Design Director

Title: Design Director

Location: Hybrid (San Francisco, CA)

Reporting Structure: Reports to Founder & Principal

Company Description

Atelier Oleana is a fast-growing luxury residential interior design studio based in San Francisco, known for creating timeless, emotionally resonant spaces that blend sophistication, craftsmanship, and modern livability.

The studio is building toward becoming a nationally recognized design firm, inspired by the caliber, refinement, and cultural impact of top AD100 studios. Their work is rooted in exceptional design standards, elevated client experiences, and a belief that beauty should feel deeply personal and enduring.

They are seeking a Design Director to serve as a senior studio leader responsible for shaping creative direction, driving operational excellence, mentoring the team, and contributing meaningfully to the long-term growth of the business.

This is not simply a creative role. It is a high-impact leadership position with influence over revenue, reputation, systems, culture, and the future trajectory of the firm.

Quick facts:

• Headquartered in San Francisco, CA
• Boutique luxury residential studio focused on refined, highly personalized homes
• Building toward becoming a nationally recognized design brand
• Values-driven culture rooted in humility, excellence, emotional intelligence, and intentional growth
• High-touch client experience with publication-worthy standards across every project

Responsibilities

• Leading studio-wide creative direction across multiple luxury residential projects
• Overseeing all phases of the design process-from concept development through installation
• Acting as a senior client-facing leader throughout presentations, decision-making, and complex project moments
• Supporting new business efforts through introductory meetings, presentations, and relationship-building
• Helping shape project scope, positioning, and pricing conversations
• Reviewing and refining design work to ensure alignment with Atelier Oleana's aesthetic and quality standards
• Leading and mentoring Senior Designers and Associate Design Directors across the studio
• Holding teams accountable to timelines, deliverables, and design excellence
• Supporting operational decisions around staffing, workflow allocation, and project prioritization
• Identifying and proactively solving operational bottlenecks before they escalate
• Balancing beauty, craftsmanship, feasibility, budgets, and client expectations across projects
• Protecting the studio from over-servicing, poor scoping, and misaligned expectations
• Acting as a trusted extension of the Founder's judgment and significantly reducing day-to-day escalations

Is this you?

• You have 10+ years of experience in luxury residential interior design
• You've successfully led complex, high-end residential projects from concept through completion
• You bring exceptional design taste and strong creative conviction
• You're highly client-facing and comfortable navigating sophisticated client relationships
• You naturally think like an owner, balancing creative excellence with business realities
• You're calm under pressure and capable of making thoughtful decisions in high-stakes environments
• You're an experienced people leader who can mentor high performers while holding clear standards
• You're operationally minded and enjoy improving systems, workflows, and team performance
• You thrive in environments with high expectations, autonomy, and accountability
• You live in the Bay Area (or plan to relocate) and are excited by a hybrid working environment

Preferred Qualifications

• 10+ years of professional experience in high-end residential interior design
• Experience leading teams and overseeing multiple projects simultaneously
• Strong portfolio demonstrating refined, publication-worthy residential work
• Deep understanding of luxury clients, custom furnishings, materials, and high-touch project execution
• Strong communication and presentation skills with executive-level polish
• Experience balancing creative direction with financial and operational considerations
• Ability to lead with emotional maturity, decisiveness, and professionalism
• Alignment with a values-driven, low-ego, high-accountability studio culture

Perks

• Opportunity to shape the future of a growing luxury design studio
• Significant leadership influence across creative, operational, and strategic decisions
• Work on deeply custom, design-forward residential projects
• Collaborative, high-performing, values-led team environment
• Clear opportunity for long-term growth and studio leadership
• End-of-year bonus opportunity
• Join a studio building a true long-term home for exceptional design talent