Principal Designer

Starr Homes LLC

Overland Park (KS)

On-site

USD 120,000 - 180,000

Full time

14 days+

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Benefits offered by this job

Health, dental, vision, life insurance

Company car

Paid time off

Job summary

NOVA design, a residential design firm, seeks a Principal Designer to lead creative vision, daily operations, and overall performance while ensuring an exceptional client experience from concept to installation.

You will oversee the design team, establish department priorities, manage project execution, and collaborate with leadership to ensure efficiency, profitability, and adherence to quality standards. This role blends design excellence with strategic business leadership.

Qualifications

Extensive experience in high-end residential interior or home design with leadership exposure.
Strong portfolio demonstrating sophisticated design and attention to detail.
Experience managing design professionals, setting team expectations, and developing talent.
Understanding of budgeting, revenue management, purchasing, and operational efficiency.

Responsibilities

Establish and oversee the creative vision and design standards for custom residential homes.
Oversee day-to-day operations, staffing, workload, and project assignments.
Manage department budgets, purchasing, and expense control with company leadership.
Lead, mentor, and develop the design team with coaching and performance management.
Oversee client experience, communication, selections, and service quality.
Maintain visibility into all active projects, ensuring timelines and documentation are on track.
Collaborate with sales, purchasing, project coordination, and construction teams.
Oversee vendor and trade partner relationships and procurement activities.
Develop and refine department workflows and internal systems for efficiency.

Skills

High-end residential design leadership

Leadership and team development

Client relationship management

Design software proficiency

Project management

Budgeting and financial oversight

Vendor and procurement management

Process improvement

Tools

Design software

Project management tools

Purchasing systems

Financial reporting tools

Job description

As our Principal Designer, you’ll lead the creative vision, daily operations, and overall performance of our residential design company NOVA design while ensuring an exceptional client experience from initial concept through final installation.

This is a exciting role that combines creative expertise, business management, team development, and client relationship management. You’ll oversee the design team, establish department priorities, manage project execution, and work closely with company leadership to ensure the department operates efficiently, profitably, and in alignment with our standards for quality and service.

Beyond creating beautiful spaces, you’ll be responsible for building a strong, accountable team, developing efficient processes, managing department performance, and ensuring every project reflects the level of design excellence and attention to detail our clients expect.

Key areas of responsibility include:

Creative Direction & Design Leadership: Establish and oversee the creative vision and design standards for custom residential homes, ensuring cohesive, sophisticated, and thoughtfully executed designs across all projects. Provide creative direction and guidance to the design team while maintaining consistency in quality and execution.

Department Leadership & Operations: Oversee the day-to-day operations of NOVA Design, including staffing, workload management, project assignments, scheduling, resource allocation, and departmental priorities. Establish clear expectations and accountability to ensure projects and team responsibilities are managed effectively.

Financial Performance & Budget Management: Take ownership of NOVA's financial performance, including revenue, profitability, project budgets, purchasing, and expense management. Monitor financial results, identify opportunities for improvement, and work with Starr leadership to establish and achieve departmental goals.

Team Management & Development: Lead, mentor, and develop the design team through clear communication, ongoing coaching, performance management, and professional development. Foster a collaborative, creative, and accountable environment that encourages growth while maintaining high standards.

Client Experience & Relationship Management: Oversee the design experience for all clients, ensuring consistent communication, organized selections, thoughtful guidance, and exceptional service. Serve as a point of escalation for complex client concerns and ensure expectations are managed professionally throughout the design process.

Design Project Oversight: Maintain visibility into all active design projects, ensuring design selections, specifications, documentation, budgets, and approvals are completed accurately and within established timelines. Proactively identify challenges and provide direction to keep projects moving forward.

Construction & Cross-Department Collaboration: Work closely with sales, estimating, purchasing, project coordination, and construction teams to ensure design decisions are properly documented, accurately priced, and executable within project budgets and construction schedules.

Vendor, Purchasing & Procurement Management: Oversee vendor and trade partner relationships, product sourcing, purchasing procedures, and procurement activities. Ensure materials and furnishings are selected, ordered, tracked, and delivered in accordance with project requirements, budgets, and timelines.

Process Development & Continuous Improvement: Develop, implement, and refine department workflows, design standards, documentation procedures, and internal systems that improve efficiency, accountability, and consistency. Identify opportunities to streamline operations while elevating the overall client experience.

Quality Control & Project Execution: Establish and maintain quality standards throughout the design process, from initial concepts and specifications through final installation. Ensure the completed work reflects approved design intent and meets company expectations for craftsmanship, functionality, and aesthetics.

Strategic Planning & Department Growth: Partner with company leadership to establish departmental goals, evaluate performance, identify opportunities for growth, and develop strategies that support the long-term success of the design department.

About You

You're an accomplished design professional and confident leader who combines exceptional creative vision with strong business acumen and operational discipline. You understand that running a successful design company requires more than beautiful designs. It takes thoughtful leadership, financial awareness, organized processes, and a team that consistently delivers on its commitments.

You enjoy leading people, developing talent, and creating an environment where creativity and accountability work together. You're comfortable making decisions, setting expectations, navigating challenges, and taking ownership of both the successes and opportunities for improvement within your department.

You're equally confident presenting design concepts to custom homeowners, reviewing financial performance with company leadership, and working alongside construction teams to solve complex project challenges.

You’ll be a strong fit if you:

Have extensive experience in high-end residential interior design, custom home design, or a similar residential design environment, including experience in a leadership or management capacity.

Have a strong portfolio demonstrating sophisticated design, exceptional attention to detail, and successfully completed custom residential projects.

Have proven experience managing design professionals, establishing team expectations, evaluating performance, and developing talent.

Understand the business and financial aspects of operating a design department, including budgeting, profitability, purchasing, revenue management, and operational efficiency.

Possess comprehensive knowledge of interior architecture, cabinetry, lighting, materials, finishes, furnishings, and residential construction methods.

Are exceptionally organized and capable of overseeing multiple projects, team members, budgets, schedules, and competing priorities without losing sight of the details.

Have strong leadership and communication skills and can confidently interact with clients, executives, employees, vendors, and trade partners.

Are comfortable making difficult decisions, addressing performance concerns, resolving client challenges, and holding yourself and your team accountable.

Are proactive and solutions-oriented, with the ability to anticipate challenges, improve processes, and take initiative without requiring constant direction.

Understand how to balance creative vision with practical construction requirements, client budgets, project timelines, and business objectives.

Have experience with professional design software, project management platforms, purchasing systems, and financial reporting tools.

Thrive in a collaborative, fast-paced environment and take pride in building a department known for exceptional design, operational excellence, and outstanding client service.