Overview
The Lead Architect will provide specialized technical expertise to strengthen the quality, consistency, and soundness of decisions related to architecture, master planning, design, construction, and project delivery.
Key Responsibilities
- Provide expert advice on architecture, vertical infrastructure, master planning, formal design, construction, commissioning, and handover for operation.
- Respond to strategic queries concerning scope, design, constructability, technical quality, costs, schedule, risks, permits, contracting, construction execution, and future operation.
- Issue technical recommendations to enhance consistency between studies, designs, contracts, works, quality standards, functional requirements, and project strategic objectives.
- Identify critical decisions requiring attention from UNOPS, Associates, contractors, consultants, or institutional actors.
- Conduct independent technical reviews of critical deliverables, including conceptual design, master plan, preliminary design, formal design, drawings, specifications, design bases, BIM models, architectural criteria, consultant reports, and specific technical documents.
- Prepare technical comments, review notes, specialized criteria, or brief reports to inform management decisions on the acceptance, conditional acceptance, or adjustment of deliverables.
- Review deliverable consistency with contractual scope, quality criteria, applicable regulations, functional requirements, sustainability, accessibility, human safety, future operation, and project strategic objectives.
- Identify critical interfaces between architecture, structure, electromechanical systems, mobility, sustainability, BIM, human safety, operation, and maintenance.
- Prepare, review, or adjust terms of reference, solicitations, deliverable matrices, technical evaluation criteria, and base documents for contracting related to formal design, demolitions, enabling works, construction, supervision, or specialized services.
- Support the review of technical queries, RFIs, submittals, shop drawings, samples, mock-ups, change proposals, design adjustments, non-conformities, technical claims, or critical construction issues.
- Issue technical criteria on the consistency between approved design, contractual documents, actual site conditions, and expected project quality.
- Participate in technical visits, workshops, or site review sessions requiring expert judgment for complex situations, sensitive decisions, or significant risks to cost, schedule, quality, or functionality.
- Identify technical risks associated with design, permits, regulations, constructability, interdisciplinary interfaces, changes, work quality, construction sequence, safety, sustainability, costs, schedule, and future operation.
- Propose mitigation measures, corrective actions, approach adjustments, or follow-up recommendations for critical identified risks.
- Support technical quality assurance through independent reviews, consistency analysis, reasoned observations, and practical recommendations.
- Contribute to the traceability of technical decisions through documented comments, review records, technical minutes, specialized reports, or criteria notes.
- Support the technical review of testing criteria, commissioning, punch lists, acceptance, initial operation, and handover of technical documentation.
- Issue recommendations on architectural, functional, operational, and maintenance conditions to be verified prior to acceptance or handover for operation.
- Support the identification of risks related to future operation, facilities management, accessibility, safety, maintenance, building performance, and user experience.
- Contribute to the systematization of lessons learned and recommendations to improve project technical continuity in subsequent phases.
- Share best practices, technical references, and methodological recommendations with the UNOPS management team.
- Support the project team in interpreting complex technical criteria and preparing reasoned observations to contractors, designers, supervisors, or consultants.
- Participate in review sessions, technical workshops, or strategic discussions to enhance project decision-making quality.
Required Experience
- Minimum 5 years of professional experience in architecture, master planning, design management, technical coordination, construction, or technical assurance of complex vertical infrastructure projects.
- Proven experience in large-scale projects such as institutional buildings, corporate headquarters, campuses, mixed-use developments, public buildings, social infrastructure, or complex urban developments.
- Experience in projects with sustainability components, energy efficiency, LEED, EDGE, or equivalent certifications.
- Experience in preparing or reviewing terms of reference, solicitations, deliverable matrices, technical evaluation criteria, or contracting documents for design, supervision, or construction services.
Qualifications
- Required: University degree, equivalent to a Master's degree, in Architecture, Urbanism, Urban Design, Construction Project Management, or a related discipline.
- Required: Current registration with the Colegio Federado de Ingenieros y de Arquitectos de Costa Rica (CFIA), or the ability to obtain it as appropriate for the contract nature.
- Desired: Specialization, certification, or complementary training in design management, construction, master planning, urban design, sustainability, LEED, EDGE, BIM, public infrastructure, universal accessibility, contract management, project management, construction management, or facilities management.
