Retail Lead Designer

The ideal candidate brings a strong background in retail design, understands how branding and physical environments work together, and is comfortable managing multiple projects while collaborating with clients, designers, architects, technical teams, and construction partners. This is an excellent opportunity for a designer who enjoys owning projects, presenting ideas directly to clients, mentoring other designers, and balancing creative vision with the technical requirements necessary to move concepts into construction.

RETAIL LEAD DESIGNER
LOCATION
Fort Worth, TX | 100% Onsite

COMPENSATION & SCHEDULE
• $65,000 annually
• Full-time
• Monday–Friday
• 8:00 AM–5:00 PM
ROLE OVERVIEW
A growing design organization is seeking an experienced Retail Lead Designer to lead the development of branded retail environments from initial concept through final documentation.

This role combines creative design, client partnership, technical execution, and project leadership. The Retail Lead Designer will develop interior and exterior concepts that strengthen brand identity, improve the customer experience, and translate successfully into buildable retail environments.

The ideal candidate brings a strong background in retail design, understands how branding and physical environments work together, and is comfortable managing multiple projects while collaborating with clients, designers, architects, technical teams, and construction partners.

This is an excellent opportunity for a designer who enjoys owning projects, presenting ideas directly to clients, mentoring other designers, and balancing creative vision with the technical requirements necessary to move concepts into construction.
KEY RESPONSIBILITIES
• Lead the design and development of interior and exterior retail environments from concept through construction documentation.

• Create compelling design concepts that reflect brand standards, business objectives, customer experience goals, and site-specific requirements.

• Partner directly with clients to understand project objectives, gather requirements, present concepts, incorporate feedback, and guide design decisions.

• Develop space plans, layouts, fixture concepts, material selections, finish palettes, lighting concepts, and other key design elements.

• Translate conceptual ideas into detailed, practical design solutions that can be successfully executed in the field.

• Prepare and review design presentations, drawings, renderings, specifications, and construction documentation.

• Collaborate closely with architecture, branding, technical, engineering, and construction teams throughout the project lifecycle.

• Review architectural plans and technical documents to ensure consistency with design intent.

• Select and source materials, finishes, fixtures, and other design components while balancing aesthetics, durability, functionality, availability, and budget.

• Coordinate design details across multiple disciplines to identify potential conflicts before construction.

• Manage multiple active projects, priorities, timelines, approvals, and deliverables simultaneously.

• Maintain consistent communication with clients and internal project teams regarding project status, design decisions, and outstanding items.

• Participate in project reviews and help resolve design challenges that arise during development or construction.

• Provide creative direction and guidance to junior designers while maintaining consistent design quality across projects.

• Support the development of design standards, presentation materials, and internal best practices.

• Stay informed on emerging retail-design trends, materials, merchandising concepts, technology, and changing customer behaviors.

• Look for opportunities to introduce fresh ideas while maintaining alignment with client expectations and established brand standards.
REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS
• Bachelor's degree in Interior Design, Architecture, Environmental Design, or a related discipline.

• Degree from a CIDA/FIDER-accredited program strongly preferred.

• 5+ years of professional design experience with a significant focus on retail, branded environments, commercial interiors, or similar customer-facing spaces.

• Portfolio demonstrating successful interior and exterior design work.

• Strong proficiency with SketchUp.

• Experience creating professional renderings and visualizations using Enscape or similar software.

• Proficiency with AutoCAD and construction-documentation development.

• Working knowledge of Adobe Creative Suite.

• Strong understanding of space planning, materials, finishes, lighting, fixtures, and architectural detailing.

• Ability to interpret architectural drawings and technical documentation.

• Experience taking projects from early concept development through detailed design and construction documentation.

• Strong presentation and client-communication skills.

• Ability to explain design concepts clearly to both creative and non-creative stakeholders.

• Strong organizational and project-management skills with the ability to manage multiple deadlines and priorities.

• Ability to balance creative vision with budget, schedule, operational, and construction requirements.

• Ability to work onsite in Fort Worth five days per week.
PREFERRED EXPERIENCE
• Direct experience designing retail stores, showrooms, branded environments, or other consumer-facing spaces.

• Experience developing both interior and exterior retail design concepts.

• Background working with brand standards and translating established identities into physical environments.

• Experience with fixture design, merchandising environments, or customer-flow planning.

• Familiarity with Smartsheet or comparable project-management platforms.

• Experience collaborating with architects, contractors, fabricators, vendors, and construction teams.

• Previous experience mentoring or providing creative direction to junior designers.
WHAT WILL MAKE SOMEONE SUCCESSFUL
The strongest candidate will be equally comfortable developing a creative concept, presenting it to a client, and working through the technical details required to make that concept buildable.

This person should have strong design instincts while also understanding that successful retail environments must address customer flow, merchandising, durability, functionality, budget, and construction requirements.

Success in this role will require someone who can take ownership of projects, communicate confidently with clients, manage multiple priorities, and collaborate effectively across creative and technical teams.

The ideal candidate will bring curiosity, attention to detail, and a strong understanding of how physical environments can communicate a brand and influence the customer experience.