Hospitality Interior Design Lead

Position: Hospitality Interior Design Lead Location: Miami, FL (approximately 50% travel required across the Caribbean) Overview We function as the exclusive design and procurement partner for major tropical resort properties. The enterprise specializes in managing high-value purchasing, vendor relations, and logistical execution for world-class leisure destinations This role aligns to the Product Development Department and resides with the Design Central/Architecture & Design / Pre-Construction Governance team. This person functionally reports into the VP of Architecture & Design. The candidate will work internally across functional with Technical Services (Project Management, MEP Engineering), Architecture, Product Development, Operations, Procurement, Finance, and Brand. The candidate will work with external vendors including Design Consultants, FF&E Consultants, Vendors, Architects, Engineers, Specialist Consultants. The Role The Interior Design Lead is responsible for providing design leadership and governance during pre-construction across multiple projects within the region. The role operates within Design Central and is responsible for the correct interpretation of the product brief, brand pillars, and design ethos, ensuring that this direction is clearly communicated to the design consultants and translated into cohesive, buildable, and operationally sound design solutions. The position is accountable for ensuring that design solutions are fully defined, coordinated, and optimized prior to design freeze, balancing design intent, operational functionality, durability, cost, and alignment with Company Technical Standards to maximize long-term performance and return on guest experience. Position Accountability Lead and be accountable for design coordination and product alignment within the design scope during pre-construction across assigned projectsProvide design leadership and judgment on interior concepts, materials, layouts, and FF&E to ensure a cohesive and compelling guest environment aligned with brand positioningEstablish and drive design meeting cadence, agendas, and decision tracking for the design scopeLead design reviews and hold authority for approval of design-scope deliverables at key milestonesEnsure the correct interpretation of the product brief, brand pillars, and design ethos, and communicate that direction clearly to the design consultantsTranslate the product brief, brand pillars, and design ethos into clear design direction and spatial experienceSupport development and validation of space planning solutions to ensure layouts align with operational requirements, usability, and guest experience objectivesLead development and validation of FF&E scope, specifications, and selectionsEnsure FF&E selections align with durability, operational requirements, fire life safety design criteria, and Company Technical StandardsEnsure design solutions align with accessibility-related project requirements and Technical Brand Standards in coordination with architectural and engineering teamsAlign design with area programs, scope, and budgetsIntegrate operational and lifecycle considerations into design decisionsIdentify risks and drive timely resolutionEnsure all review comments are tracked and resolvedFacilitate alignment across Product Development, Operations, Procurement, Brand, and Technical Services Ensure deliverables are ready for procurement and executionMaintain consistency in quality and standards across projectsSupport long-term asset performance and guest experience outcomes Technical Focus Lead FF&E development and coordination across projectsReview specifications, material selections, and design packages for alignment with Technical Brand Standards, project requirements, and operational objectives Validate interior layouts, adjacencies, and spatial usability to support guest experience and operational functionalityIntegrate product development intent, durability expectations, lifecycle considerations, and procurement readiness into design decisions Responsibilities Pre-Construction Leadership and Coordination Lead design coordination within the design scope across multiple projects during pre- construction Manage design meeting cadence, agendas, and decision tracking for the design scopeDrive progress of design deliverables against project milestonesEnsure accountability across teams for timely delivery of design inputs Design Integration and Discipline Coordination Coordinate across disciplines to align design with Architecture, MEP, Brand, Product Development, and Operations Review and validate space planning layouts to ensure alignment with design intent, operational functionality, and guest experience Coordinate with architectural teams to refine layouts, adjacencies, and spatial usabilityResolve design conflicts and maintain alignment of guest experience objectives with project requirements Scope and Cost Alignment Align design with area programs, project scope, and budget parametersCoordinate FF&E scope, specifications, and selections with procurement requirementsSupport value engineering while maintaining design intent and performance objectivesIntegrate operational and lifecycle considerations into design decisions Process Governance and Standards Apply Design Central governance framework within the design scopeEnsure adherence to Company Technical Standards, templates, and review protocolsMaintain consistency in design quality and deliverables across projectsSupport continuous improvement of design processes Multi-Project Oversight Lead design coordination within the design scope across multiple concurrent projects within the regionMaintain consistency in quality and standards across projectsSupport long-term asset performance and guest experience outcomes Design Continuity and Post-Design Support Conduct site visits to verify alignment with approved design intentIdentify deviations and coordinate resolution with stakeholdersLead RFI coordination related to design intent and ensure timely closureSupport clarification of design documentation during executionMaintain design intent through procurement and execution Qualifications Degree in Interior Design or related field8–12 years of hospitality design experienceStrong FF&E and design coordination experienceExperience with multi-disciplinary teamsUnderstanding of operational durability and lifecycle considerations Key Competencies Strong product and coordination mindsetKnowledge of FF&E and Company Technical StandardsAlignment of design with business goalsStrong communicationAbility to manage multiple projects simultaneouslyProblem-solving Role Success Measures Alignment of design with brand and operational objectivesReduced FF&E scope gaps and late-stage changesTimely delivery of coordinated design packagesReduced rework during procurement and executionConsistency in design quality across projectsImproved procurement readinessMaintained design intent