Location
London, Shoreditch studio with hybrid working options

Hours
Full Time

Salary
£80,000 per annum

About the Role
We are seeking a visionary and hands-on Design Director to lead design across our retail and brand experience projects. This role requires a conceptualist who understands that retail environments and brand experiences are narrative journeys, not just physical builds. You will own the creative and design vision from global retail toolkits to high-profile launches and immersive activations, ensuring every touchpoint—from initial invitation to physical space—is conceptually rigorous and beautifully realised.
You will lead, brief, and mentor senior designers and 3D teams, setting standards for spatial planning, visualisation, and production quality. While not necessarily modelling daily, you must have a comprehensive understanding of the 3D pipeline (SketchUp, V-Ray, Cinema 4D) to sketch visions, brief precisely, and critique renders with an expert eye for lighting, materials, and composition.
Responsibilities include leading pitches, managing the design team, and maintaining the highest creative and design standards across retail and brand experience projects.

Your Responsibilities
- Lead conceptual and design development of retail environments and live brand experiences, owning the Big Idea across physical, digital, and retail spaces.
- Lead, brief, and mentor senior designers and 3D specialists, setting design standards and processes.
- Direct design across global retail toolkits, store environments, and brand experiences, ensuring brand storytelling, spatial strategy, and production feasibility.
- Oversee the 3D production pipeline, including spatial planning, modelling, visualisation, lighting, textures, materials, and atmosphere.
- Lead new business pitches, crafting narratives, directing visual style, and presenting confidently to clients.
- Collaborate with production teams to ensure concepts are buildable, commercially viable, and cost effective.
- Craft the story of spaces or events, ensuring the customer or guest journey is considered at every touchpoint.
- Direct on-site during builds and installs to ensure the final output matches the creative vision perfectly.

Experience
- 8+ years in senior design leadership within retail design, brand experience, experiential or live event environments.
- Proven experience managing and mentoring design teams.
- Portfolio demonstrating built retail environments and brand experiences with real-world outcomes.
- Track record of leading, briefing, and developing senior designers and 3D teams.
- Experience delivering retail store design, fixtures, and global retail toolkits.
- Deep experience or passion for Sports, Fashion, Luxury, and Tech sectors.

About you
- A big picture thinker who links brand values to physical retail or experiential spaces.
- Expert level proficiency in Adobe Creative Suite (Photoshop, Illustrator, InDesign) and Keynote.
- Deep working knowledge of SketchUp, V-Ray, Cinema 4D, or Unreal Engine to direct and critique 3D output.
- Production savvy with a strong understanding of print, materials, and fabrication processes.
- Hands-on proficiency in SketchUp, Cinema 4D, or Vectorworks is a plus.
- Experience with AR/VR, RFID gamification, or projection mapping.
- Interest or working knowledge of AI platforms to support design and creative processes.
- Confident leader with charisma to present and lead pitches effectively.

Qualifications
No formal qualifications specified; emphasis on experience, portfolio, and leadership skills.