Head of Marketing

Michael Hsu Office of Architecture is an award-winning, fully integrated architecture and interior design practice with offices in Austin and Houston. Our work is rooted in hospitality and placemaking and includes diverse projects that range from large mixed-use developments, adaptive reuse projects, public realm design, architectural branding, single family homes, hotels, restaurants, workspaces, and bespoke furniture design. We work throughout Texas and across the country in cities such as New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, Atlanta and Denver.

About the Position
We’re seeking an experienced marketing leader to join our Austin office and serve as our first Head of Marketing. This new position will be a key member of the firm’s Leadership Team, establishing and running a high-impact Marketing & Business Development function that elevates the firm’s brand, accelerates profitable growth, and wins the office new work. This position will report to the Founder and work closely with the firm’s Leadership Team, Studio Principals, and project teams. This hands-on leadership position will set brand strategy, own customer acquisition and proposal effectiveness, design the future marketing organization, and deliver measurable revenue and reputation outcomes. This is a hybrid position, requiring a minimum of three days working in-person from our Austin office.

Responsibilities Include

Strategic Planning & Market Insight

• Develop the firm’s marketing and business development strategy (short and long-term), including target markets, client segments, and geographies
• Build a 1–3 year marketing roadmap and present a staffing/org model to the Founder and leadership team
• Conduct and synthesize market research: trends, competitor analysis, client needs, opportunities, and threats
• Work with the firm’s leadership team to set revenue goals and growth forecasts Brand & Portfolio Positioning
• Define and manage the firm’s brand and positioning (project narratives and client personas) across typology, scale, and geography

Business Development

• Oversee proposal strategy, interview preparation, capture planning, and pitch development
• Collaborate with project teams to ensure proposals reflect the firm’s capabilities, are tailored, and meet quality standards
• Support contract negotiation, scope, and fee development to protect profitable margins
• Develop budgets, forecasts, and KPIs for business development initiatives

Customer Acquisition & Digital Marketing

• Implement and operate a CRM / lead management stack (or optimize existing systems); build dashboards and analytics for funnel metrics (awareness → consideration → conversion)
• Oversee the firm’s digital presence and strategy (SEO/SEM, paid media, content, social) and conversion optimization (customer acquisition cost, lifetime value)

Client & Relationship Management

• Build, maintain, and deepen relationships with owners, developers, and other prospective clients
• Proactively identify leads and prospects, initiate outreach, and sustain referral networks
• Drive strategies that encourage repeat business and elevated engagements
• Oversee client feedback channels (online reviews, NPS, social listening) and integrate insights into marketing and firm improvements

Team Building & Operations

• Build and lead a high-performance marketing team: hire, develop, and define roles and reporting lines
• Develop scalable processes and workflows for content, proposals, launches, and campaigns
• Oversee marketing budgets, agency/vendor relationships, procurement, and performance measurement

Visibility & Reputation Management

• Create content and programs that enhance firm visibility and credibility (trade press, awards, speaking engagements)
• Manage media, influencers, and community partnerships
• Represent the firm externally at conferences, events, and professional networks

Job Requirements

• 10+ years of marketing experience, with a minimum of 5+ years in a strategic leadership role
• Proven track record of cultivating clients and winning work
• Deep understanding of the architectural design process to collaborate credibly with design staff and principals
• Strategic thinker who can turn strategy into execution and outcomes
• Strong digital and analytics competency; experience with CRM, attribution, lead scoring, and marketing automation (familiarity with emerging AI applications in marketing is a plus)
• Excellent relationship management, networking, negotiation, and presentation skills with owners, investors, civic stakeholders, and peers
• Hands-on leader, comfortable shifting between strategic planning and day-to-day execution as needed
• Ability to commute to our Austin office a minimum of three days a week

Nice-to-Have

• Existing client networks in target markets
• Previous experience in AEC, hospitality, or commercial real-estate development

Potential Success Metrics for the Position

• Number of qualified leads generated / pursued
• Proposal success rate (win %)
• Revenue / contract value from new clients and repeat business
• Growth in target markets / sectors
• Pipeline health: value, diversity, and stage distribution
• Level of visibility and brand recognition (awards, PR, thought leadership)