Design Manager

About the job

The Design Manager manages the design department, all the design personnel and is responsible for the overall performance of the staff and department. Is responsible for project and workload coordination within the Design Department. This includes monitoring the path of a project from time of the intimal request, through the final installation. Accountable to managing and adhering to the department budget, representing design in sales presentations, and ensuring accuracy and professionalism from the team. The Design Manager also ensures that the department maintains and delivers the highest level of quality and service for the end results of client satisfaction.

Management of Department

• Analyze sales projections, level of design activity and senior management team feedback for the best deployment of design resources; manages team assignments to ensure workload activities are appropriately balanced and supported.
• Assures maximum staff productivity through reviews, prioritizing and coordinating staff schedules, and negotiating deadlines in order to meet client requests/needs.
• Checks work progress to redirect activity and resources to meet project goals and timeframes.
• Provides coaching and direction to staff designers working on design projects.
• Monitors design hours on all projects and works with designers to ensure that actual time spent on design work is within the estimated hours for those projects.
• Reviews design invoicing to ensure that all sold design is billed, and to ensure that all design allocation to the sales department is accurate and complete.
• Monitors and manages the design budget within the guidelines provided by senior management and the accounting department.
• Represents the design department at management meetings, expressing project and staff concerns, seeking feedback on design performance and assisting upper management in the dissemination of company decisions back to the design department.
  
  

Sales & Marketing

• Plays a major role in the marketing of design services to clients, participating in major sales presentations as the representative of the design department.
• Prepares design estimates, quotes and contracts for large or complex projects; reviews estimates, quotes and contracts by department staff; ensure appropriate terms, price and scope are on contracts.
  
  

Organizational Interfaces

• Assists sales with defining the design scope of work for a project; develops design game plan to get project completed within client/dealership timeframes.
• Coordinates the interaction between design, sales and operations to develop and maintain the highest quality of service to customers.
• Works collaboratively with clients, and clients' third-party firms, including A&D firms, interior contractors, electrical and communication engineers, etc.
  
  

Process Quality and Customer Satisfaction

• Ensures standards of performance are met for all customer work activities.
• Facilitates continuous quality improvement of design processes and procedures to ensure accuracy and productivity.
• Is responsible for ensuring that all design procedures are clear, documented and implemented in a disciplined manner.
  
  

Technology and Software

• Works with the IT department to evaluate and acquire the best software productivity tools for the department.
• Works with management to ensure that the design department has computer and office equipment that maximizes productivity at a cost-effective price.
• Ensures that department utilized E-manage effectively and efficiently during the entire design process.
• Works with the design department to ensure that all files are updated, accurate and stored in an effective system.