Associate Director - Interior Design

Associate Director (Interior Design)

Salary: Up to £65,000, dependent on experience

Location: Waterloo, London

Working pattern: Hybrid: 3 days studio, 2 days from home

Software: Vectorworks

Sector: Commercial Interiors, Retail, Hospitality, F&B

About the Studio

This is a design-led commercial interiors studio that takes brand seriously. Based in London, they work with clients ranging from independent start-ups to blue-chip rollouts — always with the same focus: considered insight, rigorous planning, and intelligent design that genuinely captures the personality of a brand.

The studio is collaborative, creatively driven, and built on long-standing client relationships. The work spans concept through to delivery, and the team are architects and designers who care about the detail at every stage. This isn't a factory — it's a studio where the thinking matters as much as the output, and where good creative leadership makes a visible difference to what gets made.

About the Role

This is a senior creative leadership role for an Interior Designer who is ready to own the process from concept onwards. You'll lead projects, guide junior talent, and be a confident presence in front of clients — bringing both the creative vision and the commercial awareness to make things happen properly.

The role sits at Associate Director level, which means genuine autonomy and genuine responsibility. You'll be shaping the direction of projects, contributing to new business development, and helping set the standard for the studio's creative output. If you're a strong designer who also knows how to run a room, manage a team, and build a client relationship that lasts, this is worth your attention.

Your days will look something like this

• Lead the creative process from concept through to technical delivery across multiple commercial interior projects
• Present design solutions to clients with clarity, confidence, and a compelling narrative behind every decision
• Manage and mentor junior members of the team, reviewing work and supporting their creative and professional development
• Take ownership of project financials, resourcing, and programme — ensuring quality standards and deadlines are met
• Drive new business activity by developing existing client relationships and actively pursuing new opportunities
• Produce and review work in Vectorworks to a high technical standard
• Collaborate with architects, contractors, and third-party consultants across the full project lifecycle
• Contribute to fee proposals, bids, and pitch processes alongside senior leadership

You might be our perfect match if...

• You have a strong portfolio of commercial interior design work — retail, hospitality, brand environments, or similar — with projects at mid to large scale
• You're operating at Associate Director level, or a Senior Designer who is genuinely ready to make that step
• Your Vectorworks skills are solid and you're comfortable leading technical output as well as creative direction
• You're a confident, engaging presenter who can win a room and build lasting client trust
• You have real experience managing and developing designers, with the patience and instinct to get the best out of a team
• You understand project financials and take commercial accountability seriously — creativity and pragmatism aren't in conflict for you
• You're looking for a studio where your creative leadership will actually shape what the place produces

Why this one

• Up to £65,000 DOE
• Hybrid working — 3 days in a well-located London studio, 2 from home
• A genuinely varied portfolio spanning independent concepts and large-scale brand rollouts
• Senior autonomy from day one — this isn't a role where you manage upwards to get things approved
• A tight, talented team that cares about the quality of what they make
• Waterloo location — well connected, central, easy