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Design Director Jobs (NOW HIRING)

Taylor Design

Design Director

Los Angeles, CA · On-site

$145K - $175K/yr

The Design Director is a visionary leader with a strong ability to mentor, inspire creativity, foster meaningful relationships, and build a design culture across all Taylor Design offices. This role ...

Taylor Design

Design Director

Tustin, CA · On-site

The Design Director is a visionary leader with a strong ability to mentor, inspire creativity, foster meaningful relationships, and build a design culture across all Taylor Design offices. This role ...

Taylor Design

Design Director

Los Angeles, CA · On-site

The Design Director is a visionary leader with a strong ability to mentor, inspire creativity, foster meaningful relationships, and build a design culture across all Taylor Design offices. This role ...

Taylor Design

Design Director

Tustin, CA · On-site

The Design Director is a visionary leader with a strong ability to mentor, inspire creativity, foster meaningful relationships, and build a design culture across all Taylor Design offices. This role ...

Vocon Design, Inc

Design Director

Chicago, IL · On-site

$125K - $155K/yr

DESIGN DIRECTOR Overview The Design Director is a senior creative leader responsible for commercial interior design leadership. This position will bridge the gap between creative vision and practical ...

Taylor Design

Design Director

Tustin, CA · On-site

$145K - $175K/yr

The Design Director is a visionary leader with a strong ability to mentor, inspire creativity, foster meaningful relationships, and build a design culture across all Taylor Design offices. This role ...

Taylor Design

Design Director

Los Angeles, CA

The Design Director is a visionary leader with a strong ability to mentor, inspire creativity, foster meaningful relationships, and build a design culture across all Taylor Design offices. This role ...

Vocon Design, Inc.

Design Director

Chicago, IL · On-site

DESIGN DIRECTOR Overview The Design Director is a senior creative leader responsible for commercial interior design leadership. This position will bridge the gap between creative vision and practical ...

Catalyst Workplace Activation

Design Director

Bellevue, WA · On-site

$115K - $135K/yr

The Design Director ensures the design team plays a proactive role in business development, helping Catalyst win work through strategic insight, compelling solutions, and confident client engagement.

Vocon Design, Inc

Design Director (Workplace)

Manhattan, NY · On-site

$125K - $155K/yr

DESIGN DIRECTOR Overview The Design Director is a senior creative leader responsible for commercial interior design leadership. This position will bridge the gap between creative vision and practical ...

Eberjey

Design Director

Miami, FL · On-site

$120K - $155K/yr

Design Director Department: Design Employment Type: Full Time Location: Miami Compensation: $120,000 - $155,000 / year Description We're seeking a seasoned, visionary Design Director to lead our ...

Elmwood Brand Consultancy

Design Director

New York, NY · On-site

You will be an accomplished Design Director with extensive experience in consumer-led and corporate brands who will be managing the creative delivery across key accounts. You understand how big ideas ...

Elmwood Brand Consultancy

Design Director

New York, NY · On-site

You will be an accomplished Design Director with extensive experience in consumer-led and corporate brands who will be managing the creative delivery across key accounts. You understand how big ideas ...

IA Interior Architects

Design Director

Austin, TX · On-site

Design Director, Repositioning - IA At IA Interior Architects, the Design Director sets a clear vision for design excellence and leads the studio in delivering innovative, high-performing ...

Staffingine LLC

Design Director

Algona, WA · On-site

Design Director Job Location: Algona, WA Job Type: Contract * Act autonomously to manage and guide a team of designers to develop high-bar, impactful marketing creative from brief to delivery

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Design Director information

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$37K

$135.8K

$243K

How much do design director jobs pay per year?

As of Jun 2, 2026, the average yearly pay for design director in the United States is $135,763.00, according to ZipRecruiter salary data. Most workers in this role earn between $109,500.00 and $163,000.00 per year, depending on experience, location, and employer.

What are the key skills and qualifications needed to thrive as a Design Director, and why are they important?

To thrive as a Design Director, you need deep expertise in design principles, visual communication, and leadership, often supported by a degree in design or a related field and significant industry experience. Mastery of design software such as Adobe Creative Suite, Figma, and project management tools is essential, along with experience in overseeing brand and creative strategy. Exceptional communication, creative vision, and team leadership skills distinguish top performers in this role. These capabilities are crucial for delivering cohesive design solutions, inspiring creative teams, and ensuring alignment with business objectives.

How does a Design Director typically collaborate with cross-functional teams to drive project success?

As a Design Director, you will regularly work with product managers, engineers, marketing teams, and other stakeholders to ensure that design solutions align with business goals and user needs. This role often involves leading design reviews, facilitating brainstorming sessions, and providing clear feedback to your team. Effective communication and the ability to advocate for design principles are essential, as you'll need to balance creative vision with practical constraints. Being proactive in building relationships across departments helps streamline workflows and fosters a collaborative environment that leads to successful project outcomes.

What does a Design Director do?

A Design Director leads and oversees the creative vision and direction of design projects within an organization. They manage design teams, collaborate with stakeholders, and ensure that all visual outputs align with the company's brand and objectives. Design Directors are responsible for setting design standards, mentoring team members, and ensuring the quality and consistency of creative work across various platforms. Their role often includes strategic planning, project management, and communication with clients or upper management.

What is the difference between Design Director vs Art Director?

AspectDesign DirectorArt Director
ResponsibilitiesOversees overall design strategy, manages multiple projects, and leads design teamsFocuses on visual style, aesthetics, and execution of specific projects or campaigns
Required SkillsLeadership, strategic planning, broad design expertiseVisual creativity, technical skills, attention to detail
Work EnvironmentTypically in corporate, agency, or large studio settingsOften in advertising, media, or entertainment industries
Common UsageUsed when referring to senior design leadership rolesUsed for roles focused on visual and artistic direction

The main difference between a Design Director and an Art Director lies in scope and focus. A Design Director oversees overall design strategy and manages teams across multiple projects, while an Art Director concentrates on the visual style and execution of specific projects. Both roles require strong design skills, but the Design Director's responsibilities are broader and more strategic.

More about Design Director jobs
What cities are hiring for Design Director jobs? Cities with the most Design Director job openings:
What are the most commonly searched types of Design jobs? The most popular types of Design jobs are:
Who are the top companies hiring for Design Director jobs? The top employers for Design Director jobs are:
What states have the most Design Director jobs? States with the most job openings for Design Director jobs include:
What job categories do people searching Design Director jobs look for? The top searched job categories for Design Director jobs are:
Design Director jobs near you
Infographic showing various Design Director job openings in the United States as of May 2026, with employment types broken down into 80% Full Time, 15% Part Time, and 5% Contract. Highlights an 92% Physical, 3% Hybrid, and 5% Remote job distribution, with an average salary of $135,763 per year, or $65.3 per hour.
Design Director

Design Director

Taylor Design

Los Angeles, CA • On-site

$145K - $175K/yr

Full-time

Posted 13 days ago

Job description

LOVE WHERE YOU WORK!
Voted Best Architectural Firm To Work For since 2018, Taylor Design, a 100% employee-owned company, is looking for a Design Director to join our Los Angeles office. This is your opportunity to work with a team of dedicated, creative, and fun architects and designers on award-winning projects.
The Design Director is a visionary leader with a strong ability to mentor, inspire creativity, foster meaningful relationships, and build a design culture across all Taylor Design offices. This role centers on innovation, generating new ideas, and crafting meaningful experiences in healthcare and life science environments. The Design Director should inspire and promote integration among all design disciplines, both internally and externally, with the overarching goal of consistently elevating design and increasing design awareness. This individual will help the firm imagine and advance new possibilities in health and science, as well as in other emerging market sectors. The successful candidate will productively lead design teams, navigate interpersonal relationships, provide strategic direction, diplomatically advocate the vision, and maintain a focus on sustainability in the broadest sense. The ideal candidate must be knowledgeable about new trends and processes in the design field, including integrated delivery, and promote research-based design strategy.
What you will do:
  • Establish and model a culture of design excellence, accountability, and follow-through by setting and upholding high standards for clarity, coordination, constructability, and execution across all project phases.
  • Supervise Designers, Project Designers, and Senior Project Designers.
  • Direct and provide leadership for design teams, across multiple projects, during the conception, development, and production of projects to ensure that clarity and quality of the conceptual design is established and maintained.
  • Lead and support design presentations in collaboration with other leaders.
  • Assure that the design process is occurring and is fully integrated into architectural design and technical production processes.
  • Navigate feedback and client pushback constructively maintaining design intent while building trust and consensus across project stakeholders.
  • Cultivate a culture of engagement where junior staff are free to ask questions early, understand what their work is supposed to communicate, and learn how their contribution fits into the whole.
  • Work with leaders to develop tools and a consistent process to generate a viable design strategy on every project and educate others on how to integrate these concepts into the project design.
  • In collaboration with other leaders, play a leadership role in defining how the firm is positioned in the marketplace from the standpoint of design.
  • In collaboration with other leaders, establish methods for evolving the design capability of Taylor Design staff and tracking their progress.
  • Stay abreast of market trends/research as it related to design within Taylor Design's market sectors and communicate information to the firm as appropriate.
  • Demonstrate service orientation and willingness to foster a respectful, innovative, and stimulating environment as highly valued, as well as holding a respected place in the broader design community.

What you will have:
  • 12 to 15+ years professional experience including proven track record of experience in the design field.
  • Experience in health and science markets preferred.
  • Experience developing design options, overall design concepts and formulating design presentation strategies.
  • Analytical, graphic, and problem-solving skills; and graphic presentation skills.
  • Must be able to develop collaborative relationships within the firm and with other key constituents.
  • Exceptional communication skills: able to present design ideas persuasively to clients, translate vision to production teams, and advocate diplomatically for design intent and quality.
  • Knowledge of design trends, construction methodology, material applications, and manufacturer/ supplier appropriateness.
  • A familiarity with AI tools, design software packages such as Revit, Sketchup, Lumion, and Enscape.
  • A history of integrating sustainability into architectural projects, and an awareness of the importance of sustainability as a design principle.
  • Track record of leadership, management, and mentoring skills with staff and general business acumen to advise and guide clients as required.
  • Demonstrated ability to mentor and elevate emerging designers - not just manage output but develop people.

At Taylor Design, we're humble-it keeps us grounded. We value an entrepreneurial spirit-it feeds our creativity. We put a premium on curiosity-it guides our future. Most of all, we believe in good design for the good of all.
We are committed to fostering, cultivating, and preserving a culture of diversity and inclusion. As an employee-owned firm, our staff understands what drives success. Every employee is positioned to think like an owner.
Important Notes:
Pay Comments: If you are hired at Taylor Design, your base salary is based on factors such as geographic location, skills, education, experience, project complexity, and licensure and/or certifications. We believe in the importance of pay equity and consider internal equity of our current team members as part of any final offer.
Taylor Design is an Equal Opportunity Employer and participant in the U.S. Federal E-Verify program. Women, minorities, individuals with disabilities and protected veterans are encouraged to apply.
Please note that Taylor Design does not accept unsolicited resumes from recruiters or employment agencies. In the absence of a signed contract, Taylor Design will not agree to pay any recruiter fee. In the situation an agency or recruiter submits a candidate or resume without a previously signed agreement and/or without Taylor Design's request, Taylor Design explicitly reserves the right to hire those candidate(s) without any financial obligation to the recruiter or agency. Any unsolicited resumes, including those submitted to hiring managers, are deemed to be the property of Taylor Design.

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