Highgate is a premier real estate investment and hospitality management company widely recognized as an innovator in the industry. Highgate is the dominant player in U.S. gateway markets including New York, Boston, Miami, San Francisco and Honolulu, with a rapidly expanding presence in Europe, Latin America, and the Caribbean. Highgate’s portfolio of global properties represents an aggregate asset value exceeding $20B and generates over $5B in cumulative revenues. The company provides expert guidance through all stages of the hospitality property cycle, from planning and development through recapitalization or disposition.  Highgate also has the creativity and bandwidth to develop bespoke hotel brands and utilizes industry-leading proprietary revenue management tools that identify and predict evolving market dynamics to drive out performance and maximize asset value. With an executive team consisting of some of the industry’s most experienced hotel management leaders, the company is a trusted partner for top ownership groups and major hotel brands. Highgate maintains corporate offices in London, New York, Dallas, and Seattle.

Highgate Corporate Office New York City, NY

Highgate is seeking a dynamic and visionary Director of Design to join our New York team. This leadership role is instrumental in shaping the creative direction of our hospitality development projects across a world-class portfolio. The Director of Design will serve as the primary liaison between internal teams, ownership groups, brand partners, and external consultants—driving design excellence, innovation, and project execution from concept through completion. This position requires a strategic thinker with a keen eye for design, a collaborative spirit, and a proven ability to lead complex hospitality projects within fast-paced environments. With oversight of multiple high-impact initiatives, this role is ideal for a creative leader who excels in managing cross-functional teams, navigating stakeholder relationships, and delivering thoughtful, high-quality results that enhance guest experiences and maximize asset value.

• Under the direction of senior leadership, the primary point of contact with owners’ representatives, brand representatives, design consultants and purchasing agents. 
• Inspire and foster a culture of innovation by introducing forward-thinking strategies and techniques that drive performance and creativity.
• Maintain a balanced focus on strategic vision, operational execution, and value creation for development partners and ownership groups.
• Demonstrate strong influencing capabilities to drive alignment and results across cross-functional teams without direct reporting authority.
• Cultivate a transparent and collaborative communication environment, ensuring effective information flow across all levels of the organization.
• Review and comment on design packages, ensure quality of design intent, drawings and specifications. 
• Monitor budget, schedule and process of designers and purchasing agents. 
• Responsible to ensure the design team are managing the stipulated project budget. 
• Work with the rest of the Design & Construction team to find and vet appropriate designers and purchasing agents for each project. 
• Oversee designer/architect /purchasing agent RFP process with inhouse and/or third-party project managers.
• Work closely with the design team and purchasing agent to develop the appropriate purchasing strategy.
• Review consultant contracts and ensure scope and intent is being met. 
• Responsible for project drawing, update cash report. Consolidate invoices and backup for smaller projects. 
• Periodically review hotel CapEx expenditures to ensure design consistency is met. 
• Liaise with Hotel brands and ensure designers are following brand standards. 
• On smaller projects, the design management runs with minimal oversight.
• Keep senior design leadership informed on a regular basis.  Ensure issues are raised in a timely manner to avoid conflict. 

• Minimum of 10 years of experience in the hospitality industry, with a strong emphasis on design and development
• Bachelor’s degree in Interior Design, Architecture, or a related field preferred
• Proven project management expertise, with the ability to lead multiple projects simultaneously
• Demonstrated success in delivering high-quality work under tight deadlines
• Experience developing and managing preliminary project budgets
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills
• Demonstrated leadership capabilities, with experience guiding cross-functional teams
• Ability to perform effectively under pressure and adapt to evolving priorities
• Nimble, flexible, and thrive in a fast-paced, dynamic environment.