Design Director - Retail

Skilled Careers is seeking a Director of Design to oversee the design of retail developments in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. This is a mid-senior level, full-time position for an experienced design professional to lead complex design programs.

Skilled Careers is a leading UK recruitment consultancy specializing in construction, engineering, and property sectors. They are known for their pro-activity, promptness, and client support, aiming to break the mold of sluggish recruitment.

If you have a strong background in retail environments and are capable of leading design programs from concept to handover, we encourage you to apply now.

Company Overview

Skilled Careers is one of the UK’s leading professional search and recruitment consultancies for the construction, engineering and property sectors, for both permanent and contract assignments. Within these industries they are an effective and trusted link between highly skilled and experienced candidates and the country’s most reputable employers.

They developed Skilled Careers to break the mould of sluggish and risky recruitment, building their values on pro-activity, promptness and client support. Their consultants have a great deal of experience working with professionals in these sectors and understand the demands of the industry.

Quick Details

• Salary Range: Not Specified
• Job Type: Full-time
• Experience: 10 Year+
• Qualifications: Bachelors Degree

Key Responsibilities

• Lead the design process from strategic briefing and concept through detailed design and project completion.
• Manage multidisciplinary design consultants, architects, engineers and specialist teams.
• Oversee retail planning, customer circulation, placemaking and destination design.
• Coordinate design requirements with development, leasing and operational stakeholders.
• Manage design quality, technical coordination, value engineering and regulatory approvals.
• Ensure design outcomes align with commercial objectives, budgets and project programmes.

Requirements

• Minimum 12–15 years' experience in architectural design leadership or design management.
• Significant retail design experience is essential, particularly across shopping centres, retail destinations and retail-led mixed-use developments.
• Strong understanding of retail planning, tenant requirements, customer experience and commercial design considerations.
• Proven experience managing large-scale developments through all design stages.
• Developer or leading design consultancy experience preferred.
• UAE/GCC experience advantageous.

Benefits

• Confidential discussion available.
• Opportunity to lead design for major retail developments.
• Work with a leading recruitment consultancy.