SENIOR INTERIOR DESIGNER / INTERIOR DESIGN PROJECT LEADER – CAPE TOWN JOB!

RED|LINE Recruitment; Cape Town; On-site; ZAR 600,000 - 900,000; Full time

Job summary

Redline Recruitment is seeking a Senior Interior Designer / Interior Design Project Leader to join an established international interior design company with offices in Cape Town CBD.

The role is hands-on and leadership‑driven: you will own projects from concept through to detailed design and site implementation, lead a design team, coordinate with clients, consultants and suppliers, and ensure design quality within budget and schedule.

Qualifications

• Minimum 5–8 years of professional interior design experience.
• Ability to lead projects from concept to site completion.
• Proven experience presenting to clients and managing relationships.
• Strong technical detailing, joinery, finishes and FF&E knowledge.
• Experience coordinating CAD teams and site installations.

Responsibilities

• Lead interior design concepts, layouts, materials and FF&E proposals.
• Coordinate design development from concept to technical documentation.
• Review drawings and specifications for quality and consistency.
• Manage client meetings, presentations and project milestones.
• Mentor junior designers and CAD technicians.

Skills

Interior design

Project leadership

Client relations

Team coordination

Portfolio development

Tools

AutoCAD

Photoshop

PowerPoint

Adobe Creative Suite

Excel

3D visualization

SketchUp

Job description

SENIOR INTERIOR DESIGNER / INTERIOR DESIGN PROJECT LEADER

Location: Cape Town CBD

THE OPPORTUNITY

Redline Recruitment is seeking an experienced and talented Senior Interior Designer / Interior Design Project Leader to join an established international interior design company with offices in Cape Town CBD.

The successful candidate will be based at the company’s Cape Town offices and will have the opportunity to work within an international design environment, contributing to a diverse portfolio of exciting interior design projects.

This is a hands‑on leadership role suited to an accomplished interior designer who can take ownership of projects from initial concept development through to detailed design and final site implementation. The successful candidate will combine strong creative and technical abilities with excellent project coordination, client relationship management and team leadership skills.

You will be responsible for driving design quality, managing project deliverables, coordinating internal teams and ensuring that all design solutions meet the client’s expectations, budget and project timelines.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

Design Development & Creative Leadership

• Lead the creative development of interior design concepts, spatial layouts, material selections and design presentations.
• Interpret client briefs and translate design concepts into detailed drawings, specifications and FF&E proposals.
• Oversee design development from concept and schematic stages through to technical documentation.
• Review drawings, presentations and specifications to ensure accuracy, quality and consistency.
• Maintain high design standards and contribute to improving studio detailing and specification processes.

Client & Project Management

• Independently manage client presentations, design meetings and project discussions.
• Build and maintain strong relationships with clients, consultants, suppliers and other project stakeholders.
• Manage multiple projects simultaneously, ensuring that deadlines, deliverables and project milestones are achieved.
• Coordinate project teams, allocate responsibilities and monitor progress against agreed programmes.
• Identify potential project challenges and proactively address design, coordination and delivery issues.
• Ensure that project decisions, revisions and client feedback are clearly documented and communicated.

FF&E, Materials & Technical Coordination

• Manage and review FF&E selections, material boards, finishes and interior specifications.
• Coordinate custom furniture, bespoke joinery and specialist interior elements.
• Work closely with suppliers, manufacturers, fabricators and internal technical teams.
• Ensure that design selections are practical, commercially viable and aligned with approved budgets.
• Evaluate alternative materials, finishes and products where required, considering quality, cost, availability and lead times.

Site Coordination & Project Implementation

• Attend site meetings and conduct inspections to monitor the implementation of design concepts.
• Resolve day‑to‑day design and technical challenges arising during construction and installation.
• Liaise with contractors, consultants and suppliers to ensure that design intent is maintained.
• Review proposed site changes and coordinate appropriate design solutions.
• Oversee FF&E installation and final interior arrangements where required.
• Monitor outstanding items and ensure that design‑related issues are followed through to completion.

Team Leadership & Mentorship

• Provide direction and guidance to junior interior designers and CAD technicians.
• Delegate project responsibilities and establish clear deadlines and deliverables.
• Review team members’ work and provide constructive feedback to maintain quality standards.
• Mentor junior colleagues in design development, technical detailing, FF&E selection and project coordination.
• Encourage collaboration, knowledge sharing and continuous professional development within the team.

REQUIREMENTS & EXPERIENCE

• Approximately 5–8 years’ relevant professional interior design experience.
• Proven ability to manage interior design projects independently from concept through to implementation.
• Experience leading client presentations and managing professional client relationships.
• Strong technical knowledge of interior detailing, joinery, materials, finishes and FF&E.
• Experience coordinating technical drawing packages and working alongside CAD teams.
• Previous exposure to site inspections, contractor coordination and project installations.
• Demonstrated ability to manage multiple projects and meet deadlines.
• Experience mentoring or supervising junior design professionals.
• A strong portfolio showcasing creative design development, technical documentation and successfully completed projects.

SOFTWARE SKILLS

• AutoCAD: Strong working knowledge and ability to review and coordinate detailed drawing packages.
• Adobe Photoshop: Strong presentation and image editing skills.
• PowerPoint: Ability to prepare professional design presentations.
• Working knowledge of other relevant Adobe Creative Suite applications and Microsoft Excel.
• Experience briefing and coordinating 3D visualisation work.
• SketchUp or other 3D modelling software experience will be advantageous.

THE IDEAL CANDIDATE

The ideal candidate will be a confident, organised and detail‑oriented interior designer with the ability to balance creative design excellence with the practical demands of project delivery.

You should be comfortable taking ownership of projects, engaging directly with clients, guiding a design team and making sound decisions within your area of responsibility. Strong communication, leadership, commercial awareness and problem‑solving abilities are essential.