Design Manager

Job Title

Design Manager

The Design Manager is a client-facing design professional responsible for managing design execution, standards governance, and continuous improvement across a high-volume, multi-site retail design program. This role partners with client stakeholders, account leadership, and internal teams to translate business needs, real estate strategies, operational requirements, and prototype standards into scalable, code-conscious design solutions. The Design Manager provides hands-on technical direction, quality control, workload coordination, and process improvement support to ensure consistent, efficient, and high-quality delivery.

The Design Manager is a client-facing design professional responsible for managing design execution, standards governance, and continuous improvement across a high-volume, multi-site retail design program. This role partners with client stakeholders, account leadership, and internal teams to translate business needs, real estate strategies, operational requirements, and prototype standards into scalable, code-conscious design solutions. The Design Manager provides hands-on technical direction, quality control, workload coordination, and process improvement support to ensure consistent, efficient, and high-quality delivery.

• Retail Program Execution:
  Manage design delivery across a high-volume, multi-site retail program, ensuring each project supports business objectives, operational requirements, customer experience, and established prototype standards.
• Standards Governance:
  Maintain, interpret, and evolve design standards, prototype guidelines, space planning criteria, and documentation requirements to support consistency while allowing flexibility for site-specific conditions.
• Program Alignment:
  Coordinate design requirements across new locations, remodels, prototypes, test fits, and special projects to ensure scope, schedule, documentation, and deliverables remain aligned with client priorities.
• Process Improvement:
  Translate lessons learned, stakeholder feedback, and evolving business needs into scalable design processes, tools, templates, checklists, and documented best practices.

• Workload Coordination:
  Coordinate design workload, priorities, deliverables, and timelines across active projects in partnership with account leadership and design resources.
• Design Direction:
  Provide technical guidance, design input, and standards interpretation to support consistent execution across projects and deliverables.
• Hands-On Support:
  Provide design production and technical support when needed, particularly for complex projects, high-priority deliverables, templates, standards updates, and design assets.

• Technical Design Review:
  Review test fits, space plans, design documents, Revit models, and drawing packages for accuracy, completeness, code considerations, and alignment with standards.
• Code & Compliance Awareness:
  Apply working knowledge of IBC, ADA, and jurisdictional considerations to identify design risks, review drawing compliance, and support decision-making.
• Design Problem Solving:
  Resolve complex planning, documentation, coordination, or technical design challenges in partnership with designers, stakeholders, consultants, and account teams.
• Technology Enablement:
  Support effective use of Revit, Bluebeam, design tools, templates, and workflow improvements to increase consistency, efficiency, and quality of deliverables.
• Requirements
  
  Education:
  
  Bachelor’s degree in Architecture, Interior Design, or a related design discipline from a NAAB- or CIDA-accredited institution preferred.

• Professional
  
  Experience:
  
  7+…