Design Director

Fora; London; Hybrid; GBP 150,000 - 200,000

Job description

At Fora, we're fueled by a desire to enhance the way people work. We're here for the progressives, the forward thinkers, the status quo-challengers, the creators and the innovators. With signature hospitality, a likeminded community of members and a re-energising wellness experience, Fora takes the grind out of daily work-life, so members can focus on what's important - working productively, healthily and happily.

Our journey began over 20 years ago, when we opened our first location on London's City Road. Since then, our collection has grown to over 60 distinctive workspaces across London, the UK and Germany, totaling 3.2 million sq ft of real estate. And in the last two decades we've welcomed nearly 30,000 members through our doors and boast market-leading retention rates.

As a trusted workspace provider for teams of all sizes, from established brands to new ventures, our uniquely designed, flexible office spaces come with a range of exceptional on-site amenities and a dedicated Member Experience team to take care of all the day-to-day details. Ocado, The British Fashion Council and Pangaia are just some of the businesses who call a Fora workspace home.

Fora is part of The Office Group, backed by Blackstone and Brockton Capital. We have ambitious plans to expand our collection of workspaces in the future, pioneering industry change through our conscious design and construction practices, and creating workspaces that empower our members to work in their own unique way.

The Role

At the intersection of beauty and functionality, lies the essence of perfect design. Our focus is on our customers, understanding their needs and responding collectively as a data-inspired team. As the Design Director, you hold a corporate-level accountability for Design Quality and customer experience across all our buildings. This includes overseeing new architecture and maintaining our existing portfolio, ensuring alignment with strategic business goals and partnerships.

Your role extends to leading the design direction for interiors, performance, environmental sustainability, and long-term operational efficiency. Collaborating with our internal Design Team and external partners, you will drive creativity and quality across underwriting, construction, fit-outs, and alterations. Your influence as the Design Client will guide creative responses at project milestones, working closely with leadership and investors who value exceptional design.

Above all, your leadership is pivotal in fostering creativity and excellence within the team and throughout the organization. We seek a dynamic leader who can inspire and execute, recognizing that team success is paramount to achieving top-tier results. Join us in shaping a future where design excellence meets strategic vision.

Key Responsibilities

Creativity and Design Standards

• Lead, develop and evolve the Brand Design Guidelines; maintaining a respectful eye on the existing portfolio as well as developing a new approach for the next generation of product.
• Own the creative design process and responses in the eyes of our Investors and Executive, the broader business and those outside the business.
• Identify the best external designers for us to work with, seek emerging and fresh talent and those with the best fit for the project, to help enrich our designs.
• Act as Pragmatist, Design Champion, Mediator and Decisive Lead to allow creative inputs to be tempered by the product and function required of the project.

Commercial Intuition & Process

• Work to ensure the design approach represents value for money, meets customer needs and is forward thinking in its delivery when considering the changing workplace.
• Ensure a detailed understanding of what delivers EBITDA performance as well as customer experience based on data points. Ensure you have a view and an opinion.
• Act as the internal Design Client to sign off design decisions relating to each project and in particular design drivers, look and feel, finishes, and FF&E selection prior to presentation to the CEO, Investors and external Joint Venture partners for Gateway Milestone sign offs.
• Manage the process and execution of multiple design projects ranging from small maintenance interventions to the delivery of large new assets into the portfolio. Ensure these are taken through from concept to opening.
• Work closely with the Head of Development, the Portfolio Director and the growth team to deliver projects across the existing portfolio and on new assets.

Leadership and Management

• Act as a strong leader of the design team; nurturing creativity and growth while ensuring a focus on high quality standards and execution.
• Foster a positive, creative and collaborative design team culture. Ensure the passion for design that drives the team is given its creative outlet and is encouraged.
• Practice the art of constructive disagreement to push boundaries and to reach consensus to enable highest quality, saleable and re-saleable spaces to be delivered on time and on budget.
• Collaborate with the internal stakeholders who rely on D&D to do their jobs e.g. Marketing, Sales, Technology, Operations and FM.
• Flex the design function as required to respond to changes in the corporate business plan e.g. scale, pace, geographical diversity, differential products and pricing strategies.
• Facilitate the use of appropriate technology platforms supporting the creative team to enhance processes, workflows and enhance efficiency and effectiveness.

Requirements

• ARB registered architect or BA in Interior Design or Interior Architecture.
• MA in relevant design course an advantage.
• Extensive post graduate professional design experience in architecture and interior design.
• Deep understanding of and track record in delivering premium customer experience e.g. in hotels, hospitality, retail or other customer experience focused spaces.
• Experience in the workplace sector, or, the ability to transfer previous experience to the workplace sector.
• Track record of delivering outstanding and award-winning design.
• Experience in a leadership role.
• Knowledge and experience of brand design strategies and rollouts, preferably premium to luxury with a high focus on customer experience.
• Track record in mentoring and developing all levels of staff to maximize their potential.
• Knowledge of global design trends and experience outside the UK an advantage.

Benefits

At The Office Group, we know that work isn't just about working. We offer all of our employers a fantastic range of benefits, including:

• Flexible working hours
• Hybrid working - 4 days in the office
• 28 days annual leave
• 2 weeks work from anywhere
• Annual leave purchase scheme
• Healthshield
• LinkedIn learning
• Study support
• 5% Pension scheme
• Life Assurance
• Discounted Gym membership
• Season Ticket Loan
• Cycle to Work Scheme
• 25% Discount at The Office Group Cafes

Seniority level

Director

Employment type

Full-time

Job function

Design, Art/Creative, and Information Technology

Industries

Non-profit Organizations and Primary and Secondary Education