Design Director

The Design Director serves as the main correspondent with the Orlando office and is responsible for determining the best ways to visually represent our global and diverse master planning, media pre-production, special venue, and attraction design projects. Working in close tandem with the management teams in Orlando, this position is critical to the accurate interpretation, and ultimate realization, of our creative vision. From project initiation through production, the Design Director is the guardian of the overall vision for the project, and the lead of both the 2D and 3D Design Teams to ensure that every detail meets the award-winning standards Falcon’s is known for.

This people-oriented job involves the development of highly detailed, simply masterful designs for various entertainment projects, over-seeing the detailed articulation of those elements through the production stage, and managing the efforts of a complete compliment of designers. This position is critical to ensuring that the "wow factors" of a project are accurately interpreted, while managing the quality and efficiency of the 2D and 3D design teams. At times, the Design Director will aid recruiting efforts for additional team members, or sourcing third party resources to supplement the internal team.

They must work frequently with the Orlando management team, communicate design solutions, and be confident in the methodology for the successful production of both 2D and 3D assets throughout the studio. They will also team with the Orlando management team to achieve project deliverables within schedule and budget guidelines. They are responsible for the design team’s ability to meet the production deliverables within those guidelines, and that the development can be realized within the projects budgetary and schedule requirements.

Essential Functions:

• Ability to develop a comprehensive roadmap and outline specific goals and plans to prioritize, organize, and accomplish multiple project deliverables simultaneously.
• Apply excellent memory and organizational ability to set priorities, organize workload, handle multiple responsibilities, and meet deadlines.
• Be comfortable and confident working in a fast-paced environment with multiple conflicting deadlines.
• Establish the look and feel of various project elements.
• Participate in and oversee the production of drawing and presentation packages.
• Remain cognizant of budget criteria for projects and help manage resources to effectively meet that criterion.
• Take a realistic/feasible approach to design by offering solutions that will meet real-world needs while maintaining the design intent.
• Recruit new employees and interns as needed.
• Communicate frequently with Orlando Management team regarding the progress made on various assigned projects.
• Be comfortable with all aspects of the 2D and 3D design infrastructure and process.
• Act as a liaison between 2D Design team, 3D Modeling team, and Falcon’s Orlando office.
• Provide guidance and direction to the studio team in the interpretation and implementation of drawing specifications and requirements.
• Take a leadership role in the aesthetic development of a wide variety of entertainment and themed architectural projects.

Job Qualifications and Requirements:

• At least 4 years of management experience working with large-scale destination resort or theme park projects.
• Excellent communication skills to relay ideas, methodologies, and schedules, throughout the Design Studio and Falcon’s Orlando office
• Degree in Fine Arts degree or equivalent visual design and management experience required. Graduate degree preferred, or comparable experience.
• A strong working knowledge of experience design, brand development and creative process.
• Ability to lead projects from concept to completion.
• Experience with software such as Photoshop, Illustrator, Sketchup, AutoCad, and Maya.
• Experience with Rhino, Substance Painter, Substance Designer (a plus)
• Ability to make evaluative judgments.
• Supervise, train, and most importantly inspire employees, to include organizing, prioritizing, and scheduling work assignments.
• Capacity to keep up-to-date technically and apply new knowledge to the position.
• Ability to develop constructive and cooperative working relationships with others and maintaining them over time.
• Utilization of logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.