DOUGLAS ELLIMAN DEVELOPMENT MARKETING - PLANNING & DESIGN DIRECTORPosition SummaryThe Planning & Design Director provides strategic advisory leadership to clients and internal teams, shaping product positioning, unit planning, amenity strategy, and design narrative to ensure competitive differentiation and market success.
The role requires comfort working with both qualitative design judgment and quantitative market data to substantiate recommendations, evaluate trade-offs, and communicate value in clear, compelling terms. The Director acts as a trusted advisor to developers and senior sales leadership, influencing predevelopment decisions through a balanced, rigorous approach.
Reports ToSVP, Planning & Design - New Development
Key ResponsibilitiesDevelopment Strategy & Design Positioning
- Lead design positioning efforts from early predevelopment through launch, advising on unit mix, layouts, interior design direction, amenity programming, and overall product strategy
- Evaluate and recommend architects, interior designers, and consultants aligned with project goals, market positioning, and budget considerations
- Translate design intent and development objectives into compelling sales narratives and marketing direction in collaboration with Creative, Sales, and Marketing teams
- Support the Model Residence Program portfolio-wide, engaging directly with Sales, Marketing, external design teams, and developer clients
- Use internal databases and market benchmarks to assess unit-level metrics, efficiency, pricing implications, and amenity investment, translating analysis into actionable guidance
Client Leadership & Advisory
- Serve as a primary design strategy contact for developer clients, presenting recommendations with confidence, clarity, and market-backed rationale
- Structure and deliver polished client presentations that align design decisions with pricing, absorption, and brand objectives
- Participate in new business pitches, reinforcing DEDM's expertise in predevelopment advisory, product strategy, and market intelligence
- Engage and manage vendor relationships related to furniture, décor, and strategic partnerships
Market Intelligence & Insight
- Leverage proprietary market data, unit-level metrics, and cross-project insight to inform design standards, finishes, layouts, and amenity expectations
- Monitor competitive and industry trends, translating observations into strategic guidance rather than purely aesthetic responses
- Support ongoing development and maintenance of internal databases and design benchmarks used across the platform
Internal Leadership & Collaboration
- Direct, delegate, and manage Planning & Design workflows across multiple concurrent projects
- Collaborate closely with Sales leadership to interpret buyer and broker feedback and address design-related challenges
- Support senior leadership initiatives that advance DEDM's strategic positioning, processes, and thought leadership
- Foster a culture that values rigor, accountability, and collaboration across creative and analytical workstreams
Core Skills & CompetenciesStrategic & Analytical
- Strong design judgment grounded in market realities
- Comfort working with quantitative data to support design and positioning recommendations
- Ability to interpret data trends and translate them into clear, client-facing insights
- Willingness to engage directly with internal databases and analytical tools as part of decision-making
Communication & Leadership
- Executive-level presentation and storytelling skills
- Ability to influence without authority and navigate complex stakeholder dynamics
- Clear, confident communicator with clients, senior leadership, and cross-functional teams
- Constructive approach to feedback-both receiving and delivering
Technical Skills
- Working proficiency in Adobe Creative Suite (InDesign, Photoshop, Illustrator)
- Ability to review architectural and interior drawings using Bluebeam
- Familiarity with internal databases and analytical tools (e.g., Access, Tableau) as decision-support resources
- Proficiency in Microsoft Office
Experience & Qualifications
- Bachelor's degree in Architecture or related field
- Master's degree in Architecture, Interior Design, or Real Estate Development preferred
- Minimum six years of experience in luxury residential, mixed-use, and/or hospitality environments
- Significant knowledge of New York City's luxury residential market
Please send a resume, cover letter, and selected work samples (PDF, maximum 10MB) to
