POSITION SUMMARY
The Senior Designer is responsible for leading and executing all phases of the design process—from concept through installation—with a high level of creativity, precision, and professionalism. This includes overseeing design sourcing and making selections in alignment with project budgets and timelines, maintaining strong relationships with clients and vendors, and mentoring junior team members to foster a collaborative and high-performing studio culture. The Senior Designer is also accountable for ensuring that every project reflects the aesthetic standards of the ABD STUDIO brand and delivers an exceptional, personalized client experience.
DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES
OPERATIONS
Attend weekly team meetings
Attend weekly Office Hours meetings
- Contribute design related agenda items to Office Hours meetings
Tag and file office expense receipts on a continual basis
File project reimbursable expenses on a continual basis
Source and continuously update materials within the studio sample library, ensuring it remains current, organized, and inspiring for the design team
Meet weekly with Project Manager and Principal to review project progress and upcoming design team priorities
Assist with onboarding and training of new design team members
Inform Principal of necessary updates to the Operations and Procedures manual on an as needed basis
BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT/MARKETING
Attend industry events as a senior representative of ABD STUDIO
Source and share potential inspiration for future projects, including adding to ABD Pinterest boards and Slack Inspiration channel
Create and maintain strong relationships with vendors
DESIGN DEVELOPMENT
Contribute to the conception and development of design concepts, ensuring alignment with the client’s vision and ABD STUDIO’s design standards
Source project specific design inspiration including images, vendors, etc
Maintain prompt correspondence with clients, contractors and architects on a continual basis throughout the project in regards to design specific items
Distribute design programming questionnaires to gather client preferences / requirements and inform the design process
Lead internal design presentation preparations and attend client design meetings
Record detailed notes during design presentations, project meetings and site visits
Develop project design schemes, including:
- Develop CAD furniture floor plans and ensure all design selections fit appropriately within the floor plan dimensions
- Develop CAD elevations and detailed drawings as necessary
- Source fabrics and furnishings, plumbing, decorative lighting, cabinetry hardware, bath hardware, surface finishes, art, accessories / provisions, and other interior materials
Ensure all design sourcing and selections are within the allotted project budget and timeline (as provided by the Project Manager)
Ensure aesthetic of presented designs corresponds with ABD STUDIO standards, client’s authentic style and requests
Prepare design details pages and collaborate with fabricators on all custom items including:
- Develop and / or review and approve construction drawings of custom items in collaboration with fabricators
- Oversee on site measuring with vendors for custom pieces such as but not limited to: window treatments, wallpaper, floor coverings, built-in seating, cabinetry, etc
- Oversee custom piece fabrication, including workroom and site visits as necessary
- Review and approve finish samples provided by fabricators
- Ensure consistent quality control for all custom items to meet ABD STUDIO standards
Review all received RCPs, cabinetry, and other architectural drawings, and provide red-lined feedback
Review all DFAs and provide approval or red line edits as necessary
Collaborate with the design team, contractors and vendors to work through and determine solutions for any design challenges - communicate next steps and solutions to the team in writing
Oversee Design Assistant in setting clear assignment and prioritization of tasks, including but not limited to:
- Sourcing of furniture, fixtures and textiles and gathering of finish samples
- Curation of the design presentations & prepping materials needed for design presentations
- Quoting and proposal preparation for approved interior merchandise
- Coordinating accessories schedule
- Review and approval of all CFAs
Mentor junior design team members
Lead periodic virtual design consultations, including reviewing client-submitted photos, floor plans, inspiration images, and project goals in advance; lead recorded Zoom sessions and provide clients with written recap notes, recommended resources, and actionable next steps following each consultation.
PROJECT MANAGEMENT
Provide time estimates in relation to project specific Scope of Work to support accurate design fee calculations.
Act as the primary point of contact between the ABD STUDIO design team and the client, including maintaining regular correspondence on design decisions and client questions.
Serve as the primary design liaison between the internal design team and project architects and general contractors, ensuring clear communication and alignment on all design-related matters.
Attend OAC meetings as the design representative for ABD STUDIO and document discussions and action items through clear and organized note-taking.
Coordinate all interior architecture schedules as follows:
- Source and guide selections for project schedules (including appliance, automatic shades, bath accessories, cabinetry hardware, plumbing, decorative lighting and finish schedules) and communicate approved selections to the project management team
- Inform the Project Manager of any adjustments related to interior architecture schedules so they can update schedules accordingly
- Prepare the paint schedule
- Review interior architecture schedules and provide feedback prior to issuing
Coordinate with the Project Manager on design team deliverables by reviewing weekly priorities, providing feedback on deadlines or adjustments, and delegating design-specific tasks across the team.
Delegate project quotes and spec input to Design team members. Lead custom quote requests as necessary.
Distribute design specific tasks on a continual basis to the design team, communicate clear priorities and oversee successful execution of their responsibilities, including but not limited to:
- Saving approved item tear sheets, images, and quotes to Google Drive
- Requesting lead times and establishing priorities for quoting, proposing, and ordering in alignment with project timelines
- Tracking the status of outstanding CFAs and DFAs
Manage Monday.com “Spec Board” and all necessary orchestration of project items from sourcing and quoting through order placement
Prepare and verify specification input into Design Manager for all approved interior merchandise and labor items - Coordinate proposal packet preparation and complete final review of all proposals prior to issuing to client
Direct Expeditor of specific orders ready for placement, ensure high priority and long lead time orders are addressed first, and continuously stay abreast of all order placement progress
Coordinate with Bookkeeper on monthly invoicing to clients - Review and approve all invoices prior to issuing to client
Participate in project installations
SKILLS AND ABILITIES
Comprehensive industry knowledge of furniture, fabric, lighting, plumbing, stone, tile, millwork, custom furniture fabricators, and retail vendors
Expertise in crafting cohesive design schemes that balance scale, proportion, texture, color, client needs, budget, and functionality
Confident leadership with a can-do attitude, effective ability to manage and motivate teams
Engaged with industry trends through design publications, social media, and influencer networks, driving innovative solutions and team inspiration
Exceptional problem-solving, organizational, and time management skills, successfully managing multiple high-end residential projects
Strong communication skills, including verbal and written communication with both team members, vendors and Clients
Strong relationship-building abilities with clients, management, and peers, fostering a collaborative work environment
Self-motivated and dependable, excelling both independently and in team settings
Positive and adaptable in connecting with varied personalities, enhancing team and client dynamics
Dedicated to maintaining high-quality standards while maximizing efficiency in all design aspects
QUALIFICATIONS
Submission of designer portfolio required
8 years + of employment at an interior design firm with specific experience focused on the full design process from inception to installation
Undergraduate or graduate degree in design-related field
Experience successfully managing team members using strong leadership, communication, and mentorship
Must own and have access to a reliable car. Mileage will be reimbursed at at annual IRS standard mileage rates
Must be willing and able to travel to projects in locations outside of the Bay Area
Must have strong technical skills and be highly skilled with construction documents and drafting in AutoCAD
Proficiency with Design Manager or Studio Manager preferred
Proficiency with SketchUp or other rendering software preferred
Hand-drawing skills a plus
Experience with Google Drive (sheets, docs, slides)
