The Design Studio Manager at Knutson oversees the daily operations of the design showroom, tracking product options, and guiding home buyers through personalizing finishes and upgrades to customize their new homes. This position requires some purchasing skills as the manager has ongoing requirements to research and update product availability, trends and offerings.The manager is responsible for seeking information specs and pricing through the trade partners and making sure the database is up to date at all times. This position works in close partnership with the purchasing director for accuracy of all design center information.This is a dynamic opportunity where the ownership of the design studio management involves in-depth engagement with the purchasing department.
Key Responsibilities
- Client Experience: Guide home buyers through interior finish selections (flooring, cabinets, countertops, lighting, and fixtures) to customize their new homes.
- Showroom Purchasing & Inventory: Handle product option management, vendor coordination, and up-to-date pricing and studio displays.
- Management Liaison: Report sales, trends, and performance metrics to management. Make recommendations on option pricing and option master for each community.
- Develop Spec Home Selections : prepare spec home selection packages for each community and product line within each community.
- Cross-Functional Coordination: Act as a central communication link between sales, purchasing, vendors, and construction superintendents to ensure selected options are accurately documented and installed.
- Execute selections for Model homes and Quick Move-In inventory/spec homes as needed
- Field visits as needed. Tour community models, Quick Move-In homes and homes in production
- Meet with trade partners regarding included features and available personal choices, and pricing
- Stay current on home product trends and/or design styles/colors via (vendor trainings, online research, etc.)
All other duties as assigned
Qualifications & Skills
- Experience: Background in interior design, architecture, or homebuilding operations. Minimum of 5 years’ experience.
- Communication: Strong interpersonal skills to guide clients through major financial and aesthetic decisions.
- Organization: Detail-oriented tracking of option packages, deadlines, and purchase orders
- Strong customer service abilities.
- Deep knowledge of included features and options and finish materials in the marketplace
- Excellent communication and organization skills
- Patience, empathy and good listening skills
- Enthusiastic attitude: desire to ensure process is enjoyable, smooth and easy for the buyer – this is a critical piece of the purchaser’s homebuying experience, the piece they tend to get the most excited about.
- Able to be a good team member and work with employees across multiple departments
- Working knowledge of Microsoft Office programs, including Outlook, Excel, Word and PowerPoint, Canva, Adobe
- When speaking and writing, uses appropriate grammar, organizes ideas clearly, and articulates ideas concisely
- Applies creative problem-solving to address business needs and issues
- Must be able to handle the challenges related to customer service
- Ability to perform in a sales environment working and interacting with people and providing excellent customer service
- Ability to assist buyer in reaching decisions in a timely manner
- Ability to educate buyer on products
- Strong ability to set clear and concise expectations with customers
- Able to plan and prioritize while focusing on details and effective time management
What Makes You Successful
We\'re looking for someone who is:
- Passionate about creating outstanding customer experiences.
- Naturally welcoming, positive, and relationship-focused.
- Organized and detail-oriented, with the ability to manage multiple priorities.
- Comfortable balancing administrative responsibilities with customer-facing interactions.
- Creative and confident discussing design, color, finishes, and home personalization.
- Proactive, resourceful, and able to work independently while supporting a collaborative team.
- Excited to contribute to a customer experience built around connection and lifestyle.
Preferred Qualifications
- Bachelor\'s degree or equivalent combination of education and experience. Minimum of 5 years’ experience in design management.
- Experience supporting sales, hospitality, customer service, real estate, homebuilding, or related industries.
- Knowledge of residential construction, building materials, and home personalization options.
- Ability to read blueprints and construction documents.
This position will be on-site 5 days per week.
Hours will be: Mon-Fri with flexibility for early appointment options and late appointment options to help with scheduling of purchasers
Salary reciprocal with experience.
Excellent benefits package including platinum level heath insurance, dental and vision.Employees covered at no cost to the employee.
#J-18808-Ljbffr