Design Solutions Manager

Job Description

Some designers love the concept phase and hand off the rest. You’re the one who notices the wrong finish code on page 14, knows which manufacturer can actually hit the lead time, and won’t release a specification until the margin works too. You’d rather own a design solution completely, from handoff to purchase order, than present a rendering and walk away.

At Kay-Twelve, we’re redefining what our industry can be. We aren’t a furniture distributor; we’re a Learning Space Integrator, and every space we deliver follows our Radically Student Centered (RSC) approach. This role is where that vision becomes accurate, buildable, and financially sound. If holding design intent and gross margin in the same hand is what you’ve been doing informally for years, this seat was built for you.

Why This Role Is Different

• You own the call. Margin-versus-design-intent trade-offs are yours to make. You escalate only when a client request or a Collaborate commitment is at stake, not for permission.
• Accuracy is the job. Specifications, manufacturer selections, and codes are right before a PO is issued, not corrected after.
• You lead through the work. You direct a Design Production Specialist’s day-to-day output, review it closely, and set the standard by example, without needing formal supervisory authority to do it.
• Deep focus is protected. Most of your impact comes from concentrated design and specification work. Collaboration is purposeful: clear briefings, stage-end updates, and polished presentations.
• A repeatable process you can refine. Every project moves through a defined handoff and stage-end rhythm, and you’ll make it sharper over time.

What You’ll Do

• Receive the Collaborate to Design handoff from the Project Manager, confirm vision, scope, and success criteria, and translate it into design intent, spatial strategy, and furniture layouts.
• Develop conceptual design solutions, 2D drawings, 3D renderings, and furniture specifications for client presentation.
• Ensure every physical environment decision supports educational outcomes.
• Apply ADA, life safety, fire, and electrical codes to every design solution.
• Confirm manufacturer fit for every specified item, balancing design intent, lead time, and cost.
• Set and monitor gross profit percentage on each project to hit Kay-Twelve’s 35% average target within the PM’s established budget.
• Direct and review the Design Production Specialist’s output for accuracy and design integrity, resolving production questions directly.
• Approve substitutions with final authority on margin and design-intent trade-offs.
• Partner with procurement and vendors to ensure accurate sourcing.
• Prepare and present design proposals, visuals, and sample selections to the PM and client; the PM remains the client’s point of contact for commitments, schedule, and budget.
• Keep the PM informed at each stage-end deliverable and flag risks to design intent, schedule, or budget early.

How We Measure Success

• Scorecard KPI, GP Goal Alignment: manufacturer fit and budget alignment confirmed before every PO.
• Specifications and manufacturer selections are accurate before PO issuance.
• The design solution reflects the vision and guiding principles set in Collaborate.
• The PM has no surprises at stage-end review.
• An unmatched client experience, with revisions kept to one or fewer.

You’ll Thrive Here If You

• Feel a real pull when a detail is wrong, and fix it before anyone else notices.
• Make confident, independent decisions once you have the facts, without needing a committee.
• Prefer a steady, well-defined process you can master and improve over constant reinvention.
• Communicate with clarity and purpose: concise updates, strong presentations, no wasted meetings.
• Are comfortable setting direction for another designer’s work and holding the standard.

Our Values

Be the Change. You Belong Here. Listen. Care. Follow-Through. LFG! Our mission is to positively impact the environments of 10,000,000 students and educators by 12/31/2030, and this role puts that mission into every space we deliver.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in Interior Design or Architecture
• Professional licensure or certification (licensed Interior Architect, NCIDQ, or equivalent)
• Five or more years of interior design experience; K-12 or educational-facility experience strongly preferred
• Proficiency in AutoCAD, Revit, or CET, and Microsoft Suite
• Familiarity with local building codes, ADA, life safety, fire, and electrical regulations
• Working knowledge of 100+ furniture manufacturers and current K-12 product trends
• Financial acumen to hold a margin target while protecting design intent
• Ability to sit, stand, and use hands for extended periods in a studio/office setting, with occasional travel to client sites for programming, presentations, and site verification (hard hat, safety vest, eye protection, and steel-toe boots as needed)

Preferred

• Experience directing or mentoring a design production specialist or junior designer

Responsibilities may evolve as this seat is filled and the role matures; employees are expected to take on other job-related duties as assigned.

Why Work for Kay-Twelve (Why)

Leadership says:

• A purpose-driven organization, free from public or private equity influence, that prioritizes impact over profit
• Mission to positively impact 10,000,000 students and educators by 12/31/2030
• Manufacturer agnostic – collaborating with 100+ leading manufacturers, beholden to none
• A promise to clients: within our Radically Student Centered™ approach, we never go over budget for the agreed scope
• Core Values lived day to day: Be the Change, You Belong Here, Listen. Care. Follow-Through, and LFG!

The team says:

• The work we do makes the lives of students and educators better, everyday.
• I would tell them the reason I work at Kay-Twelve comes down to purpose, people, and impact. I believe in the work, I believe in the team, and I’m excited about the opportunity to help schools create places where students and educators can do their best work.
• I love the autonomy we have to think differently, try things, build relationships and make an impact without being told exactly how to get there. We have people who genuinely want to see each other grow and a team that cares deeply about our customers, our mission and each other.
• Because it gives me the opportunity to grow, learn new skills, and contribute to a team.
• We are here for the right reasons, we are different, and we are not afraid of getting out there to make a difference, even when it is met with resistance.
• We have an opportunity to help schools create environments that give more students the chance to find the way they learn best.

Ready to empower students with Kay-Twelve? Apply now and help us shape the future of learning spaces with purpose and passion!

Job Details

Benefits

• 401(k) matching
• Life insurance
• Vision insurance
• Dental insurance
• Flexible schedule
• Health insurance
• Paid time off
• 10 Company Paid Holidays
• Spending account

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