Senior Lead Designer
Location: Knightsbridge, London
Hours: Flexible working hours (8–5pm or 9:30–6:30pm; Fridays start at 9am)
Start Date: TBC 2026
Contract: Full-Time
Salary: £50,000–£65,000 DOE
Holiday: 22 days + bank holidays + birthday + Christmas Shutdown
Overview
A leading luxury interior design studio is seeking an exceptional Senior Lead Designer to join its creative team. This influential role requires a confident design leader capable of managing high-end international residential projects while inspiring and guiding a talented team of designers.
The ideal candidate combines creative flair with meticulous organisation, delivering projects of distinction while helping cultivate an uplifting, high-performance studio culture.
Key Responsibilities
* Lead multiple luxury projects from initial concept through to completion, ensuring design quality and creative cohesion.
* Brief, guide, and support Senior and Midweight Designers, maintaining clear understanding of project briefs and design direction.
* Oversee and review FF&E specifications, design intent packages, joinery drawings, and schedules to ensure precision and alignment with client expectations.
* Manage team workloads, resource allocation, project timelines, financial tracking, and timesheet monitoring.
* Prepare and manage project programmes in line with deliverables and payment schedules.
* Present confidently to clients and stakeholders, clearly articulating design ideas and technical details.
* Mentor and train designers, helping maintain high standards across design quality, material selection, and documentation.
* Attend trade fairs, build supplier relationships, and share relevant insights with the wider team.
* Support Directors with creative input for new business pitches and studio-wide initiatives.
Skills & Experience
* 8+ years’ experience working within high-end or luxury interior design.
* Proven leadership across large-scale design projects.
* Proficiency in AutoCAD or Vectorworks, SketchUp, Adobe Creative Suite, and MacOS.
* Strong FF&E knowledge and supplier network experience.
* Exceptional presentation, communication, and client-facing skills.
* Experience leading and developing design teams.
* Highly organised with first-class attention to detail and the ability to meet tight deadlines.
Day 1 Benefits:
* Birthday day off (flexible if at weekend)
* Early-finish Fridays (studio closes at 16:00 — full paid day)
* Team socials
* Dog-friendly studio
* Additional Christmas/New Year leave during studio closure
Post–6-Month Probation:
* Optional 2 additional unpaid leave days per year
* 2x early or late leave days annually
* Optional BHSF Health Care Plan
* Discretionary 10% annual bonus (paid quarterly when targets are exceeded)
* Paid overseas trade fairs
* 1 WFH day per week (2 days one week per month)
Please get in touch with me if this position sounds of interest. I am a consultant at mustard with a specialist approach to creative recruitment.
For more info on this role or to chat about other options call mustard on 0117 2840076. More roles can be found at www.mustardjobs.co.uk/jobs and other snippets at www.mustardjobs.co.uk don't forget we are a recruitment agency and not the end hirer.
mustard is a creative recruitment consultancy and is committed to fostering an inclusive and diverse workplace. We encourage individuals of all backgrounds, experiences, and perspectives to apply. Our recruitment process is free from discrimination and bias and we welcome the opportunity to work with you. If you require any accommodations during the application process, please let us know. We appreciate the unique skills and experiences each candidate brings, and we are dedicated to creating an environment where everyone feels valued and respected.