Designer Project Lead

Designer Project Lead

Posted Today by Locri Recruitment

£80,000 Per year
Fixed-Term
Hybrid
London Area, United Kingdom

Summary: The Designer Project Lead role involves leading schematic design packages for a high-profile international mixed-use project based in London, with a focus on integrating residential, retail, and hospitality components. The position is primarily office-based but offers some flexibility for hybrid working arrangements. The successful candidate will collaborate with a dynamic team and have the opportunity for contract-to-permanent conversion. This role is ideal for individuals with a strong background in international and hospitality projects, particularly those with experience in the UAE or Middle East.

Key Responsibilities:

  • Lead schematic design packages on a high-profile international mixed-use project
  • Drive concept development, spatial resolution and overall design quality
  • Coordinate multidisciplinary inputs across the wider design team
  • Provide guidance and mentorship to architects within the project team
  • Ensure design intent is maintained through Rhino and Revit workflows
  • Collaborate closely with senior leadership and international colleagues

Key Skills:

  • Strong track record in international, mixed-use and/or hospitality projects
  • Previous UAE or Middle East experience highly desirable
  • Excellent design ability with a strong architectural eye
  • Proficiency in Rhino and Revit is essential
  • Experience delivering schematic and early-stage design on large-scale sites
  • Confident communicator with a collaborative approach
  • Ability to work efficiently to deadlines in a fast-paced studio environment

Salary (Rate): £80,000.00 yearly

City: London

Country: United Kingdom

Working Arrangements: hybrid

IR35 Status: fixed-term

Seniority Level: Mid-Level

Industry: Other

Detailed Description From Employer:

Architecture / Hospitality (Mixed-Use) Location: London (Central) Contract: 6-month fixed term (with potential for selected roles to become permanent) Start: ASAP Salary: £60,000 – £80,000 per annum (pro rata for contract) - depending on experience)

About the Company Our client is a globally recognised architecture, urbanism and design practice with over six decades of heritage. With studios across the UK, Europe, the Middle East and Asia, the practice is renowned for delivering high-quality, people-centred design across hospitality, residential, mixed-use, commercial and large-scale masterplanning sectors. Employee-owned and highly collaborative, the studio combines strong design thinking with technical rigour and commercial understanding, creating places that respond intelligently to their cultural, social and environmental context. The International / Hospitality team is one of the practice’s key growth areas - ambitious, design-led and dynamic, with a strong studio culture that values creativity, teamwork and delivery excellence.

The Opportunity The London-based International team is expanding to support a major mixed-use development in Dubai, now entering schematic design stage. This is a large-scale, complex project integrating residential, retail and hospitality components within a single site. We are seeking an experienced Design Project Lead to join the team on a 6-month contract, with the intention to retain up to two roles permanently, subject to project progression and performance. The role is primarily office-based in Central London, with some flexibility for hybrid working. Client liaison will be led by the Dubai office, allowing the London team to focus on design quality and project delivery.

Key Responsibilities As Design Project Lead, you will:

  • Lead schematic design packages on a high-profile international mixed-use project
  • Drive concept development, spatial resolution and overall design quality
  • Coordinate multidisciplinary inputs across the wider design team
  • Provide guidance and mentorship to architects within the project team
  • Ensure design intent is maintained through Rhino and Revit workflows
  • Collaborate closely with senior leadership and international colleagues

Skills & Experience Required Strong track record in international, mixed-use and/or hospitality projects Previous UAE or Middle East experience highly desirable Excellent design ability with a strong architectural eye Proficiency in Rhino and Revit is essential Experience delivering schematic and early-stage design on large-scale sites Confident communicator with a collaborative approach Ability to work efficiently to deadlines in a fast-paced studio environment

Why Join? Opportunity to work on a landmark international mixed-use development Join a growing, design-focused global team Potential for contract-to-permanent conversion Supportive, energetic studio culture with international reach Exposure to leading hospitality and mixed-use design work