Director of Design

Director of Design

Location: Jacksonville, FL

Employment Type: Full-Time

Salary: $90,000 - $105,000 base plus bonus

We are working with a boutique, Jacksonville-based luxury custom home builder to find a Director of Design to lead its in-house design and selections process. The company builds high-end, one-of-a-kind homes across Jacksonville and the surrounding coastal communities, typically with around fifteen homes underway at once. Unlike many custom builders who hand clients off to outside designers, this team keeps design in house so the experience stays consistent from first showroom visit to final walkthrough. This hire owns that experience: guiding homeowners through every interior and exterior selection, keeping pricing and change orders tight, and leading and developing a capable Design Coordinator who is ready to take on more.

What You'll Do

• Lead the design and selections process for a portfolio of roughly fifteen active custom homes, each at a different stage and level of design intensity
• Meet homeowners at vendor showrooms (cabinetry, countertops, tile, flooring, plumbing, lighting, appliances) to guide selections, typically a couple of days each week
• Partner with dedicated vendor representatives who work as an extension of the team, combining their product knowledge with your design direction
• Own interior selections from start to finish: cabinetry, countertops, tile, flooring, hardware, plumbing fixtures, lighting, appliances, and paint colors
• Coordinate exterior color and finish selections such as siding, trim, and roofing within the defined scope of each home
• Create drawings, layouts, and mood boards that help homeowners visualize their choices and keep the field team aligned
• Obtain pricing from trades and vendors on upgrades and alternates, and present options clearly to homeowners
• Prepare, track, and close out selections and change orders in Buildertrend so the budget and schedule stay accurate
• Verify that selections are complete, correctly specified, and released on time to support the construction schedule
• Communicate with the project manager and superintendent on each home so selections translate cleanly into the field
• Lead, mentor, and delegate to a Design Coordinator, giving real ownership of homes and appointments rather than keeping work centralized
• Build a collaborative, low-ego design culture where the team shares the workload and plays to each other's strengths
• Help refine design processes, standard offerings, and vendor relationships as the company continues to grow

What You'll Bring

• 5 years of design and selections experience working for a residential home builder; custom or luxury builder background strongly preferred
• Current or recent experience in a design leadership role, or a senior Design Coordinator ready to step into one
• Hands-on experience running homeowner selection meetings in vendor showrooms
• Working knowledge of residential construction sequencing and how selections drive the build schedule
• Comfort with pricing, budgets, allowances, and change orders, and the ability to discuss cost with homeowners confidently
• Experience with Buildertrend or a comparable residential platform such as CoConstruct or JobTread
• Ability to produce drawings, layouts, and mood boards (design software proficiency a plus)
• A collaborative leadership style: you delegate, develop people, and see a strong team member as an asset, not a threat
• Strong organization and follow-through across many homes and homeowners at once
• Degree in interior design or a related field preferred; NCIDQ or similar credentials welcome but not required
• Valid driver's license and reliable transportation for showroom appointments and jobsite visits

What You'll Gain

• $90,000 - $105,000 base salary plus annual bonus potential, based on experience
• Leadership of an in-house design function at a builder that treats design as a core part of the homeowner experience
• A capable Design Coordinator on your team and the autonomy to build the department the way it should run
• Established, collaborative relationships with high-end vendors and showrooms throughout the Jacksonville area
• Work on luxury, one-of-a-kind custom homes where your design decisions are visible in every room
• Medical benefits and a 401(k) with a company match
• A small, team-oriented company where leadership is accessible and good work is noticed

At Framework, we keep it simple: we connect great people with great builders. We're not just filling seats - we're helping construction professionals find real opportunities with companies that value what they bring to the table. Our candidates trust us because we're honest, we follow through, and we never push roles that aren't the right fit. We take the time to understand where you're coming from and where you want to go.

The builders we represent are more than just clients to us. Many of them are friends and longtime partners. If we wouldn't feel confident working for them ourselves, we wouldn't introduce them to the people who trust us with their careers.

On the flip side, our clients count on us to bring high-quality people who are the real deal - both in skill and character.

They'll tell you we just get it. We're proud to be the kind of recruiters who do what's right, not what's easy, and we make sure it's a win for everyone involved.