Business development and systems manager in London

Unagru Architecture & Urbanism is looking for a business development and systems manager to join its team in London. Help us shape the future of our practice. We're a small architecture and urbanism practice in East London. We love designing buildings, but we're also fascinated by how businesses work, what technology makes possible and how architecture might change over the coming years.

We've spent some time developing our own systems and experimenting with AI. Some things work brilliantly. Others still need figuring out. And we still have plenty of ideas to explore. We're looking for someone curious, resourceful and enthusiastic to help us take things further. It's a varied role, combining business development, technology, creative problem-solving and the day-to-day running of a small practice.

Finding new opportunities

We want to grow, but not necessarily by doing more of the same. You'll help us investigate new markets, find interesting prospective clients and partners, explore new services and come up with imaginative ways of reaching people. You'll also help us think about where architecture and construction might be heading, and what opportunities that could create. Alongside the more exploratory work, you'll keep our leads organised, help oversee our marketing strategy and make sure our website and communications are doing their job.

Making things work better

We have a healthy obsession with improving how we work. We use Notion, Streamtime, Microsoft 365, Dropbox and a growing collection of AI-assisted tools. We'd like you to understand how these systems work, spot what could be better and help us make those improvements happen. That might mean experimenting with AI to eliminate another tedious task, working with our architects to develop better project management tools, or researching an entirely new way of organising part of the business. You'll also work with external consultants and us to explore what the future might hold for architectural practices. You don't need to be a programmer or an AI expert. We're much more interested in curiosity, creativity and the determination to keep going when something doesn't work the first time.

Keeping things running

There's also the practice of running things, of course. You'll help coordinate invoicing, financial planning, project resources and general office matters, making sure everything runs smoothly. Much of this work is already automated or heavily assisted, so while it's an important part of the job, it won't be your only focus.

Who are we looking for?

We're open-minded about your background and experience. You might come from architecture, construction, another creative industry or office management. You might be quite early in your career. This is an in-office full-time position, however there can be some flexibility to work a four-day week for the right person.

What matters most is that you're:

• Curious: you enjoy learning, investigating and asking questions.
• Resourceful: you can figure things out without needing detailed instructions.
• Creative: you see possibilities and come up with ideas.
• Determined: you don't give up when things get complicated.
• Organised: you can keep track of details and make sure things actually happen.
• Commercially minded: you're interested in how businesses work and grow.

You should be comfortable with technology, interested in AI and happy working with a small team of creative people.

What it's like here

We're a friendly, informal and ambitious team. We take our work seriously, but we enjoy questioning how things are done and trying new approaches. You'll work closely with the director and our architects, have plenty of independence and a real opportunity to influence where the practice goes next. We don't expect you to know everything. We'd rather work with someone excited to learn.