Milan, Italy
Senior designer/project manager
at Shannon Sadler Studio
Shannon Sadler Studio is looking for a senior designer/project manager to join its team in Milan.
Senior project managers are the primary point of contact with the client and for all projects. They are responsible for overall budget and schedule management, in addition to strategic planning with the client to anticipate and address project-specific needs. Senior project managers are responsible for assisting the client in developing an overall project framework and selecting the appropriate project team to ensure successful and timely completion of the project.
This is an opportunity for an ambitious and motivated individual to become part of a growing international team of currently 16 people, and expanding, with offices in Milan (Italy) and Shenzhen (China), dedicated to design furnishings and interior designs for their clients in China.
Required experience
Prospective applicants should have 15-20 years of experience in a design and/or architecture-interior practice. Applicants should have direct experience in all phases of design, manufacturing and construction and should have served in the role of project manager or project lead on at least three big projects that must be shown and explained during the interview.
General attributes:
- qualified designer with strong design skill, in particular, planning of furniture collections and/or interior design projects. Attention to detail
- organised, tenacious, rigorous and keen to take full responsibility and accountability for project delivery and ensure consistent design standards across all projects
- ability to lead both the design team in Italy and the technical team in China across all projects
- ability to manage out design problems and seek cost-effective solutions.
- applicants should have strong written and verbal communication skills and be prepared to lead project meetings
Key tasks:
- conduct select primary interviews with clients to obtain critical insights and information
- full day-to-day responsibility for project management
- establishing and maintaining client relationships
- answering design and manufacturing queries and problem-solving
- value management of projects with detailed design reviews with a view to driving project cost savings
- resolution of design matters on all projects with referral to the development manager or directors where required
- ensure consistent standards across all projects
- active promotion of sharing of design information across all projects,
- participate in the creative development of new concepts and the evolution of concepts in development
- create and plan the activities and deliverables for each design phase
- be an active participant, team player and individual contributor in the complete design process
- communicate with teams & clients (in English–it is a must) and able to give directions and recommendations to reach the desired result
- understand our customer – design with the customer at the heart of what we do
- maintenance of project files including approved design, authority approvals, variation tracking, etc.
Key attributes include:
- proven detailed knowledge of the product development processes as well as an understanding of engineering and manufacturing processes in the furniture and interior business in Asia
- joinery knowledge imperative
- ability to filter and distill relevant information for the right audience.
- self-motivated and proactive with demonstrated creative and critical thinking capabilities
- understands and deals well with rapid development cycles; remains flexible and calm in the face of ambiguity and stressful situations
- confident from concept to completion
- ability to manage a large number of projects at the same time
- ability to work under pressure and to prioritise
- demonstrated abilities and sensibilities on the creation of elegant, refined and beautiful designs
- capable to illustrate and visualize concepts and ideas through hi-level sketches. Skill will be tested at interview
- drive staff performance to successful completion of engagement
- be accountable for your team and to act as a coach and leader, sharing innovation and product trend. Manage, motivate and lead your team, regularly assessing individuals’ performance and giving feedback where appropriate
What you need to show/bring:
- strong planning and executing skills
- excellent communication, organisational and leadership skills.
- he/she will have demonstrated ability to work in a fast-paced team environment
- excellent sketching skills
- knowledge of contemporary design
- strong verbal and visual presentation skill
- advise customer on design factors, such as design aesthetics, space planning, layout and utilization of fabrics and color coordination
- experience of Far East travel and manufacturing. An understanding of Chinese culture
- proven ability in satisfying customer needs
- proven experience to handle international projects in other continents
Minimum requirements:
- have a 15-20 years experience working within the creative industries with hands-on experience designing furniture with a successful track record of bringing concepts to market
- experience of team management: from five people and above
- a degree in industrial/furniture design or equivalent degree
- working knowledge of Rhino, Keyshot, 3D Max and/or Alias, Solidworks
- perfect English is mandatory, Chinese-Mandarin is a plus
We are offering:
- position in Milan (Italy) with frequent travels to China
- salary depending on experience, plus commission
- 20 days holiday per year excluding bank holidays
If you are interested in this vacancy, please submit your CV and portfolio by clicking the ‘apply’ button below. Applications without a portfolio will not be considered.