Design Director | Schematic Design + Design Development

Level Five Designs; North Carolina; Remote; USD 140,000 - 190,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Work from home/flexible hours

Unlimited PTO

Medical, dental, vision, disability &

12 weeks paid parental leave

Office and telephone stipend

Collaborative team environment

Job summary

Level Five Designs is seeking a Design Director to lead Schematic Design and Design Development, directing across teams and ensuring buildable commercial interiors built to the client's brand. Remote role for candidates in FL/GA/NC/SC/TN/VA, with Raleigh, NC as base.

You will mentor designers, maintain design standards, and lead client-facing presentations while balancing creativity with constructability and budgets.

Qualifications

• 12+ years of professional interior design experience with deep expertise in Schematic Design and Design Development.
• Strong client-facing communication and problem-solving skills.
• Proven ability to lead, mentor, and inspire high-performing teams.

Responsibilities

• Lead across Schematic Design and Design Development to deliver cohesive, buildable interiors.
• Mentor and manage the Schematic and Design Development teams for professional growth.
• Maintain design standards and collaborate with leadership to align with firm strategy.
• Ensure documentation is coordinated for smooth transition to Construction Documentation.
• Represent the company with a professional executive presence in client meetings and industry events.

Skills

Leadership

Mentoring

Client communication

Detail-oriented

Collaboration

Growth mindset

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Interior Design or Interior Architecture

Tools

Design software proficiency

Job description

DESIGN DIRECTOR | SCHEMATIC DESIGN + DESIGN DEVELOPMENT

REMOTE POSITION : Must live in FL, GA, NC, SC, TN or VA

WHO WE ARE

Level Five Designs is a multi-family interior design firm based in Raleigh, NC. Our goal is to bring property branding to life through our design, finishes and furniture selections for developers, multifamily property managers and asset management firms.

OUR CORE VALUES

• We curate impactful and innovative designs. Always thinking outside the box.
• We don’t have one style. The client's aesthetic is our aesthetic.
• We connect people and places. Making every community feel like home.
• We guide the project from inspiration to installation. Our design bags hold samples and hard hats.
• We deliver the highest level of finish. Standing beside you and for you.

BENEFITS

• Work from home/flexible hours
• Unlimited PTO
• Medical, dental, vision, short term and long term disability and life insurance
• 12 weeks paid parental leave
• Office and telephone stipend
• Collaborative and supportive team environment with an emphasis on work-life balance

POSITION OVERVIEW

The Design Director provides creative, technical, and operational leadership across the Schematic Design and Design Development departments, ensuring Level Five Designs consistently delivers thoughtful, distinctive, cohesive, and buildable commercial interior environments.

GENERAL | LEADERSHIP + VALUES IN ACTION

The Design Director is expected to:

• Lead with empathy, integrity, and trust, creating an environment where teams feel supported, challenged, empowered and accountable
• Model and promote Level Five Designs' values, culture, design philosophy, and commitment to exceptional client service
• Take initiative naturally, proactively identifying risks, inefficiencies, and opportunities and translating them into thoughtful, actionable solutions
• Maintain a composed, positive, confident and inspiring presence, even during high-pressure project phases and complex client situations
• Represent the company with a professional and polished executive presence during client meetings, site visits, industry events and other professional engagements
• Build strong, respectful relationships with clients, consultants, vendors, industry partners, and internal teams through transparency, communication and care
• Foster a culture of curiosity, collaboration, creativity, technical excellence, accountability, and continuous improvement
• Challenge teams to think holistically, design intentionally, solve problems creatively, and continuously elevate design quality and material standards
• Demonstrate an ownership mindset, balancing the creative aspirations of the company with its operational and financial objectives

SCHEMATIC AND DESIGN DEVELOPMENT LEADERSHIP + CONTINUOUS IMPROVEMENT

• Collaborate with senior leadership to develop and refine firm-wide Schematic and Design Development standards, and support their ongoing implementation and maintenance
• Lead design of mood boards, spatial layouts, materials, and detailing to ensure cohesive, buildable design solutions
• Ensure all Schematic Design Development selections align with the project's established design vision while supporting brand storytelling, user experience, durability, budget, and long-term performance
• Balance creativity with constructability, cost awareness, and long-term performance.
• Partner with the leadership team to align project execution with overall design strategy and operational goals
• Maintain current knowledge of applicable commercial building codes, ADA requirements, life safety standards, and regulatory requirements in the states where projects are performed.
• Partner with consultants, contractors, and internal technical teams to resolve design conflicts and constructability concerns
• Lead value-engineering strategies that balance design integrity, project costs, client expectations, and construction requirements
• Ensure Design Development documentation is appropriately coordinated and prepared for successful transition into Construction Documentation
• Provide technical and design guidance during downstream project phases when necessary to support approved design intent

L5D DESIGN STANDARDS + DESIGN INNOVATION

• Lead the development, implementation, and ongoing refinement of Level Five Designs' company-wide design standards and creative frameworks
• Establish clear design quality benchmarks that reinforce the firm's design philosophy, support consistent project delivery, and allow for thoughtful project-specific creativity
• Direct the creation and maintenance of structured design standards and specification libraries covering materials, finishes, lighting, furniture, fixtures, and other commercial interior design elements
• Ensure design standards consider aesthetic quality, commercial durability, functionality, constructability, maintenance, budget alignment, and procurement efficiency
• Establish and maintain Schematic Design and Design Development documentation standards, quality control processes, SOPs, and reference resources
• Continuously evaluate emerging design trends, materials, technologies, products, and industry innovations to evolve the firm's creative direction
• Develop and share design trend forecasts, research, and inspiration to inform future projects and support team development
• Champion continuous improvement in design methodologies, creative tools, technical coordination, and documentation practices

TEAM LEADERSHIP + MENTORSHIP

• Lead, mentor, and manage the Schematic and Design Development team, fostering accountability, trust, and professional growth
• Guide teams through product research, sourcing, specification, budgeting, and documentation processes
• Support career development through coaching, feedback, and hands-on guidance.
• Collaborate with senior leadership to build scalable workflows that support high-quality delivery across multiple active projects

PROJECT OVERSIGHT + TECHNICAL EXCELLENCE

• Maintain comprehensive oversight of active Schematic Design and Design Development projects, ensuring deliverables meet established expectations for scope, schedule, quality, and coordination.
• Establish and enforce project review milestones and quality control checkpoints throughout both design phases
• Evaluate project progress and performance, identifying potential risks, resource constraints, and obstacles requiring leadership intervention
• Ensure project teams maintain accountability for accurate documentation, timely deliverables, effective communication, and resolution of outstanding issues
• Conduct strategic reviews of project deliverables, with particular focus on complex, high-profile, or high-risk projects
• Identify recurring quality concerns or project execution challenges and implement corrective actions to improve consistency and reduce rework
• Provide direct project leadership when necessary to resolve escalated design, technical, client, or coordination challenges
• Ensure project handoffs between phases are complete, organized, and supported by clear documentation and communication

CLIENT RELATIONSHIPS + INDUSTRY ENGAGEMENT

• Collaborate with leadership teams to ensure pursuits and public-facing materials are cohesive, compelling, and brand-aligned
• Build and maintain strong relationships with clients, collaborators, and industry partners
• Support identification of emerging market opportunities and service expansion strategies aligned with firm growth
• Represent the company at industry events, conferences, and professional forums as a design thought leader

OPERATIONAL + ADMINISTRATIVE LEADERSHIP

• Manage team schedules, resources, and priorities to ensure the department's work remains aligned with the established project schedule and is delivered on time and at a high level of quality
• Monitor team performance, utilization, and quality metrics
• Ensure compliance with firm systems, documentation standards, and policies

QUALIFICATIONS

• 12+ years of professional interior design experience with deep expertise in Schematic Design and Design Development
• Minimum of 3+ years of multifamily or comparable complex project experience
• Bachelor’s degree in Interior Design or Interior Architecture preferred, or equivalent experience
• Expert-level knowledge of design software, documentation tools, and industry standards
• Strong technical knowledge of materials, detailing, coordination, and constructability
• Proven ability to lead, mentor, and inspire high-performing teams
• Strong client-facing communication and problem-solving skills grounded in clarity, empathy, and confidence
• Highly organized, detail-oriented, and solutions-driven
• High attention to detail and accuracy
• Collaborative, adaptive and growth mindset
• Ability to work autonomously, make informed decisions, and manage competing priorities
• Flexible, resourceful, and committed to continuous improvement

PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS

• Ability to stand, walk, or remain on feet for extended periods
• Ability to lift, carry, push, or pull up to 50–60 lbs as needed
• Ability to bend, stoop, reach, and perform light physical tasks
• Comfortable working in active construction and installation environments, which may include dust, noise, varying temperatures, portable restroom facilities, and uneven surfaces

TRAVEL REQUIREMENTS

• Annual required travel of approximately 20-40 days for discovery meetings, client meetings, project site visits and other project-related activities, in‑state and out of state, currently throughout the Southeast, Mid‑Atlantic, and Southwest, plus approximately 7–15 days for company events and conferences, as needed
• Must live within one hour's drive of a major airport
• Must be comfortable traveling by air for projects located more than a 4 hour drive away
• Must have a valid driver's license and maintain appropriate auto insurance coverage in accordance with company guidelines
• Must have access to a reliable personal vehicle for travel to project sites and company‑related events
• Ability to transport samples and project materials by vehicle as needed