ID Creative Lead

1.Job Purpose

As an ID Creative Lead, you will provide creative and design leadership for high-end hospitality, residential, and mixed-use projects across the Middle East. You will lead the development of interior design concepts and creative direction, translating client aspirations, project requirements, and design briefs into compelling and commercially relevant design solutions.

Working closely with Design Principals, Project Architects, Interior Designers, and international design partners, you will establish and maintain the creative vision throughout the project lifecycle. This role requires strong design leadership, creative thinking, client management skills, and the ability to communicate and champion design ideas effectively in a fast-paced, collaborative environment.

2. Job Accountabilities Linked to Objectives

Creative & Concept Design:

▪ Lead the development of interior design concepts, creative narratives, mood boards, material palettes, FF&E concepts, and design presentations in response to project briefs and client aspirations.

▪ Establish and maintain a clear creative vision across projects, ensuring design quality, functionality, commercial objectives, and project requirements are balanced.

▪ Develop innovative and appropriate design solutions, continuously challenging and elevating the quality of the design outcome.

Design Leadership:

▪ Provide creative direction and design guidance to Interior Designers and project teams throughout the design process.

▪ Review design proposals, layouts, materials, finishes, FF&E, and other interior design elements to ensure alignment with the overall design vision.

▪ Work closely with the Interior Design – Technical Team Lead to ensure creative intent is effectively translated into coordinated and buildable solutions.

▪ Collaborate with architectural, landscape, lighting, FF&E, and other disciplines to achieve an integrated design outcome.

Client & Consultant Coordination:

▪ Act as a senior creative point of contact for clients and key stakeholders on interior design matters.

▪ Lead client presentations, design workshops, and creative discussions, clearly communicating design concepts, rationale, and recommendations.

▪ Build trusted client relationships by understanding expectations and translating feedback into effective design responses.

▪ Collaborate with international interior design firms and Design Guardians to understand, develop, and maintain their design vision.

Team Leadership & Development:

▪ Provide creative direction, mentorship, and support to Interior Designers and other members of the design team.

▪ Balance design priorities and team resources to ensure creative deliverables are developed in line with project programmes.

▪ Foster a positive, collaborative, and creative studio environment that promotes accountability, design excellence, and professional growth.

▪ Act as a point of contact for design-related concerns, supporting team members while maintaining project priorities.

▪ Champion high standards of communication, collaboration, and design thinking across the studio.

Quality & Design Standards:

▪ Review key interior design deliverables to ensure a consistently high standard of design quality and alignment with the approved design vision.

▪ Identify opportunities to enhance design quality, functionality, user experience, and overall project value.

▪ Monitor design risks and ensure that design solutions respond appropriately to project requirements, brand guidelines, authority requirements, and industry standards.

Project Health:

▪ Collaborate with the Design Management team to ensure creative decisions remain aligned with project budgets, programmes, procurement requirements, and commercial objectives.

▪ Support value engineering exercises while protecting the core design intent and overall quality of the project.

▪ Share knowledge and best practices with other design leaders to strengthen studio-wide design

performance.

Business Relationships:

▪ Represent the organization professionally with clients, consultants, design partners, and stakeholders.

▪ Maintain trusted relationships with clients, international design firms, and regional consultants.

▪ Support business development activities, including client presentations, pitches, interviews, and design proposals.

▪ Identify opportunities for repeat or future commissions through project engagement and relationship building.

Professional Development:

▪ Keep abreast of international and regional developments in interior design, materials, FF&E,

technology, and sustainability.

▪ Contribute to company’s research and innovation Hubs, with a focus on interiors, materials, design trends, and emerging technologies.

▪ Participate in training, mentoring, and knowledge-sharing initiatives to strengthen creative capability within the studio.

▪ Maintain engagement with relevant professional development and accreditation programmes (e.g., IIDA, RIBA, AIA, or equivalent).

3. Qualification / Experience / Requirements

▪ Minimum 12 years’ experience in Interior Design, with a strong portfolio of high-end hospitality,

residential, or mixed-use projects.

▪ Proven experience leading interior design concepts and creative direction, ideally within multidisciplinary or international design environments.

▪ Strong understanding of concept development, design narratives, FF&E, materials, finishes, and interior detailing.

▪ Excellent presentation, communication, and client relationship skills, with the ability to confidently articulate and defend design concepts.

▪ Excellent space-planning skills with an ability to quickly communicate intent through sketch form to Design Team.

▪ Strong understanding of current international and regional interior design trends and practices.

▪ Degree in Interior Design, Architecture, or a related design discipline.

▪ Professional accreditation (e.g., IIDA, RIBA, AIA, or equivalent) is strongly encouraged.

▪ Experience working with international design firms and Design Guardians, with the ability to interpret and develop global design concepts for regional projects.

4. Tools & Software Proficiency

Essential:

• Adobe Creative Suite

• PowerPoint / presentation software

Generative AI

Preferable:

• Revit or AutoCAD

• SketchUp

• Enscape

• Rhino

• Lumion

• Navisworks

• BIM 360

5. Competencies

▪ Strong Creative Design & Concept Development skills.

▪ Excellent and Emotionally Intelligent Verbal and Written Communication.

▪ Confident Client-facing and Presentation skills.

▪ Creative Leadership, mentoring, and team development.

▪ Strong Design Judgement and attention to detail.

▪ Commercial awareness and understanding of project requirements.

▪ Ability to interpret complex briefs and translate them into compelling design solutions.

▪ Ability to coordinate multiple project inputs while maintaining the creative vision.

▪ Strong problem-solving and decision-making skills.

▪ Comprehensive understanding of interior materials, FF&E, finishes, and building systems.

▪ Specialism in a specific building type or subject area.

▪ Commitment to continued professional development.