Design Director

Hiring Top Design Leadership Talent in the Interior Architecture Space.

Role Overview:
Design Director - IA Hospitality Studio (LA Based)

At IA Interior Architects
, we redefine the art of luxury and lifestyle hotel design, transforming client aspirations, brand identities, and cultural narratives into extraordinary, immersive experiences. Serving a discerning clientele in the luxury hotel and lifestyle sectors, we craft spaces that exceed expectations, blending high-performance design with exceptional visual appeal and sustainability. Our designs elevate the guest experience, setting new standards of excellence within the hospitality industry.

As architects, designers, strategists, and environmental specialists within the world’s largest global architecture firm with a focus on interior design, we create environments that inspire, captivate, and seamlessly integrate form with function—ensuring each project tells a compelling story of elegance, innovation, and timeless luxury.

As the Hospitality Design Director for our growing Hospitality Studio, you will execute the creative vision for the firm’s luxury and lifestyle hotel design projects. In collaboration with the Managing Director, you will steer design excellence, innovation, and luxury, ensuring that each project is executed to the highest standards. Your leadership will guide the studio’s design strategies, aligning them with broader business goals and client expectations, while maintaining quality, consistency, and seamless integration across all project phases.

Additionally, you will play a pivotal role in business development
, identifying and cultivating new opportunities to expand IA Interior Architects’ portfolio, strengthen client relationships, and drive growth within the luxury hospitality market.

Job Responsibilities

• Build and nurture strong relationships with clients, understanding their goals and transforming them into innovative, bespoke design solutions. Ensure all projects meet performance, budget, and schedule expectations.
• Lead dynamic design presentations for key projects, confidently conveying design concepts, ideas, and vision with clarity and passion, ensuring alignment with client brand and aesthetic.
• Guide, produce and execute design output for all hospitality projects, working closely with the project management and design/technical teams to ensure designs align with client goals and exceed expectations.
• Oversee the creation of space plans, design deliverables, and furniture packages, ensuring that every detail reflects luxury, functionality, and the distinctiveness of each client’s brand.
• Provide mentorship and professional development for the design team, offering constructive feedback, fostering creativity, and leading team-building initiatives.
• Actively seek out new business opportunities by leveraging industry networks, attending key industry events, and developing relationships with potential clients. Collaborate with studio leadership to define strategies for market expansion and growth within the luxury and lifestyle hotel sector.
• Cultivate long-term, strong relationships with existing clients, ensuring repeat business. Proactively identify new sectors and clients for expansion, contributing to the development of proposals and pitches.
• Work with design and marketing teams to lead project photography efforts, ensuring the firm’s work is captured and shared in the most compelling way.
• Foster strong relationships across the firm, ensuring design deliverables are aligned with best practices, setting the standard for excellence in hospitality design firmwide.

Education & Work Experience

• Graduate of an accredited architecture or design school.
• Licensed Architect and/or Interior Designer.
• 15+ years of progressive experience in hospitality and workplace design, with a proven track record in leading large-scale projects.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

• Expertise in design concept development and visual storytelling, with the ability to create compelling narratives that elevate the guest experience.
• In-depth understanding of all phases of design, from concept through contract administration, including building systems, local/state…