Head of Design

About Role:As Head of Design, you will own the design direction across the organisation—from early-stage concept development through design development, approvals, documentation and execution.This is a high-impact leadership opportunity for a design professional who believes exceptional real estate is created at the intersection of architecture, design, functionality, experience and commercial thinking.The individual will be responsible for establishing a strong and consistent design culture while ensuring that every project reflects the organisation’s aspirations for quality, innovation, design excellence and long-term value creation.Key ResponsibilitiesDefine and champion the organisation’s overall design philosophy, standards and vision.Lead design strategy across a diverse portfolio of large-scale real estate developments.Work closely with the CEO, senior leadership, development, investment, sales and project teams to translate business objectives into compelling design outcomes.Appoint, brief and manage leading architects, interior designers, landscape architects, consultants and specialist design partners.Provide strong design leadership from feasibility and concept stages through construction and handover.Review and challenge design proposals to ensure exceptional standards of architecture, interiors, landscape, planning and user experience.Balance design ambition, commercial viability, development constraints, constructability, timelines and budgets.Establish design review processes, governance frameworks and quality benchmarks across projects.Identify emerging global trends, technologies, materials and approaches that can create meaningful differentiation.Build relationships with leading international and Indian design practices.Mentor and develop an internal design team, creating a culture of creativity, accountability and excellence.Represent the organisation externally with architects, designers, consultants, institutions and industry leaders.What We Are Looking ForWe are looking for a design leader who combines creative vision with exceptional execution capability.The ideal candidate will have:15+ years of relevant experience in architecture, real estate development, design leadership or a closely related field.Significant experience working on large-scale, high-quality residential, commercial, hospitality or mixed-use developments.Strong understanding of the complete development lifecycle.Experience managing leading design consultants and multidisciplinary teams.A sophisticated understanding of architecture, interiors, landscape and placemaking.Strong commercial and strategic thinking alongside design excellence.The confidence and credibility to influence senior stakeholders and challenge established thinking.Excellent communication, presentation and negotiation skills.Experience working with both Indian and international design practices would be highly valuable.An architecture/design qualification from a leading institution is preferred.Why This Role?This is an opportunity to move beyond designing individual projects and shape the design identity of a major real estate organisation.You will have:Enterprise-wide influence over design direction.Direct exposure to senior leadership and major investment decisions.A significant portfolio of landmark developments.The opportunity to collaborate with internationally recognised design talent.The ability to build and lead a high-calibre design organisation.The platform to create projects that have a lasting impact on the built environment.