Director of Interior Design​/Interior Design Manager

Director of Interior Design / Interior Design Manager

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Hybrid – Orange County, CA

Agathus Studios is seeking a strategic and self-driven Director of Interior Design (or Interior Design Manager, depending on experience) to lead our design department, supervise a growing team of designers, help refine the operational infrastructure of the studio, and oversee our gallery/showroom operations. This is a senior leadership position suited for someone who thrives in a dynamic, fast-paced design environment and understands how to balance creative refinement with operational discipline.

We’re looking for a leader who is:

• Proactive, resourceful, and solutions-oriented
• Extremely organized with a natural ability to see both the details and the big picture
• Positive and steady under pressure, modeling calm leadership for the team
• Self-motivated and comfortable owning and being accountable for entire processes
• A critical thinker who anticipates challenges before they become problems
• Collaborative, yet confident enough to guide and direct

We strongly prefer candidates who live locally or within close proximity to Costa Mesa, CA as this role requires regular in-person collaboration.

1. Client Intake & Onboarding

• Prepare and follow-up on investment proposals and design agreements
• Collect and organize client onboarding and discovery materials
• Lead, mentor, supervise, and hold accountable a team of designers, coordinators, and interns.
• Model a positive, solutions-oriented attitude that sets the tone for the department.
• Provide clear direction, constructive feedback, and structured coaching to elevate the team’s output.
• Lead weekly team meetings and ensure alignment on priorities, standards, and milestones.
• Serve as the point of escalation for issues and maintain steady leadership under pressure.

3. Project Oversight, Scheduling & Resourcing

• Maintain a bird’s-eye view of all interior design projects—timelines, milestones, designer allocation needs, and dependencies.
• Build, manage, and enforce project schedules.
• Ensure designers stay on track with deadlines and deliverables through proactive check-ins.
• Anticipate risks or bottlenecks early and propose solutions before they impact timelines.
• Coordinate with leadership on project pipeline planning and workload balance.

4. Design Direction & Quality Control

• Work closely with leadership to supervise design development from early concepts through final presentations.
• Review drawings, FF&E, renderings, and client-facing deliverables with an eye for detail and brand consistency.
• Maintain high standards of presentation, file organization, and documentation.

5. Systems, Processes & Infrastructure

• Develop, refine, and document SOPs, workflows, templates, and departmental processes.
• Improve the flow of information across different teams and partners.
• Implement project management tools and improve internal communication systems.
• Create documentation, checklists, and onboarding materials that scale with the department.
• Identify inefficiencies and propose thoughtful improvements that streamline workflow.

6. Client & Presentation Support

• Support and occasionally lead client presentations and key discussions.
• Ensure that all decks, materials, boards, and samples are refined, organized, and on-brand.
• Communicate design intent, project status, and deliverable expectations with clarity, confidence, and professionalism.

7. Gallery / Showroom Management

• Oversee gallery operations, layouts, vignettes, and merchandising to maintain an elevated, on-brand environment.
• Support client appointments and walk-throughs.

8. Cross-Department Collaboration

• Project Managers
• Executive Assistant
• Operations & Logistics Teams
• Trade partners, including vendors, fabricators, and contractors

Strong communication, follow-through, and collaboration are essential.

This job description highlights the primary duties of the role but is not an exhaustive list. Additional responsibilities may be assigned based on studio needs.

• 3–5+ years of managerial experience at a Senior Manager or Director level within an…