Art Director jobs in Vancouver, BC

Design Manager

Hospitality Designs is seeking an experienced and highly motivated Design Manager to lead the development and delivery of hospitality interior design projects from concept through completion. This role combines creative leadership, project management, client relations, and team development, with a strong focus on delivering thoughtful, brand-aligned design solutions within established budgets, timelines, and project requirements.

The Design Manager will oversee multiple projects simultaneously, mentor and guide designers, collaborate closely with clients and internal teams, and ensure design intent is successfully carried through documentation, procurement, and installation.

Key Responsibilities

Design Leadership

• Lead hospitality interior design projects from initial concept through final design, documentation, franchise submission, and project completion.
• Develop creative design concepts that respond to brand standards, project goals, market positioning, site conditions, and client budgets.
• Establish and maintain the overall design direction, ensuring consistency and quality throughout each phase.
• Review design packages, finish selections, FF&E specifications, drawings, presentations, and other project deliverables.
• Balance creative vision with practical considerations including budget, procurement, manufacturing capabilities, schedule, and constructability.
• Support the development of custom design solutions and unique guest experiences for boutique and independent hospitality projects.

Project Management

• Manage multiple projects and priorities simultaneously while maintaining quality, budget, and schedule.
• Establish project scopes, schedules, deliverables, and internal milestones.
• Coordinate with Project Managers, Purchasing, Sales, furniture engineers, woodworkers, vendors, and other internal and external stakeholders.
• Monitor project progress and proactively identify risks, scope changes, and potential delays.
• Participate in client meetings, project kickoffs, site visits, presentations, and design reviews.
• Ensure projects are properly transitioned between design, procurement, production, and installation teams.

Team Leadership & Development

• Lead, mentor, and support designers at various levels of experience.
• Provide clear direction, constructive feedback, and regular design reviews.
• Help establish consistent design processes, standards, and best practices across the department.
• Support the development of junior and intermediate designers through coaching, training, and hands-on project guidance.
• Delegate work effectively based on project requirements, individual strengths, and team capacity.
• Foster a collaborative, creative, and accountable team environment.

Client & Brand Relationships

• Build strong, long-term relationships with clients, hotel owners, operators, developers, and brand representatives.
• Act as a senior design point of contact throughout the project lifecycle.
• Lead design presentations and communicate design rationale, budget considerations, and project recommendations clearly.
• Interpret and implement hospitality brand standards while identifying opportunities to create distinctive and memorable guest experiences.
• Participate in scoping calls and proposal development, helping define project requirements, fees, deliverables, and schedules.

FF&E & Procurement

• Collaborate closely with procurement and purchasing teams to ensure design intent, specifications, quantities, and budgets are accurately translated into orders.
• Review FF&E selections, specifications, pricing, samples, shop drawings, and submittals.
• Identify cost-effective alternatives and value-engineering opportunities while maintaining the overall design vision.
• Leverage knowledge of hospitality vendors, manufacturers, materials, lead times, and production capabilities to support informed design decisions.
• Ensure design documentation is accurate and coordinated with procurement requirements.

Qualifications

• 8+ years of professional interior design experience, with significant experience in hospitality design.
• Previous experience leading projects and/or managing a design team.
• Strong understanding of hotel design, including guestrooms, public areas, food & beverage, amenities, and back-of-house spaces.
• Experience working with hospitality brands, franchise standards, and franchise submission processes.
• Strong FF&E knowledge and experience working with manufacturers, vendors, and procurement teams.
• Excellent project management, organizational, and communication skills.
• Ability to manage multiple projects and competing deadlines in a fast-paced environment.
• Strong presentation and client-facing skills.
• Proficiency in relevant design and documentation software.
• Post-secondary education in Interior Design, Architecture, or a related field.
• Professional designation or relevant industry experience is an asset.

What We’re Looking For

The ideal candidate is a strategic and hands-on design leader who can move comfortably between the big-picture creative vision and the day-to-day details required to deliver successful hospitality projects.

You are someone who can inspire a design team, communicate confidently with clients, understand the realities of budgets and procurement, and find practical solutions without compromising the design intent. You bring a collaborative leadership style, strong hospitality knowledge, and a genuine interest in developing people and improving how a design team works.

This is an opportunity to play a key role in the continued growth of Hospitality Designs while helping shape the quality, creativity, and efficiency of our hospitality design services.

Pay: $90,000.00-$100,000.00 per year

Benefits:

• Dental care
• Flexible schedule
• On-site parking
• Vision care

Work Location: In person