Director - Interior Design and Development

AlFuttaim; Dubai; On-site; AED 446,000 - 670,000; Full time

Job summary

Al-Futtaim Real Estate seeks a Director of Interior Design to lead creative and technical directions for high-end residential, hospitality, and complex development interiors in Dubai. You will manage concept-to-construction processes, establish design standards, and oversee FF&E/OS&E alignment with project goals.

The role requires a decade of experience, strong leadership, and proven ability to coordinate multidisciplinary teams while maintaining cost and quality controls for premium

Qualifications

• Bachelor's Degree in Interior Design or related discipline.
• Minimum 10 years of professional experience in high-end residential, hospitality, or large-scale interior design projects.
• At least 5 years in a leadership role managing designers, consultants, multidisciplinary coordination, and complex design programmes.

Responsibilities

• Lead the interior design function across multiple residential, hospitality, and real estate development projects.
• Direct projects from concept and mood board development through detailed design, documentation, and completion.
• Establish a clear and coordinated design process across all project phases.
• Develop and maintain interior design brand standards, guidelines, and technical requirements aligned with Al-Futtaim property objectives.
• Create specifications and design standards for furniture, fixtures and equipment and operating supplies and equipment.
• Review layouts, detailed drawings, material selections, specifications, and coordinated design packages.
• Ensure FF&E and OS&E selections remain consistent with approved design concepts and project requirements.
• Monitor emerging design trends, materials, technologies, finishes, and construction techniques relevant to high-end interiors.
• Assess the design consultant market and establish qualification criteria for appointing suitable designers.
• Recommend consultant selections based on capability, project fit, technical expertise, and design quality.
• Define design scopes and contribute to preparation and management of consultant agreements and contracts.
• Monitor interior design costs and identify implications arising from scope or design changes.
• Review consultant submissions at each design stage and verify that documentation meets required quality standards.
• Coordinate design interfaces with architecture, engineering, procurement, construction, and operational teams.
• Conduct periodic site observations during construction to assess compliance with approved interior design intent.
• Review mock-ups, samples, materials, finishes, and completed installations before final acceptance.
• Represent Al-Futtaim Real Estate in meetings covering interior design proposals, contracts, consultant performance, and project coordination.
• Identify cost, programme, quality, and constructability impacts associated with proposed design changes.
• Monitor departmental KPIs and provide direction to interior designers and supporting team members.
• Mentor design professionals and encourage consistent delivery of creative and technically robust solutions.
• Support project teams in resolving design conflicts and maintaining alignment between concept vision and final execution.
• Maintain organized records of design approvals, specifications, technical decisions, and consultant deliverables.

Skills

Interior design

Luxury residential design

Hospitality design

Concept design

Mood boards

FF&E

OS&E

Design standards

Design guidelines

Detailed design

Technical specifications

Consultant management

Design consultant selection

Design contracts

Design cost control

Design documentation

Construction documentation

Site observations

Mock-up reviews

Material selection

Finish selection

Design quality assurance

Design change management

Project coordination

Stakeholder management

Team leadership

MS Project

Microsoft Excel

Microsoft Word

Education

Bachelor's Degree in Interior Design

Tools

MS Project

Microsoft Excel

Microsoft Word

Job description

Role Context

The Director will provide creative and technical leadership across interior design projects within Al-Futtaim Real Estate, guiding projects from pre-concept development through detailed design, procurement coordination, construction documentation, and site implementation. The position will establish consistent interior design standards across new and existing properties while maintaining flexibility for different residential and hospitality environments. Strong design governance will be essential to balancing aesthetics, functionality, programme requirements, cost, quality, and long‑term asset value. The Director will also act as a senior representative in consultant reviews, mock-up evaluations, design meetings, and site observations, ensuring that approved concepts are translated accurately into completed spaces.

Job Details

• Country: United Arab Emirates
• City: Dubai
• Industry: Real Estate
• Function: Architecture-Interior Design
• Salary: 40000-60000
• Estimated salary range based on similar jobs in the job city; please confirm the final offer with the employer.
• Gender: Any
• Candidate Nationality: Any
• Job Type: Full-time

Role Context (continued)

The Director will provide creative and technical leadership across interior design projects within Al-Futtaim Real Estate, guiding projects from pre-concept development through detailed design, procurement coordination, construction documentation, and site implementation. The position will establish consistent interior design standards across new and existing properties while maintaining flexibility for different residential and hospitality environments. Strong design governance will be essential to balancing aesthetics, functionality, programme requirements, cost, quality, and long-term asset value. The Director will also act as a senior representative in consultant reviews, mock-up evaluations, design meetings, and site observations, ensuring that approved concepts are translated accurately into completed spaces.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead the interior design function across multiple residential, hospitality, and real estate development projects.
• Direct projects from concept and mood board development through detailed design, documentation, and completion.
• Establish a clear and coordinated design process across all project phases.
• Develop and maintain interior design brand standards, guidelines, and technical requirements aligned with Al-Futtaim property objectives.
• Create specifications and design standards for furniture, fixtures and equipment and operating supplies and equipment.
• Review layouts, detailed drawings, material selections, specifications, and coordinated design packages.
• Ensure FF&E and OS&E selections remain consistent with approved design concepts and project requirements.
• Monitor emerging design trends, materials, technologies, finishes, and construction techniques relevant to high-end interiors.
• Assess the design consultant market and establish qualification criteria for appointing suitable designers.
• Recommend consultant selections based on capability, project fit, technical expertise, and design quality.
• Define design scopes and contribute to preparation and management of consultant agreements and contracts.
• Monitor interior design costs and identify implications arising from scope or design changes.
• Review consultant submissions at each design stage and verify that documentation meets required quality standards.
• Coordinate design interfaces with architecture, engineering, procurement, construction, and operational teams.
• Conduct periodic site observations during construction to assess compliance with approved interior design intent.
• Review mock-ups, samples, materials, finishes, and completed installations before final acceptance.
• Represent Al-Futtaim Real Estate in meetings covering interior design proposals, contracts, consultant performance, and project coordination.
• Identify cost, programme, quality, and constructability impacts associated with proposed design changes.
• Monitor departmental KPIs and provide direction to interior designers and supporting team members.
• Mentor design professionals and encourage consistent delivery of creative and technically robust solutions.
• Support project teams in resolving design conflicts and maintaining alignment between concept vision and final execution.
• Maintain organized records of design approvals, specifications, technical decisions, and consultant deliverables.

Ideal Profile

Candidates should hold a Bachelor's Degree in Interior Design or another relevant design discipline and bring at least 10 years of professional experience in high-end residential, hospitality, or large-scale interior design projects. At least 5 years of experience in a leadership capacity is required, with demonstrated responsibility for managing designers, consultants, multidisciplinary coordination, and complex design programmes. Strong capability in concept development, mood boards, detailed design, FF&E, OS&E, technical standards, consultant management, and construction-stage coordination is essential. Candidates should have a practical understanding of how design changes affect cost, programme, quality, procurement, and construction delivery. Knowledge of applicable standards, regulations, and professional design procedures is important, together with proficiency in Microsoft Word, Excel, and MS Project. The successful professional will combine strong creative judgment with commercial awareness, technical discipline, leadership ability, and confidence communicating with senior stakeholders, consultants, and construction teams.

Skills Set

• Interior design
• Luxury residential design
• Hospitality design
• Concept design
• Mood boards
• FF&E
• OS&E
• Interior design standards
• Design guidelines
• Design development
• Detailed design
• Technical specifications
• Consultant management
• Design consultant selection
• Design contracts
• Design cost control
• Design documentation
• Construction documentation
• Site observations
• Mock-up reviews
• Material selection
• Finish selection
• Design quality assurance
• Design change management
• Project coordination
• Stakeholder management
• Team leadership
• MS Project
• Microsoft Excel
• Microsoft Word

Why Join Us

This senior role offers the opportunity to shape the interior design direction of high-value residential, hospitality, and mixed-use developments in Dubai while influencing projects from initial concept through final construction delivery. Al-Futtaim Real Estate manages a substantial regional property portfolio, creating opportunities to work across complex developments, premium environments, and long-term destination projects. The position provides significant scope to define design standards, lead multidisciplinary teams, influence asset quality, and contribute directly to the identity and experience of major properties.

About the Company

Al-Futtaim is a diversified privately held regional business headquartered in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. Established in the 1930s, the Group operates across automotive, financial services, real estate, retail, and healthcare, employing more than 35000 people across over 20 countries in the Middle East, Asia, and Africa. Al-Futtaim partners with more than 200 international brands and continues to expand through customer-focused operations, strategic investment, and long-term regional growth.