Design Coordinator

City

Woodland Hills

State

California

Job Location

Woodland Hills Regional Office

Position Type

Regular

JOB SUMMARY:

The Design Team supports work across Essex’s portfolio with major tasks including standardization of finish specifications for apartment units, fitness centers, amenities, exterior pool furniture, exterior paint, leasing centers and corporate offices. We are seeking an eager individual to join the team as a Design Coordinator. The position will lead all coordination efforts within the team, while collaborating with adjacent departments. The individual hired for this role will be considered the local design expert for Los Angeles and Ventura counties, sharing lessons learned with the rest of the Design Team. 

The Design Coordinator is expected to manage all Design Team ServiceNow requests and lead execution of simple furniture, fixture and equipment (FF+E) related projects. The role will also work with the Design Director to spearhead office design requests. Other responsibilities include regular vendor communication and reporting the ongoing status of projects to the Asset Management, Redevelopment and Capital Maintenance Services groups. The coordinator is expected to seek new furniture products, finishes and goods for use in projects that would set Essex properties apart from competitors.  The role requires regularly walking properties with Asset Management and Operations team members to obtain information on resident use of space and provide opinions on ways in which existing conditions can be improved.

We are looking for someone to use their creative input to make significant design decisions with minimal oversight, gained from advanced training and/or educational background.  We encourage an inventive nature, imagination and originality that aligns with the Essex vision.

WHAT YOU WILL DO:

• Lead design execution through Los Angeles and Ventura counties for project installations and renovations completed by Project Managers. Travel to site as necessary to observe construction progress and share status with the rest of team via weekly design meetings and ServiceNow status updates.

• Lead implementation in design layouts, specification and order of simple design projects specific to exterior and interior FF+E.

• Lead specification support to the project workload of Design Associate members, aiding in creation of FF+E selection and research of finishes.

• Act as regional design expert liaison with property manager, maintenance supervisor, leasing consultants and other operations staff with renovation activity as well as obtaining information about the space use and needs.

• Ability to assign and maintain status of all Design Team projects entered in ServiceNow. This position is the first command line in addressing and working towards fulfilling incoming requests concerning refreshes, new furniture, as builting, etc. More complex requests will be routed to the Design Associate with whom the Design Coordinator will collaborate.

• Actively collaborates with and supports Design Associate(s) with complex large project scopes including sourcing and specification of FF+E , flooring, paint, furniture, lighting fixtures, etc.

• Partner strategically and support reposition and renovation efforts across multiple properties through communication with project managers and operations team, supporting Design Associate(s) and Director.

• Support specification, standardization and order execution of furniture, fixtures, and equipment (FF+E) for amenities installation throughout portfolio, directly collaborating with warehousing vendors on status of incoming items and scheduling installation with onsite operations team.  

• Budget management: oversee vendor execution specific to Los Angeles and Ventura County design projects concerning payment, product lead times and final installation quality assurance. This role will suggest alternative products for goods that may arrive broken or damaged and a quick solution is needed.

• Maintain and execute all Purchase Orders associated with the Design Team ordering of exterior pool furniture and FF+E for amenities.

• Maintains the Design Director’s purchase card and ensure receipts are entered promptly each month.

WHAT YOU WILL NEED:

• Bachelor’s degree in interior design, real estate, construction, architecture, or related field required.

• Ability to read floor plans and understand architectural construction document sets.

• 2-4+ years of multi-family design, architecture or commercial real estate industry experience preferred.

• Experience using MS Excel, Word, PowerPoint. Working knowledge of Yardi and ServiceNow preferred.

• LEED AP or LEED Green Associate certifications a plus.

• Be a team player with a can-do attitude.

• Must have sound written and oral communication skills and be able to communicate professionally to all internal associates as well as external vendors.

• Detail oriented organizational skills to coordinate all projects throughout portfolio; this position will maintain 50+ projects at once.

• Working knowledge of basic real estate investment principles to effectively make informed “investment” related decisions with respect to capital improvement budgeting.

• Photoshop and InDesign software knowledge required.

• Intermediate working knowledge of AutoCAD and SketchUp preferred.

WHAT THE JOB REQUIRES:

• Operates in a fast-paced work setting. Requires the ability to multitask and adapt quickly to changing priorities. May involve tight deadlines and high-energy work situations. 

• Must be able to manage workload independently with minimal oversight.

• Requires the ability to work Monday through Friday. Entails in-person office requirements for a minimum of 3 days per the Company's hybrid policy, located at Essex's corporate offices in Irvine, Woodland Hills, San Mateo, and Bellevue.

• Involves frequent standing, walking, and occasional bending. Requires the ability to lift moderate-weight objects (up to 50 pounds). May involve physical activities such as climbing stairs or assisting in furniture installations.

• Frequent travel to various locations for meetings, projects, property visits, or on-site work.

• Requires flexibility to travel based on business needs, with occasional short-notice trips.

WHAT YOU WILL BRING TO THE TABLE:

• Ability to comprehend and interpret instructions, short correspondence and ask clarifying questions to ensure understanding. Ability to write routine reports and correspondence. Ability to respond to common inquiries or complaints from clients, co-workers, and/or supervisor. Ability to oversee timelines, especially pertaining to furniture, fixture, and equipment orders and renovation projects.

• Ability to interpret and explain information to colleagues and immediate managers who are not familiar with the job area and often require persuasion.

• Ability to understand and carry out general instructions in standard situations. Ability to solve problems in standard situations. Requires basic analytical skills.

• Decisions made with understanding of procedures and company policies to achieve set results and deadlines. Ability to identify and create value as needed. Decisions have a significant impact on the results of the job sub-function or function, including project schedules and budgets.

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All full-time regular associates are offered competitive salaries, experience career growth, and are eligible for benefit packages that include medical, dental, vision, paid parental leave, 401k employer match, excellence rewards, wellness programs, and much more. With our Sunday property operations office closures, 10 paid holidays, and 15 PTO days, work/life balance is a priority! Additionally, most positions are eligible for a housing discount of 20%.

Essex provides great communities in which to live, work and invest. We are a purpose-driven company, and we pride ourselves on promoting an internal culture of growth and opportunity by engaging, enabling, and empowering our teams. Working at Essex is not a destination. It is a journey where you can confidently build your career.

The salary range for this position is $65,000.00 - $91,000.00 per year. New hires generally start between $65,000.00 - $78,000.00 per year. The final salary offer will be determined after reviewing relevant factors, including but not limited to skill sets; relevant experience; internal equity; and other business and organizational needs.

This role is also eligible to participate in Essex’s discretionary Annual Bonus program that is commensurate with the level of the position.