Design Director - Hospitality

Gensler; Bengaluru; On-site; INR 1,800,000 - 3,000,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Profit sharing

Twice annual bonus opportunities

Tuition reimbursement

Job summary

Gensler in Bengaluru seeks a Design Director to shape design excellence, elevate project quality, and build recognition for clients and the firm. Lead teams, mentor talent, and bring fresh approaches to redefine possibilities.

You will expand client relationships, drive opportunities, and strengthen Gensler’s presence in the region through storytelling, concept vision, and ESG-aligned goals across projects and communities.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in design or related field.
• 15+ years’ professional experience, with a strong portfolio of hospitality interiors projects.
• Proven success in client development, design leadership, and managing multi-disciplinary teams.
• Strong storytelling, graphic, and presentation skills.
• Knowledge of materials, finishes, furniture, and specifications.
• Experienced in sustainable design with LEED, WELL, Fitwel, LFA, or Net Zero certification.
• Accreditation in LEED, WELL, Fitwel, or LFA preferred.
• Ability to lead sustainability discussions and deliver ESG-aligned outcomes.
• Committed mentor and team leader, skilled at inspiring and motivating colleagues.

Responsibilities

• Serve as a thought leader, business developer, and design champion, partnering with senior leadership to grow the region’s hospitality practice through expanding client relationships and creating new opportunities.
• Build collaborative relationships within the firm, with clients, and across the broader industry.
• Lead creative direction on projects, guiding the process from concept through delivery.
• Oversee strategic planning, design development, production, and presentation strategies.
• Act as the primary design interface with clients, consultants, and teams, fostering trust and alignment.
• Mentor designers, lead critiques, and cultivate a culture of design excellence.
• Partner with leadership to recruit top talent and strengthen business development efforts.
• Contribute to research, thought leadership, and market recognition through publications, presentations, and industry engagement.
• Embed sustainability into every project by setting clear goals with clients, advancing ESG commitments, and supporting team learning.
• Support office initiatives, interdisciplinary collaboration, and professional development programs.

Job description

Your Role

As a Gensler Design Director, you will shape design excellence, elevate project quality, and build recognition for our clients and the firm. You will combine strategic vision with creative talent to lead teams, mentor the next generation, and bring fresh approaches that redefine what’s possible.

Description

You will act as both design leader and business builder, expanding client relationships, developing new opportunities, and strengthening Gensler’s presence in the region. Through clear storytelling and conceptual vision, you will establish the creative foundation of projects while advancing sustainability and climate goals.

You will inspire talent development, champion diversity and inclusion, and engage with local design communities and universities to grow our pipeline. Beyond project delivery, you will enhance Gensler’s reputation through community engagement, industry events, publications, and awards, advancing both our design leadership and business growth.

What You Will Do

• Serve as a thought leader, business developer, and design champion, partnering with senior leadership to grow the region’s hospitality practice through expanding client relationships and creating new opportunities.
• Build collaborative relationships within the firm, with clients, and across the broader industry.
• Lead creative direction on projects, guiding the process from concept through delivery.
• Oversee strategic planning, design development, production, and presentation strategies.
• Act as the primary design interface with clients, consultants, and teams, fostering trust and alignment.
• Mentor designers, lead critiques, and cultivate a culture of design excellence.
• Partner with leadership to recruit top talent and strengthen business development efforts.
• Contribute to research, thought leadership, and market recognition through publications, presentations, and industry engagement.
• Embed sustainability into every project by setting clear goals with clients, advancing ESG commitments, and supporting team learning.
• Support office initiatives, interdisciplinary collaboration, and professional development programs.

Your Qualifications

• Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in design or related field.
• 15+ years’ professional experience, with a strong portfolio of hospitality interiors projects.
• Proven success in client development, design leadership, and managing multi-disciplinary teams.
• Strong storytelling, graphic, and presentation skills.
• Knowledge of materials, finishes, furniture, and specifications.
• Experienced in sustainable design, with one or more projects demonstrating LEED, WELL, Fitwel, LFA, or Net Zero certification.
• Accreditation in LEED, WELL, Fitwel, or LFA preferred.
• Ability to lead sustainability discussions and deliver ESG-aligned outcomes.
• Committed mentor and team leader, skilled at inspiring and motivating colleagues.

Essential

Your Design Technology Qualifications

• Experience in managing design teams with Revit/Rhino/Grasshopper skills.
• Good knowledge and experience with collaboration within the BIM context, including cloud-based markups, consultant coordination and clash detection.
• Basic understanding and familiarity with real-time rendering processes, and material creation & management within the context of integrated BIM and parametric workflows.
• Familiarity with the BIM project lifecycle through design, construction and operational phases.
• Understanding of BIM deliverables and terminology in contracts.

Desirable

• Experience in establishing and managing BIM teams for project design and delivery.
• Experience in managing design teams with Revit/Rhino/Grasshopper skills.

Applications we work with

• Design Authoring - Revit, Rhino, Autocad, Navisworks
• Collaboration - BIM360
• Computational Design - Grasshopper, Dynamo
• Building Performance Simulation - Insight, Sefaira, Diva, Ladybug tools
• Visualisation – Vray, Enscape, Twinmotion, 3DSMax
• Graphics & Productivity - Adobe Creative Suite, Microsoft Office Suite
• Experiential – Unreal Engine, Unity
• Development – C#, Python

Life at Gensler

As a people-first organization, we are as committed to enjoying life as we are to delivering best-in-class design. From internal design competitions to research grants to “Well-being Week,” our offices reflect our people’s diverse interests.

We encourage every person at Gensler to lead a healthy and balanced life. Our comprehensive benefits include medical, dental, vision, disability and wellness programs. We also offer profit sharing and twice annual bonus opportunities.

As part of the firm’s commitment to licensure and professional development, Gensler offers reimbursement for certain professional licenses and associated renewals and exam fees. In addition, we reimburse tuition for certain eligible programs or classes. We view our professional development programs as strategic investments in our future.

NOTICE TO APPLICANTS

We are proud to be an Equal Employment Opportunity and Affiddative Action employer of choice. All aspects of employment decisions will be based on merit, performance, and business needs. We do not discriminate on the basis of any status protected under appliccable regulatory laws.

Individuals with disabilities and protected veterans are encouraged to apply. We also consider qualified applicants with criminal histories consistent with applicable regulatory laws.

Gensler endeavors to make gensler.com/careers accessible to all applicants. If you need assistance or an accommodation due to a disability, you may contact us.