Associate Director of Retail Design

J. Paul Getty Trust, The•Los Angeles, CA

9d•$140,375 - $189,498•Onsite

About The Position

Reporting to the Vice President of Communications and Community Engagement, the Associate Director of Retail Design is responsible for defining, leading, and protecting the creative vision for Getty’s retail ecosystem, ensuring that every retail touchpoint reflects Getty’s brand voice, curatorial authority, and cultural identity across products, visual merchandising, packaging, digital assets, and physical retail environments. Working in close partnership with the Associate Director of Retail Operations, this position helps ensure that creative concepts are both strategically compelling and operationally feasible, supporting a smooth transition from vision through execution. The role also collaborates continuously with Branding and Museum Design to maintain long-term alignment across Getty’s broader retail strategy. Overseeing the Retail Design & Content team, this position is accountable for creative consistency across all retail channels and formats while directing and controlling the activities of a department with budget, planning, and staffing accountabilities and shaping a significant policy area with broad programmatic and Getty-wide impact. The Associate Director of Retail Design establishes departmental objectives, delegates assignments, and interprets, executes, and recommends modifications to department or division policies. Decisions in this role impact objectives and priorities, and as the Associate Director of Retail Design, they will provide clear creative authority upstream, enabling faster, more meaningful decision-making while protecting brand integrity at scale.

Requirements

8–12 years of progressive experience in retail design, visual merchandising, or retail creative leadership, with meaningful tenure in a senior or lead role
Proven ability to translate a complex brand identity into compelling physical retail experiences, with a portfolio that reflects range, taste, and commercial awareness
Experience building or contributing to retail design infrastructure – creative systems, briefs, workflows, and standards – in an environment where those structures did not fully exist
Track record of leading and developing a small creative team, with the ability to manage up, down, and across in a matrixed organization
Based in or willing to relocate to the Los Angeles area; the role is predominantly onsite across the Getty Center and Getty Villa
Ability to work a flexible schedule inclusive of weekends, evenings, and holidays as required by the retail and exhibition calendars

Nice To Haves

Brings a strong and confident aesthetic point of view while remaining genuinely collaborative and open to the creative perspectives of others
Equally comfortable operating at the conceptual level and rolling up their sleeves to execute; does not distinguish between strategic and hands-on work
Patient and skilled at working within complex institutional environments; understands that influence and trust are built over time
Demonstrates a natural curiosity about art, culture, and ideas – and brings that curiosity to how they think about retail storytelling and product experience
Thrives in ambiguity and is energized by the opportunity to build something from the ground up rather than maintain an established system
Communicates creative vision clearly and persuasively to non-creative stakeholders; skilled at making the case for design decisions in business terms
Connected to Getty's cultural mission and excited by the intersection of art, commerce, and public engagement

Responsibilities

Define and lead the retail creative vision across all customer-facing touchpoints, including visual merchandising, store environments, packaging, retail graphics, in-store storytelling, and digital assets
Translate Getty's curatorial content and brand strategy into engaging, commercially relevant retail concepts and experiences that strengthen institutional identity and drive visitor engagement
Ensure creative consistency and brand alignment across all retail channels, including physical stores, e-commerce, seasonal campaigns, exhibitions, and special activations
Lead and develop an initial retail design team, including a graphic designer, visual merchandiser, and coordinator, with the expectation of growing the function over time
Develop creative briefs, standards, and guidelines that support efficient execution and provide clear direction to internal teams and external partners
Establish and maintain workflows connecting retail design to buying, product development, and operations – including processes for new product cohorts, special-edition moments, and evergreen product lines
Partner closely with the Associate Director of Retail Operations to ensure creative concepts are operationally executable and consistently implemented across both retail locations
Collaborate across Getty's brand and marketing, exhibition design, and publications design teams to align retail creative with broader institutional programming and identity
Contribute to the physical retail environment, including input on store layout, fixture selection, and spatial storytelling, particularly in support of the Getty Center's planned renovation and reopening
Develop and present creative concepts and project briefs, then work effectively within Getty's existing design structures to bring them to life

Benefits

Medical, Dental, and Vision insurance coverage, starting on date of hire. Getty pays 75%-95% of the premium, depending on the plan selected.
403(b) Employee investment retirement plan – with up to 5% Getty Match
Getty contribution of 6%, on behalf of employee, to 401(a) retirement account
Educational assistance and professional development
Paid Vacation, Sick, and Personal days
12 Paid Holidays
Many positions have bi-weekly off-Fridays
On-site Fitness Center at Getty Center
Community service opportunities

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