Design Lead

Company Description

RSP is a global architecture and design practice with 70 years of experience, known for delivering innovative, humanity-cantered solutions across a wide range of sectors and geographies. Founded in 1956 in Singapore, RSP is one of the oldest and most established architectural firms in Asia, with a proud legacy of design excellence and social responsibility.

Today, RSP operates from 12 design hubs worldwide, including studios in Singapore, Dubai, Kuala Lumpur, Shanghai, Shenzhen, and Ho Chi Minh City, among others. With a diverse team of over 1,000 professionals, we bring multidisciplinary expertise to projects that span commercial, residential, hospitality, education, healthcare, civic, cultural, and urban planning sectors.

RSP is recognized globally for its ability to translate stories into meaningful, responsive spaces that enhance lives and communities. Our work has earned us more than 600 international awards and accolades, reflecting our commitment to quality, sustainability, and innovation. Our vision is to create a world where design meets humanity, and every space we shape embodies that purpose.

RSP Dubai - RSP Dubai is the regional hub for our Middle East operations and plays a leading role in shaping the built environment across the region. With a strong portfolio spanning commercial, residential, hospitality, mixed-use, and large-scale urban planning projects, the Dubai studio integrates global design thinking with regional insight to deliver contextually relevant and future-ready solutions. We operate as a collaborative, multidisciplinary studio where innovation, design excellence, and sustainability are central to our practice.

RSP Studio Kochi - As part of our continued growth, we are proud to announce the launch of RSP Dubai's Global Design Studio in Kochi, India. This new studio will work in full integration with the Dubai team, providing design and technical support across key projects in the region. The Studio Kochi offers a unique opportunity for talented professionals to work on impactful, international projects while being deeply connected to RSP's global design culture. It reflects our commitment to building agile, distributed teams that uphold the highest standards of creativity, collaboration, and purpose-driven design.

At RSP Studio Kochi, we take pride in nurturing a culture that mirrors our ethos of design meets humanity. Our workplace is built on collaboration, openness, and mutual respect - where every idea is valued, and every individual contributes to our shared success. We encourage curiosity and continuous learning, empowering our team to explore innovative solutions while maintaining a strong sense of purpose and empathy. The Studio fosters an inclusive, creative, and supportive environment that celebrates diversity and teamwork, ensuring that every member feels inspired to grow - both professionally and personally as we shape spaces that make a difference.

Roles & Responsibilities

The Design Leader is a senior-level position responsible for overseeing the design and creative aspects of projects and managing a team of designers. They play a key role in leading the design process, ensuring high-quality deliverables, and contributing to the overall success of the projects.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead and manage the design and creative direction of projects, ensuring alignment with client objectives, brand guidelines, and project requirements.
• Provide strategic design insights and recommendations to clients, helping them achieve their goals through effective design solutions.
• Manage and mentor a team of designers, providing guidance, feedback, and support to foster their professional growth and development.
• Oversee the end-to-end design process, from initial concept development to final deliverables, ensuring design excellence and adherence to project timelines and budgets.
• Collaborate closely with clients and internal stakeholders to understand project objectives, target audience, and market trends, translating them into innovative design strategies.
• Conduct regular design reviews, offering constructive feedback and suggestions to ensure the quality and consistency of design deliverables.
• Drive the exploration and adoption of new design methodologies, tools, and technologies to enhance the design process and deliver innovative solutions.
• Collaborate with cross-functional teams to ensure effective communication and coordination throughout the project lifecycle.
• Stay updated on industry trends, design best practices, and emerging technologies, and share knowledge and insights with the team and the wider organization.

Experience & Qualification

The minimum qualifications for this role are:

• A bachelor's degree in architecture.
• 15+ years of total experience
• Minimum 5 years of experience in a similar role
• Proven experience creating forward thinking design concepts.
• Extensive experience leading and managing architectural projects, with a portfolio demonstrating design excellence and successful project delivery.
• Strong proficiency in architectural design software, such as AutoCAD, Revit, SketchUp, Rhino, Grasshopper, or other 3D modeling and visualization tools.
• Proficient in graphic design software, such as Adobe Creative Suite (Photoshop, Illustrator, InDesign), for producing compelling presentations.
• Excellent creative and conceptual thinking abilities, with a proven track record of translating client needs into innovative design solutions.

The Individual

• Effective communication and collaboration skills, enabling productive teamwork and the ability to present design ideas convincingly.
• Exceptional creativity and innovation capabilities.
• Ability to lead the design and execution of major projects.
• Deep understanding and application of current design trends.
• Proven ability to build and sustain long-term client relationships.
• High energy, strong drive, and total commitment to design excellence.
• Skilled in talent development, team motivation, championing great design, and serving as a role model.
• Reliable delivery on all commitments.
• Ability to work effectively in a team environment.
• Excellent problem solving and conflict resolution skills.
• Strong attention to detail and excellent organisational skills.
• Strong inter personal skills, with the ability to build relationships at all levels of the organisation.
• Effective communication skills, both written and verbal
• Ability to maintain confidentiality and handle sensitive information