Design Manager

Design Manager | Hospitality Interiors | New York, NY (Hybrid) | $125,000 - $145,000

Most design leadership roles make you choose. You either run the team and stop designing, or you keep designing and never get the seat at the table. This one doesn't make you pick.

I'm working with one of New York's most respected hospitality and experiential interiors studios on a Design Manager hire. They've built an award-winning name designing restaurants, bars, hotels and branded spaces that people actually talk about, and a new run of projects this year means they need another senior design lead to steer it.

Why it's worth a conversation

This studio is known for concept-led, story-driven work. The ideas come first and the team is trusted to push them. You'll work alongside strategists and experience designers as well as interior designers and architects, so the thinking goes well beyond finishes and floor plans.

The client list mixes major hospitality brands with ambitious independent operators, so the pipeline is steady and the budgets are serious. And they invest in their people. You'll mentor and grow junior designers, sit in on hiring, and have a real say in how the team works.

What you'll be doing

You'll lead hospitality and F&B interior projects from first sketch to opening night, keeping creative ambition, scope and budget lined up. You'll own client relationships across several projects at once and run presentations, work sessions and internal reviews. You'll give your team clear direction so they understand the reasoning behind design decisions, review and redline drawing sets before they go out, and work with project managers on schedule and resourcing. You'll also bring in vendors, consultants and contractors, catch problems early, and help grow client accounts through additional scopes.

What you'll bring

• 10+ years in an architecture or interior design studio, with a degree in interior design or architecture
• A track record leading complex projects and managing clients and stakeholders directly
• Strong presentation skills and a genuine interest in developing people
• Revit and AutoCAD, Bluebeam for redlines, and InDesign and Photoshop
• Hospitality, restaurant or hotel experience is a big advantage. 3ds Max or Rhino is a bonus

The details

$115,000 to $145,000 plus benefits, depending on experience. Hybrid, with regular in-studio time in Manhattan. You'll need to be authorized to work in the US without sponsorship, and a portfolio is essential.

I'd especially love to hear from women and designers from underrepresented backgrounds who are ready for their next leadership step.

Next step

Everything goes through me in confidence. Send your resume and portfolio to [email protected]