Design Director Jobs in Missouri
Design Director jobs in Missouri are actively hiring, with demand concentrated in brand identity, user experience, and marketing design across consumer goods, healthcare communications, and financial services. Kansas City and St. Louis anchor the majority of openings, where established employers like Hallmark Cards, Emerson Electric, and World Wide Technology maintain substantial creative and product design teams. Springfield and Columbia add regional opportunities, particularly within healthcare systems and university-affiliated organizations. Scan the live roles below and apply to whichever ones fit.
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Director of Construction and Design, New Construction (De Novo)
Heartland Dental is looking for an accomplished construction and design leader ready to take on a high-impact role. As Director of Construction and Design, you'll lead both the Construction and Design Teams, helping plan, deliver, and optimize a nationwide new construction rollout strategy that supports more than 100 new office openings each year.
Heartland Dental is the nation's largest dental support organization, providing non-clinical administrative support services to more than 3,100 supported doctors across 39 states and the District of Columbia in 1,900+ dental offices. Each Heartland Dental supported office is unique to the community and the patients they serve. Supported doctors are the clinical leaders of their practice, retain full clinical autonomy, and establish their own care philosophies. All Heartland Dental supported doctors are united by a common goal: delivering the highest quality dental care and patient experiences.
The Director of Construction and Design leads, organizes, and develops the Construction and Design Teams in new unit growth. Responsible for managing construction and design activities and delivering high quality new units that align with brand design standards while controlling cost and maintaining critical path schedules. In this role, you will report to the Sr. Director of Design and Construction, while directly managing the Sr. Manager of Construction and Sr. Manager of Design, with Construction Managers and Design Managers rolling up under this team. This position works closely with the internal Real Estate, Operations, and Facilities teams. The ideal candidate will have 10+ years of relevant experience in high-growth retail or QSR construction and design.
Below is an overview of the duties and responsibilities you would take on in this role:
- Develop the vision, strategy, processes, and resources for the Construction and Design departments to scale to support 100+ new opens annually.
- Directly oversee, mentor, and develop the Sr. Manager of Construction and Sr. Manager of Design, ensuring strong leadership and development of the Construction Managers and Design Managers within their teams.
- Manage all facets of construction for the de novo portfolio including, but not limited to; budget, schedule, General Contractor qualification, VE opportunities, process/schedule improvement.
- Prepare & present project status reports with team on budget, schedule, and running cost-to-date at regular intervals and ad-hoc as required.
- Utilize cross-functional feedback and develop relationships with other Heartland teams to elevate construction and design quality and delivery conditions.
- Strategically plan and review Owner-Contractor contract documents and qualifications, pre-bid conferences, and evaluations.
- Develop and implement a quality audit program, monitor contractor corrective actions, and ensure a quality project conforming to plans and specifications.
- Develop strategic reporting on external environmental pressures including construction industry trends, regional escalators, and supply chain constraints.
- Collaborate with Field Operations to ensure efficient handoff from construction completion to operating clinic.
- Delegate and strategically plan job assignments to facilitate both rapid growth and efficient construction management.
- Own development program management across the new unit pipeline, ensuring alignment between site selection, design, permitting, and construction milestones to hit target open dates.
- Collaborate on forward-looking delivery status from a large bench of developers.
- Contribute to regularly scheduled standards management, value engineering, and quality improvement exercises.
- Demonstrate ability to identify project risks, develop risk mitigation & contingency plans, & implement action plans to reduce or eliminate project risks and communicate the same to department leadership.
- Inspect select construction-in-progress for adherence to construction documents and specifications in support of the construction team.
Minimum Requirements
- Bachelor's degree (BA/BS/BEng/BArch) from a college or university in Construction Management, Architecture, or Engineering and 10+ years of commercial/corporate construction experience; other combinations of experience and education may be considered with demonstrated leadership experience.
- Experience managing fast-paced construction and design teams for a multi-unit brand.
- Excellent verbal and written communication skills, and the ability to tailor those to a wide variety of audiences.
- Ability to effectively collaborate with Operations, peers, and cross-functional stakeholders to drive alignment and results.
- Strong ability to review and negotiate contracts.
- Experience working in a remote and traveling environment.
- Extensive project and program management experience.
- Extensive knowledge of building construction, building design & project management methodologies.
- Project Management related software experience (e.g., Lucernex, Procore, Ariba, ServiceChannel, etc.).
- Ability to travel overnight up to 50%.
Desirable Qualifications
- Experience in Retail Construction or Design Management.
- Strong leadership and team development skills.
- Highly organized with the ability to manage multiple priorities and deadlines.
- Excellent communication and cross functional collaboration skills.
- Strategic thinker with a focus on process improvement and operational excellence.
- Proven ability to drive results in a fast paced, growth oriented environment.
- Adaptable and effective in managing change and evolving business needs.AutoCAD/Revit literacy strongly preferred.
Director of Construction and Design, New Construction (De Novo)
Heartland Dental is looking for an accomplished construction and design leader ready to take on a high-impact role. As Director of Construction and Design, you'll lead both the Construction and Design Teams, helping plan, deliver, and optimize a nationwide new construction rollout strategy that supports more than 100 new office openings each year.
Heartland Dental is the nation's largest dental support organization, providing non-clinical administrative support services to more than 3,100 supported doctors across 39 states and the District of Columbia in 1,900+ dental offices. Each Heartland Dental supported office is unique to the community and the patients they serve. Supported doctors are the clinical leaders of their practice, retain full clinical autonomy, and establish their own care philosophies. All Heartland Dental supported doctors are united by a common goal: delivering the highest quality dental care and patient experiences.
The Director of Construction and Design leads, organizes, and develops the Construction and Design Teams in new unit growth. Responsible for managing construction and design activities and delivering high quality new units that align with brand design standards while controlling cost and maintaining critical path schedules. In this role, you will report to the Sr. Director of Design and Construction, while directly managing the Sr. Manager of Construction and Sr. Manager of Design, with Construction Managers and Design Managers rolling up under this team. This position works closely with the internal Real Estate, Operations, and Facilities teams. The ideal candidate will have 10+ years of relevant experience in high-growth retail or QSR construction and design.
Below is an overview of the duties and responsibilities you would take on in this role:
- Develop the vision, strategy, processes, and resources for the Construction and Design departments to scale to support 100+ new opens annually.
- Directly oversee, mentor, and develop the Sr. Manager of Construction and Sr. Manager of Design, ensuring strong leadership and development of the Construction Managers and Design Managers within their teams.
- Manage all facets of construction for the de novo portfolio including, but not limited to; budget, schedule, General Contractor qualification, VE opportunities, process/schedule improvement.
- Prepare & present project status reports with team on budget, schedule, and running cost-to-date at regular intervals and ad-hoc as required.
- Utilize cross-functional feedback and develop relationships with other Heartland teams to elevate construction and design quality and delivery conditions.
- Strategically plan and review Owner-Contractor contract documents and qualifications, pre-bid conferences, and evaluations.
- Develop and implement a quality audit program, monitor contractor corrective actions, and ensure a quality project conforming to plans and specifications.
- Develop strategic reporting on external environmental pressures including construction industry trends, regional escalators, and supply chain constraints.
- Collaborate with Field Operations to ensure efficient handoff from construction completion to operating clinic.
- Delegate and strategically plan job assignments to facilitate both rapid growth and efficient construction management.
- Own development program management across the new unit pipeline, ensuring alignment between site selection, design, permitting, and construction milestones to hit target open dates.
- Collaborate on forward-looking delivery status from a large bench of developers.
- Contribute to regularly scheduled standards management, value engineering, and quality improvement exercises.
- Demonstrate ability to identify project risks, develop risk mitigation & contingency plans, & implement action plans to reduce or eliminate project risks and communicate the same to department leadership.
- Inspect select construction-in-progress for adherence to construction documents and specifications in support of the construction team.
Minimum Requirements
- Bachelor's degree (BA/BS/BEng/BArch) from a college or university in Construction Management, Architecture, or Engineering and 10+ years of commercial/corporate construction experience; other combinations of experience and education may be considered with demonstrated leadership experience.
- Experience managing fast-paced construction and design teams for a multi-unit brand.
- Excellent verbal and written communication skills, and the ability to tailor those to a wide variety of audiences.
- Ability to effectively collaborate with Operations, peers, and cross-functional stakeholders to drive alignment and results.
- Strong ability to review and negotiate contracts.
- Experience working in a remote and traveling environment.
- Extensive project and program management experience.
- Extensive knowledge of building construction, building design & project management methodologies.
- Project Management related software experience (e.g., Lucernex, Procore, Ariba, ServiceChannel, etc.).
- Ability to travel overnight up to 50%.
Desirable Qualifications
- Experience in Retail Construction or Design Management.
- Strong leadership and team development skills.
- Highly organized with the ability to manage multiple priorities and deadlines.
- Excellent communication and cross functional collaboration skills.
- Strategic thinker with a focus on process improvement and operational excellence.
- Proven ability to drive results in a fast paced, growth oriented environment.
- Adaptable and effective in managing change and evolving business needs.AutoCAD/Revit literacy strongly preferred.
See All 10 Design Director Jobs in Missouri
Find roles in Missouri that match your experience and apply in just a few clicks.
Find Design Director JobsDesign Director Jobs by City in Missouri
Where Missouri roles are concentrated, by current openings.
Design Director Job Market in Missouri
A snapshot from current Missouri openings, updated as new roles post.
Who's Hiring
Top Industries Hiring
- Manufacturing
- Construction & Real Estate
- Consulting & Professional Services
What Missouri Employers Look For
The qualifications that appear most often in design director jobs across Missouri.
- Bachelor's or master's degree in graphic design, industrial design, or a related field
- Seven or more years of progressive design experience including team leadership
- Portfolio demonstrating brand systems, product design, or UX work at enterprise scale
- Proficiency in Figma, Adobe Creative Suite, and design operations tooling
- Experience managing and mentoring cross-functional design teams across multiple projects
- Proven ability to align design strategy with business goals and stakeholder priorities
Design Director Jobs in Missouri: Frequently Asked Questions
How do you become a design director in Missouri?
Design directors in Missouri are not required to hold a state-issued license, so the path runs through education and experience rather than a licensing board. Most candidates earn a bachelor's degree in graphic design, product design, or a related discipline, then build several years of senior-level design work before moving into leadership. Missouri employers, particularly in Kansas City's marketing and consumer goods sectors and St. Louis's healthcare and technology firms, consistently favor candidates who can show a strong portfolio alongside management experience.
Which companies hire design directors in Missouri?
Employers hiring design directors in Missouri right now include The Haskell Company, HDR, and Mastercard, based on current listings on Migrate Mate as of October 2026. Kansas City and St. Louis generate the largest share of openings, driven by headquarters-level creative, product, and brand design teams rooted in Missouri's consumer, financial, and healthcare industries.
Which Missouri cities have the most design director jobs?
The cities with the most design director openings in Missouri are St. Louis, Sedalia, and O'Fallon. Kansas City leads because it is home to major consumer brands, advertising agencies, and corporate headquarters that maintain large in-house creative departments, while St. Louis adds volume through its healthcare systems, financial services firms, and technology companies, and smaller metros contribute openings tied to regional universities and growing healthcare networks.
Are there remote design director jobs in Missouri?
Yes, and more than most fields, since design direction at the senior level frequently involves strategic oversight, stakeholder communication, and digital collaboration that translates well to distributed work. About 100% of design director openings tied to Missouri are remote or hybrid as of October 2026, reflecting the role's strong fit with flexible arrangements. Brand strategy, UX leadership, and creative operations functions tend to be the most remote-friendly parts of the design director role.
How can I get hired as a design director in Missouri with little or no experience?
The most realistic entry path is moving into a design director role laterally from a senior designer, creative lead, or UX manager position, rather than applying directly without leadership experience. Missouri employers like Hallmark, Cerner, and larger Kansas City advertising agencies regularly hire senior individual contributors who then grow into director-level roles internally. Building a portfolio that includes team projects and demonstrating familiarity with design systems and cross-functional collaboration gives candidates a clear edge in that transition.
Where can I find and apply to design director jobs in Missouri?
You can find and apply to design director jobs in Missouri on Migrate Mate, which lists current Missouri openings updated regularly. Search the available roles, identify the ones that match your experience and location preferences, and apply directly to those positions.
See All 10 Design Director Jobs in Missouri
Find roles in Missouri that match your experience and apply in just a few clicks.
Find Design Director Jobs