Interior Design Lead - Lifestyle in City of London

About Woods Bagot – Architecture for Worlds Ahead. We design places that meet the challenges and opportunities of our rapidly changing world. Our commitment to exploration, impact and community creates enduring, forward-thinking outcomes, unlocking humanity’s highest potential. With a global design culture devoted to creativity, resilience, and purpose – we ensure every project contributes to our client’s vision, inspiring future generations.

Woods Bagot is part of the 7C Network. The 7C Network is an integrated network of design and architecture companies that provides "Total Place Design," a holistic approach to creating transformative environments. It combines capabilities from its constituent brands - including Woods Bagot, ERA-co, Impact Futures, and Customs Bureau - to offer services in placemaking, sustainability, architecture and interior design, and luxury concepts.

The Role: Woods Bagot (part of the 7C Network) is seeking an experienced and visionary Lifestyle Interior Design Leader to drive excellence and innovation within our lifestyle (residential and hotels) sector. This is a unique opportunity to join a global design studio renowned for its people-focused culture, research-driven approach, and award-winning projects that shape the way people live, work, and connect.

As the lifestyle interior design leader, you will be responsible for guiding the creative direction, strategy, and delivery of residential and hotel projects across the UK. You’ll lead multidisciplinary teams across all project phases - championing design quality, fostering collaboration, and cultivating strong client relationships. Your leadership will play a key role in shaping progressive, human-centered places that reflect our clients’ brand, culture, and future ambitions.

Key Areas of Responsibility:

• Practice Leadership and Management:
• Be responsible for the successful delivery of projects from inception to completion, including leading a design team from briefing, space planning, concept, detail design, documentation, tendering, site and close-out process.
• Collaborate with clients, consultants, and internal teams to deliver integrated, high-performance design solutions.
• Establish and foster relationships with existing and new clients, afford new project opportunities, and collaborate with the Business Development / Marketing / PR + Comms (BDMC) Team to prepare proposals to pursue new projects.
• Establish a culture of design excellence in interior projects.
• Foster a commitment to exceptional client service.
• Provide mentorship to others within the practice.
• Develop and review fee proposals, budgets, and financial projections.
• Utilise and encourage best uses of technology for design, presentation, and production.
• Manage design presentations, documentation, and quality control across all project phases.
• Manage the design solution by:
• Ensuring the execution of necessary research to provide a thorough understanding of client needs, leading to responsive design solutions.
• Communicating design intent to clients in a clear, compelling way.
• Incorporating design requirements and goals to demonstrate creative and unique design solutions.
• Overseeing the preparation and delivery of design presentations to the clients and coordinating with consultants to achieve design goals on schedule and within budget.
• Ensuring that graphic representations and construction documents clearly and accurately convey design intent.
• Business development and Marketing:
• Establish and maintain close relationships with clients to win business.
• Collaborate with other Woods Bagot offices to increase opportunities and revenue from Global Corporate clients.
• Work closely with the studio residential and hotel sector leader(s) to prepare fee proposals and write and/or edit appropriate sections of proposals.
• Mentor, coach, and motivate teams and individuals within the practice.
• Create opportunities for continuing education and professional development, including site visits, lectures, “Lunch and Learns,” etc.
• Encourage staff exploration for continued innovation and design excellence.
• Develop a clear and recognised profile in the UK market to maintain Woods Bagot’s market position as a leader in the interior design of hotel and residential projects.
• Plan and drive the growth of the lifestyle interiors portfolio in the studio alongside the studio lifestyle sector lead(s).
• Staff Development:
• Mentor, coach, and motivate teams and individuals within the practice.
• Create opportunities for continuing education and professional development, including site visits, lectures, “Lunch and Learns,” etc.
• Encourage staff exploration for continued innovation and design excellence.

About You:

As a successful candidate, you are a highly motivated, creative, and resourceful leader with a strong collaborative spirit. You are committed to delivering business value for clients by applying bespoke solutions grounded in Woods Bagot’s research, design expertise, and industry experience.

You excel at conceptualizing and translating ideas into exceptional design outcomes, combining strong space planning abilities with a keen eye for detail and aesthetics. A natural collaborator and clear communicator, you bring a positive, professional presence to every interaction and presentation.

Required Experience and Skills:

• Degree in Interior Design, Architecture, or a closely related field (or the international equivalent).
• At least 5 years’ experience working in the Interior Design field.
• Demonstrated experience successfully leading and managing projects and a team.
• Demonstrated success in identifying and securing new business opportunities.

Benefits we offer:

• A balance between Studio and home working.
• Access to global resources to enhance your learning and development.
• Private healthcare and dental cover.
• Annual discretionary bonus.
• Company pension scheme.

How to Apply:

Please send your resume via this LinkedIn job post. Applications will be treated in the strictest confidence. We do not accept unsolicited resumes or names from agencies.

Mandatory Requirement: It is an essential requirement that applicants must have the legal right to work in the UK when applying for this position.

Due to the high volume of applications, we kindly ask that you refrain from following up on your CV submission, as this may slow down the process. We truly appreciate your interest in joining Woods Bagot, and should your application progress, we will be in touch directly. Thank you for your understanding.

All personal data collected by the Company will be kept confidential and only be used for recruitment purposes.

7C - Total Place Design Network. 7C is an equal opportunity employer. We are committed to equal employment opportunity regardless of race, colour, ethnicity, ancestry, religion, creed, sex, national origin, sexual orientation, age, citizenship status, marital status, disability, gender identity, gender expression, and Veteran status. At 7C, we are committed to creating an environment where difference is celebrated, valued and respected, practices are equitable, and our people feel like they belong. We accept that none of us is smarter than all of us. We believe building a diverse workforce is the foundation to creativity and innovative design – it is only by working together that we can realise the potential of our people, clients and communities around us. Through our inclusive leadership and our truly global studio network, you will find your voice and have the support and flexibility required to bring your whole self to work and build an exceptional career.