Design Director - Brand & Vision

Independent Food Company; Dubai; On-site; AED 200,000 - 300,000; Full time

Job summary

A growing hospitality group in Dubai is seeking a Design Director to lead the creative vision for their multiple brands. This role encompasses defining spatial identities, overseeing design systems, and collaborating with teams to ensure quality and consistency across locations. The ideal candidate will have over 10 years of experience in interior or experiential design, strong project management capabilities, and a proven creative portfolio. This position offers an opportunity to shape diverse food and beverage brands through thoughtful design.

Qualifications

• 10+ years in interior design or experiential design (F&B, retail, or hospitality required).
• Strong creative portfolio showing brand-led concepts and built spaces.
• Experience managing multi-location or multi-brand retail/F&B design programs.

Responsibilities

• Define and evolve the spatial identity of each brand.
• Lead design direction for new brands and concepts, flagship locations.
• Build and maintain scalable design frameworks for consistency.
• Select and creatively guide external architects and studios.
• Work closely with internal rollout and operations teams.

Skills

Interior design

Experiential design

Creative portfolio

Project management

Space planning

Team collaboration

Job description

Driven to create unique home‑grown food concepts that bring people together, the Independent Food Company is a UAE‑based hospitality company with multiple concepts under its umbrella – SALT, Parker’s, Grind, Somewhere, Public, Soil and Kumo.

We’re looking for a Design Director to lead the creative and experiential vision of a fast‑growing, design‑led F&B group operating across multiple brands, formats, and markets. This role is about defining what our brands feel like in space, and ensuring that vision scales with integrity as we grow. You will own brand experience through design, lead concept creation and evolution, and build the systems that allow multiple teams and partners to deliver consistently, without diluting the brand.

Key Responsibilities

• Brand & Spatial Vision: Define and evolve the spatial identity of each brand. Translate brand DNA into clear design and experience principles. Ensure every location delivers a consistent, intentional guest experience, regardless of size, format, or market.
• Concept Creation & Brand Evolution: Lead design direction for new brands and concepts, flagship locations, format innovations (kiosks, pop‑ups, drive‑thru, malls, etc.), and brand evolution (2.0/3.0 models). Think beyond aesthetics, balancing experience, operations, scalability, and storytelling.
• Design Systems & Guidelines: Build and maintain scalable design frameworks: design guidelines and manuals; material palettes and principles; layout logic and zoning rules; adaptation rules for different site types. Enable speed and consistency without compromising creativity or brand integrity.
• Creative Direction & Governance: Select, brief, and creatively guide external architects and studios. Act as the creative authority and quality gatekeeper. Review concepts, layouts, and adaptations to ensure brand alignment. Protect design intent across owned and franchised locations.
• Collaboration & Storytelling: Work closely with internal rollout, technical, and operations teams. Support expansion pitches, brand presentations, and new market entries. Contribute to long‑term brand strategy through experiential insight.
• Design Team Leadership & Program Oversight: Lead, manage, and align internal design resources and external partners. Ensure all teams work to a clear, unified design vision and standards. Own and maintain the design program across brands and projects: design scope definition; key milestones and deliverables; review cycles and approval stages; monitor design progress; identify risks; work closely with operations/project teams to ensure seamless handover.

Must‑Have Experience

• 10+ years in interior design or experiential design (F&B, retail, or hospitality required).
• Strong creative portfolio showing brand‑led concepts and built spaces.
• Experience managing multi‑location or multi‑brand retail/F&B design programs.
• Knowledge of materials, sensory design, and space storytelling.
• Experience developing design manuals or scalable brand toolkit.
• Skilled in leading external architects or agencies to achieve brand‑aligned results.
• Fluent in concept development, space planning, mood boards, and design presentations.
• Comfortable reviewing shop drawings, layouts, and deliverables in collaboration with technical teams.
• Strong communicator and team collaborator across creative, technical, and operations.