Design Manager

2021 HH Branding•Plano, TX

51d•Onsite

About The Position

For over 40 years, Highland Homes has been a leader in new home construction, where building careers goes hand in hand with excellence. Highland’s employees thrive in an atmosphere of appreciation & confidence, contributing their unique ideas to the Company’s overall success. Employee Owned. Customer Focused. Highland Homes is currently accepting resumes for a Design Manager. The Design Manager oversees and leads the design of new and existing residential products for Highland Homes across all brands. Manages custom and renovation projects, coordinates design schedules, and verifies alignment with product strategy, design excellence, and Product Development Milestone (PDM) timelines. Collaborates closely with the Director of Design to integrate buyer-driven insights, cost goals, and innovation into Highland's design DNA.

Requirements

Minimum 3 years of experience dealing with residential wood frame construction, building codes, and drafting standards.
Minimum 3 years of experience designing elegant, understated, high quality homes from entry level to custom one-of-a-kind residences.
Bachelor’s degree in design/construction related field from accredited institution with ten years of progressive residential design work experience including use of AutoCAD required or a two-year technical degree with twelve years’ progressive residential work experience including use of AutoCAD required.
Proven cost-effective design talent and a keen eye for detail.
Understands design and architectural style preferences for multiple buyer profiles and regions.
Possesses creative flair and ability to prepare black and white and color renderings for design assignments and sales/marketing handout and brochure materials suitable for use by graphic artist/printer.
Understands programs for designs, which incorporate psychographic segment, square footage, room count, required options, flex spaces, cost targets, detail requirements, specifications, etc.
Proficient in MS Office software (Word, Excel, Outlook, PowerPoint, etc).
Proficient in drafting software (AutoCAD, Revit, or comparable software).
Ability to read, interpret, and communicate information necessary in order to perform duties.
Ability to manage and schedule multiple projects, tasks, and shifting priorities on a daily basis.
Strong organizational and time management skills.
Ability to develop, cultivate, and maintain positive relationships with both internal and external customers.
Understands how to deal with varied personality types.
Proficient in preparing and delivering effective presentations.

Nice To Haves

Proficiency in SketchUp preferred.
Architectural Registration in the State of Texas preferred but not required.

Responsibilities

Leads design and development of floor plans, elevations, and detailing across all product lines.
Prepares conceptual and schematic design packages for custom and standard products.
Guides material and color selections in collaboration with the Director of Design.
Coordinates programming, scheduling, and delivery priorities in alignment with PDM cadence and department deadlines.
Engages in our Product Development Process, contributing to early strategy alignment and buyer-centric research and continuing through final design execution.
Writes and maintains the Product Script, with accountability for accuracy in square footage, room counts, lot requirements, product options, and design intent.
Drives design reviews verifying each phase meets feedback, quality, and cost criteria.
Integrates take rates, market research, psychographics, buyer personas, and trend reports to inform project scope and detailing.
Reviews design requests and plan change forms, validates program requirements, and initiates appropriate research or reuse.
Conducts QA on construction documents and shop drawings for design fidelity.
Leads resolution of field or production design issues; attends field walks, frame reviews, and construction team meetings.
Maintains design integrity throughout Design Development (DD) and Construction Document (CD) development in partnership with Design Development Managers.
Aligns with Purchasing, Estimating, and Construction to address cost, constructability, and schedule feedback.
Supports Product Script validation and Senior Management design reviews.
Participates in and leads charrettes for series-based or accelerated design rollouts.
Mentors junior designers and supports cross-discipline collaboration through open dialogue and shared design ownership.
Encourages innovative solutions that maintain intent while improving performance, value, or execution.
Facilitates design consistency across team output and upholds standards of design excellence.
Manages high-touch customer and sales-facing projects for custom or renovated homes.
Guides clients through the design process while managing expectations and maintaining brand quality and budget constraints.
Walks completed homes and under-construction prototypes to verify design intent.
Provides feedback and design updates based on post-launch hindsight review and construction insights.
Maintains project status tracking and communicates updates clearly to the Director of Design.
Adheres to departmental policies and best practices.
Attends product tours, continuing education, and trade shows to stay aligned with national trends.
Other duties as assigned.