Design Director, Exhibits, Mid-Atlantic

Our client is an established, full-service exhibit design and fabrication company creating custom environments across trade shows, experiential activations, museums, corporate spaces and events. Their integrated approach keeps creative closely connected to fabrication, technical execution and the finished environment. They are seeking a Design Director for a hands-on creative leadership role built for someone who still wants to design. You’ll lead a team of designers while remaining actively involved in project work, shaping creative direction, developing concepts, presenting ideas and carrying design through the realities of fabrication and installation. This is an opportunity to influence both the caliber of the work and the growth of the creative team Why This Role Creative leadership here does not mean moving away from the work. You’ll have the opportunity to lead and develop a design team while continuing to create across custom trade show exhibits, experiential environments, museum projects and permanent installations. The role brings greater influence over creative direction, design quality and how the team approaches the work, while keeping you close to clients, projects and the finished build.

Responsibilities

• Lead and provide creative direction to a team of designers while remaining actively involved in design projects
• Set a high creative standard across the department and help ensure consistency, quality and thoughtful design execution
• Review concepts and design development, providing clear direction that strengthens the work while supporting the growth of individual designers
• Prioritize and distribute design work based on project needs, deadlines and team capacity
• Develop creative concepts for custom trade show exhibits, experiential environments, museum projects and permanent displays
• Create compelling 3D exhibit designs, renderings and presentation materials that clearly communicate the creative vision
• Take projects from initial concept through design development, detailing and execution
• Work directly with clients, account teams and project teams to understand objectives, shape creative direction and refine concepts
• Participate in client presentations and sales pitches, bringing a strong creative voice to the conversation
• Produce and review design and detail drawings that support client approvals, engineering and fabrication
• Collaborate closely with project management, engineering and fabrication teams to ensure designs are creative, functional, buildable and aligned with project requirements
• Consider materials, construction methods, budgets, production requirements and installation realities throughout the design process
• Stay connected to fabrication and installation, using what is learned in the build process to continuously strengthen the work
• Support the development of the design team through feedback, knowledge sharing and clear creative direction
• Maintain a high standard of creative quality, accuracy and attention to detail across multiple projects and designers

Requirements

• 7+ years of professional experience in exhibit design, experiential design, trade show environments, museum design, permanent installations or related 3D environments
• Strong portfolio demonstrating sophisticated creative concepts that have been successfully fabricated and installed
• Experience providing creative direction, mentoring designers or leading a small creative team
• The ability and desire to remain actively involved in design while taking on broader leadership responsibility
• Bachelor’s degree in Exhibit Design, Industrial Design, Architecture or a related discipline
• Strong proficiency with 3D rendering and CAD software
• AutoCAD and 3DS Max experience are highly preferred
• Proficiency with Adobe Creative Suite and Microsoft Office
• Strong working knowledge of exhibit materials, fabrication methods, construction techniques and installation requirements
• Strong creative judgment with the ability to evaluate, refine and elevate design work
• Confidence presenting creative direction to clients and collaborating across sales, account management, project management, engineering and production
• Ability to balance creative ambition with budget, schedule, fabrication and real-world project requirements
• Strong organization and judgment with the ability to manage multiple priorities across both individual project work and team responsibilities