design * Hanging System: Vector Glass System

CannonDesign

Sep 8th, 2026

Ben Bassin, MD, named Physician Executive in Residence, Innovation.

Ben Bassin, MD, named Physician Executive in Residence, Innovation. September 8, 2026 CannonDesign is excited to share that Ben Bassin, MD, FACEP, EDAC, has been officially named its company's inaugural Physician Executive in Residence, Innovation. Dr. Bassin is now officially part of its Incubate & Launch convergence platform, focused on advancing its research and innovation goals. In this role, he will be a firmwide resource, available to impact every market, practice and initiative across the company. It has been three years since Dr. Bassin originally joined CannonDesign as the firm's first-ever innovation fellow. While originally part of Blue Cottage of CannonDesign, he quickly found ways to forge positive impact across all of CannonDesign, with a distinct focus on healthcare and Amp, its firm's in-house innovation engine. * Every day I'm inspired by the intelligence and creative willpower that exists across CannonDesign. With this new formalized role, I'm excited to do even more to help its people, teams, and projects set new precedents and paradigms across the industries CannonDesign serve. Dr. Ben Bassin Physician Executive in Residence, Innovation The former Director of Emergency Critical Care at Michigan Medicine, the first emergency department-based intensive care unit in the US, Dr. Bassin will continue to serve as a faculty member, clinical professor, attending physician and Director of Innovation for Michigan Medicine's Department of Emergency Medicine and Division of Critical Care. Moving forward, Ben will be a Principal in the firm and continue to focus on innovation, working closely with Amp, its Research Corps, and the firm's Health for All convergence platform to advance new ventures, technologies, products and services across the company with special emphasis on health. Ben will also be deeply focused on helping its company initiate new strategic partnerships with research teams, incubators, start-up companies, health systems, colleges and universities and other entities focused on leveraging innovation to shape a brighter future.

CannonDesign

Sep 8th, 2026

Fast Company recognizes CannonDesign as Best Workplace for Innovators.

Fast Company recognizes CannonDesign as Best Workplace for Innovators. September 8, 2026 For the third consecutive year, CannonDesign is recognized by Fast Company as one the Best Workplaces for Innovators across the world. This distinguished list celebrates organizations that empower innovation from every corner of their company. CannonDesign stood out from the more than 1,200 organizations that applied for this prestigious recognition. Other companies listed include Anthropic, Formation Bio, Planet Labs, American Express, Red Oak and Bose among others. These companies share a commitment to unlocking the potential of creative individuals and teams. They understand the ultimate employee perk is the opportunity to do career-defining work. This recognition comes amidst a transformative year for CannonDesign. Here are just some of the innovative highlights from its firm's trajectory in 2026: * CannonDesign announced three acquisitions this year - Scion Advisory Services, Ennead Architects and Cityfi - that expand the firm's reach, capabilities and growth potential. * Its team is actively working with some of the most visionary organizations of its time including Mayo Clinic, The Alice Walton Foundation, the California Institute of Technology, University of Utah, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center along with numerous others. * Its technology and digital products teams launched its own generative AI product that revolutionized its team's collective ability to access information and knowledge across the firm. They are also advancing novel solutions spanning agentic AI, quantum computing, connected API's vector technology tools, design automation and more. * Amp, its firm's in-house innovation engine, hosted a companywide Innovation Exchange that spanned 20+ in-person and virtual ideation sessions resulting in more than 80 idea signals. * CannonDesign is harnessing smart-building technology to create remarkably sustainable buildings. To date, CannonDesign has designed 379 LEED-certified projects, 13 net-zero energy projects and 7 WELL projects. * Its Blue Cottage of CannonDesign team built Play Anyway, a narrative map focused on the state of women's and girl's sports in America that took top honors via the Environmental Systems Research Institute * Through Open Hand Studio, its public interest design armature, its firm was part of a coalition that created the first new hospital to open in Ukraine since its ongoing war started in 2022. CannonDesign is thrilled to once again be recognized by Fast Company as a Best Workplace for Innovators and look forward to continuing to set the pace for discovery in its industry and beyond.

CannonDesign

Education Market Leader I

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