TPS Group Holdings, a family of brands including The Paper Store and Uncharted, is all about transforming daily routines into joyful escapes that inspire and surprise. Our mission is to connect with every customer through carefully chosen products, immersive shopping experiences, and service that goes the extra mile—creating a space that sparks joy with every visit. Senior Director of Visual Experience & Store Design We are seeking a strategic and visionary leader to join TPS as the Senior Director of Visual Experience & Store Design. This newly created position will play a pivotal role in defining and evolving our visual merchandising and store design experience. The role will lead efforts across store layout planning, concept and vision creation, new store project execution, field visual direction, and training. This leader will be responsible for creating visually compelling, brand-elevating retail environments that connect with our customers, inspire our teams, and drive sales. The ideal candidate is both a creative visionary and an operationally-minded leader who thrives at the intersection of design, retail psychology, and in-store execution. The Senior Director, Visual Experience & Store Design reports directly to the VP of Merchandising. COMPETENCIES: Communication:  Communicates directly and clearly while maintaining employee self-esteem. Sets clear performance expectations and provides ongoing feedback. Solicits dialogue to ensure understanding. Leadership:  Motivates and influences the team to create buy-in. Clarifies initiatives and articulates their strategic relevance. Helps employees develop their skills and remove development barriers. Development:  Demonstrates a passion for teaching. Identifies skill gaps and takes timely, appropriate action to coach, develop, and redirect as needed. Delegation:  Delegates based on employee ability and potential. Communicates action steps and desired outcomes. Follows up to ensure success. Accountability:  Demonstrates a sense of corporate responsibility. Takes personal ownership for quality and timeliness of work. Ensures actions align with words. Creativity and Initiative:  Forward-thinking; recognizes opportunities and finds new ways of doing things. Implements improvements and encourages innovation. Professionalism:  Maintains a professional and positive demeanor, even under changing or uncertain conditions. Works well across teams to provide support, encouragement, and direction. Engages others to accomplish goals and is seen as a role model. Personal Development:  Displays self-awareness, high energy, persistence, and a positive outlook. Continuously seeks improvement and learns from mistakes and constructive feedback KEY RESPONSIBILITIES: Be a TPS brand ambassador Strong cross-functional collaboration skills. Must be comfortable working with multiple departments across the organization, including visual merchandising, store design, and project execution to ensuring brand consistency and elevated in-store experiences Develop and drive the visual design strategy, including customer journey mapping and retail storytelling across all store formats Balance creative direction with operational demands by managing timelines, budgets, and execution standards Deep knowledge of fixture design and creation, including interpreting technical specifications, evaluating materials, and collaborating with vendors on design proposals. Guide field visual execution and provide ongoing coaching and training to ensure excellence and consistency in presentation Collaborate with senior leaders and cross-functional partners to influence merchandising direction in stores and support brand and business goals Use data and performance metrics to evaluate and optimize the impact of visual strategies on customer engagement and sales Serve as a key liaison between store teams, merchandising, marketing, and operations to align creative vision with execution Highly organized and detail-oriented, with the ability to manage multiple projects, adapt to shifting priorities, and lead effectively in a fast-paced, dynamic environment. JOB REQUIREMENTS: Minimum of 5 years of experience in a similar role involving store design, visual merchandising, or retail fixture development Proven success leading cross-functional and geographically dispersed teams, including field visual, store design, and project management Demonstrated experience managing large-scale initiatives such as store rollouts, remodels, and new concept development Strong understanding of in-store execution, visual merchandising standards, and field operations Skilled in reviewing designs and specs to ensure accuracy, feasibility, and alignment with functional and brand requirements Background in influencing cross-functional teams and partnering with senior leadership to support strategic goals Strong problem-solving, communication, and presentation skills, with experience navigating leadership-level conversations Experience using KPIs and visual performance data to inform design and execution decisions Experience in specialty retail, lifestyle brands, or fast-growing multi-store retail environments Experience working with regional or global brands and adapting visual strategies Background in corporate merchandising or buying is a strong plus A team player attitude, including willingness to pivot as business needs change and willingness to assist others to meet deadlines Ability to conduct regular store visits and lead hands-on involvement in key initiatives, approximately 40% travel annually Ability to work 3+ days/week at the Corporate Office in Acton, MA when not traveling Professional presentation in attire, demeanor, and appearance The Paper Store is an equal-opportunity employer and considers all qualified applicants for employment without regard to race, color, national origin, religion, sex, disability, age, veteran status, or any other classification protected by state, local or federal law.