Director of Design bei Essex

City

Irvine

State

California

Job Location

Irvine Regional Office (Derian)

Position Type

Regular

The Director of Design leads the vision and execution of renovation and design standards across Essex’s portfolio, driving both aesthetic excellence and financial return. Reporting to the Vice President of Investment Management, you will oversee interior and exterior redesigns—including furnishings, finishes, amenities, and leasing office environments—ensuring every community reflects a consistent, modern brand standard. You will collaborate closely with Construction, Development, Operations, Marketing, and Asset Management to deliver scalable design solutions that enhance property value, resident experience, and operational efficiency.

WHAT YOU WILL DO:

• Lead the design team and design projects for all Essex properties located within the assigned regions.

• Oversee vendor bid reviews, establishing parameters, and appraising those bids for quality conformance to specifications, cost savings, and recommending desirable vendors to the Contracts team and Project Management team.

• Ensure the design team is providing accurate project documentation and training regarding any design-specific special needs (propose new specifications, regulations, cost increases, etc.).

• Responsible for ensuring that the design team is obtaining and maintaining all records for any assigned projects, accurate tracking of expenses, actual spent to date, funds remaining, and approved budget limits.

• Oversight of proper project approvals as needed in accordance with the Essex Policies and Procedures and the specific Delegations of Authority.

• Monitor contractor and vendor performance, quality, and timelines through completion, including the oversight of online design team request system.

• Suggestion, presentation and implementation of changes to specifications or design programs ensuring current knowledge and application of design trends is applied in a sustainable and functional manner.

• Partner with Asset Management and Reinvestment to plan and execute design elements for major capital and redevelopment projects, ensuring the projects are operationally and functionally viable. 

• Coordinate with architects, as needed, to ensure projects comply with relevant codes, ordinances, and guidelines as required by local, state, and federal municipalities.

• Partner with Procurement to establish preferred pricing and build strong vendor relationships.

WHAT YOU WILL NEED:

• Bachelor's degree in Architecture, Design, or relevant field.

• 10+ years in multifamily, real estate, or construction industries in a design role.

• Proficiency in Revit, SketchUp, Adobe Creative Suite, and Microsoft Office.

• Ability to differentiate colors throughout the color spectrum with strong attention to detail and accuracy

• Strong analytical, organizational, time-management, written and verbal communication skills

• Self-motivated with strong interpersonal skills and effective collaborative working style

• Must demonstrate a working knowledge of basic real estate investment principles and effectively make informed “investment” related decisions with respect to renovations and basic knowledge of construction estimating.

WHAT THE JOB REQUIRES:

• Primarily office-based role requiring extended periods of sitting or standing at a workstation, with minimal physical exertion in day-to-day activities.

• Requires the ability to work Mondays through Fridays with in-person office requirements for a minimum of 4 days per week: Mondays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays located at Essex's corporate office in Irvine.

• Strong graphic, visual and verbal communication skills required.

• This role requires travel to various locations for meetings, projects, client visits, or on-site work.  Traveling (~25%) is required on the West Coast.

• Requires walking properties and active construction sites in various outdoor conditions, including landscaped areas and exposure to dust or dirt, with occasional light to medium lifting during project installations.

WHAT YOU WILL BRING TO THE TABLE:

• Experience leading direct and/or matrixed teams.

• Ability to recruit, coach, and retain top design talent.

• Strong cross-functional influence across operations, investment, and execution teams.

• Strategic decision-maker with strong problem-solving and analytical capability.

• Able to set priorities, manage deadlines, and drive accountability.

• Models professionalism, collaboration, and Essex’s core values.

#LI-Hybrid

All full-time regular associates are offered competitive salaries, experience career growth, and are eligible for benefit packages that include medical, dental, vision, paid parental leave, 401k employer match, excellence rewards, wellness programs, and much more. With our Sunday property operations office closures, 10 paid holidays, and 15 PTO days, work/life balance is a priority! Additionally, most positions are eligible for a housing discount of 20%.

Essex provides great communities in which to live, work and invest. We are a purpose-driven company, and we pride ourselves on promoting an internal culture of growth and opportunity by engaging, enabling, and empowering our teams. Working at Essex is not a destination. It is a journey where you can confidently build your career.

The pay range for this position is $138,000.00 - $207,000.00 per year. New hires generally start between $138,000.00 - $172,000.00 per year. The final salary offer will be determined after reviewing relevant factors, including but not limited to skill sets; relevant experience; internal equity; and other business and organizational needs.

This role is also eligible to participate in Essex’s discretionary Annual Bonus program that is commensurate with the level of the position. Jetzt bewerben