Director of Interior Design - Seattle - AIA Seattle

Description

LMN is currently seeking outstanding candidates for the position of Director of Interior Design to lead and advance the firm's interior design practice. This role provides strategic, creative, and technical leadership across projects, teams, shaping the vision, standards, and execution of interior design work firmwide. The Director of Interior Design will work closely with firm leadership, design leaders, project teams, and clients to ensure interior design is fully integrated, technically sound, and aligned with LMN's values, culture, and business goals. This role also includes setting and advancing goals for the Interior Design Group, aligning design vision, team development, and business objectives with firmwide priorities.

The ideal candidate is a highly experienced interior design leader who brings a deep understanding of the interior design process, from concept development through documentation and construction, along with sound judgment, strong communication skills, and a collaborative leadership style. They are passionate about design, demonstrate exceptional design sensibility, and value the process of developing and articulating ideas through concept diagrams, visualization, material exploration, and clear, constructible documentation.

In addition to design and technical leadership, this role plays a key part in business development and practice growth, supporting pursuits, cultivating client relationships, and helping position LMN for interior-led opportunities. The Director of Interior Design will work to advance the firm's interior design profile while ensuring consistent quality, clarity, and execution across all interior work.

This position is well suited to a design professional who can balance creative vision, technical oversight, team mentorship, and business acumen, guiding teams through complex design and delivery challenges and elevating the impact of interior design across the firm.

Overall Leadership

• Provide firmwide creative leadership, set a strategic vision for the interior design group and lead strategic initiatives.
• Set expectations for design excellence across all projects, both standalone interior-led work and integrated architectural projects.
• Lead communication between the interior design team and firm leadership, aligning interior design priorities with broader firm strategic goals.
• Foster a collaborative, inclusive culture across interiors, architecture, and urban design, ensuring interior design is fully integrated into project and firm-wide decision-making.
• Provide high-level creative direction, critique, and quality oversight, ensuring work reflects LMN's design values, craft, and commitment to innovation.
• Push the boundaries of innovation, user-centered design, material exploration, and craft while balancing performance, constructability, and long-term value.
• Serve as a thought leader for interior design within the firm and the broader design community, contributing to dialogue around best practices, trends, and the future of the profession.
• Establish and accountable for the firm-wide interior design budget.

Business Development & Client Relationships

• Lead and support business development efforts related to interior design, including pursuits, proposal strategy, narrative development, and interview participation.
• Represent LMN in client interviews, market-facing efforts, and industry engagement, helping to grow the firm's interior-led work.
• Build and maintain strong client relationships, serving as a trusted design advisor and contributing to long‑term client partnerships.
• Collaborate with firm leadership to identify opportunities for interior‑led projects and to strengthen LMN's interior design profile in key market sectors.

Practice Leadership

• Lead concept development for major and strategic projects, providing oversight through all subsequent project phases to ensure design intent is carried out through execution and construction.
• Establish, maintain, and advance interior design standards, documentation practices, and quality‑control processes to ensure consistency, clarity, and technical excellence across projects.
• Oversee interior design QA/QC, including review of design and construction documents, detailing approaches, and constructability considerations.
• Help define and refine project delivery methods, scopes of work, and fee strategies related to interior design services.
• Promote sustainability, wellness, material health, circularity, and DEI principles in both design outcomes and practice operations.

People Leadership & Mentorship

• Accountable for the performance of the interior design group.
• Build, lead, and mentor the interior design team at all levels, fostering a culture of design excellence, technical rigor, collaboration, and professional growth.
• Support staff development through mentorship, coaching, and guidance on career progression and leadership pathways.
• Work closely with firm leadership to support staffing strategies, team structure, and long‑term growth of the interior design practice.
• Participate in hiring, performance reviews, workload planning, and career path development for interior design staff.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Interior Design or Architecture.
• LEED accreditation strongly preferred.
• Professional licensure (NCIDQ, Registered Architect, or equivalent).
• Fifteen or more years of experience in the field of interior design, interior architecture or architecture with interiors focus, at least five of which were in leadership positions.
• Demonstrated experience across a wide range of project types, preferably including Education, Arts and Culture, Convention Centers, Hospitality and Workplace, as well as other complex or public‑facing environments.
• Experience directing and providing leadership for design teams from business development presentations through developing strategy and design concepts.
• Experience working for a design practice that provided a solid understanding of the design and construction process from pre‑design through project completion.
• An inspiring portfolio demonstrating conceptual leadership, design excellence, and realized built work, with evidence of thoughtful execution and technical resolution.
• Fluency in basic building codes, building systems, accessibility requirements, and industry standards, with the ability to guide teams through complex technical challenges.
• Proven experience leading and coordinating multi‑disciplinary teams, including architects, consultants, and specialists, from concept through construction.
• Strong client communication and presentation skills, with experience serving as a trusted design advisor and representing design vision in interviews and public‑facing settings.
• Familiarity in design and documentation tool and workflow process.
• Ability to work closely with leaders across the firm to promote an inter‑disciplinary design approach and philosophy, and to facilitate its advancement across the firm.
• A visionary and strategic thinker with the ability to balance creativity, technical execution, and business objectives.
• A demonstrated commitment to sustainability, wellness, material health, equity, and inclusion, and the ability to champion these values in both design outcomes and practice leadership.
• A proven mentor and leader who supports professional development, builds strong teams, and fosters a collaborative, inclusive culture.

Office & Hybrid Hours

LMN employees collaborate in‑office on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday. Fridays are hybrid workdays that allow employees to work in the office, from home, or any location they choose. Core work hours are from 9:30 am – 4:00 pm and provide flexibility for employees to structure their schedules around personal commitments and commuting.

Compensation

This is a salaried position with a pay range of $165,000 to $190,000. Compensation will be based on experience and qualifications.

Benefits

Eligible salaried employees receive an annual performance bonus depending on LMN profitability and individual performance. LMN offers medical, dental, and vision insurance to employees and their families, along with an Employee Assistance Program (EAP). Depending on the employee's choice of health insurance coverage, a Flexible Spending Account (FSA) and a Health Savings Account (HSA) are available, as well as a Dependent Care FSA for employees with eligible dependents. Employees are also covered by long‑term disability insurance and group term life insurance. After meeting eligibility requirements, employees may enroll in the LMN 401(k) plan, which includes discretionary matching and profit‑sharing contributions. Employees accrue a minimum of 3 weeks of paid time off (PTO) during their first year and observe 9 holidays, including 2 floating holidays.

About LMN

Located in downtown Seattle, LMN has dedicated our practice to the health and vitality of communities of all scales. We are a single office of talented professionals who are passionate about design and dedicated to collaboration. Working across a diversity of project typologies, LMN is internationally recognized for the planning and design of environments that elevate the social experience. In recognition of the quality of our work and professional leadership, LMN was the recipient of the 2016 AIA Architecture Firm Award, the highest national honor bestowed upon an architectural practice. More information on LMN is available on our website at

LMN expects all employees to support its equal employment opportunity policy and is committed to fostering a workplace where everyone can work in a productive, respectful, and professional environment. LMN does not tolerate discrimination against its employees on the basis of their race, sex/gender, religion/creed, political ideology, pregnancy, age, physical or mental disability, marital status, national origin, genetics/genetic markers, military or Veterans status, sexual orientation, actual or perceived status as a victim of domestic violence, or any other characteristic protected by applicable federal, state or local law.