FT SENIOR EXPERIENTIAL DESIGN DIRECTOR

RED VELVET•Austin, TX

2d•Hybrid

About The Position

RED VELVET is a boutique full-service experiential activations and events agency calling Austin, Texas, home since 2002. We partner with brands and companies to concept, design, and produce international award-winning experiences of all shapes and sizes, ranging from immersive activations and luxury moments to conferences that feel anything but traditional. As an agency rooted in strategy, driven by creativity, and obsessed with production excellence, we believe in crafting brand-forward experiences that get it right. Every detail, every decision, every moment should honor the client’s brand, and we’re seeking a senior-level production leader who shares that mindset and thrives in complex, high-touch environments.

Requirements

Senior Experiential Thinker & Hands-On Designer – Brings 7–10+ years of agency experience doing experiential, spatial, or environmental design experience with the ability to both concept and execute in 3D.
3D-First & Spatially Fluent – Highly proficient in SketchUp (required); understands scale, flow, sightlines, crowd behavior, and real-world build constraints.
Strategic & Concept-Driven – Designs experiences rooted in brand strategy, audience journey, and business objectives—not just aesthetics.
Confident, Compelling, Client-Facing Creative – Comfortable leading and presenting, navigating feedback, and building trust with senior client stakeholders.
Collaborative Leader (No Ego) – Works seamlessly across teams, guides freelancers and vendors, and elevates others without territorial behavior.
Calm Under Pressure – Thrives in fast-paced environments, adapts quickly to change, and brings solutions when things get messy. Ability to navigate shifting priorities and pivot gracefully.
Accountable & Self-Directed – Takes ownership of work from concept through execution, following through with minimal oversight.
Detail-Aware but Big-Picture Minded – Balances creative vision with executional realities, budget considerations, and production timelines.
Strong Team Mentality – Shows up for the team, communicates openly, and contributes positively to RED VELVET’s culture.
Hybrid & Travel-Ready – Austin-based role with in-person collaboration required; up to ~25% travel depending on client project locations.

Responsibilities

Lead end-to-end experiential design across events and activations of varying scale, from concept development through on-site execution.
Translate 2D brand identities into fully realized 3D environments, ensuring concepts are experiential, buildable, and aligned with strategic objectives.
Expert-level skills in SketchUp. Proficient in Adobe Creative Suite and Google Workspace. Develop 3D spatial designs, visualize environments, layouts, flow, and attendee journey.
Collaborate closely with cross-functional internal teams (strategy, accounts, creative, production, operations) to ensure creative vision is aligned with execution realities
Participate in creative development from brief to presentation, contributing original concepts and elevating overall creative quality.
Strong client presentation skills. Present creative concepts confidently to clients and partners, clearly articulating design rationale and experiential intent.
Partner with production to ensure designs are feasible, on budget, and optimized for fabrication, labor, and timelines.
Delegate and manage creative work with freelancers, fabricators, and external vendors while maintaining creative integrity.
Serve as a senior creative resource and mentor to junior designers, providing guidance on spatial thinking and experiential best practices.
Support on-site execution as needed, ensuring the built environment reflects creative intent and adapts to real-time conditions.
Participate in post-event reviews to assess what worked, what didn’t, and how experiential design can continue to evolve.