Design Lead Architect

The Citizen Foundation · Karachi, Karachi District; Sindh, Pakistan

The Design Lead Architect will lead TCF’s In-House Architectural Design Section within the Engineering/Design Department, providing technical leadership and overseeing the complete architectural design lifecycle - from land assessment and initial planning through BPR, detailed design, tender and IFC drawings, construction-phase support, and as-built review. The role ensures that all designs are functional, economical, technically sound, constructible, well-coordinated, and compliant with TCF standards, while providing technical direction to the in-house design team and coordinating structural, electrical, and plumbing design inputs from consultants and internal teams.

• Design, Lead and manage the In-House Architectural Design Section, providing technical direction, supervision, and quality review of all design deliverables produced by the team
• Plan, prioritize, and monitor design activities across projects, ensuring adherence to TCF standards/details and timely completion at every stage of the design lifecycle
• Review land/site assessment information and provide architectural input on site suitability, constraints, and feasibility to support management’s land adoption decisions
• Lead the preparation and review of initial layouts and architectural input for the Build Purchase Requisition (BPR) stage - including site planning, building configuration, and covered area - ensuring proposals based on TCF theme that remain practical and economical
• Lead the development of detailed architectural designs following BPR approval, ensuring layouts, elevations, sections, and details are functional, economical, constructible, and aligned with approved requirements
• Coordinate with external structural consultants and review structural drawings for consistency and compatibility with the approved architectural design, resolving conflicts and discrepancies prior to issuance
• Lead/review in-house electrical and plumbing design and ensure proper coordination with architectural layouts and other building services
• Conduct thorough technical reviews of architectural, structural, electrical, and plumbing drawings to ensure accuracy, coordination, and constructability before issuance, maintaining proper document and revision control
• Lead/review the preparation of tender and Issued-for-Construction (IFC) drawings, ensuring designs are sufficiently detailed for accurate BOQ preparation, responding to design queries, and incorporating approved changes
• Design schools within e-compounds with a phased approach, ensuring each building integrates seamlessly with future expansions
• Provide continuous architectural support during the construction phase, resolving site queries, assessing the impact of proposed changes, and ensuring the approved design intent is maintained
• Design well-lit, and naturally ventilated buildings, considering road levels, climate conditions, and proper accessibility
• Review as-built drawings against approved IFC drawings to verify accuracy and ensure complete (completion drawings), correct documentation prior to project closure
• Maintain close coordination with Costing/QS, Budgeting, Repair & Maintenance, Project Management, QA/QC, Donor Services, Regional/Zone teams, and other stakeholders on design-related matters, cost implications, and technical clarifications
• Ensure all designs remain compliant with TCF standards, cost-effective, and constructible, while identifying opportunities for design standardization and process improvement
• Perform any other tasks assigned by the Line Manager.