The Standard Lisbon

Design Manager

The Standard Lisbon

Design Manager

Let’s Go Lisbon!

Opening in 2026, The Standard, Lisbon marks our long-anticipated arrival in one of Europe’s most happening cities. Located at Palácio Santa Clara, the hotel rises above the colourful alleyways of Alfama—Lisbon’s most picturesque neighbourhood—offering front-row views of the river. Built atop the ancient College of St. Francis Xavier, which served as the Portuguese Royal Navy Hospital for over 200 years, the property is being reimagined by acclaimed architect Samuel Torres de Carvalho. His design respects the building’s heritage while looking ahead to a bold, unconventional Lisbon.

Anchored in food, music, art, and culture, The Standard, Lisbon brings our signature design and experience-driven philosophy to Portugal. With 165 guestrooms and 24 adjacent apartments, the expansive property features vibrant spaces for day- and nightlife programming. The ground floor welcomes guests and locals with a lobby lounge, pharmacy bar, all-day dining restaurant, and multiple terraces, gardens, and a pool deck. Upstairs includes a café, spa, gym, and event spaces. The rooftop bar and terrace are poised to become a neighbourhood destination.

Our signature blend of playful, sophisticated, and unexpected hospitality finds resonance in the cultural heart of Lisbon. Set in Fado’s holy land—a maze of staircases, patios, and hidden corners—The Standard offers a dynamic contrast that will surprise and delight.

As we enter the pre-opening phase, we’re now looking for a Design Manager who will embody our ‘Anything but Standard’ ethos.

Your role

As our Design Manager, you’ll partner with our General Manager, Senior Executive team, and our New York-based Corporate Design team o bring a diverse range of interior design and creative initiatives to life for our brand-new property in Lisbon.

As part of our senior pre-opening team, you’ll take the lead on critical FF&E projects to make sure design concepts and interior schemes stay on plan, on time, and on budget. You’ll have full creative responsibility for the final staging of our guest rooms, suites, and public areas — making sure every finishing touch is perfectly placed, every detail reflects our brand design ethos, and every space feels right for Lisbon and our brand DNA.

Day-to-day, you’ll be the go-to for all hotel design projects, supporting the hotel, restaurants, and bars with scopes of work, RFPs, and project schedules. You’ll work side-by-side with our senior engineering team to keep construction documentation tight, permits in order, and timelines on track. Once plans are approved, you’ll manage orders and coordinate deliveries so projects land smoothly with minimal disruption to our guests and teams.

You’ll be the guardian of our design ethos across the hotel, from furniture layouts to seasonal staging. That means daily walk-throughs of our restaurants, bars, and public areas to make sure everything’s on point and nothing’s out of place. You’ll own seasonal activations (Christmas, New Year, Easter — Lisbon-style) and, in partnership with our Events Manager, create bespoke “finishing touches” for special events that surprise and anything but standard.

This is not a ‘Standard’ Design Manager position— You’ll need personality, stamina, and the ability to bring creative vision to life under pressure. You’ll thrive in a fast-paced, high-energy environment, love working with people, and be just as comfortable rolling up your sleeves solo as you are collaborating with the wider team.

Do you have what it takes to be our Design Manager at The Standard, Lisbon?

A minimum of 3–5 years’ experience in interior design, architecture, construction, or project management, with experience managing renovations and/or construction projects ideally in Lisbon or Portugal.

In addition, the ideal candidate will…

• Have a strong understanding of the Lisbon hotel market and current design trends
• Possess knowledge of Portuguese building, construction, and engineering codes and licences
• Be well connected locally, with relationships with suppliers, designers, and partners in arts, fashion, and cultural events
• Be a confident self-starter with excellent project management skills
• Have pre-opening hotel experience (an advantage)
• Be experienced in producing design proposals, costings, and plans
• Demonstrate exceptional attention to detail with strong administration and IT skills, including MS Office, Adobe Suite, Canva, AutoCAD, and 3D design software such as SketchUp or Rhino
• Be fluent in Portuguese and English (preferred)
• Have a flexible approach to working hours during the pre-opening and opening period

If you think you can design a space people won’t want to leave (and will definitely want to Instagram), send us your portfolio and tell us why you should be our Design Manager at The Standard, Lisbon.

All applicants must be eligible to live and work in the European Union. Documented evidence of eligibility will be required prior to commencing employment.