Design Manager

Your RoleAs a Hospitality Design Manager, you will lead and coordinate a team of architects and designers to deliver exceptional hospitality projects, ensuring design excellence from concept through construction. Your industry expertise, creativity, and technical acumen will drive project success while maintaining a keen eye for detail, brand identity, and guest experience.You will be deeply involved in all phases of the hospitality design process, balancing innovative thinking with practical, real-world solutions. You thrive in leading teams, managing client relationships, and ensuring seamless project execution, all while fostering a collaborative and communicative team environment.What You Will Do- Lead and manage all phases of hospitality projects, including concept design, schematic development, construction documentation, and project execution.- Oversee and coordinate hospitality project schedules, budgets, and milestones, ensuring alignment with client expectations.- Collaborate with hotel brands, developers, operators, consultants, and contractors to deliver exceptional guest-centric experiences.- Drive the design vision, ensuring all aspects of a project align with brand standards and guest experience goals.- Manage and review design proposals, contracts, and project fees, leading negotiations when necessary.- Provide technical leadership, ensuring compliance with hospitality industry codes, accessibility requirements, and brand standards.- Facilitate cross-disciplinary coordination, including architecture, interior design, MEP consultants, and FF&E specialists.- Supervise the development of BIM models, drawings, and construction documents, ensuring accuracy and high-quality deliverables.- Resolve complex design and technical challenges, proactively identifying solutions that balance aesthetics, functionality, and cost efficiency.- Monitor and maintain project financials, ensuring budget adherence and profitability.- Oversee quality control, ensuring that documentation meets regulatory, contractual, and hospitality brand requirements.- Mentor and manage project teams, fostering a collaborative and innovative work environment.- Support sustainability goals, integrating eco-conscious strategies into hospitality design projects.- Serve as the primary client liaison, ensuring effective communication and a strong relationship throughout the project lifecycle.- Lead coordination efforts for materials selection, FF&E procurement, and interior design elements to enhance guest experience.Your Qualifications- Bachelor’s degree in architecture, interior design, or equivalent.- Licensed or registered architect (preferred).- 8+ years of experience in hospitality design, leading projects for hotels, resorts, or other hospitality environments.- Bilingual (English/Spanish) with strong written and verbal communication skills (preferred).- Proven experience managing full project lifecycles, from concept to post-occupancy.- Strong background in brand guidelines, hospitality standards, and guest experience-focused design.- Experience leading, mentoring, and managing multidisciplinary project teams.- Skilled in negotiating project scope, fees, and contracts with clients and consultants.- Strong technical knowledge of building codes, industry regulations, and construction methods for hospitality projects.- Ability to navigate complex client relationships and maintain strong professional partnerships.- Experience with construction documentation, detailing, and FF&E specifications.- Proven fiscal responsibility and ability to track and manage project budgets effectively.- Highly organized, detail-oriented, and able to manage multiple projects simultaneously.- Proficiency in Revit, AutoCAD, SketchUp, Adobe Suite, and hospitality FF&E software is a plus.Life at GenslerAt Gensler, we are as committed to enjoying life as we are to delivering best-in-class design. From curated art exhibits to internal design competitions to “Well-being Week,” our offices reflect our people’s diverse interests.We encourage every person at Gensler to lead a healthy and balanced life. Our comprehensive benefits include subsidized health and life insurance, annual bonus, LinkedIn learning, holiday observance, and employee assistance programs.As part of the firm’s commitment to licensure and professional development, Gensler offers reimbursement for certain professional licenses and associated renewals and exam fees. In addition, we reimburse tuition for certain eligible programs or classes. We view our professional development programs as strategic investments in our future.