At a Glance
- Tasks: Create bold and imaginative visual experiences for Selfridges' retail environments.
- Company: Join a leading retail brand known for its innovative and creative installations.
- Benefits: Competitive salary, creative environment, and opportunities for professional growth.
- Other info: Collaborative team culture with a focus on contemporary trends and innovation.
- Why this job: Shape memorable customer experiences through impactful design and creativity.
- Qualifications: Experience in spatial design and strong visualisation skills required.
The predicted salary is between 40000 - 50000 £ per year.
The Set Design Manager - Creative Installations plays a key role in shaping and delivering bold, imaginative and culturally relevant visual experiences across Selfridges' physical environments. Working across windows, atriums, seasonal moments and bespoke retail installations, this role is responsible for translating creative concepts into impactful and world‑class design experiences that bring the Selfridges brand to life. The role requires a strong creative eye, spatial awareness and visual storytelling ability, alongside a practical understanding of how ideas are realised within complex retail environments. It contributes to the evolution of Selfridges' creative expression through highly original and visually compelling installations that surprise, inspire and create memorable customer experiences.
Creative Concept & Design Development
- Develop bold and innovative creative concepts for windows, installations, atrium activations and seasonal retail experiences.
- Translate wider creative themes and brand narratives into visually impactful spatial and installation design.
- Create sketches, moodboards, layouts and visual presentations to communicate concepts clearly and effectively.
- Create detailed visual renders and spatial visualisations that communicate creative concepts clearly for stakeholder approval, production and installation.
- Produce high‑quality rendered visuals and technical design presentations that can be translated directly into production and build.
- Develop accurate spatial visualisations that communicate scale, materials, finishes and installation intent.
- Contribute to the ongoing evolution of Selfridges' visual identity and creative expression across physical touchpoints.
- Maintain strong awareness of cultural, retail, fashion and creative trends to inform future‑facing design ideas.
Visualisation & Presentation
- Develop high‑quality visual presentations and design narratives for internal reviews, steering meetings and sign‑off sessions.
- Clearly communicate creative ideas and installation intent to stakeholders across the business.
- Translate conceptual thinking into practical and visually compelling installation proposals.
- Support the creation of graphics and artwork in collaboration with Graphics and wider creative teams where required.
- Ensure all creative work is presented to a high professional and visual standard.
- Work closely with Production teams to ensure visual renders are feasible, actionable and aligned to installation requirements.
Installation Delivery & Cross‑Functional Collaboration
- Work closely with Production, Styling, VM and wider Creative teams to ensure installations are delivered smoothly and effectively.
- Provide clear creative briefs and detailed design direction to support production and installation planning.
- Collaborate with external partners, artists and brands on creative installation projects where required.
- Support installation planning and timelines, ensuring projects are delivered on brief, on time and within budget.
- Help identify and proactively resolve creative or operational challenges throughout project delivery.
- Maintain strong collaborative relationships across creative and business teams.
Creative Leadership & Cultural Awareness
- Contribute to a culture of creative excellence, innovation and collaboration within the team.
- Stay connected to contemporary culture, design, art, fashion and experiential trends to inform creative thinking.
- Research competitor activity, emerging retail experiences and installation design trends to ensure Selfridges remains industry‑leading.
- Share ideas, inspiration and best practice across the wider team.
- Support and inspire junior team members where appropriate.
Skills & Experience
- Experience within spatial design, window design, visual merchandising, installation design, experiential design or related creative disciplines.
- Strong creative and conceptual thinking with the ability to translate ideas into impactful physical experiences.
- Strong visualisation and rendering skills with the ability to create production‑ready spatial and installation visuals.
- Experience creating rendered visualisations, sketches, moodboards and presentation materials for creative projects.
- Experience using 3D visualisation and rendering software to communicate spatial concepts and installation design.
- Ability to translate conceptual ideas into technically accurate visuals for production and build teams.
- Understanding of production processes and installation delivery within retail or experiential environments.
- Strong visual storytelling, composition and spatial awareness skills.
- Excellent communication and presentation skills with the ability to clearly articulate creative ideas.
- Highly collaborative with the ability to work effectively across multidisciplinary teams.
- Strong organisational skills with the ability to manage multiple projects and deadlines simultaneously.
- Culturally connected with a strong interest in contemporary design, fashion, art and creative trends.
- Proficient in Adobe Creative Suite including Photoshop, Illustrator and InDesign.
- Knowledge of CAD, 3D visualisation or rendering software would be advantageous.
- Proactive, solutions‑focused and confident working within a fast‑paced creative environment.
Set Design Manager in London employer: Selfridges
Selfridges is an exceptional employer that fosters a vibrant and innovative work culture, where creativity thrives and employees are encouraged to push boundaries in design. As a Set Design Manager, you will have the opportunity to collaborate with diverse teams, contribute to iconic visual experiences, and grow your skills in a dynamic retail environment that values cultural relevance and artistic expression. With a commitment to employee development and a focus on delivering world-class installations, Selfridges offers a unique platform for those looking to make a meaningful impact in the world of creative design.
