Director, Health Planning - Design Practice

ABOUT THE ROLE

We are seeking a visionary, strategic, and highly creative individual for the position of Director Health Planning for the design practice, to lead and grow our international planning team within the Health Practice. This role is pivotal in shaping the future of healthcare planning at CannonDesign—building a best-in-class team, mentoring talent, aligning resources to projects, and driving innovation for our clients in partnership with our healthcare consulting teams.

HERE'S WHAT YOU'LL DO

The ideal candidate will be a dynamic leader with deep expertise in healthcare planning, a passion for mentoring and team development, and a track record of winning and delivering groundbreaking work. Creativity is essential—this person will bring fresh ideas, challenge conventional thinking, and inspire new approaches to planning that elevate our work and impact. This is both an inward- and outward-facing role, requiring strong leadership, collaboration, and thought leadership.

Team Leadership & Development

• Build, lead, and inspire a high-performing team of healthcare planners across the firm.
• Mentor and coach team members to elevate planning expertise and career growth.
• Foster a culture of excellence, innovation, and collaboration.

Strategic Resourcing & Operations

• Maintain a clear understanding of team capacity, project needs, and individual strengths in partnership with the Regional Directors.
• Align planning resources to the right projects to ensure quality and efficiency in partnership with the Regional Directors.
• Collaborate with practice and project leaders to optimize team performance.

Innovation & Vision

• Advance CannonDesign’s vision for innovative healthcare planning in partnership with healthcare consulting.
• Champion new approaches, tools, and methodologies that redefine planning excellence.
• Stay ahead of industry trends and integrate emerging ideas into practice.

Recruitment & Retention

• Lead recruitment efforts to attract top planning talent.
• Develop strategies to retain and engage team members.
• Promote diversity, equity, and inclusion in team building.

Business Development & Thought Leadership

• Partner with Health Practice and Business Development teams to win transformative projects.
• Be responsible for generating top-line revenue, with a target of $4M in personal net signed fees (NSF) annually.
• Represent CannonDesign in client engagements, conferences, and industry forums.
• Contribute to thought leadership through writing, speaking, and advocacy with 1 published paper or presentation per year
• Be a recognized thought leader in the healthcare planning industry—known by peers and clients alike for advancing innovation through published work, speaking engagements, and professional leadership.

Time Commitments

• 30% – Internal strategy and coordination across regions.
• 30% – Business development, brand building, and speaking/writing.
• 30% - Billable work.

HERE'S WHAT YOU'LL NEED

• Bachelor's degree in Architecture, Interior Design, Engineering or a related degree required.
• Proven experience in healthcare planning, preferred 15 years experience.
• Strong leadership and mentoring capabilities.
• Deep understanding of healthcare systems, planning methodologies, and design integration.
• Excellent communication, collaboration, and organizational skills.
• Experience in business development and client engagement.
• Demonstrated ability to generate revenue and meet financial goals.
• Passion for innovation and continuous improvement.
• Demonstrated thought leadership through writing, speaking, and industry engagement.

ABOUT OUR FIRM

CannonDesign is a design practice where strategy, experience, architecture, engineering, and social impact converge. We don’t just dream up solutions — we create and bring them to life in ways to solve some of the biggest challenges facing our clients and the society. At the heart of everything we do is Living-Centered Design, a bold commitment to using our talents to not just improve the world but to truly reshape it for the better. It’s more than a philosophy — it’s who we are, and it drives us to make a meaningful, lasting difference every day.

ABOUT WORKING HERE

• We are relentless in our pursuit of client adoration (not simply satisfaction). Consistent delivery of the best service is what we are about.
• We are committed to ensuring our practice provides equal opportunities for all employees, as we strive to connect with communities around us and focus on the future of design. We support equity, diversity, and inclusion efforts that benefit all employees through the leadership of our DEI Council, our Employee Resource Groups which are open to everyone, and other community initiatives.
• We’re about communication and transparency here. If you want to talk to someone about an idea you have, or a challenge that needs addressing, we’re ready for you.