Interior Design Quality Director - Site Based

Role Overview

Interior Design Quality Director – Site Based at AHS Properties. Site-based role located in Dubai/UAE on villa and residential development projects. Full-time employment.

Role Purpose

Lead and safeguard interior design quality across villa and residential development projects from design intent through to final handover, ensuring that on-site execution, materials, finishes, and craftsmanship consistently meet approved design standards, brand positioning, and client expectations.

Key Responsibilities

Design Quality Assurance

• Review and validate interior design packages (FF&E, joinery, finishes, lighting, materials) against approved concept and design development documents before site execution.
• Conduct regular site walkthroughs and quality inspections at each construction and fit-out stage to verify alignment with design intent.
• Identify and resolve discrepancies between design drawings and on-site execution before they become costly rework.
• Ensure all interior design installations, including project mock-ups (FIP) of fit-out and custom productions, follow the highest AHS quality standards and align to ID packages.

Site Coordination

• Act as the on-site authority for interior design matters, liaising directly with contractors, subcontractors, joinery workshops, and FF&E suppliers.
• Coordinate with the design consultant and design studio to clarify details, resolve site queries, and manage design change requests.
• Work closely with the Projects team to align interior design milestones with the overall construction program.
• Inspect all fit-out installations and create detailed reports for VP of Design reviews and approvals.

Quality Control & Standards

• Develop and maintain interior finishing quality benchmarks, snag-list protocols, and inspection checklists specific to villa and residential standards.
• Own the snagging and de-snagging process for interior scopes through to handover.
• Approve material and finish samples and mock-ups prior to full rollout.
• Sign off site installation related to interior design and custom furniture and lighting manufacturing.

Documentation & Reporting

• Maintain a master log of design queries (RFIs), approvals, variations, and quality inspection reports.
• Provide regular progress and quality status reports to the Head of Projects and VP Projects.
• Flag risks related to design-execution gaps, material lead times, or contractor performance.

Stakeholder Management

• Represent design quality interests in site coordination meetings.
• Support procurement in evaluating contractor and vendor capability for interior finishing works.
• Liaise with ownership and client representatives on design quality matters as required.

Qualifications & Experience

• Minimum 8 years or more experience in interior design with significant site-based and execution experience on high-end villa or luxury residential projects.
• Proven track record overseeing interior fit-out quality from design through handover.
• Experience working directly with contractors, joinery workshops, and FF&E suppliers in a live construction environment.
• Custom and bespoke manufacturing experience with high-end global suppliers across both residential and luxury hospitality.
• Bachelor's degree in Interior Design, Architecture, or related field.

Skills & Competencies

• Proficiency in AutoCAD and relevant design software for reviewing drawings.
• Familiarity with project management and reporting tools.
• Fluent English; Arabic a plus given UAE site environment.