About the Role:

We are seeking a seasoned, process-oriented Director Design to lead and scale our India Excellence Centre.

This is a strategic leadership role designed for an executive with a proven track record of managing large design teams (15-20+ designers minimum) in retail, global brands (e.g., Starbucks, Reliance Retail, Tanishq), or reputable architectural studios (100+ employee scale).

You will directly lead 4 Design Leads and an overall team of 30+ designers, driving a strategic plan to scale the department to 100 designers while delivering a run-rate volume of 600 designs/month.

Your core mission is building scalable design processes, elevating design quality and commercial conversion, and instilling system-driven accountability across the organization.

Key Responsibilities:

1. System & Process Architecture:

- Design, implement, and enforce a unified, scalable design process across all project types to ensure consistent quality and speed.

- Integrate design workflows seamlessly with Sales, Estimation, and Execution teams.

- Establish quality control checkpoints and standardized review frameworks to eliminate person-dependent outcomes.

2. Team Leadership & Capability Building:

- Directly manage and mentor 4 Design Leads, holding them accountable for team output, quality, and commercial viability.

- Build leadership capability within the management layer to enable independent decision-making and team supervision.

- Scale team capacity from 30 to 100 designers over a 4-year horizon while maintaining high performance standards.

3. Operational & Commercial Performance:

- Oversee workflow throughput to maintain a run rate of up to 600 designs/month.

- Track and optimize key department metrics: Win Ratio, Converted Design Value, Turnaround Time (TAT), and Productivity.

- Align design outputs with Western/Global brand standards, catering effectively to US and European client expectations.

Mandatory Qualification & Candidate Profile:

- Experience: 10 to 20 years of overall experience, with a strong focus on Interior Design / Retail Design / Global Retail Brands / Architecture.

- Team Management: Proven track record of directly managing large design teams (15-20+ designers minimum).

- Education: B.Tech / B.Arch or Degree/Postgraduate qualification in Design from a Tier-1/2 Indian institute or recognized US/UK/Canada university.

- Sector Background: Strong experience in Retail Stores, Global Brands (e.g., Starbucks, Reliance Retail, Tanishq), or major Architectural Studios (100+ employee companies).

- Global Exposure: Direct experience working with US/European stakeholders or international brands is highly preferred.