Director, Creative Themed Design

At Universal Creative we design develop and deliver the most compelling entertainment experiences imaginable to drive growth for Universal Destinations & Experiences worldwide. Our innovative attractions immersive theme parks and world-class resorts fuse art and technology to create new standards in the themed entertainment industry.

Our Team Members are the driving force behind Universal Creative. With their diverse skills and forward-thinking ideas our team pushes us beyond the boundaries of whats possible to achieve the extraordinary. Together were creating a Universe of fun always ensuring the next thing we do is better than the last thing we did.

JOB SUMMARY:

Responsible for the creative experiential and technical leadership of Universals immersive hospitality platform directing the design and development of integrated guest experiences and environments entertainment venues food and beverage destinations retail experiences guest rooms and premium accommodations exterior leisure spaces and all shared guest-facing areas. This role leads overall planning layout development and the integration of themed entertainment design within a complex environment ensuring Universal Creatives design excellence aligns with applicable regulatory requirements structural and infrastructure parameters operational needs and global guest expectations.

The Director serves as Universal Creatives principal creative and design authority for projects guiding multidisciplinary teams and external development engineering and specialty partners from strategy through concept and execution. This role ensures the fully integrated guest experience aligns with Universals brand standards innovation objectives Intellectual Property (IP) strategy and long-term business vision.

MAJOR RESPONSIBILITIES:

Creative & Technical Leadership of Integrated Guest Environments

• Leads creative development comprehensive spatial planning and integrated design execution across the guest environment embedding Universals storytelling immersive environments and entertainment-forward design methodologies throughout all guest touchpoints.
• Ensures the overall master plan aligns with guest experience strategy enterprise objectives life-safety requirements global regulatory frameworks and complex structural and infrastructure engineering requirements.
• Directs design delivery across all phases: Strategy Ideation Feasibility Concept Development Detailed Design Procurement Fabrication and Installation overseeing technical documentation material specifications vendor engagement prototype development production reviews and final commissioning within a large-scale complex infrastructure-intensive build environment.
• Partners with Creative Direction to guide integration of Universal and partner Intellectual Property (IP) as well as emerging experiential concepts balancing creative ambition with operational performance technical realities and cost/schedule governance.

Cross-Disciplinary Creative Collaboration & Integration

• Leads deep collaboration and alignment across Universal Creatives internal disciplines including Creative Direction Creative Management Art Direction Show Set & Production Design Attraction Design Design Engineering and Portfolio Leadership ensuring a unified creative vision and cohesive guest experience across the integrated guest environment.
• Maintains strict confidentiality and adheres to all nondisclosure requirements while actively advising partners on NDA obligations and ensuring their compliance with established confidentiality standards.
• Serves as the central integrator of creative intent across disciplines aligning storytelling spatial design ride and show concepts environmental theming and experiential programming into a seamless fully integrated environment.
• Establishes clear creative frameworks design principles and review processes that enable multiple disciplines to collaborate efficiently while preserving design excellence operational functionality and brand consistency.
• Oversee the engagement scope definition and performance of external design partners and consultants: including structural and systems consultants interior architecture firms experience designers specialty fabrication partners and technical advisors ensuring alignment with Universal Creative standards and the approved platform vision.
• Directs interdisciplinary design reviews and executive working sessions facilitating strategic alignment resolving complex integration challenges and incorporating feedback from enterprise leadership and key stakeholders.
• Ensures external consultant deliverables are fully synchronized with internal creative development efforts maintaining continuity of vision quality and technical integration across all phases of development and delivery.
• Represents hospitality platform design leadership within Universal Creative advocating for platform-specific requirements while aligning with broader portfolio strategy governance structures and long-term enterprise objectives.

Leadership of Creative Culture

• Leads and models a collaborative respectful and inclusive creative culture within the immersive hospitality Design Team fostering trust accountability and creative excellence.
• Establishes shared creative values and ways of working that encourage open dialogue cross-disciplinary collaboration and constructive critique.
• Actively contributes to the culture and cohesion of the Concept Architecture team aligning this emerging platforms initiatives with broader Creative Studio design efforts.
• Serves as a cultural leader across the Studio and Universal Creative supporting mentorship knowledge-sharing and continuous learning.
• Encourages innovation and thoughtful risk-taking while maintaining alignment with brand strategy and project realities.

Enterprise Hospitality Product Development Strategy & Portfolio Leadership

• Leads the long-term creative development strategy for Universals immersive entertainment and hospitality portfolio envisioning defining and guiding the creation of a cohesive series of platforms each aligned to an overarching brand and product strategy while allowing for differentiation by experience tier market deployment strategy and targeted guest segments.
• Serves as Universal Creatives primary creative authority and strategic partner through construction and delivery ensuring alignment on long-term portfolio vision design standards and experiential DNA across multiple platforms.
• Establishes and evolves portfolio-wide design principles creative guidelines and experience frameworks that ensure consistency scalability and brand integrity across successive development cycles.
• Collaborate with Executive Leadership to align platform design strategy with business objectives market positioning Intellectual Property (IP) strategy lifecycle planning and future expansion considerations.
• Guides creative development timelines and design executive decision-making across parallel large-scale build programs balancing innovation repeatability and operational performance while preserving creative excellence.
• Ensures that design strategy anticipates future portfolio growth operational evolution guest expectations and emerging industry trends within the premium experiential hospitality sector positioning the platform as a category- leading immersive hospitality brand.

Strategic Partnerships Licensor & Internal Integration

• Acts as a senior creative liaison between Universal Creative partners New Ventures and the broader platform organization ensuring seamless alignment between creative intent operational realities and business strategy.
• Works closely with the operating partner to integrate brand standards service models entertainment programming hospitality concepts and day-to-day operational frameworks into the integrated platform from early concept through execution.
• Collaborates with New Ventures and corporate strategy teams to translate market insights competitive benchmarking and long-term growth objectives into actionable platform product design strategies.
• Works cross-functionally with Universal platform leadership operations marketing technology and guest experience teams to ensure the guest environment design solutions support long-term operational sustainability adaptability and guest satisfaction.
• Represents Universal Creative in executive-level discussions related to platform vision scope definition option analysis and strategic decision-making across successive development cycles.
• Ensures creative continuity and quality control across all platform initiatives maintaining Universals brand promise while enabling successful partnership execution.
• Understand and actively participate in Environmental Health & Safety responsibilities by following established UO policy procedures training and team member involvement activities.
• Performs other duties as assigned.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION:

• Carries out supervisory responsibilities in accordance with the organizations policies and applicable laws.
• Supervises exempt and non-exempt staff and external vendors. Provides leadership in accordance with Universal Creatives policies and all applicable laws.

To perform this job successfully an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge skills and/or abilities (KSAs) required.

• Deep understanding of themed entertainment design guest experience development immersive environments and narrative-led spatial design.
• Strong working knowledge of large-scale immersive hospitality and guest environment design complex global regulatory and life-safety frameworks accessibility standards and the integration of advanced infrastructure systems with immersive experiential environments.
• Demonstrated ability to critically evaluate and develop comprehensive design documentation large-scale master planning strategies interior architecture packages technical drawings and complex environmental and operational parameters within highly regulated infrastructure-intensive environments.
• Exceptional communication skills with proven ability to present to executive leadership partners executives and external stakeholders.
• Ability to interpret technical information evaluate complex variables and guide teams toward actionable solutions.
• Strong business acumen with ability to balance creative intent guest experience schedule and budget under a global project framework.
• Ability to read analyze and interpret general business periodicals professional journals technical procedures or governmental regulations.
• Ability to write reports business correspondence and procedure manuals.
• Ability to effectively present information to top management public groups and/or boards of directors.
• Ability to compute rate ratio and percent and to draw and interpret spread sheets.
• Ability to read comment on develop and iterate master and landscape plans and drawings at multiple scales.
• Ability to apply concepts of basic algebra and geometry.
• Ability to interpret an extensive variety of technical instructions in mathematical or diagram form and deal with several abstract and concrete variables.
• Ability to define problems collect data establish facts and draw valid conclusions.
• Reasonable accommodation may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.
• Consistent attendance is a job requirement.

EDUCATION:

• Bachelors degree required in Architecture Interior Architecture Structural Systems or Large-Scale Infrastructure Engineering Industrial Design or related field.
• Masters degree preferred in Architecture Integrated Environmental Design Engineering or Business/Strategy.
• Professional licensure in Architecture Interior Design Engineering or equivalent credential preferred.

EXPERIENCE:

• 15 years of experience in themed entertainment design hospitality design or large-scale immersive guest environment development.
• Demonstrated experience delivering highly complex infrastructure-intensive projects through all phases from early concept and feasibility through detailed design fabrication integration and commissioning within complex infrastructure-intensive build environments.
• Proven experience leading multidisciplinary teams and overseeing external design engineering and specialty fabrication partners at a Senior Leadership level.
• Experience developing or executing long-term strategies for hospitality or destination platforms is strongly preferred.
• International project experience and deep familiarity with global design standards regulatory frameworks and complex construction practices required.

Your talent skills and experience will be rewarded with a competitive compensation package.

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