Design Team Manager - Office Furniture Markham, ON (On-site)

Industry: Commercial Interiors / Office Furniture

Work Model: Mostly in-office with 1 flexible WFH day per week

Salary: $80,000-$90,000 + discretionary bonus

Are you an experienced office furniture designer ready to take the next step in your career? Our client - a highly respected office furniture dealer - is looking for a Design Team Manager to lead their dynamic team of designers.

About the Role:

The Workplace Design Team Manager will lead a high-performing team in the planning and execution of commercial office furniture layouts and specifications. You'll ensure design quality, consistency, and alignment with client needs while collaborating closely with sales and project management teams. While leadership experience is preferred, we're also open to highly experienced senior designers who are ready to step into a management role or even join as an individual contributor.

Responsibilities Include:

• Lead and mentor a team of designers
• Assign and manage project workload and design estimates
• Oversee layouts, finishes, and specifications using AutoCAD and CET Designer
• Participate in client meetings, helping guide projects from concept to completion
• Approve final drawings and maintain internal design process standards
• Support sales in selling design services with a focus on billable hours
• Contribute to RFPs and furniture product selections
• Help train and guide junior designers with a mentorship mindset

What You Bring:

• 5+ years of experience in office furniture design - minimum
• Proficiency with CET Designer and AutoCAD
• 2+ years of leadership experience preferred but not required
• Strong people and process leadership skills
• Experience working with major manufacturers (e.g., Haworth, Steelcase, Herman Miller, Teknion) or office furniture dealers
• A portfolio that showcases office layouts (seating, reception, meeting rooms, etc.) and furniture specifications
• Excellent communication and collaboration skills - especially with sales teams
• A roll-up-your-sleeves attitude and desire to lead from within

Why Join?

• Discretionary annual bonus (based on company performance)
• Competitive benefits
• Fun and friendly workplace culture
• On-site role with 1 remote day per week
• Opportunity to join a well-established team, contribute to internal process improvements, and take ownership over project success

This is a fantastic opportunity to join a growing company where your leadership and layout design specification expertise will be valued and where you'll have a genuine impact. Whether you're a seasoned team lead or a senior designer ready to step up, we'd love to hear from you.