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Senior Design Manager Jobs (NOW HIRING)

As a Senior Design Manager at Linesight, you will work with highly experienced, culturally diverse, and passionate teams nurturing a strong social dynamic and a shared sense of achievement. You will ...

Discover your exciting role The Senior Design Manager, with expertise in Biopharma Life Sciences, will oversee a multidisciplinary project design team-comprising engineers, designers, and support ...

Discover your exciting role The Senior Design Manager, with expertise in Biopharma Life Sciences, will oversee a multidisciplinary project design team-comprising engineers, designers, and support ...

Discover your exciting role The Senior Design Manager, with expertise in Biopharma Life Sciences, will oversee a multidisciplinary project design team-comprising engineers, designers, and support ...

STV is currently looking for a Senior Design Manager to join our Buildings team in our Los Angeles, CA location. About STV STV is a nationally recognized leader in architecture, engineering, planning ...

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Senior Design Manager information

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$68K

$145.7K

$200K

How much do senior design manager jobs pay per year?

As of Jul 10, 2026, the average yearly pay for senior design manager in the United States is $145,689.00, according to ZipRecruiter salary data. Most workers in this role earn between $128,500.00 and $171,000.00 per year, depending on experience, location, and employer.

What is the difference between Senior Design Manager vs Design Director?

AspectSenior Design ManagerDesign Director
CredentialsBachelor's or Master's in Design, Architecture, or related field; experience in project managementSimilar educational background; often more extensive experience and leadership credentials
Work EnvironmentLeads design teams on multiple projects, collaborates with clients and stakeholdersOversees entire design departments, sets strategic vision, and manages senior teams
Industry UsageCommonly used in architecture, product, and interior design firmsTypically found in larger organizations with broader strategic responsibilities

The main difference between a Senior Design Manager and a Design Director lies in scope and strategic influence. Senior Design Managers focus on managing design teams and project execution, while Design Directors oversee overall design strategy and department leadership, often with higher-level responsibilities.

How does a Senior Design Manager typically collaborate with cross-functional teams to drive project success?

As a Senior Design Manager, you will work closely with product managers, engineers, marketing, and other stakeholders throughout the design process. Effective collaboration involves facilitating design reviews, ensuring alignment between business objectives and creative direction, and proactively seeking feedback from multiple departments. You’ll often act as a bridge between the design team and other functions, translating technical or business requirements into actionable design solutions. This collaborative dynamic is essential for delivering cohesive, user-centered products and achieving shared project goals.

What are the key skills and qualifications needed to thrive as a Senior Design Manager, and why are they important?

To thrive as a Senior Design Manager, you need advanced design expertise, leadership experience, and a strong portfolio, often supported by a degree in design or a related field. Familiarity with design tools like Adobe Creative Suite, Figma, and project management platforms such as Asana or Jira is typically required. Exceptional communication, team leadership, and stakeholder management skills set top performers apart. These abilities are crucial for delivering high-quality design solutions, leading creative teams, and aligning design objectives with business goals.

What are Senior Design Managers?

Senior Design Managers are experienced professionals who lead and oversee design teams within an organization. They are responsible for setting design strategies, managing multiple projects, mentoring designers, and ensuring that design outputs align with business objectives. Senior Design Managers collaborate with stakeholders across departments, drive innovation, and maintain high-quality standards in all design processes. Their role is crucial in bridging creative vision with practical execution, ensuring that projects meet both user needs and business goals.
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What cities are hiring for Senior Design Manager jobs? Cities with the most Senior Design Manager job openings:
What states have the most Senior Design Manager jobs? States with the most job openings for Senior Design Manager jobs include:
Senior Design Manager

Full-time

Medical, Dental, Vision, Life, Retirement, PTO

Re-posted 10 days ago


Suffolk Construction rating

9.1

Company rating: 9.1 out of 10

Based on 6 frontline employees who took The Breakroom Quiz


Job description

Overview 

About Suffolk  

Suffolk is a national enterprise that builds, innovates, and invests. We provide value across the entire project lifecycle through our core construction management services and complementary business lines in real estate investment, design, self-perform construction, and technology start-up investment (Suffolk Technologies). By integrating data, artificial intelligence, and advanced technology through our Seamless Platform, we connect design, construction, and operations to deliver smarter, more predictable results and redefine how America builds. 

Suffolk - America's Contractor - is a national company with more than $9 billion in annual revenue, 3,000 employees, and 17 offices, including Boston (headquarters), New York City, Miami, West Palm Beach, Tampa, Estero, Dallas, Los Angeles, San Francisco, San Diego, Las Vegas, Herndon, U.S. Virgin Islands, and other key markets. Suffolk manages some of the most complex and transformative projects in the country, serving clients across healthcare, life sciences, education, gaming, aviation, transportation, government, mission critical, and commercial sectors. Suffolk is privately held and is led by founder, chairman and CEO John Fish. Suffolk is ranked #8 on ENR's list of "Top CM-at-Risk Contractors." For more information, visit www.suffolk.com and follow Suffolk on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, YouTube, and Instagram. 

At Suffolk, we believe that our total rewards program should offer you and your family the support you need when it matters most. That's why we have created a program that provides employees with access to a wide variety of options that can be personalized to support you and your loved ones physically, emotionally, and financially. 

Benefits include, competitive salaries, auto allowances and gas cards for certain roles, access to market leading medical and emotional and mental health benefits, dental, and vision insurance plans, virtual care options for physical therapy and primary care, generous paid time off, 401k plan with employer match and access to expert financial resources, company paid and voluntary life insurance, tax deferred savings accounts, 10 backup daycare days each year, short- and long-term disability, commuter benefits and more. For more information, clickhere. 

About Suffolk Design

Suffolk's newly created design vertical, Suffolk Design, aims to disrupt the traditional design delivery process through a proprietary, collaborative, and fully integrated design-build service offering. Illuminate promises to leverage Suffolk's core construction capabilities, along with innovative technologies and processes to create world-class design-build and design-management services delivering to its clients design excellence with unprecedented levels of efficiency and predictability. 

The Role

The Senior Project Design Manager will proactively and collaboratively lead integrated teams, made up of both internal and external design and construction professionals, through llluminate's optimized, end-to-end design build management process from design inception to building completion. The ideal candidate will be committed to meaningfully enhancing the efficiency, accuracy, completeness, and speed of the design, documentation, and construction process, and will enthusiastically leverage innovative procedures, tools, and technologies to exceed our client's expectations.

Responsibilities

Core Design Management Responsible for the successful realization of client's project vision, including performance, programming, cost, and schedule objectives. Lead the interface between design teams, Suffolk Operations, industry professionals, trade partners, regulatory agencies, and other project stakeholders to achieve project goals, all the while embracing culture of authentic collaboration and technical competence. Maintain and support client relationships during all project phases, ensuring a client-first mentality that encourages both active engagement in and ownership of all design decisions. Lead project team meetings, workshops, and other collaborative communications throughout a project's life cycle. Hold self, and teams, accountable for meeting deadlines; trouble-shoot challenges by leveraging the full capacity of interdisciplinary project teams.

Design Phase Responsibilities Lead the development and management of optimized design processes for each project, supporting the efficient, linear delivery of fully coordinated and buildable drawings prior to the start of construction. Build upon Suffolk's world-class construction planning and execution capabilities by strategically aligning design and documentation development with construction sequencing, supporting streamlined workflows. In association with Illuminate VDC and Suffolk preconstruction experts, lead the execution of rigorous, 'real-time', project constructability reviews during the design process, ensuring that all documentation iscomplete, coordinated, and buildable prior to the start of construction. De-risk project construction by identifying design gaps early in the design process and enable active remediation before construction workflows are disrupted. At key project design milestones, liaise with preconstruction teams to evaluate and validate cost and schedule alignment with project objectives.

Construction Phase Responsibilities With Suffolk field operations team, prioritize design issue resolution in alignment with optimal construction sequencing. Expedite responses to maintain pace of construction. Collaborate with key project stakeholders to ensure design decisions are made in step with project schedule and lead-time requirements. Establish effective working relationships with the project design team to collaboratively identify, resolve, and complete design issues. Serve as the liaison between the Architect of Record and the project team. Bring Suffolk and llluminate's full technical expertise to bear on project design challenges to rapidly produce solutions for review with architect and project team.

Illuminate Operations Management Track and report progress towards project milestone completion, staffing allocations, and project financial health. In collaboration with Illuminate leadership and the project team, analyze, refine, and test design construction workflow assumptions in real-time to optimize llluminate's process moving forward. Leverage and grow Suffolk's proprietary constructability knowledge database, which serves as a critical input to a proactive QA/QC process throughout design. Support llluminate's design technology staff in the introduction of automated design and documentation processes and workflows.

Qualifications
  • Certification as licensed architect or professional engineer is preferred
  • Professional degree in Architecture or Engineering is Advanced degree preferred.
  • Significant experience in the professional design services industry, with relevant design project management Years of experience and specific industry knowledge will align with specific project characteristics regarding size, complexity, and type.
  • Proven success working on multiple projects and commercial building type, across all project
  • Experience managing teams through the duration of the project's design process, including completion of Construction Documentation (Drawing & Specification).
  • Substantial hands-on experience through the full Construction Administration cycle on multiple
  • Proficiency with Building Information Modeling platforms, including the Autodesk Suite and other industry standard 3D modeling and analysis software.
  • Substantial knowledge of jurisdictional building codes and Extensive knowledge of industry standards and resources.
  • Must possess Suffolk's Core Values: Passion, Integrity, Hard Work, Professionalism, and Caring
Working Conditions

While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to sit for long periods of time; talk or hear; perform fine motor, hand and finger skills in the use of a keyboard, telephone, or writing. The employee is frequently required to stands; walk; and reach with arms and/or hands. Specific vision abilities include close vision, distance vision, depth perception and the ability to adjust focus. The employee will spend their time in an office environment with a quiet to moderate noise level. Job site walking.

EEO Statement

Suffolk provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, pregnancy or maternity, national origin, citizenship, genetic information, disability, protected veteran, gender identity, age or any other status protected by law.  This policy applies to recruiting, hiring, transfers, promotions, terminations, compensation, benefits, and all other terms and conditions of employment.  Suffolk will not tolerate any unlawful discrimination toward, or harassment of, applicants or employees by anyone at Suffolk, or anyone working on behalf of Suffolk.

Compensation Information

Base Salary for this position is just one component of Suffolk's total compensation package.  Actual salaries may be based on several factors including, but not limited to, a candidate's skill set, experience, education and other qualifications.  Suffolk offers a comprehensive benefits package as part of its overall compensation strategy. 

Employment Type: FULL_TIME

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