Demo

Principal Interior Designer

CPL ARCHITECTS ENGINEERS LANDSCAPE ARCHITECT
Charlotte, NC Full Time
POSTED ON 4/15/2026
AVAILABLE BEFORE 6/14/2026

Principal Interior Designer 

Why This Role Matters:

A CPL Principal Interior Designer is a design leader who serves as a resource and mentor to a growing team.  The Principal Interior Designer is engaged in project development, responsible for directing large-scale multidisciplinary projects and/or medium-sized projects featuring a high degree of technical complexity.  The Principal Interior Designer is a leader who develops and manages the design direction and standards of the discipline.    

What You’ll Do: 

  • Act as a culture guardian, promoting all that is good in the culture  
  • Develop relationships and networks internally to advance our multi-disciple capabilities
  • Demonstrate an understanding of the business and CPL’s Value Proposition and how technical excellence supports that Value Proposition
  • Ensure appropriate resources are allocated throughout the organization to deliver a high-quality client experience
  • Supervise and guide project outcomes, design concepts, technical means, and quality control
  • Keep abreast of design trends, new technologies and developments affecting the discipline for the purpose of recommending changes
  • Oversee the interiors team throughout the design process including kickoff and programming client needs, conceptual and schematic design, design development, construction documentation, construction administration and furnishings selections and purchases
  • Supervisory requirements, including recruitment and retention of talent including:
    • Engage and foster the growth of CPL team members. Provide encouragement and regular feedback; and serve as a mentor/example for all levels of the team.
    • Manage/oversee career conversations with your team on an established schedule (annual career conversations, regular check-ins, and the development of career plans for each team member)
    • Develop future leaders within the organization (train your replacement)
    • Engage, motivate, and lead internal and external stakeholders to develop strategies and plans to move the organization in the desired direction. 
    • Influence people through effective communication  
    • Promote justice, diversity and fairness in the organization 
  • Execute work by managing the work of others, providing direction and removing obstacles. 
    • Fulfill the role of Project Manager as needed
    • Oversee project schedules and budgets 
    • Perform quality assurance/control on other's work, verifying quality, methodologies, calculations, outcomes, etc
    • Develop project scopes and objectives and coordinate all efforts – administrative and technical – to ensure the most efficient and cost-effective execution of assigned projects
    • Advocates for sustainable approaches to design solutions 
    • Provide management of internal finances, which include billing, invoice generation and asset/resource allocation.
  • Collaborate with the other CPL leaders in preparing and implementing annual business development plans

What You Bring:

  • You earned a professional degree in your discipline from an accredited institution and have at least fifteen (15) years of interior design experience, with at least five (5) served in a Project Manager role – or an equivalent combination of education and experience
  • You maintain NCIDQ certification 
  • You have a thorough understanding of current trends and areas of growth within the Interior design field
  • You are considered a subject matter expert, internally and in the community 
  • You’re an excellent communicator with resolute interpersonal skills
  • Highly accountable, you approach every project with a positive attitude and an eagerness to exceed client expectations
  • You have previous leadership experience, having worked to identify thoughtful solutions to complicated design problems
  • You thrive in a collaborative, team-based and entrepreneurial environment 
  • You are willing and able to travel regionally (as necessary) in support of firm goals

What We Offer:

To regular full-time and part-time employees who regularly work 30 or more hours per week

  • Healthcare for you and your family: Medical, Dental& Vision insurance. Single HDHP Medical plan with 100% paid premium.
  • Health Savings Account (HSA) with employer match.
  • Medical and Dependent Care Flexible Spending Accounts.  
  • Long-Term Disability Insurance Company/team member premium sharing.
  • FREE Life Insurance and AD D Insurance Voluntary Life Insurance for you and your family.
  • FREE Short-Term and Long-Term Disability Insurance.
  • PTO Sick Time 8 Holidays a year.
  • Retirement Savings Plan - Contribution from CPL to grow your retirement funds. 
  • Tuition Assistance: You may be eligible for continuing education assistance. 
  • Student Loan Assistance Program: CPL will contribute up to a maximum of $100 a month for 5 years ($6,000 total) towards student loan debt.  
  • Internal Mobility & Career Advancement.
  • Licensure Assistance.

What Does It Look Like Working Here?

We believe that building a strong community is about establishing a prevailing sense of fellowship among our team members, friends, and neighbors. 

  • Collaboration – working with others towards the best solution, placing great emphasis on the collective wisdom of our internal teams.
  • Family – celebrating others’ successes, genuinely caring about the happiness and well-being of our team members and recognizing their own families as extensions of the CPL family.
  • Fun – not taking oneself too seriously, fully understanding that fun at work is conducive to productivity.
  • Inspiration – contributing to an uplifting workplace that facilitates growth a positive, upbeat attitude.
  • Integrity – doing what is ethically right and providing reliable follow-through on commitments.
  • Ingenuity – seeking new opportunities and consistently identifying unexpected and practical ways to solve problems.

The rate for this position generally ranges between $109,000 to $137,000 annually. This range is a good faith estimate provided pursuant to the New York Pay Transparency Law. It is based on what a successful New York applicant might be paid and assumes that the successful candidate will be in New York or perform the position from New York. Similar positions located outside of New York will not necessarily receive the same compensation. Actual pay rates may vary from the range, as permitted by New York Equal Pay Transparency Law. Compensation offers will be based on various factors, including operational needs, individual education, qualifications and experience, work location and comparison to employees already in the role, as well as other considerations permitted by law. A potential new employee's pay history will not be used in compensation decisions.

CPL does not accept unsolicited resumes from recruiting professionals or agencies, nor do we accept resumes from any source that does not reference a specific, open position. CPL will not be responsible for any fees arising from the use of resumes submitted by recruiting professionals or agencies that do not have a current placement fee agreement with CPL.  All initial communication with recruiting professionals or agencies must go through our Talent Acquisition Team.

CPL is an Equal Opportunity Employer, and as such affirms the right of every person to participate in all aspects of employment without regard to gender, race, color, religion, national origin, ancestry, age, marital status, sexual orientation, pregnancy, disability, citizenship, military or veteran status, gender expression and/or identity, or any other status or characteristic protected by federal, state, or local law.

Salary : $109,000 - $137,000

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