Senior Interior Designer at HARKEN INTERIORS - Chicago, Illinois

Harken Interiors Llc.; Chicago (IL); On-site; USD 85,000 - 120,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health Insurance

Vision Insurance

Dental Insurance

Vacation – 2 weeks + sick time

Additional time off between Christmas–

Simple IRA

Professional development opportunities

Job summary

Harken Interiors is seeking an innovative Senior Designer with a foundation in hospitality design to lead conceptual direction and mentor junior designers. You will manage space planning, FF&E, and vendor coordination across multiple projects, ensuring design integrity, budgets, and schedules are met.

The ideal candidate has seven+ years in a design firm, strong communication, and extensive knowledge of drawing sets, detailing, and contract administration.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Interior Design, Interior Architecture, or Architecture from an accredited program.
• Minimum of seven years in a design firm with FF&E experience across phases.
• Proven ability to manage staff and act as client contact.
• Strong time-management and organizational skills for multiple deadlines.
• Experience with hospitality-focused design projects and approvals.

Responsibilities

• Lead conceptual research and design direction for projects.
• Mentor junior designers through all project phases.
• Direct CAD drawings and SketchUp models; review consultants' work.
• Oversee space planning, FF&E, and material selections.
• Develop budgets, schedules, and staffing projections.
• Lead client presentations and maintain client communications.
• Coordinate production efforts and ensure design integrity.

Skills

Leadership

Team management

Client communication

Time management

Hospitality design

Attention to detail

Education

Bachelor's degree in Interior Design, Interior Architecture, or Architecture from an accredited program

Tools

CAD

SketchUp

Photoshop

InDesign

Studio Designer

FF&E spec writing

Job description

SENIOR DESIGNER - INTERIOR DESIGNER

Check below to see if you have what is needed for this opportunity, and if so, make an application asap.

Position is full-time with benefits partially covered by the employer (Health, Vision, Dental Insurance), two weeks of paid vacation plus one week of sick time, additional paid time off between Christmas and New Years, opportunity to participate in Simple IRA, and employer support of pre-approved professional development opportunities.

ABOUT US

Harken Interiors is an award-winning, woman-owned interior design firm founded in 2015. Our name means "to listen" and it's this skill that allows us to uncover and develop the client's dream with great care from the spark of inspiration to final installation. We strive to find the authentic voice and signature moments that form a truly memorable and meaningful environment. We've had the pleasure of bringing over 100 projects to life, many with legacy partners that we've collaborated with on numerous ventures. Always hospitality-minded, we work across multiple segments including hotels, restaurants, spas, entertainment, luxury senior living, multifamily residential, and student housing.

JOB DESCRIPTION

Harken Interiors is seeking a innovative, Senior Designer with a foundation in hospitality design and entrepreneurial spirit. Ideal candidates will bring a blend of creative curiosity and technical savvy working through each phase of design at their level. We care about kind collaboration, rigorous process, curious exploration, and determined resourcefulness as we work as a team towards the BEST answer for our clients and end-users.

SENIOR DESIGNER

Responsibilities include but are not limited to leading conceptual research and design direction; directing and mentoring junior designers through all project phases; managing and reviewing CAD drawings and SketchUp models of consultants and junior designers to ensure integrity of overall design and design details; directing and finessing space planning; guiding and reviewing FF&E and material selections, redlining and finalizing specifications; developing and ensuring adherence to budgets, schedules, and staffing projections; directing content and graphics for client presentations while integrating all client feedback; and participating in production efforts as needed.

Senior Designers are responsible for providing clear direction to junior staff, keeping senior leadership informed of critical project information and milestones, and fostering a cohesive team spirit. Senior Designers will lead client presentations and project team calls and correspondence.

Knowledge, Skills, & Abilities

• Bachelor's degree in Interior Design, Interior Architecture, or Architecture from an accredited program
• A minimum of seven years of work experience in a design firm with demonstrated success in drawing and FF&E through all phases of the design process
• demonstrated ability to manage staff
• demonstrated ability to serve as client contact
• Strong time-management and organizational skills to manage multiple deadlines as the project coordinator for several projects in various stages of development
• ability to forecast future workflow of the team, efficiently and quickly activate teams, and apply strategy and flexibility to management approach
• Capacity to work self-sufficiently and think independently within a collaborative effort
• ability to partner with senior leadership to track to overall goals and work with junior staff to adhere to such goals
• Exceptional communication and polished client management skills
• strong graphic and presentation skills to direct team in layout and contents
• Experience developing and reviewing detailed custom FF&E and material specifications
• Strong understanding of design principles, theory, and the commercial/hospitality construction documentation process
• Ability to complete a full architectural drawing set
• Aptitude in detailing and contract administration
• Extensive knowledge of building systems, codes, and ADA requirements
• Extensive knowledge in Microsoft Office, CAD, Photoshop, InDesign, SketchUp or an alternate 3D Modeling program, Studio Designer or similar spec writing programs
• Hospitality experienced highly desired
• Spanish speaking is a plus