Design Manager - Interiors

Arena Event Services•Barstow, PE

6d•$85,000 - $110,000•Onsite

About The Position

At Arena, we turn bold ideas into unforgettable experiences. Our teams design, build, and deliver world‑class event spaces for global names like Formula 1, the Ryder Cup, and the PGA Tour — and we do it on some of the biggest stages in the world. With projects across the US, UK, Middle East, and Asia, you’ll gain hands‑on experience, work with industry experts, and see your work come to life in real time. If you’re looking for a fast‑paced environment, real responsibility, and the chance to be part of something exciting from day one, Arena is the place to grow your career.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in interior design, interior architecture, architecture, industrial design, event or experiential design, or a related field — or equivalent experience
5+ years in event, experiential, trade show, hospitality, or branded-environment design
A strong visual sensibility and a natural feel for interiors, furniture, materials, color, scale, and composition
Experience creating client-facing presentations, mood boards, design concepts, or visual proposals
Strong furniture, décor, and material sourcing skills
Experience with Adobe Creative Suite and/or CAD or 3D design software
Excellent communication and project-tracking skills, and the ability to juggle multiple projects, deadlines, revisions, and client follow-ups without losing the details
A collaborative mindset and real appreciation for working with creative, production, estimating, and project management teams
A knack for balancing design goals with real-world budget, schedule, fabrication, and installation considerations
Comfortable with mostly desk-based work on a computer, plus occasional trips to showrooms, vendors, the warehouse, venues, or load-ins, and occasionally moving samples or materials up to 25 lbs

Nice To Haves

Experience in event design, experiential design, hospitality interiors, interior design, or branded environments
Working knowledge of Vectorworks, AutoCAD, Revit, Rhino, SketchUp, Twinmotion, V-Ray, Enscape, or similar drafting, modeling, and rendering programs — a strong plus, but not required. If you’re not there yet, a real interest in learning these technical skills is what matters

Responsibilities

Lead the conversation: Guide client design meetings and draw out creative direction, priorities, brand requirements, and budget so every project starts on solid ground
Turn ideas into direction: Translate client feedback into clear next steps the design team can run with
Bring concepts to life: Develop design concepts, mood boards, furniture and décor selections, material palettes, and polished client presentations
Source the good stuff: Find furniture, lighting, décor, materials, finishes, and specialty items that fit each project’s look, budget, and timeline
Present with confidence: Share your recommendations with clients and guide them smoothly through the design and approval process
Keep things moving: Track progress and follow up on feedback and approvals so proposals, revisions, and design materials land on schedule and nothing stalls
Collaborate across teams: Partner with designers, renderers, CAD artists, production, project managers, and estimators to create designs that are beautiful and executable
Protect the vision: Review floor plans, renderings, and graphics to make sure everything stays true to the approved creative direction
Lift the whole team: Support project development, sourcing, revisions, presentations, and design reviews, and help build and refine our design resources, templates, and processes
Pitch in: Support special projects as assigned to help the team and company win