Design Director
Higher People
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
- 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
- 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
- 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
- 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
Vacancy posted 4 days ago
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