Senior Interior Design Manager

Mace; Dubai; On-site; AED 600,000 - 1,200,000; Full time

Job summary

Mace in Dubai seeks a senior Interior Design Director to lead the strategy and delivery of a landmark retail and mixed-use development. You will manage international consultants and guide design from concept through construction, ensuring luxury, sustainability, and premium customer experiences.

You will coordinate with leasing, operations, asset management, marketing, and development teams, drive digital and experiential concepts, and uphold local regulations and safety standards.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in interior design or related discipline.
• Professional qualification and/or membership with a recognised industry body preferred.
• Significant experience in interior design and design management.
• Proven experience delivering major retail, shopping mall, mixed-use, lifestyle, hospitality, or entertainment developments.
• Strong client-side, developer, or PMC experience on complex developments.
• Demonstrated experience managing multiple international design consultants and specialist design teams.
• Strong understanding of the complete design lifecycle from concept through construction and handover.
• Extensive knowledge of FF&E, materials, lighting design, customer journey planning, and experiential retail environments.
• Experience delivering high-end retail districts, luxury retail environments, flagship destinations, or iconic public spaces.
• Excellent stakeholder management and presentation skills.
• Experience operating within fast-paced, multi-stakeholder development environments.
• Knowledge of sustainability frameworks, smart building technologies, and future retail trends.
• Understanding of local building regulations, life safety requirements, and accessibility standards.

Responsibilities

• Directing the interior design strategy and vision for a large-scale retail and mixed-use development from concept through delivery.
• Managing internationally renowned interior design consultants and specialist design teams throughout all project stages.
• Driving innovative retail, lifestyle, entertainment, and experiential design concepts that enhance customer engagement and destination appeal.
• Overseeing design development, design reviews, presentations, approvals, and technical coordination across all interior environments.
• Supervising the design of public areas, retail streets, food halls, entertainment districts, family attractions, lounges, concierge facilities, and premium customer environments.
• Reviewing and approving material palettes, finishes, FF&E, lighting concepts, wayfinding integration, artwork strategies, and experiential design elements.
• Collaborating with leasing, operations, asset management, marketing, and development teams to ensure commercial objectives are integrated into design decisions.
• Driving innovation through digital experiences, immersive environments, smart technologies, sustainability initiatives, and future-focused retail concepts.
• Managing design interfaces between interior designers, architects, landscape architects, lighting consultants, signage consultants, and engineering disciplines.
• Ensuring design compliance with local regulations, authority requirements, accessibility standards, sustainability targets, and operational needs.
• Leading value engineering workshops while protecting design intent and customer experience objectives.
• Monitoring consultant performance, programme delivery, design quality, and budget compliance.
• Preparing executive-level presentations and design reports for senior leadership and stakeholders.
• Benchmarking global best practices and emerging trends in luxury retail, experiential retail, entertainment destinations, and mixed-use developments.

Skills

Interior design leadership

Stakeholder management

Multi-team coordination

Retail & mixed-use design

Client-side experience

Education

Bachelor’s degree in interior design

Job description

Mace combines construction expertise with consultancy to unlock potential in every person or project and redefine the boundaries of ambition. Our values shape the way we consult and define the people we want to join us on our journey.

The Project

A landmark residential community development in Dubai, creating a nature-led living environment that integrates contemporary homes with extensive green spaces, wellness-focused amenities, and sustainable infrastructure. The project is designed to enhance quality of life, foster community connections, and deliver a distinctive, people-centric urban destination.

You’ll Be Responsible For

• Directing the interior design strategy and vision for a large-scale retail and mixed-use development from concept through delivery.
• Managing internationally renowned interior design consultants and specialist design teams throughout all project stages.
• Driving innovative retail, lifestyle, entertainment, and experiential design concepts that enhance customer engagement and destination appeal.
• Overseeing design development, design reviews, presentations, approvals, and technical coordination across all interior environments.
• Supervising the design of public areas, retail streets, food halls, entertainment districts, family attractions, lounges, concierge facilities, and premium customer environments.
• Reviewing and approving material palettes, finishes, FF&E, lighting concepts, wayfinding integration, artwork strategies, and experiential design elements.
• Collaborating with leasing, operations, asset management, marketing, and development teams to ensure commercial objectives are integrated into design decisions.
• Driving innovation through digital experiences, immersive environments, smart technologies, sustainability initiatives, and future-focused retail concepts.
• Managing design interfaces between interior designers, architects, landscape architects, lighting consultants, signage consultants, and engineering disciplines.
• Ensuring design compliance with local regulations, authority requirements, accessibility standards, sustainability targets, and operational needs.
• Leading value engineering workshops while protecting design intent and customer experience objectives.
• Monitoring consultant performance, programme delivery, design quality, and budget compliance.
• Preparing executive-level presentations and design reports for senior leadership and stakeholders.
• Benchmarking global best practices and emerging trends in luxury retail, experiential retail, entertainment destinations, and mixed-use developments.

You’ll Need To Have

• Bachelor’s degree in interior design, architecture, environmental design, or a related discipline.
• Professional qualification and/or membership with a recognised industry body preferred.
• Significant experience in interior design and design management.
• Proven experience delivering major retail, shopping mall, mixed-use, lifestyle, hospitality, or entertainment developments.
• Strong client-side, developer, or PMC experience on complex developments.
• Demonstrated experience managing multiple international design consultants and specialist design teams.
• Strong understanding of the complete design lifecycle from concept through construction and handover.
• Extensive knowledge of FF&E, materials, lighting design, customer journey planning, and experiential retail environments.
• Experience delivering high-end retail districts, luxury retail environments, flagship destinations, or iconic public spaces.
• Excellent stakeholder management and presentation skills.
• Experience operating within fast-paced, multi-stakeholder development environments.
• Knowledge of sustainability frameworks, smart building technologies, and future retail trends.
• Understanding of local building regulations, life safety requirements, and accessibility standards.

Our values

Safety first - Going home safe and well: We champion a safe, diverse, and inclusive working environment, understanding the importance of well-being in every team.

Client focus - Deliver on our promise: We own the quality of deliverables and strategic outcomes and build long-term relationships with our clients.

Integrity - Always do the right thing: We influence positive outcomes within our industry while always aligning with our compliance obligations.

Create opportunity - For our people to excel: We champion a continuous improvement culture throughout all activities, inspiring our people and teams to develop.

Mace is an inclusive employer and welcomes interest from a diverse range of candidates. Even if you feel you do not fulfill all the criteria, please apply, as you may still be the best candidate for this role or another role within our organisation.

We are also open to discussing part-time, flexible, and hybrid working options if suitable within the role.

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