Associate

Sybarite; Greater London; Hybrid; GBP 65,000 - 90,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Global luxury projects

Collaborative design environment

Career progression

Competitive salary

Work-life balance

Job summary

Sybarite is seeking a highly creative, Mandarin-speaking Associate to join its London studio and work on large-scale luxury retail projects across China and the Middle East. The Associate will play a leading role within multidisciplinary project teams, combining design direction, technical understanding and project management to deliver complex international projects.

Working closely with Senior Management, clients, consultants and internal teams, you will maintain design quality while

Qualifications

• Significant professional experience within architecture, interiors or large-scale retail design.
• Experience managing multidisciplinary project teams and complex project deliverables.
• Strong knowledge of fabrication, building techniques, manufacturing and construction processes.
• Experience coordinating consultants, contractors, suppliers and manufacturers.
• Understanding of contract administration, resourcing and financial planning.
• Experience working directly with clients and senior project stakeholders.
• Fluency in Mandarin Chinese.

Responsibilities

• Champion design quality and provide clear creative direction across the project team.
• Lead and manage project production across key design stages.
• Review work and identify technical issues, coordination requirements and opportunities for improvement.
• Coordinate project design with structural, MEP, façade, lighting and cost consultants, contractors and specialist partners.
• Direct, mentor and support junior team members.
• Support client briefings and ongoing communication.

Skills

Design leadership

Project management

Team mentoring

Client-facing communication

Design communication

Analytical ability

Commercial awareness

Job description

Right to work in the UK

About the Role

Sybarite is seeking a highly creative, Mandarin-speaking Associate to join its London studio and work on large-scale luxury retail projects across China and the Middle East. The Associate will play a leading role within multidisciplinary project teams, combining design direction, technical understanding and project management to deliver complex international projects. Working closely with Senior Management, clients, consultants and internal teams, you will maintain design quality while establishing clear workflows, responsibilities and priorities throughout the project lifecycle.

About You

• Champion design quality and provide clear creative direction across the project team.
• Lead and manage project production across key design stages.
• Bring considered design ideas and insight to the wider project approach.
• Review work produced by the team and identify technical issues, coordination requirements and opportunities for improvement.
• Make informed decisions on design specifications.
• Ensure work reflects the direction established by Senior Management and meets Sybarite’s quality standards.

Project Management

• Establish effective project workflows, responsibilities and working routines.
• Compile and review design-stage deliverables.
• Organise internal and external design workshops and reviews.
• Manage project schedules, priorities and team resources.
• Support delivery against agreed time, cost and quality requirements.
• Produce and coordinate meeting agendas, minutes and project notes.
• Support resource planning in collaboration with the Associate Director.
• Act as a key point of contact for project-related design queries.
• Support client briefings and ongoing communication.
• Provide technical and professional input in response to client requirements.
• Coordinate project design with structural, MEP, façade, lighting and cost consultants, contractors and specialist partners.
• Build productive relationships with suppliers and manufacturers.
• Report significant project issues to Senior Management.
• Direct, mentor and support junior team members.
• Help organise work and distribute responsibilities effectively.
• Maintain team motivation and flag relevant issues to the Associate Director.
• Encourage collaboration across teams and disciplines.
• Contribute positively to studio initiatives and culture.

QUALIFICATION & EXPERIENCE

• Significant professional experience within architecture, interiors or large-scale retail design.
• Experience managing multidisciplinary project teams and complex project deliverables.
• Strong knowledge of fabrication, building techniques, manufacturing and construction processes.
• Experience coordinating consultants, contractors, suppliers and manufacturers.
• Understanding of contract administration, resourcing and financial planning.
• Experience working directly with clients and senior project stakeholders.
• Fluency in Mandarin Chinese.

KEY SKILLS

• Strong design judgement and the ability to communicate a clear design vision.
• Project and team-management skills.
• Strong organisational and analytical ability.
• Commercial awareness and developing negotiation skills.Confident client-facing communication.
• Ability to balance design ambition with technical and commercial requirements.
• Strong mentoring and team-development skills.
• Ability to manage multiple priorities simultaneously.

WHAT WE OFFER

Sybarite offers a wide range of non-contractual additional benefits, a few of which are listed below.

• The opportunity to work on globally recognised luxury retail and mixed-use developments.
• Exposure to some of the most ambitious and innovative projects currently being delivered in Asia.
• A collaborative, multidisciplinary design environment.
• Career progression within a globally recognised design practice.
• Competitive salary and benefits package.
• A studio culture that values creativity, innovation, wellbeing and work-life balance.

All duties associated with this role shall be carried out in accordance with the organisation’s Quality and Environmental Management Systems, ensuring compliance with ISO 9001 and ISO 14001 standards, and supporting continuous improvement, risk-based thinking, and environmental responsibility. Company landscapes are constantly evolving. As such, the job descriptions and role expectations for each position are not set in stone. They are reviewed and updated regularly to align with the changing requirements and strategic goals of the business. This flexibility allows us to adapt to new challenges and opportunities, ensuring that our team remains agile and responsive. We value adaptability and encourage our employees to embrace change as part of their professional growth and contribution to the company’s success.