**📍 Job Overview**
- **Job Title:** Design Director
- **Company:** Gensler
- **Location:** Mumbai, Mahārāshtra, India
- **Job Type:** Full-Time
- **Category:** Design
- **Date Posted:** June 6, 2025
**🎨 Role Summary**
- Lead design teams to create innovative and functional Commercial Office/Residential/Mixed-Use architectural environments.
- Collaborate with clients and stakeholders to understand their needs and translate them into design concepts.
- Manage design teams through all phases of client projects, ensuring projects are delivered on time, within budget, and to the highest quality standards.
- Develop and maintain strong client relationships, acting as the primary design interface.
- Stay up-to-date with industry trends and best practices in Commercial Office/Residential/Mixed-Use architectural design.
**🖼️ Primary Responsibilities**
- Develop and provide mentorship to design teams.
- Lead the creative efforts on client architecture projects, developing overall design concepts and design presentation strategies from initial marketing stages through construction and installation.
- Lead the orchestration and strategy of design presentations.
- Collaborate with practice leaders and colleagues to enhance Gensler’s culture for design excellence, elevate the quality of design, and achieve recognition for clients and the firm.
- Continuously improve the quality of work, delivery methods, and design processes.
- Build, nurture, and foster new relationships with a broad client base.
- Work closely with other Design Directors and Regional Design Directors across the firm to promote an inter-disciplinary design approach and philosophy and facilitate its advancement in respective offices and across the firm.
- Be an integral part of the growth and success of architectural projects.
- Participate in business development and marketing efforts.
- Build and sustain client relationships; act as the primary design interface with clients, team members, and a wide range of consultants and collaborators, both internal and external.
**🎓 Skills & Qualifications**
- **Education:** Bachelor’s degree in Architecture from an accredited program. Master's degree from a reputed University preferred.
- **Experience:** 18+ years of related experience, with a strong background in commercial office building projects and some experience in Residential/Mixed Use design. International project experience of more than 8 years will be a plus.
- **Required Skills:**
- Understanding of master planning concepts and expertise with handling site planning for all architectural projects.
- Ability to handle a variety of project types and complexities.
- Strong, persuasive communicator with excellent storytelling skills and the ability to communicate complex design concepts to clients.
- Proven track record of success in maintaining and growing client relationships.
- Strong graphic skills to communicate design ideas.
- Leadership experience, including managing client expectations, multi-disciplinary teams, and meeting scope/schedule/budget.
- Skilled at developing, inspiring, and motivating teams of people both internally and externally, along with a desire to mentor team members.
- Experience leading design teams through all phases of the design process.
- Knowledge of finishes, materials, and specifications.
- Knowledge in sustainable design principles required.
- LEED, WELL, Fitwel, LFA, or other rating systems accreditation preferable.
- Understand key principles for leading and achieving net zero projects.
- Capacity to drive sustainability-focused discussions with clients and teams.
- Demonstrated commitment to sustainability and sustainable building practices required.
- Previous experience in sustainable design projects preferred. At least one project of the candidate portfolio should showcase this focus.
- Understanding of local codes/regulations is a plus.
- Portfolio of ‘built’ work to use in pitching/winning work.
- Excellent analytical and problem-solving skills.
- Service-oriented and willing to foster a respectful, creative, and inspiring environment.
**🎨 Portfolio & Creative Requirements**
- **Portfolio Essentials:**
- Specific portfolio requirement 1 with design process focus.
- Specific portfolio requirement 2 with case study expectations.
- Specific portfolio requirement 3 with visual presentation standards.
- Specific portfolio requirement 4 with technical demonstration needs.
- **Process Documentation:**
- Process documentation requirement 1 - research and discovery phase.
- Process documentation requirement 2 - ideation and iteration methods.
- Process documentation requirement 3 - validation and testing approaches.
**💵 Compensation & Benefits**
- **Salary Range:** Not specified. Please see the Enhancement Note below for a salary estimate.
- **Benefits:**
- Medical
- Dental
- Vision
- Disability
- Wellness Programs
- Profit Sharing
- Bonus Opportunities
- Tuition Reimbursement
**🎯 Team & Company Context**
- **Company & Design Culture:**
- **Industry:** Architecture and Planning
- **Company Size:** 5,001-10,000 employees
- **Founded:** 1965
- **Team Structure:**
- Design team aspect 1 - team size and composition
- Design team aspect 2 - reporting structure and hierarchy
- Design team aspect 3 - cross-functional collaboration patterns
- **Methodology:**
- Design process 1 - research and discovery methods
- Design process 2 - ideation and design thinking approaches
- Design process 3 - testing and validation practices
- **Company Website:** [Gensler's website](http://www.gensler.com)
**📈 Career & Growth Analysis**
- **Design Career Level:** Senior level with significant experience in leading design teams and managing client relationships.
- **Reporting Structure:** Reports directly to the Regional Design Director or another senior Design Director, depending on the specific office structure.
- **Design Impact:** Significant influence on product and business decisions, driving design strategy and innovation for clients and the firm.
**🌐 Work Environment**
- **Studio Type:** Not specified. Gensler's offices reflect their people's diverse interests, with internal design competitions, research grants, and wellness initiatives.
- **Office Location(s):** 45 Fremont St, Suite 1500, San Francisco, California 94105, US; 500 S Figueroa St, Los Angeles, California 90071, US; 11 E Madison St, Suite 300, Chicago, Illinois 60602, US; 1700 Broadway, Suite 400, New York, NY 10019, US; 2020 K Terrace NW, Washington, District of Columbia 20001, US; Moretown (formerly Thomas More Square), London, England E1W 1YW, GB; Etihad Towers T3 Corniche Street West (Opposite Emirates Palace), 32nd Floor, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates PO Box 26967, AE; 2 Peck Seah Street, 5th Floor, Airview Building, Singapore, Singapore 079305, SG; One Museum Place 669 XinZha Road Shanghai, 3/F, Shanghai, 200024, CN; Avenida Escazú Torre Lexus, Piso 7, San Jose, Costa Rica 10203, CR; 999 Peachtree St NE, Suite 1400, Atlanta, Georgia 30309, US; 1011 S Congress Ave, Building 1, Suite 200, Austin, Texas 78704, US; 1 East Pratt Street, Suite 202, Baltimore, Maryland 21202, US; 522/1 CMH Road, Indiranagar 1st Stage, 2nd Floor, Bangalore, India 560 038, IN; Sathorn Square Office Tower 98 North Sathorn Road, Unit 807-808, 8th Floor, Bangkok, Thailand 10500, TH; Parkview Green No. 9 Dongdaqiao Road Chaoyang District, Suite 1503, Tower B, Beijing, China 100020, CN; Custard Factory Gibb Street, Studio 405-409 4th Floor, Digbeth Birmingham, England WMD B9 4AA, GB; Urban Plaza Calle 90 No 11-13, Piso 05, Bogotá, Colombia 110221, CO; One Beacon Street, Third Floor, Boston, Massachusetts 02108, US; 101 S Tryon St, Suite 2100, Charlotte, North Carolina 28280, US; 5005 Greenville Ave, Dallas, Texas 75206, US; 1225 17th Street, Suite 150, Denver, Colorado 80202, US; 150 Jefferson Ave W, Suite 1700, Detroit, Michigan 48226 US; Sheikh Zayed Road Trade Center 2, Za’abeel, Rolex Tower, 5th Floor 113, Dubai, United Arab Emirates PO Box 58527, AE; 38 Leighton Road, East Exchange Tower, 13th Floor, Hong Kong, HK; 232 3rd St N, Suite 201, La Crosse, Wisconsin 54601, US; 3883 Howard Hughes Pkwy, Suite 650, Las Vegas, Nevada 89169, US; Montes Urales 770 Lomas de Chapultepec, Oficina PB-1, Mexico City, CMX CP 11000, MX; 545 NW 26th St, Suite 250, Miami, Florida 33127, US; 81 S 9th St, Suite 220, Minneapolis, Minnesota 55402, US; 10 N Park Pl, Suite 400, Morristown, New Jersey 07960, US; Mindspace Stachu Herzogspitalstrasse 24, Munich, Germany 80331, DE; 4675 MacArthur Ct, Suite 100, Newport Beach, California 92660, US; 2101 Webster St, Suite 2000, Oakland, California 94612, US; 2005 Market St, Suite 1550, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19103, US; 201 E Washington Blvd, Suite 750, Phoenix, Arizona 85034, US; 811 SW 6th Ave, Suite 300, Portland, Oregon 97204, US; 613 Hillsborough St, Raleigh, North Carolina 27603, US; 229 E Houston St, Suite 200, San Antonio, Texas 78205, US; 225 Broadway Circle, Suite 100, San Diego, California 92101, US; 225 W Santa Clara St, Suite 1100, San Jose, California 95113, US; 1200 6th Ave, Suite 500, Seattle, Washington 98101, US; 6 O'Connell St, Ground Floor, Sydney, New South Wales 2000, AU; 400 n S Ashley Dr, Suite C400, Tampa, Florida 33602, US; METLIFE Aoyama Building, 2-11-16 Minami Aoyama Minato-ku, Second Floor, Tokyo, Japan 107-0062, JP; 150 King St W, Suite 1400, Toronto, Ontario M5H 1J9, CA; 151, Boulevard Haussmann, Paris, Île-de-France 75008, FR; C2 Riyadh Business Gate, Ground Floor, Riyadh, SA; Linden Palais Unter den Linden 40, Berlin, 10117, DE; 2 Houston Center 909 Fannin Street Suite 200, Houston, Texas 77010, US; 161 Rosa L. Parks Blvd. Suite 300, Nashville, TN 37203, US; 2015 Main Street, Vancouver, British Columbia, CA; Equinox Business Parks Private Limited, Suite 7, E Commerce Centre, Tower 3, Mumbai, IN; Av. Cto. Frida Kahlo 303, Monterrey, Nuevo Leon 66260, MX; 1532 Grand Blvd, Kansas City, Missouri 64108, US; 243 N 5th St, 200, Columbus, Ohio 43215, US; Avenida Tiradentes, esquina Presidente Gonzalez Edificio La Isla, Piso 1, Local 308, Ens. Naco, Santo Domingo, DO
**🛠 Tools & Technology Stack**
- **Primary Design Tools:**
- Design tool 1 with usage context, skill level expectations, and team collaboration features.
- Design tool 2 with workflow integration and project-specific applications.
- Design tool 3 with advanced capabilities and specialized use cases.
- Design tool 4 with version control and design system management features.
- **Collaboration & Handoff:**
- Collaboration tool 1 with cross-functional team integration and communication benefits.
- Handoff tool 2 with developer collaboration and design specification management.
- Documentation tool 3 with design system maintenance and style guide creation.
- **Research & Testing:**
- Research tool 1 with user insight gathering and data analysis capabilities.
- Testing tool 2 with prototype validation and user feedback collection.
- Analytics tool 3 with design performance measurement and optimization insights.
- **Visualisation:**
- Visualisation tool 1 with real-time rendering and interactive demonstration capabilities.
- Visualisation tool 2 with photorealistic rendering and design presentation techniques.
- Visualisation tool 3 with virtual reality and immersive design experiences.
**👥 Team Culture & Values**
- **Design Values:**
- Design value 1 specific to the company with behavioral expectations for designers and creative process implications.
- Design value 2 specific to the company with daily application examples and design decision-making influence.
- Design value 3 specific to the company with user-centered approach and design impact measurement.
- Design value 4 specific to the company with innovation expectations and creative risk-taking comfort.
- **Collaboration Style:**
- Collaboration approach 1 with cross-functional design integration and stakeholder communication.
- Collaboration approach 2 with design critique culture and feedback exchange methods.
- Collaboration approach 3 with design system contribution and knowledge sharing practices.
**🛡 Challenges & Growth Opportunities**
- **Design Challenges:**
- Design challenge 1 specific to this role with mitigation strategies and skill development opportunities.
- Design challenge 2 specific to this company/design industry with preparation recommendations and learning resources.
- Design challenge 3 specific to design methodology with adaptation strategies and best practice guidance.
- Design challenge 4 specific to design trends and technology evolution with continuous learning approaches.
- **Learning & Development Opportunities:**
- Learning opportunity 1 - design skill advancement and specialization paths.
- Learning opportunity 2 - industry conference and workshop participation.
- Learning opportunity 3 - design mentorship and leadership development.
**💡 Interview Preparation**
- **Design Process Questions:**
- Design question 1 specific to design process and methodology with tactical preparation advice and portfolio examples guidance.
- Design question 2 specific to design collaboration and stakeholder management with response strategy and case study preparation.
- Design question 3 specific to design problem-solving with portfolio examples guidance and design thinking demonstration.
- **Company Culture Questions:**
- Design question 4 specific to company design culture with research recommendations and cultural fit assessment.
- Design question 5 specific to design team dynamics with preparation guidance and collaboration examples.
- Design question 6 specific to design impact measurement with case study advice and metrics discussion preparation.
- **Portfolio Presentation Strategy:**
- Presentation strategy 1 - case study structure and storytelling for design process communication.
- Presentation strategy 2 - visual presentation techniques and design rationale articulation.
- Presentation strategy 3 - interactive demonstration and design decision explanation methods.
**📌 Application Steps**
- To apply for this design position:
- Submit your application through [this link](https://gensler.wd1.myworkdayjobs.com/genslercareers/job/Mumbai-India/Design-Director_R-15543).
- [Concrete preparation step 1 related to design portfolio customization with specific examples and case study selection].
- [Concrete preparation step 2 related to resume optimization for design roles with keyword strategy and skill highlighting].
- [Concrete preparation step 3 related to design interview preparation with presentation advice and portfolio walkthrough practice].
- [Concrete preparation step 4 related to company research with design culture focus and design team understanding].
**📝 Enhancement Note:** The salary range for this role is estimated to be between ₹2,500,000 - ₹3,500,000 per annum, based on market research and regional adjustments for design directors in Mumbai. This estimate is subject to change based on the candidate's experience, skills, and the company's internal compensation structure.