Design Operations Director

INSIDE SOURCE INC.•San Jose, CA

8d•$145,000 - $160,000

About The Position

The Director, Design Operations leads Insidesource’s NorCal Design department, elevating its performance, processes, and contribution to client experience. The role partners with leadership and department managers to position Design as a strategic business capability. It fosters a culture of learning, accountability, and collaboration; sets annual goals, KPIs, and quality standards; and builds a high-performing team with the Design Team Managers. The Director provides designers with clarity, support, and growth opportunities while establishing repeatable workflows, appropriate tools, balanced workloads, and resources aligned with market needs and client outcomes. The position defines the design practice’s vision, oversees department management and quality assurance, and develops design processes and technical support in collaboration with design leaders and IT/Business Operations. It forecasts staffing and resourcing needs, allocates designers across teams and projects, tracks project workflow, manages contractor capacity and costs, and establishes the annual design operating budget with the VP Market Engagement. The role directly supervises NorCal Design Team Managers and, as needed, individual design positions.

Requirements

10 or more years of interior design and/or furniture dealership experience.
Proven team leadership and organizational and cultural development track record; management or supervisory experience required.
Strong interpersonal and collaborative skills to work effectively with personnel and departments at all organizational levels.
Business acumen to drive KPIs and build departmental structure and success.
Comprehensive knowledge of the commercial interior design industry, including project approach and workflow from business development through project close-out.
Working knowledge of applicable building codes, ADA regulations, and seismic and electrical code requirements.
Extensive knowledge of workplace furniture and accessories lines.
Excellent written, verbal, visual, presentation, and facilitation skills.
Strategic planning and implementation skills.
Strong analytical and problem-solving skills.
Self-starter and critical thinker who is creative and collaborative.

Responsibilities

Define and implement the overall vision for the design practice in alignment with department leadership and organizational goals.
Advocate for design excellence and innovation throughout the organization and represent the Design department in NorCal meeting forums.
Champion a design philosophy focused on elevated client experience, service innovation, and impactful engagement.
Foster a culture of continuous learning, accountability, and collaboration, and stay current with industry standards, trends, and market intelligence.
Set quarterly and annual Design department goals and KPIs, gather internal and external feedback, and establish quality assurance expectations for deliverables.
Build and maintain a high-performing Design department through recruiting, training, performance management, and professional development.
Oversee the health, performance, and development of the design team, including hiring, reviews, compensation decisions, and staffing in partnership with Design Team Managers.
Manage day-to-day people administration, including approval of expense reports and PTO requests.
Promote team participation in vendor presentations and training to expand product and technical knowledge.
Collaborate with design leaders to optimize workflows and ensure Design procedures are documented, implemented, and accessible.
Coordinate updates to standards for design documentation and project execution.
Work with IT/Business Operations to support and implement technical requirements and evaluate and implement emerging technology tools for design practices.
Analyze sales projections, team activity, and feedback to forecast staffing and resourcing needs and deploy resources effectively.
Balance workloads with team managers and designers, optimize assignments, and provide ongoing support for strategic accounts.
Assign designers across teams and projects based on business priorities and capacity.
Manage a tracking system for Design team project workflow and status.
Hold regular check-ins with Design Team Managers to monitor team health, KPIs, and progress toward annual goals.
Establish and manage the annual design operating budget in partnership with the VP Market Engagement.
Monitor and optimize contractor costs, capacity, and capabilities.
Exemplify Insidesource values; participate in All Company Meetings and Regional Town Halls; and embody diversity, equity, and inclusion in the Insider community and business practices.