Senior / Lead Greenery Designer
Full-Time — $70,000 - $90,000/year + commission
At Variegated NYC, we design, install, and maintain interior plantscapes and floral installations for some of the most recognizable companies in New York. We are not looking for someone who simply executes beautiful work, though you should. We are looking for a senior creative who owns projects end to end: who prices them to protect margin, decides what is worth pursuing, anticipates problems before they happen, lifts the people around them, and helps the business grow. If you are the kind of person who sees what needs doing and does it without being asked, keep reading.
This is a single posting for a senior-level role. Depending on your experience and appetite for leadership, it can be scoped as a Senior Greenery Designer or as a Lead / Principal Greenery Designer who mentors and manages other designers. We will calibrate the level, scope, and compensation to the person. Strong candidates from adjacent fields are encouraged to apply, more on that below.
Responsibilities
Design and creative leadership
Develop strong, visually compelling concepts across a wide range of projects, from straightforward office installs to complex, high-profile, and custom work.
Set or raise the creative bar for the work around you, and help define the Variegated design point of view through new palettes, materials, and approaches.
Make sound plant and material selections that balance aesthetics with long-term performance in real interior conditions (we can deepen your plant knowledge, but you should bring strong design judgment).
End-to-end ownership, profitability, and accuracy
Own projects from concept through installation without needing oversight: timelines, documentation, coordination, and execution.
Build and stand behind accurate cost sheets that reflect real labor, material, vendor, and logistics costs, and hold the line on margin. You are accountable for the profitability of your work, not just its look.
Decide what to prioritize. Rank work by urgency and impact, manage a high volume of projects at once, and pull work forward proactively rather than waiting for it to be assigned.
Coordinate cleanly with operations, warehouse, and install teams so your projects do not create downstream problems.
Clients and business growth
Lead client relationships with confidence: presentations, walkthroughs, revisions, and the kind of follow-through that wins trust and repeat work.
Help win and expand business through your communication, expertise, and credibility with commercial clients.
Spot opportunities for new services, product lines, or process improvements, and push them forward.
Team leadership (for the Lead / Principal level)
Mentor and elevate junior designers, install staff, and freelancers in both design thinking and on-site execution.
If scoped at the Lead level, directly manage one or more designers, including feedback, coaching, and performance, in partnership with leadership.
Build scalable processes, templates, and standards that reduce friction across the team.
Who You Might Be
We care more about how you think than about the exact industry on your resume. You might come from any of these and be a great fit:
A senior interior plantscape, floral, or landscape designer ready to own more of the business, not just the design.
A floral or event production lead who has run complex, high-stakes installs end to end.
A project manager from an interiors, design, FF&E, or design-build firm who is comfortable owning budgets, timelines, and clients.
A visual merchandising or experiential design lead from high-end retail or hospitality who has managed people and vendors.
Someone from an adjacent creative-operations field who owns outcomes and wants to bring that discipline into a growing, design-led company.
You do not need to be a plant expert to apply. We have a strong team that will teach you species, selections, and what works where. What we cannot teach as easily is ownership, judgment, initiative, and the ability to lead. Bring those.
What You Bring
A track record of owning creative or design-driven projects end to end, with a portfolio or examples of work you are proud of.
Real comfort with numbers: estimating, budgeting, and protecting margin. You see pricing as part of the craft, not an afterthought.
Strong project management instincts: you juggle many things at once, hit deadlines, and rarely need reminding.
Excellent client-facing communication, written and verbal, with the polish to represent the company to major accounts.
Initiative and self-direction. You do not wait to be told what to do, and you raise issues early rather than letting them fester.
Comfort being hands-on: traveling to client sites across NYC, leading walkthroughs, and occasionally getting your hands dirty during installs, including some heavy lifting.
For Lead-level candidates: experience mentoring or directly managing other creatives.
Benefits
Generous PTO: Holiday, Vacation, & Sick Pay
Health Coverage: Company-sponsored health, dental, and vision insurance
Employee Discount: Discounts on plants and planters for personal use, and occasional free leftovers to take home.
Team Culture: Frequent team dinners, happy hours, fun events, and an annual holiday party. Flexible work location, primarily remote/work from home