Senior Design Director

About the role

JLL Design seeks an accomplished Senior Design Director to lead creative and strategic excellence across our North American interiors practice.

Responsibilities

• Develop and articulate design vision and strategy for complex workplace interior projects.
• Lead design charrettes and visioning sessions with senior client stakeholders, establishing design direction.
• Champion design excellence across project portfolios while ensuring consistency with firm standards and methodologies.
• Direct all phases of design development from concept through construction documentation, maintaining design integrity throughout project lifecycle.
• Review, approve, and/or lead design deliverables including space plans, design documentation and visualization, finish selections, client presentations, and detail documentation.
• Cook up with technical disciplines including MEP, structural, acoustics, and technology to ensure integrated, holistic design solutions.
• Conduct design quality reviews and mentor project teams to elevate design standards.
• Serve as primary design contact for key client accounts, building trusted advisor relationships with C-suite executives, real estate leaders, and workplace strategists.
• Lead client presentations communicating design concepts, rationale, and value proposition with clarity and conviction.
• Navigate complex stakeholder environments, facilitating consensus among diverse groups while managing expectations and maintaining design vision.
• Provide regular coaching, feedback, and professional development opportunities to strengthen team capabilities.
• Co-lead workplace strategy agenda for the North American practice, aligning design direction with evolving ways of working, real estate goals, and workplace trends.
• Lead strategic advisory engagements, including workplace visioning, work pattern analysis, and occupancy planning, that connect client business objectives to design outcomes.
• Grow the design and strategy practice across North America, contributing to revenue targets, pursuit strategy, and integrated service offerings.
• Partner with leadership to develop tools, methodologies, and thought leadership that strengthen JLL Design's strategic capability and market position.
• Use workplace data, research, and post-occupancy insight to inform decisions and demonstrate measurable value to clients.

Qualifications & Skills

• 15+ years’ experience working on commercial Interior Design with significant focus on workplace environments through design and consultancy.
• Bachelor's or master’s degree in interior design, Interior Architecture, or Architecture from an accredited program.
• NCIDQ certification required.
• LEED AP, WELL AP, or Fitwel Ambassador credentials strongly preferred.
• Demonstrated portfolio of completed workplace projects showcasing design leadership on projects of varying scale and complexity.
• Proven track record leading design for Fortune 500 companies, corporate headquarters, or similar high-profile workplace projects.
• Expert-level proficiency in space planning, programming, and workplace strategy principles.
• Advanced knowledge of building systems, construction methods, and materials applications.
• Comprehensive understanding of accessibility codes and life safety requirements.
• Proficiency with design software including Revit, AutoCAD, SketchUp, Adobe Creative Suite, and visualization tools.
• Familiarity with workplace data analytics platforms and occupancy planning tools.
• Exceptional leadership presence with ability to inspire teams and influence senior stakeholders.
• Strong project management skills including budgeting and scheduling.
• Proven ability to manage multiple complex projects simultaneously while maintaining design quality and meeting deadlines.
• Experience mentoring junior staff and building high-performing teams.
• Outstanding verbal and written communication skills with ability to articulate complex design concepts to diverse audiences.
• Polished presentation skills with experience presenting to C-suite executives and large groups.
• Strong facilitation and consensus-building capabilities.
• Able to prepare compelling design narratives and documentation.
• Understanding of commercial real estate fundamentals, workplace economics, and client business drivers.
• Awareness of competitive landscape and market trends affecting workplace design sector.
• Established industry relationships and professional network.
• Entrepreneurial attitude - must be self-motivated and self-managed and can multi-task and organize several projects at a given time.
• Able to meet concurrent deadlines, sometimes under pressure and tight deadlines.
• Seeks out and responds well to feedback and direction from others.
• Able to work both independently and within the fabric of a design team.
• Team player, culture-builder.
• Proven experience leading workplace strategy, consulting, or advisory engagements, translating business goals, work patterns, and occupancy data into actionable workplace recommendations.
• Demonstrated success setting strategic direction across a regional or national practice, including portfolio-level and multi-account programs.
• Experience contributing to business growth, including go-to-market strategy, leading pursuits, and supporting practice financial performance across North America.
• Fluency in change management, workplace research, and post-occupancy evaluation to connect design decisions to measurable business and employee outcomes.
• Strong command of workplace data and analytics, using utilization, occupancy, and experience metrics to guide strategy and demonstrate value.
• Track record building, integrating, and leading multidisciplinary design and strategy teams across multiple locations.