Design Manager

Design Manager Skip to main content#Design Manager page is loaded## Design Manager Apply remote type:
On-site locations:
Toronto, ONtime type:
Full time posted on:
Posted Todayjob requisition :
REQ
518693
** JLL empowers you to shape a brighter way**.Our people at JLL are shaping the future of real estate for a better world by combining world class services, advisory and technology for our clients. We are committed to hiring the best, most talented people and empowering them to thrive, grow meaningful careers and to find a place where they belong.  Whether you’ve got deep experience in commercial real estate, skilled trades or technology, or you’re looking to apply your relevant experience to a new industry, join our team as we help shape a brighter way forward.
** What this job involves:
** JLL's Workplace and Healthcare Design Advisory practice is shaping the future of the built environment, and we are seeking a Design Manager to join our North America practice, focused in the Toronto market.

Our team is building something distinctive -- a design and advisory business grounded in evidence, anchored in human behaviour, and committed to making the built environment work harder for the organisations and people it serves. We combine workplace strategy and advisory, design excellence, and project leadership and delivery to help organisations shape environments that drive performance and wellbeing.

We are looking for a Design Manager who will be the design backbone of our Canadian practice. This is a role for someone who takes genuine pride in the quality and craft of design work, who leads project teams with confidence and care, and who understands that great design begins with asking the right questions before a single line is drawn.

You will be responsible for the day-to-day design leadership of the Canadian studio -- managing projects from brief through delivery, guiding and developing the design team, maintaining quality standards, and ensuring every piece of work that leaves this practice reflects the highest level of design thinking and execution.

The Design Manager will report to the SVP Studio Director, and work in close collaboration with the EVP, Workplace and Healthcare Design Advisory, Americas. As the practice expands its healthcare advisory footprint across North America, this role offers a meaningful opportunity to develop experience in healthcare design, a sector undergoing significant transformation and investment.
** What your day-to-day will look like:
** Design Leadership and Project Delivery
* Lead the design process on Canadian workplace projects from brief through to occupancy, ensuring design intent is realised at every stage of delivery.
* Provide clear creative direction to the design team, making confident decisions on design approach, space planning, materiality, and finish selection.
* Review and quality assure all design documentation, drawings, and specifications produced by the team, maintaining a consistent standard of excellence across all outputs.
* Manage project timelines, design budgets, and team resources effectively across multiple concurrent engagements.
* Work with leadership to understand resourcing needs to further support the growth of the North American and Canadian workplace practice.
* Balance the need to lead active projects and those in the pipeline, bringing stability and direction to the studio from day one.
* Coordinate with consultants, contractors, and client-side project managers to ensure smooth design delivery through construction and handover.

Team Leadership and Development
* Lead, mentor, and develop the Canadian design team, building individual capability and fostering a collaborative, high-performing studio culture.
* Provide regular feedback and guidance to designers at all levels, supporting their professional growth and technical development.
* Participate in the hiring of design team members, contributing to team composition and culture.
* Model the values and standards of the practice -- intellectual curiosity, design rigour, client focus, and a commitment to doing the work well.

Design Standards and Practice
* Establish and maintain design standards, workflows, and quality benchmarks that reflect JLL's position as a premium design advisory practice.
* Ensure all project work is grounded in a clear understanding of the client's organisational context, workforce needs, and business objectives.
* Champion the integration of workplace strategy and evidence-based design thinking into every project brief and design response.
* Maintain current knowledge of workplace design trends, materials, technology, and industry best practice, and bring that knowledge into the studio.
* Contribute to design knowledge management, including project documentation, case studies, and design standards resources.

Client Engagement
* Participate in client design presentations, workshops, and review sessions, communicating design thinking clearly and confidently to non-design audiences.
* Build strong…