Design Director: Lead Craft, Strategy Impact Brand

Company description

We're a team of makers and dreamers, turning strategic ideas into flawless retail executions. We collaborate closely with our clients to elevate the expected and embrace the new, the next, and the complex.

Nothing is impossible— If you can shop it, we can do it.

Design Directors are senior creative leaders responsible for leading the craft and overall design intent for the creative teams. They translate ideas into strong design direction, guide teams through design, and ensure ideas are elevated, cohesive, and effective across channels.

DD’s own the design output and overall craft of the work, partnering closely with CDs to align design vision to the broader idea and client goals. They are accountable for the quality of the work, and the overall design aesthetic ensuring nothing is released that doesn’t meet the highest bar of craft and quality.

Business

• Owns the business impact of creative decisions—driving revenue, brand growth, and client trust (in partnership with VP leadership)
• Leads senior client relationships as a trusted creative partner across disciplines
• Owns and grows major scopes of work, identifying opportunities to expand impact and business
• Holds teams accountable for delivering work that performs against business goals
• Connects creative ambition to strategy, timelines, and business realities

Work

Leads design direction across priority work and key new business opportunities

• Defines the visual direction, ensuring design is strategically aligned, distinctive, and executable.
• Shapes design thinking early to align teams around a clear visual vision.
• Makes clear design decisions when direction or execution lacks clarity.

Drives exceptional design execution

• Makes final design decisions on high-impact work, ensuring alignment to creative vision and craft excellence.
• Elevates the quality, consistency, and cohesion of design across every touchpoint.
• Establishes and protects standards for typography, composition, color, motion, and visual storytelling,
• Pushes work beyond expectations while grounding it in brand, platform, and audience needs.

Builds strong creative partnerships

• Partners closely with Creative Directors, ACDs, and cross-functional teams.
• Empowers ACDs and senior designers through clear direction, feedback, and coaching.
• Removes obstacles so teams can focus on delivering their best work.

Leads visual storytelling and presentations

• Leads design critiques, creative reviews, and high-impact client presentations.
• Owns the visual narrative in executive, client, and internal leadership forums.
• Shapes presentation materials and visual stories that inspire confidence and buy-in.

Champions modern design practices

• Applies AI, emerging technology, and modern design tools to improve creative quality and speed.
• Encourages innovation while maintaining uncompromising standards of craft.
• Makes final design decisions, ensuring every deliverable meets the highest standard of design excellence.

People

• Develops ACDs and senior creatives into confident leaders through coaching, feedback, and real responsibility
• Sets clear expectations for creative quality, ownership, and decision-making
• Creates opportunities for team members to grow through stretch assignments and cross-functional exposure
• Holds teams accountable while creating an environment where they can succeed
• Advocates for talent growth, recognition, and promotion in partnership with leadership

Success Looks Like

• High-quality commerce design that deliver real results for clients and brands
• Strong, motivated teams producing consistent design excellence
• Trusted client relationships and strong partnerships across creative, cross-functional, and inter-agency teams
• Design output that drives momentum, impact,
  and…