Assistant Vice President of Campus Planning and Design, University Architect

Position Summary

The Assistant Vice President of Planning & Design and University Architect (AVP) serves as Rice University’s primary steward of campus buildings, landscapes, public spaces, and the built environment. Reporting to the Associate Vice President of Facilities, Planning & Capital Construction, the AVP leads the planning and design organization and serves as the University’s internal design authority, providing strategic leadership for campus planning, architecture, landscape stewardship, facilities programming, design governance, and long-range physical development.

The AVP serves as Rice University’s principal advisor on matters related to campus planning and public realm design, architecture, landscape stewardship, land use, site development, and the long-term evolution of the campus, while leading the implementation and ongoing stewardship of the Campus Framework Plan. The AVP partners closely with senior university leadership, academic and administrative stakeholders, facilities leadership, project management, space management, public affairs, development and alumni relations, and the Buildings and Grounds Committee of the Board of Trustees to align planning, design, space utilization, campus landscape, and capital investment decisions with institutional priorities, long-term physical development strategy, and the University’s capital governance process.

The AVP establishes and maintains planning, design, and development standards; leads design review and consultant selection processes; oversees planning studies and campus development initiatives; and promotes excellence, sustainability, accessibility, resiliency, fiscal stewardship, and design continuity across the University’s physical environment. The position also serves on the campus Arboretum Committee and provides oversight of the related tree canopy, landscape, public realm, and open-space stewardship initiatives.

The ideal candidate is a strategic, collaborative, and design-oriented leader with deep expertise in architecture, campus planning, design governance, landscape stewardship, and higher education capital planning. They will have a demonstrated ability to translate academic, research, student life, residential, athletics, and institutional priorities into long-range campus plans, capital investments, and design standards that advance Rice University's mission and strengthen its distinctive campus identity.

This leader will serve as a trusted advisor to senior leadership and the Board of Trustees, providing vision, sound judgment, and strategic guidance on campus development and stewardship. Success in this role requires exceptional communication, relationship-building, and consensus-driving skills, with the ability to engage effectively across a diverse range of stakeholders, including faculty, staff, students, deans, project teams, consultants, and external partners.

The successful candidate will balance design excellence, fiscal responsibility, operational needs, and long-term institutional stewardship while navigating complex organizational environments. They will possess a deep appreciation for Rice University's architectural heritage, landscape framework, open spaces, tree canopy, and pedestrian-focused campus experience, recognizing the campus as a critical asset that supports teaching, research, student success, community engagement, philanthropy, and the university's long-term aspirations.

Rice University is a world-class private research university located on a distinctive 300-acre, tree-lined campus in Houston, Texas—one of the nation’s leading centers for medicine, energy, technology, entrepreneurship, and innovation. Consistently ranked among the nation’s top universities, Rice is renowned for excellence in research, teaching, and the student experience. Through a highly collaborative academic environment and a culture that fosters interdisciplinary discovery, Rice advances creativity, innovation, and solutions to complex global challenges.

The university’s physical campus serves as a fundamental asset in achieving its mission. Widely…