Kelly Claudine Interiors is a boutique interior design and project management studio in North County San Diego, working across luxury residential and boutique commercial spaces. We are seeking a highly organized, design literate Assistant Designer and Studio Coordinator to support both the studio's creative work and the operations behind it.
The position is broad by intention. It moves between the creative and the operational, with sourcing and selections one day and budgets, procurement, documentation, and coordination the next. It is designed for someone who wants to become a trusted right hand as the studio grows.
THE ROLE
This role exists to help carry projects and the business forward, so that not every sourcing decision, follow up, document, and detail has to move through Kelly personally. Day to day, that means working fluidly across design and operations: researching and sourcing, preparing selections, building budgets and schedules, managing procurement, organizing documentation, coordinating with vendors and trades, and keeping each project's many moving pieces in view.
More than a list of tasks, this is a working relationship. Over time, the right person will understand how Kelly works, how the studio operates, and what each project needs. They will take increasing ownership of coordination and execution, freeing Kelly to focus on design direction, client relationships, and the growth of the practice. Responsibility may grow as trust, skill, and the studio's workload grow.
RESPONSIBILITIES
Design + Project Support. Supporting the design process from first research through final installation.
- Research and source furniture, fixtures, lighting, plumbing, finishes, materials, art, accessories, and vintage pieces.
- Prepare product and material comparisons, order samples, and help maintain the sample library.
- Research vendors and prepare thoughtful, well organized selections for Kelly's review.
- Assist with specifications, schedules, sourcing sheets, mood boards, presentations, and design documentation.
- Maintain accurate records of proposed and approved selections, and carry revisions through after client feedback.
- Support installations, styling, photo shoots, site visits, and presentations as scheduled.
Project, Schedule + Cost Management. Keeping every project organized, current, and moving forward.
- Maintain task lists, priorities, deadlines, decisions, approvals, dependencies, and open items.
- Manage schedules from design development through procurement, construction, installation, and closeout.
- Prepare agendas, meeting notes, and action item lists, and make sure decisions reach the drawings, schedules, budgets, and records where they belong.
- Build and maintain budgets and cost trackers, including quotes, allowances, estimates, actuals, taxes, freight, receiving, delivery, and installation.
- Track approved versus proposed spending, maintain running totals, and flag budget or schedule risks early.
Procurement + Vendor Management. Managing purchasing from first quote to final delivery, with persistence and precision.
- Request and organize vendor quotes, and verify pricing, availability, trade discounts, lead times, freight, and taxes.
- Prepare procurement records and purchasing documentation, and assist with purchase orders when authorized.
- Track deposits, balances, order confirmations, production, shipping, receiving, delivery, and installation.
- Stay ahead of backorders, delays, substitutions, damages, claims, returns, and credits.
- Maintain clear procurement trackers and communicate professionally with showrooms, manufacturers, representatives, workrooms, receivers, installers, and trades.
- Prepare and coordinate purchases while keeping final design decisions, client commitments, orders, and spending approvals with Kelly.
Construction Administration + Documentation. Supporting active construction and turning scattered information into polished deliverables.
- Organize specifications, drawings, markups, revisions, RFIs, submittals, samples, approvals, field decisions, substitutions, and punch list items.
- Prepare site meeting notes and follow up lists, and coordinate information among clients, architects, contractors, consultants, vendors, and installers.
- Research and build comprehensive documentation packages, including cut sheets, certifications, specifications, warranties, and installation information.
- Create polished schedules, matrices, specification books, finish schedules, fixture schedules, furniture schedules, procurement packages, and professional reference documents.
- Cross check information carefully for completeness and consistency.
Studio Operations, Files + Systems. Building and maintaining the systems the studio runs on.
- Maintain trackers, calendars, task systems, contacts, templates, and internal resources.
- Help develop repeatable processes and quietly improve how the studio operates.
- Keep the digital studio impeccably organized, with consistent folder structures, file naming, version control, and archives.
- File emails, quotes, drawings, invoices, specifications, contracts, photographs, and approvals where they belong.
- Keep vendor, product, client, and project information organized and current.
Client Experience. Helping deliver an organized, responsive, high touch experience.
- Draft polished client emails and project updates for Kelly's review.
- Coordinate meetings and appointments, and prepare materials clients need to review or approve.
- Track outstanding decisions and approvals, and organize presentations and follow up materials.
- Handle all client and project information with discretion and care.
Marketing, Content + ShopMy. Supporting a studio presence that feels editorial and design focused, never salesy.
- Assist with Instagram and other content, organize photography, and identify moments from projects, sourcing, site visits, and installations.
- Maintain a content calendar and draft captions, story and Reel concepts, and carousels for approval.
- Support website portfolio updates and basic SEO, and research aligned features, collaborations, and partnerships.
- Maintain ShopMy collections and links, and prepare polished product roundups and sourcing edits.
- Keep a running content library so strong ideas are not lost.
Business Development + Evolving Studio Support. Helping the studio follow through, consistently, on the right opportunities.
- Organize and track new inquiries and prospective projects, including consultation preparation and follow up.
- Prepare portfolios, introductory materials, proposals, and presentations.
- Research aligned builders, architects, realtors, developers, publications, and referral partners.
- Support special projects and emerging needs across design, project management, operations, marketing, and growth.
WHO WILL THRIVE HERE
This role rewards someone who is exceptionally organized and genuinely detail oriented, who understands that almost right documentation can become an expensive project mistake. The ideal candidate is a resourceful problem solver who researches before asking, anticipates the next step, and follows through without being chased.
- Exceptional organization and command of many small moving pieces at once.
- Sound aesthetic judgment and real design literacy.
- Resourcefulness and independent problem solving.
- Dependable follow through, accountability, and appropriate urgency.
- Comfort moving between creative and administrative work.
- Polished written communication with luxury clients and professional vendors.
- Discretion and respect for confidential client and studio information.
- Strong digital skills and a willingness to learn new software and systems.
- Calm under pressure, and open to feedback, revision, and exacting standards.
SCHEDULE + WORKING STYLE
The anticipated capacity is up to 20 hours per week to start, varying with project needs. Work is primarily remote and can include flexible work blocks, though the role asks for dependable communication, transparency around deadlines, and the ability to acknowledge time sensitive matters during normal business hours when reasonably available.
Occasional in person support may include sourcing, local site visits, installations, styling, photography, or project meetings in North County San Diego and the surrounding area. Hours and priorities are coordinated in advance whenever possible.
COMPENSATION
$35.00 per hour, up to 20 hours per week to start. Accurate time records by project, task, and time spent. Expenses approved in advance are reimbursed with documentation.
HOW TO APPLY
Please email [email protected] with:
- A resume outlining relevant interior design, project coordination, procurement, administrative, or studio experience.
- A short note on why this combination of creative and operational work interests you.
- A portfolio or selected work samples, if applicable.
- Your general weekly availability, location, and earliest potential start date.
- A brief list of the design, project management, presentation, spreadsheet, and content tools you use confidently.
Kelly Claudine Interiors is a small, growing studio with high creative and operational standards, and welcomes applicants of all backgrounds. This posting describes the current vision for the role; priorities may shift with active projects and studio needs. Final engagement details are discussed with selected candidates and confirmed in writing before work begins.
Pay: $35.00 per hour
Benefits:
Work Location: Hybrid remote in San Marcos, CA 92078
