Interior Design Manager

Description

The Interior Design Manager at Blue Heron plays a uniquely dynamic and strategic role, blending creative leadership with operational excellence to deliver world-class design experiences for luxury residential clients. This individual serves as both a client-facing design authority and an internal team leader, responsible for guiding Interior Designers through the entire project lifecycle from initial discovery to final installation.

This position champions an exceptional client journey while driving operational alignment, standardization, and collaboration across the broader Blue Heron Interior Design organization. 

The ideal candidate is a visionary design professional with proven leadership, interpersonal, and project management skills, someone equally passionate about building lasting client relationships and mentoring high-performing design teams. This is a dynamic role best suited for a forward-thinking design leader who thrives at the intersection of creativity, client experience, and business management.

Core Responsibilities:

Client & Project Leadership

• Lead Client Discovery & Intake Sessions by conducting and facilitating comprehensive lifestyle interviews and Blue Heron campus tours with clients to understand key personal and functional priorities.
• Provide leadership and oversight across all project phases ensuring projects are delivered in alignment with client expectations, internal standards, and within agreed timelines and budgets.
• Champion design creativity and technical precision in all deliverables, ensuring designs reflect Blue Heron’s aesthetic vision and meet the highest standards of quality and innovation.

Team Leadership & Operational Oversight

• Provide day-to-day leadership and professional development support to Interior Design. Foster a collaborative, supportive, and performance-driven culture.
• Enhance sales conversion rates by delivering compelling design presentations that align with client aspirations and project goals 
• Ensure project-level financial accountability by aligning design decisions with budget parameters, monitoring design-related expenditures, and supporting overall profitability goals
• Lead and participate in team meetings, project reviews, and cross-functional meetings to share insights, troubleshoot challenges, and reinforce best practices.
• Manage internal systems to ensure accessibility, accuracy, and alignment with project needs.

Cross-Functional & Vendor Collaboration

• Work closely with internal teams such as Sales, Architecture, Marketing, and Procurement to align design execution with broader project strategies and construction requirements.
• Collaborate with artisans, manufacturers, and external partners to source innovative, high-quality materials and ensure timely procurement and delivery of FF&E items.

Requirements

Requirements:

• Bachelor’s degree in Interior Design, Architecture, or a related field from an accredited institution.
• 7–10+ years of progressive experience in high-end residential or luxury hospitality interior design.
• Proven leadership experience in managing interior design teams, mentoring and coaching interior designers at all levels, and overseeing high-performing design departments.
• Demonstrated portfolio of custom residential or hospitality work showing design innovation, aesthetic clarity, and precision.
• Strong working knowledge of construction methodologies, architectural detailing, and finish materials.
• Exceptional ability to lead client-facing conversations with professionalism, emotional intelligence, and clear communication.
• Superior organizational and project management skills, capable of handling multiple complex projects concurrently while meeting deadlines and maintaining design intent.
• Highly skilled in industry-standard tools including Microsoft Office Suite, Bluebeam, SketchUp; working knowledge of Revit preferred.
• Deep understanding of FF&E specification, procurement workflows, construction documentation, and installation protocols.
• NCIDQ certification preferred but not required.