Description
Senior Landscape Architect+ Practice Lead
Licensed PLA | Madison, WI Office
Full-Time In-Office | Landscape Architecture | Design + Project Management + Leadership
JSD Professional Services is seeking a Senior Landscape Architect + Practice Lead to help lead and grow the Verona Landscape Architecture practice. This is a leadership role for a design-driven, business-minded landscape architect who can shape compelling places, guide high-performing teams, grow client relationships, and help position JSD for continued regional growth.
At JSD, landscape architecture is part art, part science, part teamwork, and part "let us figure out how to make this happen." Our landscape architects work hand-in-hand with planners, civil engineers, surveyors, construction professionals, and clients to move projects from early visioning through construction. We are growing, we are having fun doing it, and we are looking for someone who is excited to lead projects, mentor teammates, build client relationships, and help shape the next chapter of JSD's Landscape Architecture practice.
JSD is a multi-disciplinary planning, civil engineering, surveying, landscape architecture, structural engineering, and development services firm with a practical, creative, roll-up-your-sleeves approach. We believe great work comes from strong relationships, smart collaboration, and people who care about the communities they serve. Our culture is staff-centric, growing, flexible, and fun.
You Will Thrive Here If You Are...
This role goes beyond technical project delivery. The successful candidate will serve as a trusted design leader, mentor, client partner, operational steward, and future-facing practice builder. Working closely with the Director of Landscape Architecture, this individual will influence the strategic direction, financial performance, market visibility, staffing, and long-term success of the Landscape Architecture discipline.
This position is intended as a key succession and growth role, with a leadership trajectory toward expanded responsibility, including potential advancement into future senior leadership roles such as Director of Landscape Architecture.
What You Will Do
As a Senior Landscape Architect, you will lead and support a wide range of landscape architecture, site planning, land planning, and public/private development projects across Wisconsin and the upper Midwest. You will be a project leader, technical resource, client partner, mentor, and design advocate.
Key Responsibilities
Leadership & Practice Strategy
Lead the Verona Landscape Architecture practice with a focus on design excellence, team development, operational performance, and market growth.
Provide day-to-day leadership, mentorship, and direction for landscape architecture staff, helping emerging professionals strengthen design judgment, technical skills, client presence, and project leadership.
Partner with the Director of Landscape Architecture to evaluate practice performance, identify growth opportunities, improve processes, and advance JSD’s mission, vision, and values.
Contribute insight on market trends, emerging technologies, client needs, and competitive positioning to keep the practice relevant, profitable, and forward-looking.
Support annual planning, staffing strategy, recruiting recommendations, professional development priorities, and succession planning for the discipline.
Serve as a positive cultural leader who builds trust, reinforces accountability, supports company policies, and promotes strong morale across the team.
Design Leadership & Technical Oversight
Lead landscape architecture, site planning, master planning, parks, streetscapes, campuses, mixed-use, civic, open space, sustainable landscape, and community-focused projects from concept through construction.
Set the design vision for projects while balancing aesthetics, ecology, budget, constructability, permitting, client goals, and long-term community impact.
Oversee development of concept plans, master plans, site plans, planting plans, construction documents, specifications, cost estimates, graphic exhibits, and public presentation materials.
Provide senior-level QA/QC review for design solutions, technical details, production plans, specifications, and deliverables.
Guide construction administration and construction-phase problem solving, including RFI review, field coordination, contractor communication, and owner/client support.
Maintain strong technical credibility in upper Midwest landscapes, native planting design, stormwater integration, green infrastructure, grading, site function, and landscape construction methods.
Business Development & Client Growth
Serve as a visible leader in the regional market by strengthening existing client relationships and helping identify, pursue, and win new opportunities.
Support and lead business development efforts, including proposal strategy, scope development, fee negotiation, interviews, client presentations, and market positioning.
Collaborate with planners, civil engineers, surveyors, structural engineers, construction professionals, municipalities, developers, agencies, and private-sector clients to expand interdisciplinary opportunities.
Help build a sustainable pipeline of work that supports revenue growth, profitability, staff utilization, and long-term practice stability.
Represent JSD with professionalism and credibility in client meetings, public presentations, plan commissions, boards, community meetings, and industry settings.
Financial & Operational Accountability
Work with the Director to understand and manage the financial health of the Landscape Architecture practice, including budgets, revenue, profitability, utilization, aging, write-offs, and project performance trends.
Review project scopes, budgets, schedules, fee proposals, staffing plans, and work plans to support profitable delivery.
Help ensure contracts, written authorizations, amendments, and change orders are secured before work proceeds.
Provide insight and recommendations regarding budget overruns, corrective actions, staffing needs, training needs, and performance improvement opportunities.
Participate in financial and operational discussions with discipline leadership and, when appropriate, provide input to executive leadership on matters affecting the practice.
Apply
Ready to help create places where communities can thrive?
Please submit your resume and portfolio/work samples through JSD's Human Resources Dept and include "Senior Landscape Architect - Madison" in your submission.
A cover letter is welcome if you would like to tell us what kind of places you love to design and why JSD feels like the right next step.
JSD provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment and strongly encourages minorities, women, veterans, and individuals with disabilities to apply.
Requirements
What You Will Bring
We are looking for a licensed landscape architect who combines design talent, technical strength, leadership, and a positive team mindset.
Bachelor’s degree in Landscape Architecture or a related field.
Current Landscape Architect licensure required; Wisconsin PLA strongly preferred.
Typically 10+ years of progressive landscape architecture experience, including design leadership, project management, client engagement, and team mentorship.
Demonstrated ability to lead complex public and private-sector projects from visioning and design through construction documentation and implementation.
Strong project management skills, including scope, schedule, budget, deliverables, staffing, risk management, and client communication.
Experience preparing and reviewing construction documents, planting plans, technical details, master plans, concept plans, presentation graphics, specifications, and cost estimates.
Proficiency with AutoCAD Civil 3D; experience with Adobe Creative Suite, SketchUp, GIS/ArcGIS, and other visualization or planning tools preferred.
Strong understanding of landscape construction, bidding, cost estimating, constructability, construction administration, and QA/QC.
Proven ability to mentor staff, lead multidisciplinary teams, build client confidence, and contribute to business development.
Comfort with financial reporting, project profitability, budget awareness, and practice-level decision-making.
Excellent written, verbal, visual, and interpersonal communication skills.
Preferred Attributes
A design leader who can inspire clients and teams while delivering practical, buildable, memorable places.
A practice builder who understands that great design, strong relationships, and financial performance must work together.
A mentor who enjoys developing people and building a high-performing team.
A strategic thinker who can identify market opportunities and help position JSD for growth.
A collaborative leader who thrives in a multidisciplinary AEC environment.
A confident communicator who can represent the firm with clients, public agencies, community stakeholders, and internal leadership.
A future senior leader who wants to influence the next chapter of JSD’s Landscape Architecture practice.
