&Beyond is built, almost entirely, on the strength of remarkable people who give passionately to their roles, work tirelessly and keep the guest experience at the heart of what they do. They also care deeply about the sustainability of our communities and environment. Every single &Beyonder makes a meaningful difference to our success and our contribution to the world, regardless of their role or function. For this reason, we choose &Beyonders very carefully. They are the strength and the future of this company.

Internal Design Lead Lodges Camps and Yachts

Reporting Line

Reports to Group Experience Director

Purpose of the Role

To protect and evolve the physical expression of &Beyond across our lodges, camps and yachts, keeping a clear golden thread through every experience while allowing each place to feel true to its landscape, culture and story.

Every design decision should be considered through the hearts, minds and eyes of our guests and our people. The role balances beauty, comfort and a strong sense of place with practical operation, durability and lasting relevance.

The Internal Design Lead works with external designers, architects, project teams and lodge teams from the first idea through installation and the long life of a place. The role protects what makes &Beyond distinctive while bringing the fresh thinking, confidence and influence needed to help shape what comes next.

Scope of the Role

• All &Beyond lodges, camps and yachts, including new developments, major refurbishments, smaller refreshes and ongoing styling support.
• Guest rooms, public areas, arrival experiences, dining areas, bars, spas, outdoor guest areas and selected operational spaces that influence the guest or staff experience.
• Interior design, FF&E, OS&E, art, accessories, lighting intent, signage, styling, materials and the wider physical guest experience.
• Design guidance for Signature Shop products, together with uniform design and development under By Design.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES:

Design Direction and Experience

• Source and nurture strong relationships with external designers and architects so that &Beyond has access to the right creative partners.
• Turn the landscape, culture, local craft, guest journey and Impact story of a destination into a clear design brief and a strong sense of place.
• Guide mood boards, layouts, material palettes, furniture, lighting, art and styling from concept through final approval.
• Consider each design through the hearts, minds and eyes of our guests and our people, including how the space feels, flows, operates and is cared for.
• Listen to lodge teams and the people who use the spaces every day, drawing on their practical knowledge before important decisions are finalised.
• Use mock ups, samples, prototypes and practical trials to test how a design will work in reality.

Project Delivery and Site Execution

• Work closely with designers, architects, project managers, buyers, contractors and lodge operations from concept through installation.
• Support the development and review of drawings, FF&E and OS&E specifications, schedules, samples and procurement information.
• Participate in site surveys and coordinate interior requirements with architecture, lighting, services, kitchens, laundries, technology and operational needs.
• Keep design decisions, risks, changes and approvals clear, raising concerns early when quality, cost, timing or operational readiness may be affected.
• Oversee installation on site, often in remote locations, and support room setting, snagging, final styling and opening readiness.
• Ensure handover information includes approved specifications, suppliers, warranties, care guidance, replacement references and final photographs.

Brand Consistency Design Longevity and Property Care

• Maintain the &Beyond golden thread across Africa, Asia and South America while allowing every property to remain distinctive and rooted in place.
• Maintain design guidelines, styling guides and property references, and help evolve agreed brand standards when required.
• Bring long term thinking to architecture, interiors, FF&E, OS&E and the wider physical design of our lodges, camps and yachts.
• Work with architects and project teams to create places that age well, can be maintained and adapted, and remain relevant without frequent full redesign.
• Challenge design choices that are overly trend driven, difficult to maintain or likely to shorten the useful life of a place or product.
• Consider lifetime value, including quality, durability, repair, maintenance, replacement availability, transport and the likely period of useful service.
• Visit operating properties, understand how designs have performed, and turn those lessons into practical refresh and capital priorities.

Signature Shop Product Design Support

• Provide creative advice and design guidance to the Signature Shops team, while that team retains ownership of products, ranges, pricing, procurement and implementation.
• Help ensure that products feel recognisably &Beyond and reflect our destinations, Impact work, local stories and strong sense of place.
• Offer guidance on concepts, materials, finishes, branding, packaging and presentation, considering quality, authenticity, usefulness and lasting relevance.
• Participate in product and sample reviews when requested, providing an informed design perspective without taking ownership away from the Signature Shops team.

Uniform Design and Development

• Guide and coordinate the design and development of &Beyond uniforms as part of the wider By Design responsibility.
• Work with lodge operations, department leaders, procurement and the people who wear the uniforms to understand what is needed before designs are developed or changed.
• Ensure uniforms feel recognisably &Beyond and suit the destination, climate, role and nature of the work.
• Consider comfort, fit, movement, safety, cultural appropriateness, ease of care, durability and pride in wearing the uniform.
• Coordinate practical trials and staff feedback, and maintain clear standards, specifications, approved samples and supplier references.
• Work closely with the Signature Shops team to identify uniform inspired clothing, field wear or accessories that guests may genuinely want to buy, while the Signature Shops team retains all retail decisions.

Suppliers Procurement Sustainability and Impact

• Source and nurture relationships with suppliers across furniture, fabrics, decor, art, uniforms and other design needs, prioritising local artisans and responsible materials.
• Work with buying and procurement teams to confirm specifications, quantities, samples, prices, lead times and delivery requirements.
• Consider the full landed cost and delivery risk, including packing, freight, duties, storage, installation and replacement availability.
• Assess quality, reliability, ethical practice, production capacity and suitability for remote hospitality operations.
• Apply a practical sustainability lens to durability, repairability, energy and water use, transport, packaging, waste and eventual reuse.
• Work with Impact colleagues to identify credible opportunities for local enterprise, community participation and respectful representation of cultural stories and creative work.
• Innovation Collaboration and Design Governance
• Bring curiosity, fresh thinking and a strong personal design point of view to &Beyond.
• Respectfully challenge established thinking when a different approach could improve the guest experience, staff experience, operation or long term value.
• Have the confidence to recommend a different direction and influence senior leaders, using research, sketches, samples and practical examples to explain the opportunity, cost and operational implications.
• Encourage thoughtful experimentation and identify opportunities to test new ideas on a manageable scale before wider use.
• Facilitate design reviews that make the objective, options, recommendation, implications and required decision easy to understand.
• Know when to protect an established design principle and when a new idea could move &Beyond forward.

Design Information

• Maintain an organised design library containing approved concepts, layouts, schedules, samples, suppliers, styling guides, photographs and key decisions.
• Keep property FF&E and OS&E references current enough to support maintenance, replacement and future refurbishment planning.
• Capture lessons from completed projects and operating feedback, and use them to improve future briefs, standards and supplier decisions.

KEY REQUIREMENTS:

Experience

• At least 5 years of interior design experience, ideally within luxury hospitality, with evidence of strong conceptual storytelling.
• A recognised qualification in interior design, interior architecture or a closely related discipline is preferred.
• A portfolio showing concept development, space planning, material selection, detailing and completed installations.
• Experience coordinating designers, architects, contractors, suppliers, procurement teams and operational stakeholders.
• Experience delivering work in remote, international or logistically complex environments will be highly valued.

Skills

• Strong conceptual design ability and an instinct for interiors that tell a clear story.
• Proficiency in AutoCAD, SketchUp, Adobe Creative Suite and related design tools.
• Sound knowledge of FF&E and OS&E specification, procurement, materials, finishes, furniture construction, lighting, art placement and styling.
• Ability to read and comment on architectural, interior, services and shop drawings and identify coordination issues before installation.
• Commercial understanding of budgets, quotations, landed costs, lead times, variations and value engineering.
• Clear presentation and communication skills, with the ability to influence creative, operational and senior audiences.
• Strong planning, documentation and follow through across several projects or workstreams.

Attributes

• A deep appreciation for African and global design influences, with cultural sensitivity and genuine curiosity.
• Practical and solutions orientated, recognising that remote lodge realities can be unpredictable.
• Collaborative and respectful of the knowledge held by lodge teams, artisans, suppliers and specialist partners.
• Calm and resourceful during installations, openings and unexpected logistical challenges.
• Confident enough to challenge thinking and appropriately firm when protecting design intent, quality and brand standards.
• Commercially aware, organised and accountable, with sound judgement about when to decide, consult or escalate.

Nice to Have

• Experience working with artisans, community-based suppliers or local enterprise programmes.
• Previous safari lodge, yacht, marine, coastal or remote hospitality exposure.
• Experience in hospitality openings, refurbishments, uniforms, retail product development or live operational projects.
• Measures of Success
• Properties and products express a clear sense of place while remaining recognisably &Beyond.
• Design decisions strengthen the guest or staff experience and work in the day to day reality of the operation.
• Projects protect quality and design intent while remaining responsible about cost, timing and long-term value.
• Spaces, products and uniforms age well, can be maintained or adapted, and do not require unnecessary replacement.
• Lodge teams, project partners and senior leaders experience clear, practical and confident design guidance.

Role Realities

• The role requires regular travel to remote lodges, camps and yachts, sometimes at short notice and during installations or openings.
• The successful person must be equally comfortable shaping a creative story, reviewing technical details, resolving a delayed sample and styling a guest room before opening.

Please speak with your manager before making your application.

We reserve the right not to make an appointment.

This is a permanent position based in the &Beyond Warehouse in Johannesburg.

Contact information

Ziphozethu Bota