Associate Director, Workplace Design

The Associate Director, Workplace Design will partner closely with senior leaders and functional teams across the firm, including: Global Real Estate & Workplace Strategy leadership Office Managing Partners and Administrative Directors Technology, Security, Risk, and Compliance teams Brand, Communications, and Client Experience stakeholders External design, engineering, and construction partners The role will act as a trusted advisor to leadership and a clear point of design accountability across all major office initiatives. Core Responsibilities Global Workplace Design Strategy Establish and lead the global workplace design vision, principles, and standards that reflect Simpson Thacher’s values: excellence, discretion, collaboration, and enduring quality. Serve as the firm’s design authority for major office projects, ensuring external architects and consultants clearly understand and deliver against the firm’s design expectations. Review and provide strategic direction on workplace design concepts, layouts, and materiality to ensure alignment with firm standards and long-term portfolio objectives. Balance innovation with stewardship—identifying opportunities to modernize the workplace while respecting the firm’s culture, brand, and professional traditions. Identify cost optimization and value-engineering opportunities without compromising design integrity, client experience, or attorney performance. Continuously refine design standards based on project learnings, attorney and staff feedback, and evolving best practices in professional services workplaces. Workspace Design Program & Standards Management Develop and maintain global master planning, programming, and design guideline tools to support consistent execution across regions. Create an iterative design governance model that incorporates lessons learned from completed projects into future standards. Partner with procurement and real estate leadership on global sourcing strategies for furniture, fixtures, finishes, and specialty workplace components. Serve as a central escalation point for complex or high-visibility design and programming issues, driving resolution with clarity, discretion, and decisiveness. Oversee complementary workplace programs that support the broader employee experience, including artwork strategy, design enablement tools, and evolving workplace capabilities. Develop and oversee the firm’s global art program Portfolio Modernization & Future Vision Play a leading role in shaping the 10-year modernization roadmap for the firm’s global office portfolio. Anticipate future workplace needs related to technology, flexibility, sustainability, and evolving work patterns within a top-tier law firm environment. Ensure design decisions made today are durable, adaptable, and aligned with long-term portfolio strategy. Actively contribute thought leadership to the firm’s real estate and workplace strategy, positioning Simpson Thacher at the forefront of professional se