Interior Design Quality Director - Site Based

Description

Department: Projects / Design & Quality Reports To: Head of Projects / VP Projects Location: Site-based (Dubai/UAE – villa & residential development projects) Employment Type: Full-time

Role Purpose

To lead and safeguard interior design quality across villa and residential development projects — from design intent through to final handover — ensuring that on-site execution, materials, finishes, and craftsmanship consistently meet the approved design standards, brand positioning, and client expectations.

Key Responsibilities

Design Quality Assurance

• Review and validate interior design packages (FF&E, joinery, finishes, lighting, materials) against approved concept and design development documents before site execution.
• Conduct regular site walkthroughs and quality inspections at each construction/fit-out stage to verify alignment with design intent.
• Identify and resolve discrepancies between design drawings and on-site execution before they become costly rework.
• Ensure all interior design installations, including project mock ups (FIP), of fit-out and custom productions follow the highest of AHS quality standards. Aligning to the ID packages.

Site Coordination

• Act as the on-site authority for interior design matters, liaising directly with contractors, subcontractors, joinery workshops, and FF&E suppliers.
• Coordinate with the design consultant/design studio to clarify details, resolve site queries, and manage design change requests.
• Work closely with the Projects team to align interior design milestones with the overall construction program.
• Inspection of all fit-out installations and to create detailed reports for VP of Design reviews and approvals.

Quality Control & Standards

• Develop and maintain interior finishing quality benchmarks, snag-list protocols, and inspection checklists specific to villa/residential standards.
• Own the snagging and de-snagging process for interior scopes through to handover.
• Approve material and finish samples/mock-ups prior to full rollout.
• Sign off of site installation related to the interior design and custom furniture and lighting manufacturing.

Documentation & Reporting

• Maintain a master log of design queries (RFIs), approvals, variations, and quality inspection reports.
• Provide regular progress and quality status reports to the Head of Projects/VP Projects.
• Flag risks related to design-execution gaps, material lead times, or contractor performance.

Stakeholder Management

• Represent design quality interests in site coordination meetings.
• Support procurement in evaluating contractor/vendor capability for interior finishing works.
• Liaise with ownership/client representatives on design quality matters as required.

Experience

• Minimum 8 years +' experience in interior design, with significant site-based/execution experience on high-end villa or luxury residential projects.
• Proven track record overseeing interior fit-out quality from design through handover.
• Experience working directly with contractors, joinery workshops, and FF&E suppliers in a live construction environment.
• Custom / Bespoke manufacturing experience with high end global suppliers across both residential and luxury hospitality.

Education

• Bachelor's degree in Interior Design, Architecture, or related field.

Skills & Competencies

• Proficiency in AutoCAD/relevant design software for reviewing drawings; familiarity with project management/reporting tools.
• Fluent English (Arabic a plus, given UAE site environment).