Residential Design Director, Group Residences

Are you a master of your craft? Do you thrive in environments where brand excellence, collaboration, and integrity matter? At Mandarin Oriental, we invite you to become a fan of the exceptional.

Mandarin Oriental is the award winning owner and operator of some of the world's most luxurious hotels, resorts, and residences in prime global destinations. We are globally recognised for creating exceptional luxury properties, delivering legendary service inspired by Asian heritage while embracing innovation and modern design excellence.

About the job

Based within the Technical Services / Residences function, the Residential Project Design Manager acts as a Brand Guardian across all Residential and Technical Services design matters. This role provides end to end design guidance across assigned projects - from Kick Off through completion and residential opening - ensuring Mandarin Oriental's Brand Design Philosophy and Standards are upheld at every stage.

The role works closely with Owners, Project Teams, Consultants, Operations, and Technical Services to deliver projects that are brand aligned, operationally sound, and design led.

Responsibilities Brand & Design Leadership

• Acting as a Brand Guardian, ensuring Residential Design Philosophy and Brand Standards are consistently applied.
• Providing detailed design reviews, guidance, and approvals to Owners' Consultants.
• Assisting with conceptual design, early feasibility reviews, and desktop assessments of potential projects.
• Establishing and coordinating area programs, space requirements, formulas, and Front and Back of House ratios.

Design Coordination & Documentation

• Overseeing multiple residential projects simultaneously across different stages.
• Producing written design guidance, sketches, and CAD drawings to communicate effectively with project stakeholders.
• Guiding consultants through design development and presentation stages to ensure alignment with brand, specifications, and operational criteria.
• Coordinating signage packages with signage consultants to ensure clarity, compliance, and logical placement throughout properties.

Operational & BOH Integration

• Working closely with Residential Operations to develop BOH layouts, specifications, and material selections in line with operational needs.
• Providing functional BOH layouts that meet both design and operational criteria.
• Ensuring FF&E selections comply with Mandarin Oriental brand, engineering, IT, and operational standards.

Project & Stakeholder Management

• Liaising with Project Managers and Owners while routing all design deviations and corrections through the Project Management function.
• Maintaining critical path design tracking and proactively identifying risks or delays.
• Coordinating with internal departments to align design, operations, and delivery timelines.

Site, Handover & Delivery

• Conducting regular site visits and issuing observation reports.
• Representing Residential and Technical Services in value engineering discussions.
• Coordinating mock up rooms, prototypes, inspections, testing, commissioning, and handover processes.
• Ensuring receipt and transfer of as built drawings, manuals, training materials, and maintenance documentation.

Commercial & Financial Oversight

• Reviewing project budgets, assisting with bid analysis, and supporting FF&E specification approvals.
• Evaluating design changes for cost and scope impact in coordination with Technical Services.
• Ensuring accurate handover of supplier and cost data to operations.

Qualifications

• Architectural or Interior Design background, with experience in greenfield developments and/or major renovations.
• Strong experience acting as a design authority or brand guardian in complex projects.
• Proven ability to coordinate multiple consultants, disciplines, and stakeholders simultaneously.
• Strong sketching, CAD, and written communication skills.
• Comfortable taking ownership, setting up guidelines, manuals, and specifications, and following through to completion.
• Strong organisational skills, attention to detail, and ability to manage multiple projects under tight timelines.
• Sound understanding of luxury residential/hotel operations and BOH functionality.
• Confident communicator able to guide owners, consultants, and project teams diplomatically.

Brand Integrity

• Acts as a brand ambassador at all times.
• Demonstrates deep knowledge of brand values, culture, and design philosophy.
• Ensures brand integrity and clarity are consistently upheld across all projects.

Our commitment to you

• Learning & Development: Continuous growth through tailored development programmes.
• MOstay: Complimentary stays and preferred rates across Mandarin Oriental properties worldwide.
• Health & Colleague Wellness: Comprehensive wellbeing and health support.
• Retirement Plans: Role appropriate long term benefits.

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