Asia Pacific (APAC) Business Development Leader

At SOM, we are a collective committed to shaping a better future for our clients, communities and planet. We aspire to create the most sustainable, impactful work through creative, interdisciplinary teams with all the resources and diversity of a global firm.  We value those who are passionate about excellence, innovation, integrity, inclusivity, and collaboration. Together we can achieve great things.

Success at SOM Means

• Ideas:  We believe in a meritocracy of ideas.  We look to everyone to actively contribute to the discourse in the firm.  

• Knowledge:  We believe that expertise is the result of lifelong learning.  We are not expected to know everything, but rather to passionately pursue answers, develop new skills and deepen our knowledge. 

• Product:  We strive for excellence in the concept, quality, and delivery of our work. 

• Individual: We value individuals who bring the highest standards of professionalism and personal integrity in the way they work.  Each person can develop and contribute their wealth of attributes, skills and knowledge to support the overall health of the firm.

• Team: We value the power of interdisciplinary integration.  A positive team culture in which everyone collaborates openly towards common goals is essential. 

• Firm: We have a history of making transformative contributions to the profession and our communities. We are constantly innovating and attempting to bring new approaches, solutions and processes to our work.

Position Overview:
 

We are seeking an APAC Business Development Leader to join our Hong Kong office. This full–time position, based in Hong Kong, will require the Business Development Leader to direct and provide leadership across the firm, including, but not limited to business development, to drive the strategic growth of SOM and, ultimately, the firm’s brand value in the market in the APAC Market. 

• An APAC Business Development Leader is a highly motivated, creative leader with a deep understanding of professional practice, and aspires to the highest level of design excellence. 

• An APAC Business Development Leader is an entrepreneur with exemplary skills, talents or expertise that extends across the disciplines of architecture and urban design and applies regional expertise. 

• An APAC Business Development  Leader is committed to a shared practice; is passionate about quality, ethics, and the importance of interdisciplinary collaboration. 

• An APAC Business Development Leader has a significant understanding of the APAC market, the developers, and expectations, and the market growth opportunities.
   

Position Responsibilities: 

• Lead the business development of the regional APAC practice.

• Work closely with the firmwide leadership and Partners on business development reporting, lead generation, identify and develop new market/business connections, relationships and opportunities.

• Consult potential clients about specific project requirements and opportunities for SOM, analyze potential project opportunities, translating and presenting results for weekly review with the practice.

• Achieve a strong community outreach.

• Focus on global relationship building.

• Responsible for maintaining positive client relationships with all projects.

• Evaluate relevant industry insights and information to help drive the APAC business strategies.

• Monitor existing and emerging market trends to help identify potential opportunities for the firm.

• Mentor, lead and build staff capabilities that improve individual technical/design skills and develop improved management and communication.

• Build strong business rapport with clients.

• Coordinate all leads with APAC Partners.

Job Requirements:

Applicants should have superb communication skills, as well as the ability to prioritize, anticipate and organize workflow. This position will require close coordination with SOM Partners and leadership, marketing and other business developers across SOM offices globally. Preference will be given to service-oriented individuals with the discretion, confidence and poise to effectively promote the company’s principles and expectations to high-value clients. This position requires extensive travel throughout APAC.

• Minimum of 15 years of experience in all various aspects of architecture and urban design and planning including business development. 

• Minimum 10 years direct experience in the field on the ground in the Asia Pacific region.

• Maintains a recognized professional licensure or certification in either architecture or urban planning.

• Demonstrates advanced knowledge of architectural and urban design practice, with strong interests for the urban built environment and ability to discuss and promote design excellence at all levels.

• Demonstrates experience in leading teams in the completion of architectural and urban design projects.

• Demonstrates practical knowledge of building materials, detailing, construction techniques, building systems selection, related engineering principles, sustainability strategies, construction cost structures and building codes.

• Demonstrates practical knowledge of space programming and functional adjacencies, site planning, civil, structural, mechanical, electrical, security engineering etc.

• Demonstrates awareness of latest industry wide initiatives, technologies and processes in the A/E/C community.

• Advanced knowledge of MS Outlook, MS Excel, MS Internet Explorer, and MS Word, as well as business tools such as Zoom and Slack.

• Demonstrates effective communication both orally and in writing, with the ability to build quick rapport with all levels of employees, clients, consultants and vendors.

• Demonstrates ability to lead presentations, seminars, discussions with large groups.

• Demonstrates strong analytical skills as well as abilities in problem identification, problem solving and conflict resolution. 

• Demonstrates a regional commercial awareness with the ability to exercise independent judgment and initiative.

• A well-organized good team player who is responsible and able to multi-task and work under pressure, ability to manage workload and meet deliverables, deadlines and commitments on time.

Are you ready to join a team of creative professionals working on transformational projects around the world? Take advantage of this exciting opportunity to build a better future with SOM.

Our Culture:

Our creative, interdisciplinary teams work like small, dynamic studios, with all the resources and diversity of a global firm. Here, you’ll collaborate with industry experts on some of the most exciting and transformative architecture, engineering, and planning projects in the world.

We believe an inclusive environment improves our teams, our firm, and our communities and are passionate about Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion. Our DEI Action Plan was created to bring meaningful change to our profession, starting with our own culture and practices. 

We are proud to be an equal opportunity and affirmative action employer. Visit this page to learn more about SOM's employment policy as well as additional information such as a privacy notice for California residents and how to apply offline.

For more about SOM: www.som.com