Head of Design
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Key skills for this role
About the Role
Carter Murray is hiring a Head of Design & Systems for a luxury design and manufacturing client in the UAE.
Key Skills for This Role
Responsibilities
- Develop and execute the long term design and systems strategy aligned with business growth objectives
- Build a scalable, design led organization that reduces reliance on individual expertise and creates repeatable operational excellence
- Lead organizational transformation across design, product development, and technical functions
- Drive innovation and continuous improvement initiatives across the customer journey
- Lead the development and evolution of product architecture, modular systems, and new product lines
- Translate customer insights and market trends into commercially viable products and solutions
- Oversee research, development, prototyping, and product innovation activities
- Ensure design quality, consistency, and manufacturability across all product categories
- Establish and standardize design processes, workflows, and quality controls
- Drive integration of digital design tools, automation technologies, and design software platforms
- Partner with technology and operational teams to enhance efficiency and scalability
- Lead and develop a multidisciplinary team of 25+ professionals across multiple locations
Requirements
- 8+ years of senior leadership experience within furniture, kitchens, cabinetry, wardrobes, interiors, or product driven retail environments
- Experience leading large multidisciplinary design and technical teams
- Demonstrated success delivering organizational transformation and business growth initiatives
- Strong understanding of the relationship between design, manufacturing, installation, and customer experience
- Proven ability to build scalable systems, processes, and operating models
Full Job Posting
Role Overview
- Carter Murray is working with a prominent luxury design and manufacturing client in the UAE.
- As Head of Design & Systems, you will drive the evolution of the design function into a highly integrated, scalable, and systems driven organization.
- The role requires a strategic leader who can balance design excellence, manufacturing realities, customer experience, and technology integration.
Strategic Leadership
- Develop and execute the long term design and systems strategy aligned with business growth objectives.
- Build a scalable, design led organization that reduces reliance on individual expertise and creates repeatable operational excellence.
- Lead organizational transformation across design, product development, and technical functions.
- Drive innovation and continuous improvement initiatives across the customer journey.
Design & Product Development
- Lead the development and evolution of product architecture, modular systems, and new product lines.
- Translate customer insights and market trends into commercially viable products and solutions.
- Oversee research, development, prototyping, and product innovation activities.
- Ensure design quality, consistency, and manufacturability across all product categories.
Systems & Digital Transformation
- Establish and standardize design processes, workflows, and quality controls.
- Drive the integration of digital design tools, automation technologies, and design software platforms.
- Partner with technology and operational teams to enhance efficiency and scalability.
- Develop frameworks that connect design, manufacturing, installation, and after sales operations.
Team Leadership
- Lead and develop a multidisciplinary team of 25+ professionals across multiple locations.
- Create a culture focused on collaboration, accountability, innovation, and agility.
- Build organizational capability through succession planning, coaching, and talent development.
- Foster strong cross functional relationships with manufacturing, sales, operations, and executive leadership teams.
Ideal Candidate Profile
- 8+ years of senior leadership experience within furniture, kitchens, cabinetry, wardrobes, interiors, or product driven retail environments.
- Experience leading large multidisciplinary design and technical teams.
- Demonstrated success delivering organizational transformation and business growth initiatives.
- Strong understanding of the relationship between design, manufacturing, installation, and customer experience.
- Proven ability to build scalable systems, processes, and operating models.
Preferred Background
- Experience in major furniture, interiors, cabinetry, kitchen or design led manufacturing businesses.
- Strategic thinking and systems leadership.
- Product architecture and product development expertise.
- Digital transformation and process optimization.
- Design operations management.
- Organizational development and talent leadership.
- Strong commercial awareness.
- Change management and stakeholder engagement.
- Agility and growth mindset.
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