Vice President, Planning & Design

Description

VICE PRESIDENT, PLANNING & DESIGN - Upland, CA

The Lewis Group of Companies is a collection of separate, independent entities focused on the real estate industry. We've devoted 70 years to creating lasting value for our employees, clients, partners, and the wider communities we serve. Our family-owned and led group is comprised of people who value honesty and genuine relationships, and our success stems from thoughtful planning and commitment to quality.

About your new Career:

Reporting to the Senior Vice President for SoCal Planned Communities, this high-impact, highly collaborative leadership role is for someone who thrives at the intersection of architecture, project management, and land development. You will be instrumental in guiding creative vision, managing complex entitlement processes, and ensuring that our developments meet the highest standards of quality, functionality, and design excellence for our residential developments.

Some of your duties and responsibilities will include:

• Lead design and entitlement efforts from early concept through construction documents, delivering exceptional community experiences while maintaining cost-efficiency and construction feasibility.
• Collaborate with public agencies to navigate planning approvals, CEQA compliance, and design review processes-securing Planning Commission and City Council approvals.
• Serve as a key liaison with municipalities, community stakeholders, and city staff to build positive relationships and reinforce Lewis's reputation for thoughtful, community-driven development.
• Hire, manage, and coordinate multi-disciplinary consultant teams (architectural, landscape, civil, MEP, structural, signage, lighting, etc.), ensuring quality, timeliness, and alignment with project goals.
• Mentor internal team members, foster a collaborative, creative environment, and lead regular design reviews and project critiques.
• Evaluate and develop site plans, density and yield studies, product types, parks, recreation centers, and community amenities that reflect market trends and elevate the resident experience.
• Participate in internal design and livability assessments of architectural and landscape concepts, from unit layouts to streetscapes and public spaces.
• Ensure that Specific Plan design standards are met or exceeded across all developments, and that design intent carries through construction.
• Audit consultant proposals, review scopes of work, track deliverables, walk projects with field superintendents and consultants, and manage budgets, schedules, and change orders.
• Identify and solve constructability issues early in the process-bridging design with field execution to minimize risk and optimize outcomes.
• Provide design direction and quality control throughout construction, collaborating with field teams and walking job sites to address on-the-ground challenges.
• Lead coordination across departments (engineering, purchasing, construction, general contractors, etc.) to resolve scope gaps and design conflicts, especially between architectural, landscape, and civil plans.
• Use design software (SketchUp, Revit, AutoCAD, Adobe Suite, Bluebeam, Procore) to communicate vision and ensure project documentation is complete, accurate, and reflective of approved concepts.
• Conduct market research and competitive benchmarking to guide innovation in community design, residential product types, and amenities.
• Communicate each community's design vision clearly and consistently to internal teams, consultants, and stakeholders through presentations and collateral.
• Promote continuous learning by sharing lessons from past projects and supporting internal training initiatives across the Planned Communities team. Remain current on retail, market, and consumer trends through industry analysis and your own networking.

To be successful, your background should include:

• Bachelor's or Master's degree in Architecture (California architectural license a plus)
• Minimum 8 years of architectural experience, including design and technical documentation phases.
• At least 2 years of project management experience leading consultant teams on large, ground-up residential or mixed-use projects.
• Strong design sensibility and practical understanding of construction systems, codes, ADA regulations, and entitlements.
• High proficiency in design and project tools: SketchUp, Revit, AutoCAD, Adobe Suite, Bluebeam, Procore, Microsoft Office.
• Excellent communication and presentation skills, with a collaborative, solutions-oriented mindset.
• Ability to manage multiple projects and deadlines in a dynamic, fast-paced environment.
• Familiarity with Southern California development processes (primarily CEQA) and municipal agencies is highly desirable.

Additional info:

This primarily in-office career (one day remote) will be located at the Lewis corporate office in Upland, CA, with projects primarily in the Inland Empire area of southern California. Reliable transportation and a valid driver's license are required for driving on company business.

Salary and Benefits:

In addition to a competitive starting salary ($150k+ commensurate with experience), this career will receive annual bonus and raise potential, a monthly car allowance, $100/month cellphone reimbursement, a variety of health benefits to choose from, a 401k with company match, extensive training opportunities, and much more.

Join our Team:

We are a family-led community development group of companies committed to elevating the standards of living and quality of life for every customer, employee, partner, investor, and community served. If this sounds like a fit, we'd love to hear from you.

Lewis Management Corp. is an equal opportunity employer and encourages applicants of diverse backgrounds to apply.