Project Design Manager

Job Title

Project Design Manager

Job Description Summary

The Design Manager is a client-facing design leader responsible for guiding the strategic planning, execution, and continuous improvement of a national retail rollout program. This role partners closely with the client to translate business objectives, real estate strategies, and operational requirements into scalable, code-compliant design solutions that align with established brand standards and prototype guidelines. The Design Manager oversees and develops a team of designers, providing direction, quality control, mentorship, and resource planning to ensure consistent delivery across a high-volume portfolio of projects.

Job Description

Job Description Summary

The Design Manager is a client-facing design leader responsible for guiding the strategic planning, execution, and continuous improvement of a national retail rollout program. This role partners closely with the client to translate business objectives, real estate strategies, and operational requirements into scalable, code-compliant design solutions that align with established brand standards and prototype guidelines. The Design Manager oversees and develops a team of designers, providing direction, quality control, mentorship, and resource planning to ensure consistent delivery across a high-volume portfolio of projects.

Principal Responsibilities

Design Program Management

• Real Estate Type Strategy: Manage design direction across the client’s different real estate types, ensuring each solution supports the intended business function, user experience, and operational requirements.
• Design Standards Governance: Maintain and evolve design standards, prototype guidelines, and planning criteria to drive consistency while allowing flexibility for site-specific needs.
• Program Alignment: Coordinate design requirements across multiple project types, ensuring scope, schedule, documentation, and deliverables remain aligned with client priorities.
• Process Optimization: Translate lessons learned, client feedback, and evolving business needs into scalable design processes, tools, and documented standards.
• Design Team Leadership: Lead and develop the design team to ensure projects meet client deadlines and design standards, effectively delegate responsibilities, and foster ongoing professional growth and performance.
• Analytics & Reporting: Utilize data and reporting tools to measure team performance, uncover process improvements, and provide meaningful recommendations to leadership.

Individual Contribution & Technical Execution

• Direct Production: Actively produce and oversee high-complexity projects, templates, and design assets.
• Technical QA/QC: Perform rigorous reviews of test fits, space plans, and design documents to ensure technical accuracy and compliance with IBC and ADA codes.
• Hands-on Problem Solving: Step into projects to resolve complex design or technical challenges alongside the team.

Client Management

• Advisory: Review client business needs and suggest data-driven improvements that align with their goals.
• Stakeholder Communication: Present design concepts and project updates to stakeholders at all levels, bridging the gap between technical execution and design objectives.
• Innovation Advocacy: Stay current with design trends and software to recommend improvements to guidelines and internal processes.

Requirements

• Education: Bachelor’s degree in Architecture or Interior Design from a NAAB or CIDA-accredited institution.
• Professional Experience: 7+ years of design experience with demonstrated experience managing design standards, project types, or client design programs across multiple real estate formats.
• Software Mastery: 5+ years of Revit experience in a professional setting. Proficiency in MS Office and Adobe Creative Suite is required.
• Code Proficiency: Working knowledge of IBC and ADA requirements for drawing review and compliance.
• Player Coach: Ability to pivot seamlessly between management and production tasks.
• Relationship Building: Strong interpersonal skills to foster collaboration with internal partners and external clients.
• Accountability: Takes full ownership of requests to ensure successful, high-quality completion.
• Clear Communication: Exceptional oral, written, and presentation skills.

Preferred Qualifications

• NCIDQ certification or Architectural Licensure.
• Experience managing project budgets, vendor relationships, and complex procurement processes.
• Experience with Bluebeam, Dynamo scripts, or other BIM automation tools.
• Background in retail roll out design programs.

Cushman & Wakefield also provides eligible employees with an opportunity to enroll in a variety of benefit programs, generally including health, vision, and dental insurance, flexible spending accounts, health savings accounts, retirement savings plans, life, and disability insurance programs, and paid and unpaid time away from work. In addition to a comprehensive benefits package, Cushman and Wakefield provide eligible employees with competitive pay, which may vary depending on eligibility factors such as geographic location, date of hire, total hours worked, job type, business line, and applicability of collective bargaining agreements.The compensation that will be offered to the successful candidate will depend on factors such as whether the position is covered by a collective bargaining agreement, the geographic area in which the work will be performed, market pay rates in that area, and the candidate’s experience and qualifications.The company will not pay less than minimum wage for this role.The compensation for the position is: $ 74,375.00 - $87,500.00Cushman & Wakefield is an Equal Opportunity employer to all protected groups, including protected veterans and individuals with disabilities. Discrimination of any type will not be tolerated.

In compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act Amendments Act (ADAAA), if you have a disability and would like to request an accommodation in order to apply for a position at Cushman & Wakefield, please call the ADA line at 1-888-365-5406 or email Accommodations@cushwake.com. Please refer to the job title and job location when you contact us.

INCO: “Cushman & Wakefield”