Interior Designer / Design Manager

Location: Chicago, IL | Job Type: Long-Term Contract | Hybrid (up to 3 days onsite at Willis Tower)

About the role

Our client, a global transportation organization, is seeking an experienced Interior Design Manager to support Corporate Real Estate projects across a diverse facility portfolio. This role leads interior design standards, space planning, and design execution while partnering closely with internal stakeholders and external vendors.

Responsibilities

• Develop and implement design standards, including selecting appropriate FF&E, finishes, and other design elements in partnership with internal stakeholders and external vendors.
• Work with CRE project managers to develop and coordinate conceptual designs for executive and finance review and approval.
• Collaborate with internal teams to create strategic design plans for improvements to internal and external-facing spaces and new initiatives.
• Manage time and workload effectively, prioritizing tasks based on leadership guidance.
• Develop and lead space planning, programming, and utilization calculations for owned and/or maintained facilities.
• Review and interpret architectural plans from third-party architects and engineers.
• Provide subject matter expertise for new or evolving design initiatives.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in interior design and/or architecture.
• 10+ years of relevant experience.
• NCIDQ certification (preferred).
• Familiarity with facility design, planning, or execution.
• Knowledge of applicable design codes, including ADA.
• Proficiency in Excel, AutoCAD, Bluebeam, Revit, and InDesign.
• Strong presentation, collaboration, problem-solving, and communication skills.
• Ability to travel up to 20%.

Skills

Design Skills

• Design Fundamentals: Strong foundation in spatial planning, aesthetics, and conceptual thinking.
• Programming: Ability to gather, analyze, and synthesize user requirements into design criteria.
• End-User Engagement: Comfortable communicating with end users to understand needs and collect feedback.
• FF&E: Knowledge of selection, specification, and coordination of furniture, fixtures, and equipment.
• Materiality / Finish Selection: Skilled in sourcing, evaluating, and coordinating materials and finishes for aesthetics, durability, and performance.
• Test Fitting: Capability to create quick space plans and assess fit of programs within floorplates.
• Standards Development: Experience creating, documenting, and maintaining design standards.
• ADA / Accessibility Compliance: Understanding of accessibility codes and universal design principles.
• Graphic Skills: Ability to visually communicate design ideas through diagrams, renderings, and presentations.
• Organization: Strong organizational skills for managing tasks, files, and project workflows.
• Presentation Production: Preparing professional presentations and deliverables for clients and stakeholders.

Software Skills

• Revit (Proficient)
• Enscape (Proficient)
• InDesign (Proficient)
• AutoCAD (Proficient)
• Microsoft Office Suite (Proficient)
• Bluebeam (Proficient)

Professional & Interpersonal Qualities

• Client-Facing Presence: Able to represent the team and firm with professionalism.
• Conversation Leadership: Comfortable guiding discussions with clients and stakeholders.
• Confidence: Self-assured without being overbearing.
• Flexibility & Adaptability: Able to pivot quickly between tasks and priorities.
• Maturity: Demonstrates sound judgment and professionalism.
• Communication Skills: Clear, concise, and effective in both verbal and written form.
• Presentation Skills: Confident and polished when presenting ideas or deliverables.
• Decisiveness: Capable of making "game-time” decisions when needed.
• Amiable Personality: Approachable, collaborative, and easy to work with.
• Ambition: Motivated to grow and take ownership of responsibilities.
• Humility: Open to feedback, not ego-driven.
• Practical Design Approach: Values functionality and appropriateness over flashy design.
• Diligence: Thorough and detail-oriented in follow-through.
• Resilience: Able to take criticism constructively and handle challenges with a thick skin.

Project Experience & Typologies

• Workspace / Corporate Office Design (~50% of experience)
• Industrial Design (~20% of experience)
• Aviation (~20% of experience)
• Retail Environments (~10% of experience)
• Interior Architecture (Preferred): Broad, comprehensive experience in interior architecture, ideally spanning all the above typologies.

Benefits

• PTO
• Group Health and Dental Insurance
• 401k (after satisfying waiting periods)