Interior Design Manager — Branded Residential&Hospitality

<p><strong>Job Description<br><br></strong><ul><li>About HIVE<br><br></li></ul>HIVE is a real estate development and operations company redefining modern living through character-driven spaces and community-focused environments. Born from the need to offer people a more meaningful and flexible way to live, HIVE blends personal comfort with shared experiences. Our thoughtfully designed apartments and dynamic hubs cultivate curiosity, dialogue, and a sense of belonging – because life is richer when it’s shared.<br><br>As we expand our presence across the UAE and Saudi Arabia, we are developing a new generation of build-to-rent and branded residential communities. HIVE ensures that each project reflects our brand ethos, delivers on operational functionality, and creates spaces that people love to live in.<br><br><ul><li>Purpose of Role:<br><br></li></ul>We are seeking a creative and design-driven Interior Design Manager to define and champion HIVEs interior design identity across our portfolio. This role is responsible for establishing HIVEs interior design language, curating the look-and-feel of our spaces, and ensuring a consistent, distinctive aesthetic that positions HIVE as a hip and contemporary lifestyle brand.<br><br>The Interior Design Manager will lead on all matters relating to interior design, FF&E, lighting design, signage, wayfinding, and amenity programming, working closely with design consultants and internal teams to bring HIVEs vision to life.<br><br>This full-time position is based in the UAE (with travel to KSA) and reports to the Head of Design.<br><br><ul><li>Key Role Responsibilities:<br><br></li></ul><strong>Design Language Development<br><br></strong><ul><li>Continuously define and develop HIVEs interior design language, establishing design guidelines, material palettes, and aesthetic principles that can be applied across all projects</li><li>Lead the creative direction for amenity spaces, ensuring they reflect HIVEs brand positioning as a contemporary and community-focused operator</li><li>Drive amenity programming concepts, defining what goes into shared spaces (gyms, lounges, co-working areas, rooftops) and how they should feel</li><li>Source inspiration, benchmark competitors, and stay current on hospitality and residential design trends<br><br></li></ul><strong>Design Review&Coordination<br><br></strong><ul><li>Provide clear and fitting guidance to ID consultants on apartment and amenity layouts, ensuring they reflect HIVE’s principles of user experience and flow</li><li>Review all interior design submissions from consultants, providing feedback to ensure alignment with HIVEs design standards and brand identity</li><li>Manage the selection and specification of furniture, fixtures, and equipment (FF&E) across residential units and shared spaces</li><li>Oversee interior lighting design to ensure spaces are atmospheric, functional, and consistent with HIVEs aesthetic</li><li>Lead the development of signage and wayfinding strategies that enhance the resident experience and reinforce brand identity in collaboration with HIVE’s Brand&Creative Department<br><br></li></ul><strong>Research&Collaboration<br><br></strong><ul><li>Work closely with Design and Development Managers to ensure interior designs being proposed are budget-conscious</li><li>Collaborate with Design Managers to ensure interior design decisions are coordinated with base-build design and technical requirements</li><li>Work closely with Operations, Marketing, and Brand teams to ensure interior design supports the resident journey and brand experience</li><li>Support mock-up reviews, material sampling, and fit-out coordination to ensure design intent is realised on site<br><br></li></ul><strong>4. Ideal Candidate Profile:<br><br></strong><ul><li>Minimum 5 years of experience in interior design, with a focus on hospitality, branded residential, or lifestyle-driven projects</li><li>A strong portfolio demonstrating creative vision and an eye for distinctive, contemporary design</li><li>Experience defining brand design languages or working on projects where design identity was a key differentiator</li><li>Deep understanding of FF&E specification, material selection, and interior lighting</li><li>Passion for creating spaces that feel curated, welcoming, and memorable</li><li>Ability to translate brand positioning into tangible design decisions</li><li>Experience working with third-party design consultants and managing creative output</li><li>Strong visual communication skills with the ability to articulate design concepts to non-design stakeholders</li><li>Familiarity with the hospitality sector and an understanding of how design drives guest experience<br><br></li></ul><strong>5. Qualifications<br><br></strong><ul><li>Degree in Interior Design, Interior Architecture, Architecture or a related field</li><li>Professional certifications or memberships (e.g., NCIDQ, BIID) are a plus<br><br></li></ul><strong>6. Start Date<br><br></s