Design Manager (Interior Design/Architecture) SA

About the Client and Role

Our client is a global interior design firm with over 25 years of experience, specializing in transforming spaces into brand and consumer experiences. Operating across North America, the Middle East, Europe, and Asia Pacific, the firm is recognized for its collaborative approach and entrepreneurial spirit. S&K HR Consulting is seeking a Design Manager for a full-time position in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, to lead design teams and manage complex client projects.

Role Overview

The Design Manager will oversee projects from initial briefing and concept development through technical coordination, execution, and final handover. This senior, hands-on role requires a leader who can inspire teams, manage stakeholders, make decisions under pressure, and ensure projects are delivered to high standards, on time, and within budget. The successful candidate will combine creative leadership, technical expertise, commercial awareness, project management, and client-facing skills.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead, mentor, and develop a multidisciplinary design team, establishing clear responsibilities, priorities, and performance standards.
• Establish creative direction for projects and maintain the design vision throughout all stages of development and delivery.
• Manage multiple complex projects, including scope, schedules, budgets, resources, deliverables, risks, and quality.
• Act as the primary senior contact for clients, building strong relationships and managing expectations professionally.
• Lead client meetings, workshops, presentations, and design-approval sessions.
• Translate client requirements and feedback into clear, practical actions for design and project teams.
• Provide creative and technical guidance while remaining hands-on during critical project stages.
• Review and approve concepts, presentations, drawings, specifications, material selections, and technical packages.
• Coordinate with consultants, contractors, suppliers, production teams, and other project stakeholders.
• Ensure designs are creative, functional, technically accurate, commercially viable, and compliant with relevant standards.
• Identify and resolve design, technical, commercial, and coordination risks before they affect project delivery.
• Manage design changes and communicate their impact on scope, fees, schedules, and resources.
• Support proposals, fee submissions, tenders, resource planning, cost control, and business-development activities.
• Maintain high standards of quality control, documentation, communication, and project reporting.
• Contribute to the company's design strategy, reputation, operational improvement, and business growth.

Candidate Profile

The ideal candidate is a confident and accomplished design leader who combines creativity with technical depth, commercial judgment, and strong project-management capabilities. They should be able to operate strategically while remaining closely involved in project details, inspire high-performing teams, build trusted client relationships, and take full ownership of projects from concept to completion.

Qualifications and Experience

• More than 12 years of professional experience in design.
• Demonstrated creative leadership and technical expertise.
• Proven commercial awareness and project management skills.
• Excellent client-facing and communication abilities.

Work Type and Location

This is a full-time position based in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.