Design Manager

JLL • Toronto, ON

19h • CA$130,000 - CA$160,000 • Onsite

About The Position

JLL is seeking a Design Manager to join its North America practice, specifically focused on the Toronto market, to lead the design backbone of its Canadian practice. This role involves managing projects from brief through delivery, guiding the design team, maintaining quality standards, and ensuring high-level design thinking and execution. The Design Manager will report to the SVP Studio Director and collaborate with the EVP, Workplace and Healthcare Design Advisory, Americas. The position offers an opportunity to gain experience in healthcare design as the practice expands its footprint in this sector.

Requirements

• Bachelor's or Master's degree in Interior Design, Architecture, or a related field.
• NCIDQ certification is required.
• Minimum 15 years of progressive experience in commercial interior design, with significant time in senior leadership.
• Proven track record of leading design projects across the full lifecycle -- from brief to occupancy -- in the commercial workplace sector.
• Demonstrated success in business development: building client relationships, winning mandates, and growing a book of work independently.
• Experience leading and managing design teams, with a track record of building strong studio culture and developing designers.
• Exceptional design sensibility -- able to direct and elevate design work across a range of project types and scales.
• A natural authority in the room -- inspires confidence in clients, commands respect from design teams, and holds their own with senior internal stakeholders.
• Strategic thinker who understands the business case behind the brief and can integrate advisory thinking with design execution.
• Strong communicator and presenter, able to articulate design thinking clearly to non-design audiences including corporate real estate leaders and C-suite clients.
• Commercially minded with genuine BD instincts -- understands that winning work is part of the role, not separate from it.
• Proficiency in Revit, AutoCAD, Adobe Creative Suite, and related design tools.
• Fluency in Canadian building codes, accessibility standards, and commercial construction practices.

Nice To Haves

• Membership in ARIDO strongly preferred; OAA registration an asset.
• BCIN for complex buildings preferred, or demonstrated intent to pursue.
• Prior experience at recognized Canadian or North American design firms is a strong asset; pedigree that carries credibility with clients, brokers, and the design community.
• Experience in healthcare, higher education, or other complex sectors is an asset, particularly for candidates interested in the healthcare growth opportunity.

Responsibilities

• Lead the design process on Canadian workplace projects from brief through to occupancy, ensuring design intent is realised at every stage of delivery.
• Provide clear creative direction to the design team, making confident decisions on design approach, space planning, materiality, and finish selection.
• Review and quality assure all design documentation, drawings, and specifications produced by the team, maintaining a consistent standard of excellence across all outputs.
• Manage project timelines, design budgets, and team resources effectively across multiple concurrent engagements.
• Work with leadership to understand resourcing needs to further support the growth of the North American and Canadian workplace practice.
• Balance the need to lead active projects and those in the pipeline, bringing stability and direction to the studio from day one.
• Coordinate with consultants, contractors, and client-side project managers to ensure smooth design delivery through construction and handover.
• Lead, mentor, and develop the Canadian design team, building individual capability and fostering a collaborative, high-performing studio culture.
• Provide regular feedback and guidance to designers at all levels, supporting their professional growth and technical development.
• Participate in the hiring of design team members, contributing to team composition and culture.
• Model the values and standards of the practice -- intellectual curiosity, design rigour, client focus, and a commitment to doing the work well.
• Establish and maintain design standards, workflows, and quality benchmarks that reflect JLL's position as a premium design advisory practice.
• Ensure all project work is grounded in a clear understanding of the client's organisational context, workforce needs, and business objectives.
• Champion the integration of workplace strategy and evidence-based design thinking into every project brief and design response.
• Maintain current knowledge of workplace design trends, materials, technology, and industry best practice, and bring that knowledge into the studio.
• Contribute to design knowledge management, including project documentation, case studies, and design standards resources.
• Participate in client design presentations, workshops, and review sessions, communicating design thinking clearly and confidently to non-design audiences.
• Build strong working relationships with clients, earning trust through design credibility, responsiveness, and a genuine interest in their organisation.
• Contribute to proposal development and RFP responses, providing design input that demonstrates the quality and approach of the practice.
• Contribute to healthcare advisory engagements as the practice grows, bringing design leadership to clinical and non-clinical environment projects.
• Develop fluency in healthcare design principles, regulatory requirements, and the operational context of health system clients over time.
• Collaborate with the EVP and advisory team to bring design execution capability to healthcare engagements across Canada and the United States.

Benefits

• JLL empowers you to shape a brighter way.
• We are committed to hiring the best, most talented people and empowering them to thrive, grow meaningful careers and to find a place where they belong.
• JLL is committed to building a diverse, equitable, and inclusive workplace.
• We welcome applicants of all backgrounds and encourage candidates who bring perspectives that reflect the communities and clients we serve.
• Some roles and employees may be eligible for discretionary bonuses, benefits, or other compensation.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Senior