Design Director (all genders) - Kommunikation im Raum

📍 Job Overview

Job Title: Design Director (m/f/d) - Spatial Communication

Company: Schmidhuber Brand Experience

Location: Munich, Bavaria, Germany

Job Type: Full-time, Permanent Employment

Category: Design & Creative Operations, Brand Experience Design

Date Posted: August 03, 2026

Experience Level: 5-10 Years

Remote Status: On-site

🚀 Role Summary

• Lead the development of innovative and progressive spatial communication solutions, encompassing physical and digital experiences.

• Drive creative concept development from ideation through to final execution, ensuring high standards of design quality.

• Provide expert art direction and guidance to project teams, external agencies, and service providers.

• Foster interdisciplinary collaboration and effectively present design strategies to internal stakeholders and clients.

• Manage creative resources and ensure successful project outcomes within the brand experience domain.

📝 Enhancement Note: While the title is "Design Director," the core responsibilities and required experience suggest a role heavily focused on the operational execution and leadership of creative projects within the spatial communication and brand experience sector. This role is about translating high-level creative vision into tangible, well-executed projects, requiring strong project management and art direction skills alongside creative ideation. The emphasis on "Kommunikation im Raum" (Communication in Space) points to a specialization in physical environments, trade shows, brand architecture, and experiential design.

📈 Primary Responsibilities

• Spearhead the conceptualization and development of creative, progressive, and tangible design solutions for complex spatial communication projects.

• Drive interdisciplinary and cross-project concept development, ensuring overarching strategic alignment and innovative proposals.

• Support and empower the Creative Direction in refining and elaborating design solutions within project contexts.

• Meticulously develop concepts, layouts, presentations, and storyboards in close collaboration with the project team.

• Provide effective art direction for external processes and manage relationships with external service providers and agencies.

• Conduct thorough research and provide preparatory and supporting activities during the conceptualization phase to ensure robust project foundations.

• Exercise functional leadership and coordination over project team members and external agencies, ensuring efficient workflow and quality output.

• Maintain close coordination with Creative Direction and other Design Directors to ensure consistency and knowledge sharing across projects.

• Facilitate seamless internal communication to align processes and foster a collaborative working environment.

• Confidently present design concepts and project progress internally, to service providers, and to clients, articulating the strategic rationale and creative vision.

• Ensure clear and effective communication in both German and English, facilitating international project collaboration and client engagement.

📝 Enhancement Note: The responsibilities highlight a blend of creative leadership and operational project management. The role requires not just generating ideas but also ensuring their practical implementation and presentation. The emphasis on "fachliche Führung" (functional leadership) and coordination of external partners underscores the operational aspects of managing complex creative projects from conception to delivery.

🎓 Skills & Qualifications

Education:

• University degree in Communication Design or a comparable relevant qualification in Spatial Communication/Exhibition Design. Experience:

• Minimum of 4 years of professional experience with demonstrable success in conceptualizing creative solutions for complex spatial communication (KiR) projects.

• Ideally, experience with trade show design, brand architecture, or broader brand design principles. Required Skills:

• Proficiency in Adobe CS Suite (InDesign, Illustrator, Photoshop) for detailed concept development and presentation material creation.

• Strong command of PowerPoint for effective client presentations and internal concept articulation.

• Excellent command of the Microsoft Office Suite for general business operations and coordination.

• Demonstrated experience in conceptualizing and executing creative solutions for complex spatial communication projects.

• Strong spatial imagination and an intuitive understanding of how to design experiences within physical spaces.

• Excellent communication and presentation skills, with the ability to articulate complex ideas clearly and persuasively to diverse audiences.

• Proven ability to lead and coordinate project teams, fostering collaboration and ensuring high-quality output.

• Strong organizational and self-management skills, with the capacity to work structured and independently.

• Resilience and the ability to perform under pressure during demanding project phases.

• Interdisciplinary and flexible thinking, with a proactive approach to problem-solving.

• Entrepreneurial mindset, acting in the best interest of Schmidhuber Brand Experience. Preferred Skills:

• Experience with resource planning and time tracking tools, such as Easy Job.

• Familiarity with HR management software like Personio.

• Specialized expertise in areas such as graphic design/typography, digital/interactive media, or motion design, depending on project focus.

• Experience in co-creation with clients and a collaborative, reliable team approach.

📝 Enhancement Note: The required skills emphasize a strong creative foundation coupled with practical execution capabilities. The mention of specific tools like Adobe CS, PowerPoint, and Office Suite, alongside preferred tools like Easy Job and Personio, indicates a need for candidates who are not only creative visionaries but also adept at using standard industry software for project management and operational tasks. The "4+ years of experience" points towards a mid-to-senior level professional.

📊 Process & Systems Portfolio Requirements

Portfolio Essentials:

• Showcase a minimum of 3-5 complex spatial communication projects demonstrating end-to-end creative development.

• Clearly illustrate the conceptualization phase, including ideation, mood boards, and initial sketches.

• Detail the execution phase, highlighting layout development, presentation materials, and storyboards.

• Provide evidence of art direction for external processes or collaboration with service providers.

• Demonstrate strong client presentation materials and articulate the strategic rationale behind design choices.

• Include examples of interdisciplinary project contributions, if applicable. Process Documentation:

• For each project, outline the design process followed, from initial brief to final delivery.

• Detail how concepts were developed, iterated upon, and presented.

• Explain the coordination with project teams and external partners.

• Illustrate how design quality and strategic objectives were maintained throughout the workflow.

• Showcase experience with resource planning and how time was managed across project phases.

📝 Enhancement Note: For a role like Design Director focused on spatial communication, a portfolio is crucial. It needs to go