Retail Design Director - Store Concept Strategy
Posted date [2026-08-20]
(ID: 49888)
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In our quest to create ‘great moments for everyone, everyday’, Majid Al Futtaim has enabled happiness in the lives of people from around the world. Find out more about who we are. |
Job Description and Requirements
Retail Design Director - Store Concept StrategyJob Snapshot
Role: Retail Design Director - Store Concept Strategy
Location: Dubai, United Arab Emirates
Industry: Retail
Function: Interior Design
Experience: Minimum 12 years
Job Type: Full-time
Position Overview
The Retail Design Director - Store Concept Strategy role in Dubai, United Arab Emirates is a senior Retail opportunity leading the development of innovative stores and immersive customer environments. Majid Al Futtaim is hiring an accomplished design leader to define long-term creative direction, govern brand standards and deliver scalable concepts that strengthen customer engagement and commercial performance.
Job Details
Country: United Arab Emirates
City: Dubai
Industry: Retail
Function: Interior Design
Salary: 45000-65000
Estimated salary range based on similar jobs in the job city; please confirm the final offer with the employer.
Gender: Any
Candidate Nationality: Any
Job Type: Full-time
Role Context
The Director will shape how retail brands are experienced across physical locations and regional
markets. This position connects brand identity, customer behavior, spatial planning and operational requirements to create stores that are distinctive, intuitive and commercially effective. The role also establishes design governance and develops the internal talent needed to deliver consistent results at scale.
Key Responsibilities
* Define a long-term store design strategy for each brand, concept and retail format.
* Establish the creative principles that guide new stores, refurbishments and brand takeovers.
* Lead the creation and continued evolution of immersive retail concepts.
* Translate customer insights and brand positioning into practical spatial experiences.
* Design standardized customer journeys that improve navigation, interaction and convenience.
* Optimize layouts to strengthen customer flow, product visibility and space productivity.
* Set direction for fixtures, furniture, signage, graphics, materials and visual presentation.
* Ensure store environments balance design ambition with operational practicality.
* Oversee concept implementation across markets and protect approved design intent.
* Review architectural packages, technical drawings, renderings and material proposals.
* Identify execution risks and resolve design issues before they affect quality, cost or schedule.
* Develop and govern design standards, style guides, toolkits and brand assets.
* Create repeatable design systems that support efficient expansion without weakening brand identity.
* Evaluate global retail trends, consumer behavior and competitive concepts.
* Convert relevant market insights into new formats and customer-experience improvements.
* Act as the senior design liaison for commercial, operations, marketing and project stakeholders.
* Manage relationships with architects, consultants, contractors and specialist design partners.
* Present concepts and recommendations clearly to executives and decision-makers.
* Coordinate multiple initiatives in a fast-moving, multi-brand environment.
* Establish performance expectations and development plans for the retail design team.
* Lead succession planning, capability building and workforce planning.
* Introduce training programs that improve design quality and implementation discipline.
* Monitor team and partner performance against approved standards and delivery objectives.
* Support policy development and process improvement across the design function.
Ideal Profile
Applicants should hold a bachelor\'s degree in architecture, interior design, business administration, marketing or a related discipline. An MBA will be advantageous. The role requires at least 12 years of progressive retail design experience covering concept creation, store planning and brand implementation.
Candidates must demonstrate successful leadership of design teams, including at least three years in a management position. The ideal director has delivered concepts across multiple stores or markets and understands the relationship between creative design, consumer behavior, construction and retail operations. Fluent English is required, while Arabic language capability is preferred.
Skills Set
* Retail concept development
* Store design strategy
* Interior architecture
* Customer journey design
* Space planning
* Store-layout optimization
* Fixture and furniture development
* Signage and environmental graphics
* Visual merchandising integration
* Brand standards and style guides
* CAD
* SketchUp
* 3D rendering
* Adobe Creative Suite
* Architectural drawing review
* Construction methods and materials
* Design governance
* Multi-market implementation
* Retail trend analysis
* Consumer behavior interpretation
* External design-partner management
* Executive presentations
* Team leadership and succession planning
* Portfolio and project prioritization
Why Join Us
This appointment offers the scope to influence customer environments across a major multi-brand retail portfolio. The Director will combine creative leadership with regional implementation, developing concepts that can shape both customer perception and business growth. Access to varied formats, markets and design challenges provides a strong platform for long-term leadership impact in the evolving Retail sector.
About the Company
Majid Al Futtaim develops and operates retail businesses, shopping malls, communities and entertainment destinations across the Middle East, North Africa and Central Asia. Its portfolio includes Carrefour, Mall of the Emirates, City Centre destinations and VOX Cinemas. The company serves millions of customers through physical and digital experiences supported by a large, culturally diverse workforce.
Key Responsibilities
* Define a long-term store design strategy for each brand, concept and retail format.
* Establish the creative principles that guide new stores, refurbishments and brand takeovers.
* Lead the creation and continued evolution of immersive retail concepts.
* Translate customer insights and brand positioning into practical spatial experiences.
* Design standardized customer journeys that improve navigation, interaction and convenience.
* Optimize layouts to strengthen customer flow, product visibility and space productivity.
* Set direction for fixtures, furniture, signage, graphics, materials and visual presentation.
* Ensure store environments balance design ambition with operational practicality.
* Oversee concept implementation across markets and protect approved design intent.
* Review architectural packages, technical drawings, renderings and material proposals.
* Identify execution risks and resolve design issues before they affect quality, cost or schedule.
* Develop and govern design standards, style guides, toolkits and brand assets.
* Create repeatable design systems that support efficient expansion without weakening brand identity.
* Evaluate global retail trends, consumer behavior and competitive concepts.
* Convert relevant market insights into new formats and customer-experience improvements.
* Act as the senior design liaison for commercial, operations, marketing and project stakeholders.
* Manage relationships with architects, consultants, contractors and specialist design partners.
* Present concepts and recommendations clearly to executives and decision-makers.
* Coordinate multiple initiatives in a fast-moving, multi-brand environment.
* Establish performance expectations and development plans for the retail design team.
* Lead succession planning, capability building and workforce planning.
* Introduce training programs that improve design quality and implementation discipline.
* Monitor team and partner performance against approved standards and delivery objectives.
* Support policy development and process improvement across the design function.
Ideal Profile
Applicants should hold a bachelor\'s degree in architecture, interior design, business administration, marketing or a related discipline. An MBA will be advantageous. The role requires at least 12 years of progressive retail design experience covering concept creation, store planning and brand implementation.
Candidates must demonstrate successful leadership of design teams, including at least three years in a management position. The ideal director has delivered concepts across multiple stores or markets and understands the relationship between creative design, consumer behavior, construction and retail operations. Fluent English is required, while Arabic language capability is preferred.
Skills Set
* Retail concept development
* Store design strategy
* Interior architecture
* Customer journey design
* Space planning
* Store-layout optimization
* Fixture and furniture development
* Signage and environmental graphics
* Visual merchandising integration
* Brand standards and style guides
* CAD
* SketchUp
* 3D rendering
* Adobe Creative Suite
* Architectural drawing review
* Construction methods and materials
* Design governance
* Multi-market implementation
* Retail trend analysis
* Consumer behavior interpretation
* External design-partner management
* Executive presentations
* Team leadership and succession planning
* Portfolio and project prioritization
Why Join Us
This appointment offers the scope to influence customer environments across a major multi-brand retail portfolio. The Director will combine creative leadership with regional implementation, developing concepts that can shape both customer perception and business growth. Access to varied formats, markets and design challenges provides a strong platform for long-term leadership impact in the evolving Retail sector.
About the Company
Majid Al Futtaim develops and operates retail businesses, shopping malls, communities and entertainment destinations across the Middle East, North Africa and Central Asia. Its portfolio includes Carrefour, Mall of the Emirates, City Centre destinations and VOX Cinemas. The company serves millions of customers through physical and digital experiences supported by a large, culturally diverse workforce.
