The Design Associate supports interior design execution across Carmel Partners national portfolio, including new development, renovation, and existing assets. Partnering with internal teams, consultants, procurement partners, and vendors, the Associate coordinates documentation, schedules, deliverables, and installations, managing defined workstreams and smaller-scope initiatives under the direction of the Design team and escalating design, budget, and schedule decisions as appropriate.
What You'll Do- Coordinate interior design initiatives across the national portfolio under the direction of the Design team
- Maintain project trackers, milestone schedules, action-item logs, approval records, and portfolio-level status reporting
- Coordinate day-to-day project information among internal teams, interior design consultants, architects, contractors, procurement partners, and vendors
- Manage Design team and project meetings, including scheduling, agendas, presentation materials, notes, and follow-up on outstanding deliverables
- Perform initial review of drawings, finish schedules, specifications, shop drawings, submittals, and RFIs for completeness; route items for Design team review and elevate discrepancies for resolution
- Prepare and maintain specification sheets, finish schedules, sample sets, unit finish boards, and related design documentation, including approved pricing
- Track and document approved selections for residential units, corridors, amenities, model units, and exterior FF&E
- Coordinate smaller scope amenity refreshes and Asset Management design requests; research options and prepare preliminary recommendations for Design team approval
- Coordinate with vendors to obtain samples, lead times, substitutions, and order-status information
- Track FF&E and finish selections against approved budgets and schedules, identifying cost, availability, and schedule risks early
- Coordinate documentation, shop drawings, and finish and fabric samples related to furniture product development
- Support project installations and styling alongside procurement partners, vendors, and installation teams to confirm approved design intent is carried through
- Coordinate warranty, repair, replacement, and close-out needs following FF&E installation
- Periodically visit active construction sites and project installations, including elevated areas and uneven ground, wearing required personal protective equipment
- Maintain the Master Unit Finish Schedule, unit finish standards, product and resource libraries, project files, vendor and consultant records, and historical design documentation
- Support the documentation and rollout of design standards, preferred specifications, and national sourcing initiatives, and maintain lessons-learned documentation for future standards and processes
- Maintain the Design product room and coordinate sample requests and material distribution to outside consultants and project teams
- Provide coordination and administrative support for Design team travel, installations, presentations, and special projects
- Travel nationally by car or air as required, and occasionally lift or carry materials and samples of up to 50 pounds during installations
- Perform other related duties as assigned
What You'll Bring- Bachelor's degree in interior design, architecture, construction or a related field preferred; CIDA-accredited program and/or ASID affiliation a plus
- 2+ of experience in interior design, architecture, FF&E, procurement, or project coordination; multifamily, single-family residential, or hospitality experience preferred
- Working knowledge of interior finishes and products, including flooring, tile, cabinetry, countertops, plumbing fixtures, lighting, furniture, and textiles
- Ability to read and interpret architectural and interior design drawings, specifications, finish schedules, and floor plans; familiarity with construction documentation preferred
- Proficiency in the Microsoft Office Suite, including Excel, PowerPoint, Word, Outlook, and Teams, and in Bluebeam; Adobe Creative Suite and AutoCAD preferred; Revit and AI-assisted visualization tools a plus
- Excellent written and verbal communication skills and exceptional attention to detail
- Strong organizational skills, with the ability to prioritize multiple assignments against competing deadlines
- Proactive, solutions-oriented approach, with sound judgment on when to work independently and when to escalate
- Strong analytical and problem-solving skills, with the ability to identify potential conflicts and elevate them promptly
- Comfort interacting with senior leadership and collaborating across diverse internal and external teams
- Collaborative, resourceful, and composed under pressure, with a service-oriented approach to design quality and consistency
Compensation and Benefits Compensation and benefits play a key role in your choice of employer, and our goal is to invest in you and your experience here. You'll find competitive compensation and a comprehensive benefits package at Carmel.
Base compensation range
$95K to $105K. Total compensation for this role also includes a
bonus incentive in addition to the base salary. Compensation will be commensurate with experience, qualifications and skills. The Company reserves the right to ultimately pay more or less than the posted range and to offer additional benefits and other compensation, depending on circumstances unrelated to an applicant's sex or other protected status under local, state or federal law.
Visa Sponsorship: Carmel Partners is currently unable to sponsor or assume sponsorship of an employment visa for this role. We require that applicants be authorized to work in the U.S.A.
