Competition Manager

Malcolm Reading Consultants is the leading independent organiser of international architectural competitions. We believe in the power of design to create new perceptions and act as an inspiration.

This varied role offers the opportunity to work on interesting and fast-moving cultural projects with high-profile global clients. Highly successful within our sector, the MRC team is friendly, supportive and energetic. We help clients commission new museums, contemporary art galleries, libraries, visitor attractions, residential buildings, hotels and resorts, universities and performing arts venues — as well as urban and landscape design projects.

Our competitions attract the world’s leading architects and designers, and our architect selection committees often include thought-leaders and famous figures from the worlds of design, media, politics and business.

We are looking for a dedicated multi-skilled Competition Manager to support Project Directors on competition administration, client and competitor liaison and drafting competition materials. You should have outstanding attention to detail, strong interpersonal skills, writing and numeracy skills and the ability to perform under pressure. You should be willing to travel internationally for client meetings and site visits.

The role in brief:

• Liaise with clients, competitors and competition selection committees
• Draft and edit competition materials – documents such as flyers, search statements and tender briefs
• Attend and manage site visits, attend juries and write jury reports; travel internationally when required
• Manage the competition timeline ensuring wider team is aware of upcoming deadlines and milestones
• Draft and prepare presentations to clients
• Oversee and brief team members on administration related to procurement and competition processes, as well as office administration and operations task
• Research new projects and bids
• Coordinate with other Competition Managers and Directors of Projects to anticipate potential bottlenecks and resolve
• Support the team on technical review processes where relevant
• Bring ideas on competition processes, refining them and streamlining them as needed
• Represent MRC with clients
• Support the rest of the team as necessary

Please see the job description on the MRC website for full details

Who we're looking for:

You will need to be educated to degree level or equivalent with a strong academic track record and proven skills in an administrative, managing and content-producing role. A good working knowledge of Microsoft Office including Word, Excel and Outlook, as well as video-conferencing platforms including Zoom, Microsoft Teams, Webex and Google Meet is also required. You won’t need specific architectural knowledge (though a background in the industry would be an asset) but an interest in design would make the job more meaningful and fun.

You will be a good fit if you can offer:

• Accuracy and attention to detail
• Efficiency, methodical approach and ability to work under pressure
• Fast reading skills and ability to absorb information at speed
• Interpersonal skills
• Numeracy
• Good working knowledge of Microsoft Office Suite as well as video-conferencing platforms including Zoom and Microsoft Teams, PowerPoint and Google Workplace skills needed
• Relevant, sustained experience in a comparable role
• Educated to degree level or equivalent

The key attitudes of mind we seek from you include:

• Hard-working with persistence and initiative
• Ability to handle multiple projects simultaneously
• Positive, helpful team player attitude
• Ability to work on own initiative and meet deadlines
• Enthusiasm for design and architecture
• Learnability
• Willingness to travel internationally

Work environment:

• We offer hybrid working or full-time office working – four to five days a week in our Blackfriars office, with a maximum of one day a week home working.

The package:

We offer a competitive salary plus a private health care scheme, pension contribution, discretionary bonus, and generous holiday allowance. We are a friendly team with a straightforward approach and a passion for quality.

Full job description