At Populous, we design the places where people love to be together. As a global design practice specialising in sports, entertainment, aviation, convention centres, and mixed-use destinations, we create experiences that bring communities together and leave a lasting impact.
We are seeking an experienced and inspiring Studio Leader to lead our Delhi Studio. This is a significant leadership opportunity for an accomplished architectural professional who combines project delivery excellence, commercial acumen, client leadership, and a passion for developing high-performing teams.
As Studio Leader, you will be responsible for the leadership, operational performance, project delivery, and growth of the Delhi studio. Acting as the senior leader for the office, you will combine architectural expertise, project leadership, client engagement, and people management to deliver exceptional outcomes for clients while fostering a collaborative and high-performing culture.
You will also serve as a key connection between our Delhi office and the broader APAC practice, working closely with senior leaders in Singapore and partnering with Project Leads and Studio Leaders across the Asia-Pacific region to ensure consistency, knowledge sharing, resource optimisation, and the successful delivery of regional projects.
What You'll Be Responsible For
Studio Leadership and Business Management
As the leader of our Delhi studio, you will:
- Lead the day-to-day operations and performance of the Delhi studio.
- Create and maintain a collaborative, client-centric, and high-performing culture.
- Translate strategic priorities established by regional leadership into actionable plans for the Delhi office.
- Drive studio utilisation, financial performance, and operational efficiency.
- Promote a culture of accountability, innovation, and continuous improvement.
- Represent Populous externally within the architecture, development, and construction sectors.
- Work closely with senior leaders in Singapore to align the Delhi office with broader business objectives and strategic priorities.
- Foster strong relationships with leaders and teams across the APAC region to encourage collaboration and sharing of expertise.
Project Leadership and Delivery
You will provide leadership and oversight across all projects within the studio by:
- Ensuring projects are delivered on schedule, within budget, and to the highest standards of quality and design excellence.
- Establishing and maintaining robust project management and governance processes.
- Managing project planning, resource allocation, commercial performance, and risk mitigation.
- Collaborating with Project Leads and senior leaders across APAC to support regional and multi-office projects.
- Coordinating resources and technical expertise across offices to maximise project outcomes.
- Driving consistency in project delivery methodologies and quality standards across the region.
- Supporting project teams in managing scope, programme, client expectations, and commercial performance.
Client Engagement and Relationship Management
As a senior representative of the business, you will:
- Develop and maintain trusted relationships with developers, corporate clients, institutions, consultants, and key stakeholders.
- Serve as the senior point of contact for strategic clients and complex projects.
- Lead executive-level discussions, presentations, and negotiations.
- Ensure exceptional client service and strengthen long-term partnerships.
- Identify opportunities for repeat business and strategic growth.
- Partner with senior leaders and Project Leads throughout APAC to support cross-border client opportunities and regional pursuits.
Regional Collaboration and APAC Integration
Working as part of a connected regional practice, you will:
- Work closely with senior leaders in Singapore on strategic initiatives, resource planning, and business priorities.
- Collaborate with Project Leads and Studio Leaders throughout APAC to support integrated project delivery.
- Participate actively in regional leadership meetings and project reviews.
- Share technical expertise, best practices, and lessons learned across offices.
- Support resource allocation and coordination across multiple offices and disciplines.
- Contribute to the development of a unified APAC culture and operating model.
- Build strong working relationships across Singapore, India, Australia, Southeast Asia, and other regional offices.
- Promote collaboration and knowledge sharing to drive innovation and design excellence across the practice.
Team Leadership and People Development
A key part of this role is building and developing great teams. You will:
- Inspire, mentor, and develop architects, project managers, and multidisciplinary teams.
- Foster an inclusive and collaborative culture that supports engagement and professional growth.
- Establish clear performance expectations and accountability.
- Lead recruitment, succession planning, and capability development initiatives.
- Encourage knowledge sharing and collaboration with colleagues across the APAC region.
- Develop future leaders within the Delhi office.
- Create opportunities for team members to participate in regional projects and professional development initiatives.
What You'll Bring
Essential
- 15+ years' experience in architecture, engineering, and project delivery.
- Strong office and team leadership experience, with a genuine belief that great companies are built on great people.
- Demonstrated success leading multidisciplinary teams and delivering complex projects.
- Strong client engagement and business development capability.
- Proven leadership experience within an architectural practice.
- Excellent commercial and project management skills.
- Experience working across multiple offices or with geographically dispersed teams.
Highly Desirable
- Previous experience working with regional teams across Asia-Pacific.
- Exposure to international architectural projects.
- Experience delivering complex mixed-use, commercial, aviation, hospitality, institutional, sports, entertainment, or other large-scale developments.
- Formal qualifications or certification in Project Management (PMP, PRINCE2, or equivalent).
Why Populous?
This is an opportunity to lead a growing studio while working as part of a globally recognised design practice. You'll collaborate with talented colleagues across APAC, contribute to some of the region's most exciting projects, and help shape the future growth and success of our Delhi studio.
If you're a collaborative leader with a passion for design excellence, client relationships, project delivery, and people development, we'd love to hear from you.
