Design Operations Director

Insidesource; San Francisco (CA); On-site; USD 145,000 - 160,000; Full time

Job summary

Insidesource in San Francisco seeks a Director of Design Operations to elevate the NorCal Design department, align it with strategic business goals, and partner with leadership to deliver exceptional client experiences.

You will build a high-performing team, set KPIs, implement scalable design processes, and ensure resources, workflows, and tools support market-driven outcomes. This role demands strong leadership and a passion for design excellence.

Qualifications

• 10+ years of interior design and/or furniture dealership experience.
• Proven track record of team leadership and of organizational and cultural development; management or supervisory experience required.

Responsibilities

• Define and implement the overall vision for the design practice in alignment with department leadership and organizational goals.
• Oversee health, performance, and development of the design team with hiring, reviews, compensation decisions, and staffing.
• Collaborate with design leaders to optimize workflow and document standards for design processes and project execution.
• Analyze staffing, forecast needs, and balance workloads to support strategic accounts.
• Manage annual design operating budget in partnership with VP Market Engagement; monitor contractor costs and capacity.
• Represent the Design department in company meetings and regional forums; uphold Insidesource values.

Skills

Leadership

Team building

Strategic planning

Design operations

Interiors knowledge

Cross-functional collaboration

KPI development

Budget management

Job description

By nurturing a culture where everyone experiences a deep sense of belonging and equity of opportunity, we will uphold our vision to “unleash human and business potential.” We commit to being an anti-ism workplace and embedding diversity, equity, and inclusion throughout our business.

Job Summary

As the Director, Design Operations, you will lead the NorCal Design department, elevating its performance, processes, and contributions to client experience. You’ll partner with leadership and other department managers to position Design as a strategic business capability at Insidesource.

In this role, you will foster a culture of learning, accountability, and collaboration, and set annual goals, KPIs, and quality standards for all deliverables. You’ll build and lead a top-performing team in partnership with the Design Team Managers, providing designers with the clarity, support, and growth opportunities to do their best work. Behind the scenes, you’ll create the structure that makes great design repeatable: smooth workflows, the right tools, balanced workloads, and resources aligned to evolving market needs and exceptional client outcomes.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

Vision and Leadership

• Define and implement the overall vision for the design practice in alignment with department leadership and organizational goals.
• Advocate for design excellence and innovation throughout the organization and represent the Design department in various NorCal meeting forums.
• Champion a design philosophy that focuses on delivering an elevated client experience, service innovation, and impactful engagement.
• Foster a culture of continuous learning, accountability, and collaboration.
• Stay current with industry standards, trends, and market intelligence to ensure market-leading offerings.

General Management

• Set quarterly and annual goals and KPIs for the Design department.
• Collect internal and external feedback on the department's performance to ensure best-in-class solutions and service.
• Build and maintain a top-performing Design department through recruiting, training, performance management, and professional development.
• Establish quality assurance expectations for all Design department deliverables and ensure KPIs are met.
• Oversee the health, performance, and development of the design team, including hiring, reviews, compensation decisions, and staffing, in partnership with Design Team Managers.
• Manage day-to-day people administration, including approval of expense reports and PTO requests.
• Promote team participation in vendor presentations and training to continuously expand product and technical knowledge.

Strategic Development of Design Process

• Collaborate with design leaders to optimize the design workflow and ensure that all Design procedures are clearly documented, implemented, and accessible.
• Coordinate with design leaders to update standards for design documentation and project execution.
• Work with IT/Business Operations to ensure technical requirements are supported and implemented effectively; evaluate and implement emerging technology tools to support design practices.

Resource Management

• Analyze sales projections, team activity, and feedback to forecast staffing and resourcing needs and ensure optimum deployment of design resources.
• Partner with team managers and individual designers to distribute and balance workloads and optimize design resource assignment and ongoing support for strategic accounts.
• Determine staffing assignments and allocate designers across teams and projects based on business priorities and capacity.
• Manage a tracking system that captures workflow and status for all design team projects.
• Hold regular check-ins with Design Team Managers to monitor team health, KPI's, and progress on annual goals.
• Establish and manage the annual design operating budget in partnership with the VP Market Engagement.
• Monitor and optimize contractor costs, capacity, and capabilities.

Insidesource Core Responsibilities

• Exemplify Insidesource values of Team First, Client Led, Change Makers, Experience Focused.
• Participate in All Company Meetings and Regional Town Halls.
• Embody diversity, equity, and inclusion in our Insider community and business practices.

Supervisory Responsibilities

Directly supervises the NorCal Design Team Managers and, as needed, individual design positions.

Skills, Knowledge, Experience Required

• 10+ years of interior design and/or furniture dealership experience.
• Proven track record of team leadership and of organizational and cultural development; management or supervisory experience required.
• Strong interpersonal and collaborative skills to work effectively with a wide range of personnel and departments at all levels of the organization.
• Business acumen to drive KPIs and build departmental structure and success.
• Comprehensive knowledge of the commercial interior design industry, including project approach and workflow from business development to project close-out.
• Working knowledge of applicable building codes, ADA regulations, and seismic and electrical code requirements.
• Extensive knowledge of workplace furniture and accessories lines.
• Excellent written, verbal, visual, presentation, and facilitation skills.
• Strategic planning and implementation skills.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills.
• Must be a self-starter and critical thinker who is creative and collaborative.

The anticipated salary range for this role is $145k-160k. Actual compensation will be determined based on factors such as geographic location, experience, skills, qualifications, and internal equity.