About the role

Globeducate is looking for a Corporate Architect / Corporate Design & Technical Manager to join the Global Real Estate team.

Reporting to the Global Real Estate Director, the ideal candidate will support the planning, design, technical coordination and delivery of school infrastructure projects across Globeducate's international portfolio. The successful candidate will work closely with school leadership teams, regional management, external architects, consultants, project managers and contractors to ensure that new developments, refurbishments and capex projects are aligned with educational needs, operational requirements, compliance standards, cost discipline and long-term asset strategy.

This is a corporate role with a strong hands-on component. We are looking for someone who can combine architectural judgement, technical understanding, operational pragmatism and business awareness.

Key responsibilities

• Support the definition of project briefs for new schools, extensions, refurbishments and capex projects.

• Translate educational and operational needs into clear spatial and technical requirements.

• Review architectural layouts, drawings, specifications and technical proposals prepared by external consultants.

• Challenge design proposals from a functional, operational, compliance, cost and long-term maintenance perspective.

• Support feasibility studies, capacity studies, zoning options, phasing strategies and high-level technical assessments.

• Contribute to business case materials, including scope definition, area schedules, design assumptions, technical risks and cost drivers.

• Coordinate with local architects, engineers, project managers, contractors and internal stakeholders.

• Help identify design risks at an early stage, including planning, licensing, fire safety, accessibility, MEP, structural and operational constraints.

• Support value engineering initiatives while protecting educational quality, safety, compliance and future flexibility.

• Contribute to the development of corporate design guidelines and technical standards for school environments.

• Capture lessons learned from projects and help translate them into improved standards, templates and best practices.

• Support the assessment of existing school buildings from a design, functionality, compliance and capex perspective.

• Participate in site visits across the portfolio when required.

Candidate profile

Required experience

• Degree in Architecture.

• Previous experience in architectural design, technical coordination, project development or design management.

• Strong understanding of building design, space planning, technical documentation and construction processes.

• Experience coordinating with architects, engineers, project managers, contractors and clients.

• Ability to review drawings, layouts, specifications and cost-related design decisions.

• Experience in refurbishment, fit-out, education, workplace, hospitality, healthcare or other user-centred environments.

• Ability to manage several projects at different stages of development.

• Fluent English and Spanish required; French or Portuguese would be a plus

• Availability to travel internationally when required.

Valuable experience

• Previous experience in schools, universities, nurseries or other educational environments.

• Experience in international or multi-country organisations.

• Experience in technical due diligence, feasibility studies or real estate investment support.

• Knowledge of sustainability, ESG and energy efficiency in building design.

• Experience with project phasing in live operational environments.

• Experience preparing presentations, reports and decision papers for senior management.

• French or Portuguese would be a plus.

Skills and competencies

• Strong architectural and spatial design judgement.

• Practical technical knowledge of construction, MEP, fire safety, accessibility and regulatory constraints.

• Ability to combine design quality with operational and financial pragmatism.

• Strong analytical skills and attention to detail.

• Clear communication with both technical and non-technical stakeholders.

• Ability to challenge external consultants constructively.

• Structured, organised and able to work with standards, templates and governance processes.

• Business-oriented mindset, understanding the impact of design decisions on cost, time, operations and long-term asset value.

• Hands-on attitude and ability to work in a fast-moving international environment.

Tools and technical capabilities

• AutoCAD, Revit or equivalent design software.

• Microsoft Office, especially PowerPoint and Excel.

• Ability to work with PDFs, drawings, technical reports and cost plans.

• Knowledge of BIM processes would be a plus.