Design Manager

Jobtailor; Greater London; On-site; GBP 65,000 - 90,000; Full time

Job summary

Charcoalblue seeks a senior event and spaces designer to provide subject matter expertise and lead design guidance for venues and experiential spaces. You will collaborate with clients, project managers, and design teams to develop briefs, user journeys, and strategic visions, delivering clear presentations and progress updates.

Position involves reading construction drawings, representing the client, and ensuring effective design standards while working with UK-based teams and GMT+1 schedules.

Qualifications

• Minimum five (5) years of professional experience in event management and operations, or design and construction of spaces relating to performing arts, events, executive briefing centers, experiential design, or hospitality and leisure
• Ability to read construction drawings and specifications
• Professional interest in construction projects
• Relevant design management or client representation experience is desirable
• Formal qualification or degree in architecture, interior design, venue design, or related field is desirable
• Skilled in visual, written, and verbal communication of design issues
• Practical understanding of AIA design stages and information requirements at each stage
• Ability to synthesize complex information and high-level concepts into clear, concise, visually compelling presentations
• Experience in experiential design, executive briefing programs, theatre, performing arts, or event-space buildings
• Proven vision, leadership, and strategic skills
• Understanding of construction terminology, building systems, and project sequence/timing
• Ability to help steer decision-making and processing
• Ability to work collaboratively and at a fast pace with self-motivation and initiative
• Outstanding verbal and written communication skills
• Ability to manage multiple projects simultaneously
• Detail-oriented with ability to plan and execute projects in different phases with little direct supervision
• Informed design sensibility and curious, open approach to design
• Ability to work calmly under pressure
• Flexibility and adaptability to changing business needs
• Ability to build relationships with colleagues, clients, vendors, stakeholders, and management
• Must be available for daily meetings during GMT+1 business hours
• UK-based candidate strongly preferred, within relatively easy travel distance of London or Bristol offices

Responsibilities

• Provide subject matter expertise and design guidance for events and experiences spaces
• Optimize architectural designs of event, collaboration, and executive briefing venues, activations, and support spaces for guest and user experience
• Develop client requirements documentation and architectural design briefs
• Develop, document, analyze, and present user journey and strategic visioning studies
• Deliver and maintain progress reports and presentations for stakeholders and partners
• Communicate stakeholder requirements, project aims, and design intent through written and drawn documentation
• Act as a key contact for client stakeholders, project managers, and design teams
• Collaborate with clients, external partners, and the wider Charcoalblue team
• Develop design standards and guidance
• Participate in design team and project meetings, advising on schedule and cost considerations
• Represent Charcoalblue professionally with clients and collaborators
• Improve collaboration and communication with clients and develop innovative approaches to portfolios of spaces

Skills

Event Management

Experiential Design

Architectural Design

Client Representation

Construction Drawings

Collaboration

Leadership

Adaptability

Relationship Building

Presentation Skills

Education

Degree in Architecture

Degree in Interior Design

Degree in Venue Design

Job description

• Provide subject matter expertise and design guidance for events and experiences spaces
• Optimize architectural designs of event, collaboration, and executive briefing venues, activations, and support spaces for guest and user experience
• Develop client requirements documentation and architectural design briefs
• Develop, document, analyze, and present user journey and strategic visioning studies
• Deliver and maintain progress reports and presentations for stakeholders and partners
• Communicate stakeholder requirements, project aims, and design intent through written and drawn documentation
• Act as a key contact for client stakeholders, project managers, and design teams
• Collaborate with clients, external partners, and the wider Charcoalblue team
• Develop design standards and guidance
• Participate in design team and project meetings, advising on schedule and cost considerations
• Represent Charcoalblue professionally with clients and collaborators
• Improve collaboration and communication with clients and develop innovative approaches to portfolios of spaces

Requirements

• Minimum five (5) years of professional experience in event management and operations, or design and construction of spaces relating to performing arts, events, executive briefing centers, experiential design, or hospitality and leisure
• Ability to read construction drawings and specifications
• Professional interest in construction projects
• Relevant design management or client representation experience is desirable
• Formal qualification or degree in architecture, interior design, venue design, or related field is desirable
• Skilled in visual, written, and verbal communication of design issues
• Practical understanding of AIA design stages and information requirements at each stage
• Ability to synthesize complex information and high-level concepts into clear, concise, visually compelling presentations
• Experience in experiential design, executive briefing programs, theatre, performing arts, or event-space buildings
• Proven vision, leadership, and strategic skills
• Understanding of construction terminology, building systems, and project sequence/timing
• Ability to help steer decision-making and processing
• Ability to work collaboratively and at a fast pace with self-motivation and initiative
• Outstanding verbal and written communication skills
• Ability to manage multiple projects simultaneously
• Detail-oriented with ability to plan and execute projects in different phases with little direct supervision
• Informed design sensibility and curious, open approach to design
• Ability to work calmly under pressure
• Flexibility and adaptability to changing business needs
• Ability to build relationships with colleagues, clients, vendors, stakeholders, and management
• Must be available for daily meetings during GMT+1 business hours
• UK-based candidate strongly preferred, within relatively easy travel distance of London or Bristol offices

Core Competencies

Demonstrates expertise in event management and design, with a strong ability to communicate complex design concepts clearly and effectively. Proven experience in collaborating with clients and stakeholders to optimize user experiences in various event and performance spaces.

Highest-signal resume keywords

• Event Management
• Experiential Design
• Architectural Design
• Client Representation
• Construction Drawings

ATS Optimization Keywords

Hard Skills

• Design Management
• User Journey Analysis
• AIA Design Stages
• Construction Terminology
• Project Sequencing
• Visual Communication
• Written Communication
• Verbal Communication
• Presentation Skills
• Detail-Oriented Project Planning

Soft Skills

• Collaboration
• Leadership
• Adaptability
• Relationship Building
• Self-Motivation

Certifications & Qualifications

• Degree in Architecture
• Degree in Interior Design
• Degree in Venue Design

Industry Keywords

• Performing Arts
• Event-Space Buildings
• Executive Briefing Centers
• Hospitality
• Leisure