Associate Interior Designer (Brand Guardian)
Second-in-command to the Director of Interior Design
Location: London / Global travel required
Reports to: Director of Interior Design
The Role
YOTEL is an affordable-luxury hotel brand with 24 properties worldwide and exciting new openings ahead in Bangkok and London.
We are seeking an Associate Interior Designer to join our in-house team, as a Brand Guardian and act as second-in-command to the Director of Interior Design.
In this senior influential role, you will safeguard and evolve the YOTEL brands across all interior design projects globally ensuring consistency, innovation, creativity, operational practicality and exceptional guest experience across all of YOTELs Brands.
You will provide brand design oversight from concept through to completion, working within The Technical Services team supporting external consultants to achieve high-quality results that align with our ethos. It is important to note we are not a design studio and the Brand Guardians focus is on quality control across a growing global portfolio and opportunity to influence design direction at a brand level.
This role is ideal for an interior designer with 10+ years of solid hospitality experience seeking to transition brand-side and influence the future of a fast-growing hotel brand.
Role & Responsibilities
Brand Design Leadership & Oversight
Act as Brand Guardian for all YOTEL interior design projects worldwide.
Ensure consultant proposals align with brand standards, operational requirements, and guest experience goals.
Brief and review design submissions at all key stages for compliance with standards, construction feasibility, and operational requirements.
Provide clear direction to maintain brand integrity.
Act as the Directors senior advisor on all interior design matters, providing global oversight and continuity.
Design & CAPEX
Lead minor CAPEX design, costings and specification works aligned with brand standards.
Support feasibility studies, renovations, and PIPs with strategic interior design input and presentations.
Participate in value engineering exercises to protect quality and commercial viability.
Provide high level costings to help guide projects at early stages from an interior design perspective.
Specify globally available FF&E.
Support the Director in presenting designs, reports, and recommendations to internal and external stakeholders.
Collaboration & Influence
Work closely with Senior Design Managers within our Technical Services team at our central London Head Office.
Manage and support junior team members, offering clear direction and constructive feedback fostering design excellence within the team.
Mentor designers to develop their technical skills, creative thinking, and brand understanding.
Represent the interiors function in meetings, workshops, and presentations when required.
Maintain knowledge of hospitality design trends, materials, and suppliers, advising on best-fit solutions for global projects.
Maintain key supplier relationships, attend industry events and keep up to date with global products.
Innovation & Brand Evolution
Source innovative materials, FF&E solutions, and explore emerging hospitality trends.
Contribute to updates of global brand standards and guidelines.
Support new hotel openings including design review, snagging, and post-opening evaluations.
Support the ongoing maintenance and development of Brand Standards, including specifications and drawing packages.
Qualifications & Requirements
Recognised Interior Design degree or equivalent.
10+ years post-graduate experience in hospitality interior design.
Strong portfolio showing breadth across hotel interiors, including FF&E, technical knowledge, and brand-sensitive design.
Experience with international hotel brands preferred.
Strong technical understanding of FF&E, detailing, accessibility, Building Regs and construction processes.
Working knowledge of RIBA interior work stages and procurement.
Demonstrated experience leading, managing and mentoring design talent.
Excellent presentation and communication skills confident influencing internal and external stakeholders.
Skilled in BIM (ArchiCAD preferred), Adobe Creative Suite, SketchUp and Microsoft Office.
Existing relationships with global hospitality suppliers and manufacturers preferred.
Able to confidently manage multiple priorities across regions and time zones.
Willingness to travel internationally when required.
Proactive, strategic thinker, with the ability to influence design decisions at senior levels.
Fluent in English (written and verbal) required; additional languages are highly advantageous for supporting our global portfolio.
Passion for hospitality design, brand expression and exceptional guest experience.
Why Join YOTEL
Work directly with the Director of Interior Design in a senior, influential role.
Influence design quality and standards across multiple hotels worldwide.
Shape the look and feel of a fast-growing, design-forward lifestyle brand.
Be part of a dynamic, creative, and collaborative team.
About YOTEL
A truly accessible expanding global hotel brand. At YOTEL, we create time, a seamless, intuitive experience. Through efficiency & technology, we ensure that our guests have everything they need & nothing they dont. We are all about innovation, flexible & smart design. Our clever use of space means we can offer central, convenient locations at an affordable price. We will never stop innovating. Since we were founded over ten years ago its been our mission to disrupt the travel industry by always challenging the status quo.
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