Design Manager - Interiors - Senior

Gensler; San Jose (CA); On-site; USD 135,000 - 160,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Annual bonuses

401k plan

Tuition reimbursement

Professional licenses reimbursement

Job summary

Gensler, located in Silicon Valley, seeks a Senior Design Manager to lead interior design projects from programming to closeout. You will guide teams, steward client relationships, and ensure design excellence across a diverse portfolio.

You will mentor staff, collaborate across disciplines, and integrate business development with high-quality documentation, standards, and construction administration.

Qualifications

• Professional degree in Interiors or Architecture required.
• 10+ years of professional experience.
• AIA, NCIDQ or CID preferred.
• Expertise in construction documentation, bid review, construction administration, and field observation.
• Strong leadership, communication, and collaboration skills.
• Ability to manage multiple priorities in a fast-paced environment.
• Strong presentation skills.
• Mentorship and team development.
• Understanding of building codes, standards, regulations, and building systems.

Responsibilities

• Guide teams through all phases of project delivery with leadership from start to finish.
• Lead development and execution of projects, ensuring design intent, quality, budget, schedule, and compliance.
• Leverage client relationships to build capabilities and pipelines for new work.
• Collaborate across offices and studios within the firm.
• Mentor staff and grow design talent across teams.
• Communicate status of projects, pursuits, and teams to leadership.
• Support recruitment of best-in-class talent and drive thought leadership.

Skills

Project leadership

Client relationship management

Interior design

Presentation skills

Mentorship

Team collaboration

Business development

Design leadership

Technical excellence

Education

Professional degree in Interiors or Architecture

AIA/NCIDQ/CID preferred

Job description

Description

Located in the heart of the city, the Gensler San Jose office serves as one of the firm’s key locations and a hub for innovation, collaboration, and interdisciplinary design excellence. Home to a diverse collective of architects, interior designers, strategists, planners, and technical experts, the office supports a broad range of practice areas including Workplace, Mixed-Use, Build-to-Suit, Critical Facilities, R&D Labs, Higher Education, and Corporate Interiors.

Located in the heart of the city, the Gensler San Jose office serves as one of the firm’s key locations and a hub for innovation, collaboration, and interdisciplinary design excellence. Home to a diverse collective of architects, interior designers, strategists, planners, and technical experts, the office supports a broad range of practice areas including Workplace, Mixed-Use, Build-to-Suit, Critical Facilities, R&D Labs, Higher Education, and Corporate Interiors.

Your Role

As a Senior Design Manager in Gensler's Silicon Valley office, you will leverage your project leadership, client relationship management, and interior design expertise to drive design excellence across a diverse portfolio of projects ranging in scale and complexity. You will serve as a key leader within our Interiors practice, guiding teams through all phases of the design process, from programming, workplace strategy, and concept development through documentation, delivery, and project closeout.

This role requires a passionate and experienced design leader who thrives in a collaborative environment and brings deep expertise in the planning, design, and execution of innovative interior environments. You will balance design vision with project delivery, ensuring solutions are creative, functional, technically sound, and aligned with client goals.

The ideal candidate will possess exceptional design leadership skills, strong presentation and client engagement abilities, and a demonstrated capacity to translate client needs into thoughtful, impactful interior design solutions. You will have a comprehensive understanding of the end-to-end project lifecycle, including business development pursuits, client presentations, strategic planning, design development, documentation, consultant coordination, and construction administration.

As a self-motivated and collaborative leader, you will partner closely with colleagues across studios, disciplines, and offices throughout the firm while building strong relationships with clients, consultants, contractors, and industry partners. You will play a pivotal role in mentoring and developing design talent, fostering a culture of innovation and collaboration, and serving as a trusted advisor to both project teams and clients.

What You Will Do

• Partner with Studio Directors, Principals, and project leadership to guide teams through all phases of project delivery
• Lead the development and execution of projects, ensuring design intent, quality standards, budget, schedule, and regulatory requirements are achieved
• Utilize your experience in project leadership and client relationship skills to build our capabilities to inspire and deliver projects of all scales and complexities
• Work collaboratively with others in your studio and in the Northwest region.
• Be accountable and manage the financial health of projects and client relationships.
• Lead a team or individually respond to RFQ / RFPs to build a pipeline of new work.
• Trach financial performance of projects
• Prepare project proposals, negotiate contracts and fees, coordinate the bidding process
• Keep pace with technology advances and the design innovations required to develop the supporting critical infrastructure.
• Effectively and routinely communicate with your leadership on status of projects, pursuits, and teams.
• Work closely with office leadership to identify and recruit best-in-class talent
• Actively mentor staff in their growth in the design profession
• Strengthen our market reputation through thought leadership and a differentiated point of view
• Foster and encourage a positive work environment amongst peers and teams
• Partner with studio leadership and legal counsel on matters related to project delivery, contracts, and construction-related risk management

Your Qualifications

• Professional degree in Interiors or Architecture required
• Minimum 10+ years of professional experience
• AIA, NCIDQ or CID preferred
• Demonstrated expertise in construction documentation, bid review, construction administration, and field observation
• Strong leadership, communication, and collaboration skills
• Ability to effectively manage multiple priorities in a fast-paced environment
• Must have strong presentation skills
• Passion for mentorship, team development, and technical excellence
• Strong understanding of building codes, standards, regulations, and specification writing Extensive experience in construction administration, construction contracts, and building systems including exterior enclosures, roofing/waterproofing, and primary building systems

To be considered for this opportunity, you must UPLOAD A SAMPLE DESIGN PORTFOLIO to the attachments section of your application.

The base salary range is estimated between $135,000 - $160,000 and is contingent on experience and qualifications. Gensler's compensation package is multi-layered and includes a base salary, two annual bonuses paid in December and June. To learn more about our compensation philosophy and full benefits offerings, please visit: Great People, Great Rewards | Gensler **

Life at Gensler

At Gensler, we are as committed to enjoying life as we are to delivering best-in-class design. From curated art exhibits to internal design competitions to “Well-being Awareness 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, wellness programs, flex spending, paid holidays, and paid time off. We also offer a 401k, profit sharing, employee stock ownership, and twice annual bonus opportunities. Our annual base salary range has been established based on local markets.

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 Affirative 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 federal, state and local law.

Individuals with disabilities and protected veterans are encouraged to apply. We also consider qualified applicants with criminal histories consistent with federal, state and local law.

See also Know your rights: Workplace discrimination is illegal, right to work and E-verify program, as required by law.

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.