Designer and Showroom Manager

Bay Insight Builders; Berkeley (CA); On-site; USD 50,000 - 70,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical, dental, and vision insurance

PTO and sick leave

Saturdays showroom schedule

Job summary

Bay Insight Builders in Berkeley is seeking a Showroom Design & Sales Lead to run the showroom daily, sell the full design-build service, and guide clients from first visit to signed contract. You will design kitchen and bath spaces with buildability in mind, lead client selections, and coordinate with the build team to scope full remodels.

You will also help build AI tools for design intake, proposal drafting, and lead tracking, integrating CRM and estimating tools.

Qualifications

• 3+ years of kitchen and bath design experience, residential or multifamily.
• 2+ years of sales experience, including managing a pipeline and closing contracts.
• Hands-on experience building with AI tools.

Responsibilities

• Design-build integration: present design-build as our core offer; price full remodels with the build team; attend preconstruction handoff; support field team on design questions.

Skills

Kitchen design

Sales experience

AI tools

Driver's license

Languages (Spanish/Mandarin/Cantonese)

Education

NKBA certification (AKBD/CKBD)

Interior design degree

California driver’s license (optional education item)

Tools

2020 Design Live

Chief Architect

SketchUp

AutoCAD

APIs / Zapier / Make

Python / JavaScript

Job description

Bay Insight Builders is a Berkeley design-build firm specializing in kitchens and baths (CSLB Lic. No. 1156673). One team takes each project from first sketch to final walkthrough: design, selections, permitting, construction, and installation. We self-perform framing, electrical, plumbing, drywall, and finish trim, so clients get one point of accountability, one contract, and no handoff gaps between designer and builder. We serve high-end homeowners and multi-unit apartment developers across the Bay Area. We are opening a new cabinet and countertop showroom on San Pablo Avenue in Berkeley in early 2027. The showroom is the front door to our design-build service: its job is to turn visitors into complete remodel projects, not one-off product sales. This hire will be its first full-time face.

Role summary

Designer & Sales Lead

About Bay Insight Builders

Bay Insight Builders is a Berkeley design-build firm specializing in kitchens and baths (CSLB Lic. No. 1156673). One team takes each project from first sketch to final walkthrough: design, selections, permitting, construction, and installation. We self-perform framing, electrical, plumbing, drywall, and finish trim, so clients get one point of accountability, one contract, and no handoff gaps between designer and builder. We serve high-end homeowners and multi-unit apartment developers across the Bay Area. We are opening a new cabinet and countertop showroom on San Pablo Avenue in Berkeley in early 2027. The showroom is the front door to our design-build service: its job is to turn visitors into complete remodel projects, not one-off product sales. This hire will be its first full-time face.

Role summary

The Showroom Design & Sales Lead runs the showroom day-to-day and sells our full design-build service, not just cabinets and countertops. You will design kitchen and bath spaces with construction in mind, guide clients through selections, scope the full remodel with our build team, and carry each client from first visit to signed design-build contract. You will also help build the AI tools that make our design and estimating faster. Reports directly to the owner.

Key responsibilities

Design-build integration

• Present design-build as our core offer: one team, one contract, design through construction
• Scope full remodels with the build team, including layout changes, plumbing and electrical relocation, framing, and finishes
• Design with buildability, code, and budget in mind so drawings move cleanly into construction
• Work with the estimating team to price design and construction together in one proposal
• Stay involved after signing: attend the preconstruction handoff and support the field team on design questions through completion

Design

• Meet clients in the showroom and on site; take field measurements and photos
• Produce kitchen and bath layouts, elevations, and renderings in 2020 Design, Chief Architect, or similar
• Guide cabinet, door style, finish, hardware, and countertop selections
• Prepare cabinet orders and verify them against final field measurements

Sales and client management

• Greet walk-ins, qualify leads, and book design consultations
• Own the pipeline in our CRM from first contact to signed contract, with weekly reporting to the owner
• Prepare proposals and rough-order-of-magnitude estimates with the estimating team
• Build relationships with apartment owners, developers, architects, and realtors who send repeat work
• Hand off signed projects to production with complete, accurate selections

Showroom operations

• Keep displays, samples, and literature clean, current, and organized
• Coordinate vendor deliveries, display installs, and sample restocks
• Schedule appointments and keep the showroom calendar
• Represent the firm at showroom events and open houses

AI and process improvement

• Build and maintain AI tools for design intake, proposal drafting, client follow-up, and lead tracking
• Connect our CRM, estimating, and project tools so information is entered once
• Document workflows so the rest of the team can use them

Required qualifications

• 3+ years of kitchen and bath design experience, residential or multifamily
• Working knowledge of cabinet construction, sizing, and countertop materials
• Understanding of residential construction, including how layout changes affect plumbing, electrical, framing, and permitting
• Strong written and verbal communication with clients, trades, and vendors
• Highly organized and professional, able to manage multiple projects and deadlines
• 2+ years of sales experience, including managing a pipeline and closing contracts
• Hands-on experience building with AI tools (for example, custom GPTs or Claude projects, automations, or scripted workflows)
• Comfortable with a CRM, spreadsheets, and design software
• Valid California driver's license and reliable transportation for site visits

Preferred qualifications

• NKBA certification (AKBD or CKBD) or a degree in interior design
• Proficiency in 2020 Design Live, Chief Architect, SketchUp, or AutoCAD
• Experience in a design-build or general contracting firm
• Familiarity with multifamily unit-turn and renovation projects
• Experience with APIs, Zapier/Make, or light scripting (Python or JavaScript)
• Bay Area market knowledge and an existing network of designers, realtors, or developers
• Spanish, Mandarin, or Cantonese a plus

Physical requirements and work environment

• Lift and carry up to 50 lbs (cabinet doors, sample boards, countertop samples, display components)
• Stand and walk for extended periods in the showroom
• Bend, reach, and climb stairs and ladders during site measurements
• Visit active job sites, which may involve dust, noise, and uneven surfaces Work is based in our Berkeley showroom, with regular site visits across the Bay Area.

Compensation, schedule, and how to apply

• Base pay:$50,000-$70,000 per year, depending on experience
• Commission:2% of sales on signed design-build projects, paid under a written commission plan, with no cap
• Benefits:medical, dental, and vision insurance; accrued paid time off; paid sick leave
• Schedule:Full time, including some Saturdays for showroom hours
• Start date:January 2027, ahead of the showroom opening

• Bay Insight Builders is an equal opportunity employer. We consider qualified applicants with arrest or conviction records in line with the California Fair Chance Act.