View Vacancy - Interior Designer

Summary:

To provide interior design services for the FCO’s overseas estate, HMG partners and Wider Market clients.

Responsibilities: 

•  The LE interior designer supports the aims and objectives of the FCO by delivering professional interior design projects for the FCO’s overseas estate, and if required for non-FCO (Wider Market) projects and for government projects in and outside the UK, to agreed timescales and budgets. Responsibilities outlined as follows:

•  Consistent management and delivery of high-quality projects to include specifications, drawings and presentations for all sizes of design proposal. This includes material selection of finishes, fittings, textiles, lighting, flooring, and furniture to create professional design schemes, putting into action comprehensive schemes to achieve excellent results.

•  To manage interior design projects through effective planning of self and contractors to achieve required goals. Working closely with FCOS Project Managers. A high level of budget management and accurate reporting is required. To be able to manage multiple projects concurrently as well as effectively manage subcontractors and specialists for high quality delivery of projects.

•  Types of projects include historical and contemporary/modern environments; both residential and workplace design. A special focus is afforded to the top 38 ‘designated residences’; where FCOS Interior Design manage a rolling programme of works for residences of architectural and historical significance. A high level of competence is required in the practical application of technical and aesthetic knowledge of material finishes and products, such as textiles, furniture, flooring, lighting, wall finishes, historical finishes and restoration. Careful and sensitive treatment of historical contexts and some knowledge of architectural history is required.

•  To work together with colleagues in the Professional Services Centre; architects, mechanical & electrical engineers, surveyors, seismic engineers amongst other technical staff, for multidisciplinary delivery. To cooperate effectively with external stakeholders such as the Government Art Collection or “GREAT” Campaign team for management of projects on shared platforms. To contribute to wider Professional Services department goals towards efficiency and improvement of processes.

•  To take responsibility for effective and Value For Money procurement in line with FCO procurement policy and wider HM Government policies on Health & Safety including fire safety for furniture, and sustainability. To act as Peer Reviewer to colleagues and junior staff to maintain consistent quality of output.

•  To produce design solutions for review by senior stakeholders, often under tight deadlines. The role requires regular skilled communication with key players at the highest levels of the UK Foreign Office, winning trust and communicating with authority on all matters of interior design. To act as client-facing representative of the department and at times of FCO Services as an organisation. To be able to deliver effective and engaging presentations to new clients and potential clients when necessary, also to internal teams, executive boards and FCO guidance courses. To liaise effectively with FCOS Marketing for continual promotion of the department.

•  To make a creative and positive impact on the ongoing development of the Interior Design service line through delivery of high quality projects, regular contribution of ideas and proposals to improve services and skills, and engage proactively with continual process refinement and new technologies.

•  To develop knowledge and skills through self-initiated targeted training with special focus on maintaining CAD skills and product knowledge. To help achieve wider department goals by identifying relevant training for self and others.

BA (Hons) Interior Design