Design & Project Specifier

Job Function

Provides design services to dealership customers, including site/inventory verifications, programming, space planning, typical development, colour boards, working/installation drawings, specifications and site-to-plan review. Works closely with dealership sales, order entry and installation groups, as well as customers, to ensure accurate plans and specifications, conformance to client's requirements, customer satisfaction and high quality project implementation.

Specific Responsibilities and Duties

Design Process

• Attends client planning meetings with professional interface; presents plans and information to customer for review and approvals
• Reviews site; conducts field measurements and plan-to-site adherence checks
• Inventories existing product; Produces as-built drawings/specifications
• Develops and presents block and space plans; gains customer approvals
• Develops and presents colour/finish boards and selections
• Develops finished working drawings for specification and installation; validates plan against construction, electrical engineering and A&D drawing sets
• Develops product specifications; double-checks specifications against plans; gets specifications order-entry ready using electronic specification program
• Provides evidence of self-checks for specification and performs audits of peer's specification to ensure accuracy of quantity, application and finishes
• Offers technical design and creative consultation to customers by answering routine and highly specialized questions regarding furniture systems
• Manages changes and revisions
• Conducts field and punch-list review with project managers and/or installation group
• Conducts and leads live design sessions with stakeholders

Departmental Practices

• Estimates design project time; maintains detailed daily time sheets
• Assists in the writing and presentation of design proposals and contracts to customers
• Maintains detailed and extensive project documentation, including records of all key decisions, phone conversations, approvals and sign-offs, and notes from all project planning meetings
• Manages adherence to project schedule, internal dealership budget, customer's project budget, design task completions and quality of design work
• Communicates regularly to customer and dealership re: design project status

Coordination/Planning

• Conducts pre-installation meetings with installation group/leads
• Ensures complete and accurate transmittal of project planning data to order entry/management, project managers and installation groups

Organizational Interfaces

• Conducts responsible interfaces with: client, contractor and subcontractor trades, client's A&D firm, electrician, client's IT group, etc.
• Conducts responsible interfaces with: dealership sales, project management, customer service/project coordinator and operations/installation groups

Contract Furniture/Design Industry Knowledge

• Has strong knowledge of interior design field, current practices, and trends
• Understands workplace environment issues (ergonomics, technology integration, teaming, alternative officing, etc.)
• Has a workplace knowledge of the dealership's contract furniture lines, including features/benefits, pricing, application and assembly, specification options and nomenclature, etc.
• Has a working knowledge of the applicable building codes, ADA regulations, National Electrical Code, etc.
• Understands contract furniture processes, including order preparation, project management, order management and delivery/installation
• Has a working knowledge of furniture design and specification software (AutoCAD, CET Configura, Sketch-Up, Project Matrix, etc.)

Knowledge/Skill Requirements

• Excellent customer service and interpersonal skills
• Computer literate (word processing, spreadsheets, project applications)
• Ability to work independently as well as in team applications
• Strong verbal and written communication skills
• Ability to prioritize and manage multiple tasks

Experience/Education

• Minimum of (2) years in related field; or any equivalent combination of education, training and experience required
• Interior Design or Architectural Technologist post-secondary education is required
• Experience with software such as AutoCAD, Sketch-Up, Photoshop and Microsoft Excel required
• Prior experience in office furniture industry and customer interaction is preferred
• Experience with the CET Configura Commercial Interiors software preferred

Location

Calgary, Alberta

Department

Design

Employment Type

Full-Time

Minimum Experience

Mid-level