Design Manager

About the role

JLL Design is shaping the future of the built environment, and we are seeking a Design Manager to join our North America practice in Austin, Texas. This role sits within our workplace practice, which focuses on commercial interiors nationally, and drives business growth through best‑in‑class project delivery, precise process management, and seamless team coordination. As Design Manager, you will deliver exceptional outcomes across multiple concurrent projects while building strong client relationships that fuel long‑term partnerships. You will ensure operational excellence across the practice—maintaining quality standards, mentoring teams, and implementing processes that elevate project and team performance. This role combines critical thinking with hands‑on execution—you're expected to stay closely engaged in design details, not just manage from a distance. You will lead project teams to deliver high‑quality design solutions, manage complex stakeholder relationships, and contribute directly to studio growth. The ideal candidate brings a detail‑oriented mindset, a keen design eye, proven design management capabilities, and the ambition to grow within a dynamic, forward‑thinking practice.

Responsibilities

• Lead design teams in generating client program requirements, initial test fits, and basic code analysis involving egress, plumbing counts, travel distances, and occupancy types
• Develop fee proposals based on project scopes and manage projects relative to fees, profitability, and resource staffing allocations
• Serve as the main point of contact for client interaction related to design concepts, approvals, and execution, while coordinating with brokers, property owners, and end users during site visits
• Guide team members in developing design and technical drawings, reviewing all work for accuracy to scope and technical standards
• Lead, mentor, and develop team members, building individual capability and fostering a collaborative, high‑performing studio culture
• Maintain financial tracking to ensure business health and support historic data reporting for strategic decision‑making
• Partner with studio leads to participate in new business pursuits, client development initiatives, and revenue‑generating opportunities, including assembling pitch decks and leading client presentations

Requirements

• Bachelor's or Master's Degree in Interior Design, Architecture, or related field
• 7+ years of experience working on commercial interior design projects, with demonstrated ability to stay hands‑on in design development
• Fluent in AutoCAD, Revit, Bluebeam, Adobe Suite, and Microsoft Office Suite
• Proficient knowledge of building codes and accessibility guidelines, specifically in the Texas market
• Keen design eye with strong command of design fundamentals—space planning, materiality, finishes, and detailing—and the instinct to catch issues before they reach the client
• Excellent client communication, listening, and critical‑thinking skills, with strong presentation abilities and the capacity to think on your feet

Qualifications

• Experience in healthcare, laboratory, industrial, or other technical environments (will be actively supported and developed in this role if applicable)
• Architectural (AIA) or Interior Design (NCIDQ) certification strongly preferred
• Demonstrated entrepreneurial mindset with proven business development acumen within specified markets
• Strategic thinker who understands the business context behind a strategic brief and can integrate that thinking into the design process
• Exceptional standards for quality and strong attention to detail, with the ability to excel under pressure and prioritize competing deadlines
• Team player and culture‑builder who works effectively both independently and collaboratively, and who actively seeks out and responds well to feedback
• Adaptable and energized by a growing and evolving design practice—comfortable with ambiguity and motivated by building something new
• Solid time‑management and organizational skills to multi‑task and manage multiple concurrent project deadlines