Principal Creative Director, Store Design

Target; Minneapolis (MN); On-site; USD 175,000 - 292,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health benefits

401(k)

Employee discount

Short/long-term disability

Paid sick leave

Paid holidays

Paid vacation

Job summary

Target in Minneapolis is seeking a Principal Creative Director, Store Design to lead interiors, fixtures, and environments across new stores, remodels, and enterprise initiatives. You will translate bold creative ideas into scalable design systems, partner with Architecture, Store Planning, and cross-functional teams, and mentor designers while balancing speed, cost, and operational realities.

This role demands a master's level of design leadership and a track record of delivering standout

Qualifications

• Four-year degree in Architecture, Interior Design, Industrial Design, or a related field or equivalent experience; Master’s degree preferred.
• 10+ years of relevant experience in retail, interior, environmental, or industrial design.
• Strong portfolio demonstrating the ability to create compelling physical environments from concept through execution.
• Demonstrated design judgement and the ability to translate conceptual ideas into scalable, buildable environments.
• Experience working within or alongside complex, cross-functional organizations; experience both in-house and in external design environments is preferred.
• Deep understanding of materials, finishes, fixture systems, and how environments are detailed and built.
• Proven ability to lead through influence, aligning designers and cross-functional partners around a shared creative vision.
• Strong communication, presentation, and influence skills, with experience presenting to and partnering with executive leadership.
• Ability to navigate ambiguity, balance competing priorities, and maintain a clear creative vision in a fast-paced environment.

Responsibilities

• Lead the creative vision for Target’s interior store environments, translating the broader vision for our store environment into compelling experiences through interiors, fixtures, and spatial design.
• Develop future store concepts, department transformations, and scalable design systems that translate bold creative ideas into buildable solutions across new stores, remodels, and enterprise initiatives.
• Serve as the creative authority for Target’s interior store design, establishing design direction and preserving creative intent from concept through implementation while partnering closely with Architecture, Store Planning and cross-functional teams.
• Provide creative leadership through influence, offering design direction, critique, mentorship, and thought leadership that elevates design quality and develops the creative capabilities of designers across Store Design.
• Partner across Visual Merchandising, Store Planning, Merchandising, Brand Experience cohesive, guest-centered environments that balance creative ambition with business and operational realities.
• Lead highly complex, design initiatives influencing executive leaders and cross-functional partners through compelling creative vision, strategic thinking, and strong design rationale.
• Shape the future of Target’s store experience by connecting guest insights, business strategy, and emerging retail trends into innovative design frameworks that influence the evolution of the physical environment.
• Bring external perspectives and industry-leading practices from retail, hospitality, architecture, and experiential design to continuously inspire innovation and elevate Target’s physical guest experience.

Skills

Creative direction

Design leadership

Store design

Cross-functional collaboration

Presentation skills

Visual merchandising

Education

Architecture/Interior/Industrial Design degree

Master’s degree preferred

Job description

The pay range is $135,000.00 - $292,000.00

Pay is based on several factors which vary based on position. These include labor markets and in some instances may include education, work experience and certifications.

In addition to your pay, Target cares about and invests in you as a team member, so that you can take care of yourself and your family.

• Target offers eligible team members and their dependents comprehensive health benefits and programs, which may include medical, vision, dental, life insurance and more, to help you and your family take care of your whole selves.
• Other benefits for eligible team members include 401(k), employee discount, short term disability, long term disability, paid sick leave, paid national holidays, and paid vacation.

Find competitive benefits from financial and education to well-being and beyond at https://corporate.target.com/careers/benefits.

About Us

Working at Target means helping all families discover the joy of everyday life. We bring that vision to life through our values and culture. Learn more about Target here

Target’s distinctive brand love is infused throughout its many physical locations by the Properties teams. We have a direct and positive impact on the real estate, design, construction and maintenance of our stores, distribution centers and headquarters. Are you ready to help strategically grow Target’s brand through leading-edge design, development, construction and preservation? Can you effectively balance the efficiencies of a large-design build company with the unique challenges and innovative solutions required by individual sites? Then take your place on one of our Properties teams, and help us make the most of Target’s physical assets, both in the U.S. and overseas.

Target’s physical stores are a critical expression of our brand promise and a key focus in our next chapter. Guided by our commitment to style, design, and value, the Store Design team is evolving how we design and deliver stores, bringing together architecture, interiors, and fixtures to create more integrated and design-led environments across our portfolio. We are entering a period of significant investment and transformation, reimagining the in-store experience across new stores and hundreds of remodels annually. This is an opportunity to help define what Target feels like for the next decade.

As a Principal Creative Director, Store Design, You Will

• Lead the creative vision for Target’s interior store environments, translating the broader vision for our store environment into compelling experiences through interiors, fixtures, and spatial design.
• Develop future store concepts, department transformations, and scalable design systems that translate bold creative ideas into buildable solutions across new stores, remodels, and enterprise initiatives.
• Serve as the creative authority for Target’s interior store design, establishing design direction and preserving creative intent from concept through implementation while partnering closely with Architecture, Store Planning and cross-functional teams.
• Provide creative leadership through influence, offering design direction, critique, mentorship, and thought leadership that elevates design quality and develops the creative capabilities of designers across Store Design.
• Partner across Visual Merchandising, Store Planning, Merchandising, Brand Experience cohesive, guest-centered environments that balance creative ambition with business and operational realities.
• Lead highly complex, design initiatives influencing executive leaders and cross-functional partners through compelling creative vision, strategic thinking, and strong design rationale.
• Shape the future of Target’s store experience by connecting guest insights, business strategy, and emerging retail trends into innovative design frameworks that influence the evolution of the physical environment.
• Bring external perspectives and industry-leading practices from retail, hospitality, architecture, and experiential design to continuously inspire innovation and elevate Target’s physical guest experience.

This role is ideal for a highly accomplished designer who thrives at the intersection of creativity, strategy, and execution. You'll shape the future of Target's physical experience by translating bold ideas into scalable environments, balancing creative ambition with the realities of speed, cost, and operational complexity while influencing change through expertise, vision, and collaboration.

We’ll support you along the way with robust onboarding, as well as personal and career development, to help you grow as a strong Principal Creative Director. The exciting part of retail? It’s always changing!

Core responsibilities of this job are described within this job description. Job duties may change at any time due to business needs.

About You

• Four-year degree in Architecture, Interior Design, Industrial Design, or a related field or equivalent experience; Master’s degree preferred
• 10+ years of relevant experience in retail, interior, environmental, or industrial design
• Strong portfolio demonstrating the ability to create compelling physical environments from concept through execution
• Demonstrated design judgement and the ability to translate conceptual ideas into scalable, buildable environments
• Experience working within or alongside complex, cross-functional organizations; experience both in-house and in external design environments is preferred
• Deep understanding of materials, finishes, fixture systems, and how environments are detailed and built
• Proven ability to lead through influence, aligning designers and cross-functional partners around a shared creative vision
• Strong communication, presentation, and influence skills, with experience presenting to and partnering with executive leadership
• Ability to navigate ambiguity, balance competing priorities, and maintain a clear creative vision in a fast-paced environment

Benefits Eligibility

Please paste this url into your preferred browser to learn about benefits eligibility for this role: https://tgt.biz/BenefitsForYou_F

Americans With Disabilities Act (ADA)

In compliance with state and federal laws, Target will make reasonable accommodations for applicants with disabilities. If a reasonable accommodation is needed to participate in the job application or interview process, please reach out to [e-mail]. Non-accommodation-related requests, such as application follow-ups or technical issues, will not be addressed through this channel.