Job Description

Strong and vibrant communities don’t just happen—they’re creatively imagined, collaboratively planned, and designed. At Stantec, we bring together landscape architects, planners, engineers, architects, and designers to shape resilient, inclusive, and inspiring public spaces.

Our New York City Landscape Architecture studio is seeking a Principal Landscape Architect with a strong focus on Business Development to help grow our presence, opportunities, and project impact across the Northeast Region. Our New York City studio leads transformational design projects throughout the city, region, and United States greatly enhancing urban livability, social infrastructure, recreation, neighborhood connectivity, biodiversity, and resiliency in our communities.

Your Opportunity

As a Principal Landscape Architect / Business Development Lead, you will play a critical role in expanding Stantec’s landscape architecture practice while also leading and delivering high-quality, multidisciplinary projects. This position is ideal for a senior professional who thrives at the intersection of client relationships, strategy, project ideation, and design excellence.

You will work within Stantec’s Community Development practice and collaborate closely with Architecture, Engineering, Environmental, and Transportation teams in delivering complex infrastructure and public realm assignments. The role combines active business development leadership, industry networking, lead development, with project oversight, client-facing responsibilities, and team mentorship.

This position is based in New York City, with weekly in-office presence expected and local travel required for client and regional team meetings, pursuits, and public engagements.

Your Key Responsibilities

Business Development Leadership

• Lead and grow client relationships across public and private sectors in the Northeast, translating relationships into new opportunities and awarded work
• Drive business development strategy for private sector and select public sector clients, including lead identification, pursuit planning, and capture management
• Partner with local and regional leadership to develop and execute Account Management Plans for priority and emerging clients
• Collaborate with Stantec’s Transportation, Community Development, Environmental, and Buildings (Architecture) practices to identify cross-sector opportunities and joint pursuits
• Build and maintain strategic internal and external partnerships and networks to support long-term growth in project opportunities, new project work, and staff recruitment
• Track and support business development performance metrics, including win rates, backlog, and revenue growth with our internal marketing support team
• Contribute to branding, marketing, and thought leadership through speaking engagements, professional organization participation, publications, social media, and awards
• Lead efforts to obtain and leverage high-quality project photography to support marketing, pursuits, and awards
• Critical thinking and advanced proposal writing, project approach development, and design communication skills

Project & Design Leadership

• Serve in a client-facing leadership role on key projects
• Manage and oversee large, complex, multi-disciplinary projects from scoping and concept design through construction documentation and construction administration
• Ensure design excellence, innovation, and quality across all phases of work
• Champion and integrate technology, digital tools, nature-based solutions, and climate-based solutions into our work
• Maintain project budgets, schedules, and scope, with accountability for financial performance
• Provide quality control review of deliverables and ensure consistency with client and regulatory requirements

People & Studio Leadership

• Mentor and support staff development, fostering a collaborative, inclusive, and high-performing studio culture
• Lead interdisciplinary collaboration across offices and disciplines
• Promote a positive, team-driven environment within Stantec’s Community Development practice

Your Capabilities and Credentials

• Demonstrated success in business development, client relationship management, identifying new opportunities, and winning new work
• Experience working with public and private sector clients in the Northeast
• Strong leadership, design communication, and presentation skills, including project interviews and public presentations
• Expertise in resilient, sustainable, and climate-responsive design
• Ability to successfully scope, manage, and deliver complex, multi-disciplinary projects
• Well-versed in local, regional, and national trends in landscape architecture, planning, and urban design
• Strong creative and critical thinking skills, with the ability to guide teams through all phases of design
• Thorough understanding of project delivery, budgeting, scheduling, and quality management
• Knowledge and/or demonstrated success in integration of codes, accessibility guidelines, regulations, and local, state, and federal approval processes in previous project work
• Proficiency in AutoCAD, Excel, BlueBeam, and Adobe Creative Suite (InDesign, Illustrator, Photoshop) and/or demonstrated success in guiding teams in utilizing essential design software tools
• Working knowledge of GIS, SketchUp, Rhino, or similar platforms at a supervisory level

Education and Experience

• Bachelor’s or Master’s degree from an accredited Landscape Architecture program
• Minimum 15 years of experience
• Professional licensure required

About Stantec

Stantec is a global leader in sustainable landscape architecture, engineering, architecture, and environmental consulting. Our work is driven by a commitment to improving quality of life through design that responds to community needs, environmental challenges, and long‑term stewardship. In New York City, our Landscape Architecture studio works at the intersection of design excellence, technical rigor, and public impact, delivering projects that help shape a more resilient and equitable public realm.