Design Director

Carbone Leadership; Town of Florida (NY); On-site; USD 120,000 - 190,000; Full time

Job summary

Carbone Leadership seeks a Design Director to steer a growing luxury residential interior design division, leading four design teams, shaping client experiences, and safeguarding design excellence across all projects.

The role requires a senior designer mindset with strong leadership, communication, problem solving, and business acumen to drive revenue and profitability while maintaining exceptional client service.

Qualifications

• Proven track record of guiding designers and multiple complex projects simultaneously.
• Excellent design judgment with luxury residential interiors expertise.
• Strong knowledge of space planning, furnishings, finishes, specs, and construction docs.

Responsibilities

• Oversee all design projects and four design teams, ensuring deadlines and deliverables.
• Mentor designers in design, presentation, selling, time management, and client communication.
• Review and approve concepts, space plans, specs, and presentations before client delivery.
• Maintain visibility across projects and identify issues early; drive projects forward.
• Build strong client relationships and step in for senior-level attention when needed.
• Drive revenue by expanding project scope, furnishings, and services while tracking budgets.

Skills

People management

Luxury interiors

Space planning

AutoCAD

Client presentations

Budgeting

Tools

AutoCAD

Presentation software

Job description

We are seeking an accomplished, highly organized Design Director to lead our client's growing luxury residential interior design division and oversee client work across four design teams.

This is a senior leadership role for someone who can run the day-to-day design department, develop and manage designers, maintain exceptional design standards, navigate complex client relationships, drive projects forward, and identify opportunities for growth.

The right person will be an exceptional designer, but equally important, a strong leader, communicator, problem solver, and business-minded operator. This person should anticipate issues, make decisions, hold teams accountable, and take ownership without requiring constant direction from the Creative Director.

Core Duties

• Lead the Design Department
• Protect Design Quality
• Own the Client Experience
• Drive Revenue & Profitability
• Manage Projects & Accountability
• Collaborate Across the Company

Key Responsibilities

• Oversee all design projects, clients, deadlines, and deliverables across four design teams.
• Manage workloads, priorities, schedules, and accountability to keep projects moving forward.
• Review and approve design concepts, space plans, selections, specifications, and presentations before they reach clients.
• Mentor designers in design, organization, presentation, selling, time management, and client communication.
• Maintain visibility across all projects and proactively identify issues before they become problems.
• Build strong client relationships and step in confidently when senior-level attention or problem resolution is needed.
• Lead important client presentations, design reviews, and product selection meetings.
• Drive revenue and profitability by identifying opportunities to expand project scope, increase furnishings and product sales, and introduce additional services.
• Monitor project budgets and financial performance while maintaining exceptional design and service.
• Provide hands‑on design, sourcing, space planning, and AutoCAD support when needed.
• Collaborate closely with purchasing, operations, project management, installation, and business development.
• Implement systems that improve organization, communication, efficiency, and accountability.

What We Are Looking For

• Proven success managing designers and multiple complex projects simultaneously.
• Exceptional design judgment and a sophisticated understanding of luxury residential interiors.
• Strong knowledge of space planning, furnishings, finishes, specifications, construction documentation, and project execution.
• Strong AutoCAD capabilities and proficiency in relevant design and presentation software.
• Highly organized, proactive, and comfortable creating structure and accountability.
• A confident, decisive leader who follows through and solves problems.
• Excellent client‑facing, presentation, negotiation, and communication skills.
• Strong emotional intelligence and the ability to manage different personalities and challenging situations.
• A commercial mindset with an understanding of sales, project scope, budgets, and profitability.

The Person Who Will Thrive Here

The successful candidate naturally takes ownership. They see a problem and solve it, recognize when a designer needs support and step in, and know when a client requires attention before an issue escalates.

They can move seamlessly between creative direction, team leadership, client management, project oversight, problem solving, and sales—while keeping the department organized, the team accountable, clients happy, and projects moving forward.

The Opportunity

The Design Director will work directly alongside the Founder and Creative Director of one of South Florida's premier luxury residential interior design firms.

Our client is nationally recognized for designing exceptional private residences throughout the United States and the Caribbean, serving an elite clientele that includes professional athletes, business executives, entrepreneurs, and high-net-worth families.

The firm has earned national recognition through major media outlets and leading design publications and continues to build a reputation for exceptional creativity, service, and execution.

Today, our client is part of a larger national organization, creating a unique opportunity to combine the culture and personal access of a leading design studio with the resources, infrastructure, product capabilities, and national reach of an established organization.

The Design Director will work closely with executive leadership on the creative and strategic direction of the division, with exposure to exceptional residences, luxury developments, high‑level clients, industry relationships, media opportunities, and the business of growing a nationally recognized luxury design brand.

Why This Opportunity

This is more than a leadership role, it's an opportunity to help shape the future of an established luxury design firm while leading a talented team of designers, influencing company growth, and delivering extraordinary homes for an exceptional clientele.