Retail Experiential Design Director

Your Studio • Los Angeles, CA

13d • Hybrid

About The Position

YourStudio is a strategy and creative agency shaping next-generation experiences and environments for global brands. With studios in London, Melbourne, New York and LA, we work as one global team to deliver award-winning experiences that are recognised globally
We’re looking for a Design Director with an experiential 3D design skillset to own creative execution across environments and experience design, from first concept through to built delivery. You’ll set the creative standard, hold it across every touchpoint, and bring the kind of precision and craft that makes the difference between good work and defining work.
Working across a multidisciplinary studio, you’ll translate ambitious ideas into emotionally resonant, spatially considered retail experiences. You’ll collaborate fluently with internal strategists, designers and project leads, external consultants, fabricators and brand partners.
Fluent across retail environments, in-store experience, and brand activation, you’ll bring deep knowledge of retail design fundamentals and the spatial intelligence to translate brand identity into the built environment, with a sharp eye for how technology and creativity can converge meaningfully within physical space.
This role can be based across either the East or West Coast of the US.
As Design Director, you’ll be the creative anchor across key client projects, translating strategic vision into purposeful, meticulously crafted design outcomes that work in the real world. You’ll lead multidisciplinary teams, build trusted client relationships, and deliver to a consistently high creative standard.
You'll report to the Creative Director and work closely with Strategy Directors, Account Directors, and Project Managers to deliver projects that elevate our studio's reputation for creative excellence.

Requirements

• 10+ years of experience in retail environments, experiential design, brand activation, and spatial storytelling with a portfolio that demonstrates both conceptual ambition and executional excellence.
• A portfolio demonstrating conceptual leadership and executional depth, showing work that is ambitious at concept stage and uncompromising at delivery, across retail, brand activation, and in-store experience
• Exceptional storytelling and presentation skills: able to command a room, articulate a vision across strategy decks, storyboards, and immersive 3D concepts, and bring clients and teams with you
• Proficiency with collaborative design tools (Figma/Miro) with a strong hand for sketching,able to guide teams across tools and workflows with authority
• Strategic integration of AI-assisted and generative tools, not just as part of the process, but to push the boundaries of what’s possible and inspire teams to explore new creative territory
• A proven track record of fostering a hands-on, experimental studio culture. Leading by example, championing iteration, and creating the conditions for bold ideas to thrive
• Inspiring and calm under pressure — able to lead with empathy and authority
• An excellent communicator who can unite multiple disciplines behind a shared vision
• Culturally curious and forward-thinking, always seeking innovation and relevance
• Balances creative ambition with pragmatism to deliver exceptional, buildable outcomes
• Deep expertise across brand, spatial, and experiential touchpoints — with particular strength in designing for brand at retail

Responsibilities

• Set and hold creative direction across key client projects, ensuring every output meets an uncompromising standard of craft, coherence, and strategic intent
• Translate high-level creative direction into actionable, detail-oriented guidance for teams
• Hold the bar on design quality and integrity across multiple concurrent projects
• Push ideas further, sustaining creative ambition from brief through to delivery without losing coherence or on-brand integrity
• Mentor and develop Associate Design Directors and Senior Designers, guiding creative thinking, craft, and confidence
• Lead design reviews and workshops, providing clear, constructive feedback that sharpens ideas and execution
• Build an environment of shared ownership and pride, encouraging initiative and growth across the team
• Act as the creative lead in client presentations, articulating ideas with confidence and clarity
• Build trusted, collaborative relationships with clients, agencies, and external partners, working in a way that invites creative bravery and shared ownership of the outcome
• Represent the studio's design vision externally, helping position it as a leader in experience and brand design
• Own the design process from initial concept through to construction delivery, maintaining rigorous standards of craft, documentation, and presentation at every stage
• Collaborate closely with Project Management and Client Services to maintain clarity on scope, timeline, and priorities
• Identify opportunities to improve efficiency, design systems, and studio workflows without compromising creative quality
• Contribute to scope writing with a strong understanding of how individual projects sit within wider business commercials

Benefits

• We value culture and collaboration, for this reason we operate a 3 day in the office and 2 day WFH hybrid working policy
• Generous Paid-Time Off allowance, including 25 days plus 10 Public Holidays, a well-being day, 2 community days and your birthday off! Alongside additional extra service allowance (pro-rata for temporary contracts)
• Private Medical and Dental
• 2 week Working Abroad Opportunity
• Opportunities to work from our global studios whilst travelling
• Dedicated learning platform
• Enhanced parental leave policies
• Lunch club, Thursday office drinks, Summer and Christmas parties!

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Director
• Education Level: No Education Listed