Interior Design Project Manager OR Studio Director

Higher People; San Francisco (CA); Hybrid; USD 130,000 - 170,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Leadership role

Project ownership

Direct line to Anu

Small collaborative team

Job summary

Atelier Oleana, a San Francisco-based luxury residential interior design studio, is seeking a Project Manager or Studio Director to run day-to-day operations while Anu focuses on creative vision. The role is hybrid, with in-studio work 3x per week, client meetings, site visits, and vendor coordination.

You will manage multiple high-end projects from design development through construction, installation, and closeout, mentoring designers and enforcing schedules and budgets.

Qualifications

• 8 to 12+ years in luxury residential interior design, architecture, or related field.
• Proven track record independently managing multiple complex residential projects.
• Strong understanding of residential construction, custom millwork, drawings, specs, procurement, and installation.
• Comfortable presenting to discerning clients, architects, and consultants.
• Proficiency with design, documentation, and project management software.

Responsibilities

• Own project schedules, deliverable lists, budgets, action items, and internal deadlines.
• Set clear weekly priorities per project so the team always knows what’s needed and when.
• Lead internal PM meetings and keep follow through tight.
• Track open decisions, approvals, client requests, revisions, and procurement milestones.
• Monitor scope, design hours, staffing needs, and financial health, and flag out of scope work before the team proceeds.
• Coordinate with architects, contractors, vendors, fabricators, and installers.
• Serve as senior day to day contact for assigned clients, leading updates, scheduling, and meetings when Anu’s attendance isn’t required.
• Review the team’s design work before it reaches Anu, ensuring it’s cohesive, technically accurate, and on brand.
• Help develop schemes, layouts, materials, furnishings, and lighting under Anu’s direction.
• Oversee installations end to end.

Skills

Project leadership

Team management

Design development

Quality control

Mentoring designers

Job description

Title: Project Manager or Studio Director

Location: San Francisco Bay Area (in-studio 3x/week, plus client meetings, site visits, vendor appointments, and installations)

Reporting Structure: Reports directly to Anu, Founder & Principal Designer

Company Description

Atelier Oleana is a San Francisco based luxury residential interior design studio creating richly layered, deeply personal homes. The work blends contemporary clarity with timeless materials, sculptural forms, quiet contrast, and a sense of comfortable luxury. The studio is growing and needs a right hand who can run the day to day so Anu can stay focused on creative vision, key relationships, and where the studio goes next. Title is flexible and will be calibrated to the experience level of the person we hire.

Quick facts

• Hybrid role: about 65% project leadership and team management, 35% design development and quality control
• Manages multiple high end residential projects at once, from design development through construction, installation, and closeout
• Oversees a team including designers at different levels, with real mentorship responsibility
• $150,000 annually, including bonus and health stipend if needed

What this person takes off the Founder’s plate

• Runs the weekly project and staffing review
• Maintains the master schedule across all active projects
• Catches conflicts before they become missed deadlines
• Reviews presentations, drawings, and schedules before they reach Anu
• Holds the team accountable for project delivery
• Mentors designers and manages their priorities
• Improves meeting agendas, recaps, and follow through
• Steps into contractor, vendor, and client coordination when a project gets messy
• Independently leads delivery on select projects while Anu stays creative lead

Responsibilities

• Own project schedules, deliverable lists, budgets, action items, and internal deadlines
• Set clear weekly priorities per project so the team always knows what’s needed and when
• Lead internal PM meetings and keep follow through tight
• Track open decisions, approvals, client requests, revisions, and procurement milestones
• Monitor scope, design hours, staffing needs, and financial health, and flag out of scope work before the team proceeds
• Coordinate with architects, contractors, vendors, fabricators, and installers
• Serve as senior day to day contact for assigned clients, leading updates, scheduling, and meetings when Anu’s attendance isn’t required
• Review the team’s design work before it reaches Anu, ensuring it’s cohesive, technically accurate, and on brand
• Help develop schemes, layouts, materials, furnishings, and lighting under Anu’s direction
• Oversee installations end to end

Is this you?

• You’ve managed complex, high end residential projects before. If you’re closer to 8 years, this is a Project Manager role. If you’re closer to 12+ with people leadership experience, this is a Studio Director role
• You have real design chops, not just PM chops. You know your way around furnishings, materials, lighting, and construction
• You’ve led or mentored other designers
• You know the difference between a decision you can make and one that needs to go to the principal, and you’re not afraid to make the call
• You’re calm under pressure, meticulous without spiraling into perfectionism, warm with clients, and direct with your team
• You can take a creative direction and run with it without needing constant re-briefing

Preferred Qualifications

• 8 to 12+ years in luxury residential interior design, architecture, or a related field
• Proven track record independently managing multiple complex residential projects
• Strong understanding of residential construction, custom millwork, drawings, specs, procurement, and installation
• Comfortable presenting to and building trust with discerning clients, architects, and consultants
• Proficiency with relevant design, documentation, and project management software

Perks

• A pivotal leadership role at a boutique, in demand studio with a strong reputation
• Real ownership over projects and team, not just execution
• Direct line to Anu and a front row seat to how the studio scales
• Small, collaborative, ambitious team culture