Interior Design Director Italy

The Interior Design Director, Italy is responsible for leading the design vision, development, and delivery of interior design projects across the Italian portfolio. This role ensures that projects are delivered on brand, on budget, and in alignment with the highest standards of luxury hospitality design.

Working closely with Project Directors, General Managers, Operations, Procurement, and external consultants, the Interior Design Director provides creative leadership from concept through completion, safeguarding design quality while balancing operational, technical, and commercial objectives.

The role plays a key part in preserving and enhancing the distinct character of each property while ensuring consistency with the overall brand vision and guest experience.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

Design Leadership

• Lead the creative development and execution of interior design projects across the Italian portfolio.
• Establish and communicate the design vision, narrative, and guest experience strategy for assigned projects.
• Review and approve design concepts, material palettes, FF&E selections, lighting, styling, artwork, and decorative elements.
• Ensure that projects reflect the property's heritage, local context, and brand standards.

Project Delivery

• Collaborate closely with Project Directors and Construction teams throughout the project lifecycle.
• Oversee design development from concept and schematic design through detailed design, procurement, installation, and project close-out.
• Ensure design milestones are achieved in accordance with agreed project schedules.
• Provide design oversight during construction and installation phases, resolving design-related issues efficiently.

Stakeholder Management

• Partner with General Managers and Operations teams to understand operational needs and guest experience objectives.
• Build strong relationships with external interior designers, architects, consultants, artists, and suppliers.
• Present design concepts and project updates to senior leadership and project steering committees.
• Act as the primary design representative for Italian projects.

FF&E and Procurement

• Lead the review and approval of all FF&E and OSE specifications.
• Support procurement strategies to ensure quality, value, and schedule objectives are achieved.
• Collaborate with procurement teams on supplier selection, prototype reviews, and value engineering exercises.
• Ensure procurement decisions support the overall design intent and project budget.

Financial & Commercial Responsibility

• Manage design scope within approved project budgets.
• Support project budgeting, forecasting, and cost management activities.
• Participate in value engineering initiatives while protecting design integrity and guest experience standards.
• Contribute to capital planning and project prioritization discussions.

Innovation & Brand Development

• Monitor global luxury hospitality, residential, art, and lifestyle trends.
• Identify opportunities to enhance guest experience through innovative design solutions.
• Contribute to the evolution of design standards, guidelines, and processes.
• Champion sustainability, responsible sourcing, and thoughtful preservation of heritage assets.

Key Performance Indicators

• Delivery of projects on time, on budget, and on brand.
• Quality of completed guest experience and design outcomes.
• Stakeholder satisfaction and project team collaboration.
• Effective management of FF&E budgets and procurement.
• Preservation and enhancement of each property's unique identity.

Requirements

Experience & Qualifications

• Degree in Interior Design, Interior Architecture, Architecture, or related field.
• Minimum 12 years of experience in luxury hospitality, residential, or lifestyle design.
• Significant experience managing high-value renovation and development projects.
• Strong knowledge of FF&E design, procurement, specifications, fabrication, and installation.
• Experience managing external consultants and multidisciplinary project teams.
• Excellent presentation, communication, and stakeholder management skills.
• Italian and English fluency required.

Personal Attributes

• Highly creative with exceptional design judgment.
• Passion for luxury hospitality and culturally sensitive design.
• Strong commercial awareness and decision-making capability.
• Collaborative leadership style with a hands-on approach.
• Detail-oriented while maintaining a strategic perspective.
• Ability to balance creativity, operations, budget, and schedule demands.

Benefits

What We Offer

At Belmond we pride ourselves on fostering a culture built on kindness, active listening, and genuine connections with our colleagues and guests. We offer a comprehensive range of compensation, perks and benefits including:

• Permanent contract, Level Quadro

• Gross annual salary between 85.000€ and 95.000€
• Incentive Plan
• Welfare program and meal vauchers
• Discovery Belmond program and discounted prices at our iconic properties
• Harvard Manage Mentor eLearning
  

We strive to create an environment where our employees can thrive both personally and professionally. With a commitment to your ongoing development, you'll have the opportunity to learn and grow alongside some of the most talented individuals in the industry. Join us and be part of creating unforgettable moments for our guests, communities, and each other.