At a Glance
- Tasks: Lead a dynamic design team through a major creative transformation for a global sports brand.
- Company: Join a legacy brand reinventing itself with a fresh, innovative approach.
- Benefits: Hybrid working, bonus potential, and 25 days holiday.
- Why this job: Make a massive impact during an exciting transformation in a heritage brand.
- Qualifications: Proven design leadership and experience managing remote teams.
- Other info: Collaborative environment with opportunities to elevate creative standards across multiple channels.
The predicted salary is between 36000 - 60000 £ per year.
This is one of those rare opportunities to join a legacy business on the cusp of reinvention. A 100-year-old success story entering its next chapter, this brand is embarking on a major creative and digital transformation, scaling its in-house design capability and redefining what creativity looks like in a category ripe for disruption.
At its core, this hire is about leadership first. Yes, you'll need strong design instincts across digital and print. But above all, we’re looking for someone who can lead, galvanise and elevate a growing design function, bringing people with you through change and building a high-performing, connected team across locations.
You’ll report into the Creative Director and lead a team of 6–8 direct reports, spanning digital and brand design. This includes managing geographically distributed designers, so experience leading remote or international teams is essential. If you’ve successfully built culture, cohesion and performance without everyone sitting in the same room we want to hear from you.
WHAT THEY NEED- A proven design leader with strong people management skills - someone who naturally puts leadership first
- Experience managing remote or geographically distributed teams, driving engagement, accountability and creative excellence from a distance
- A steady hand during transformation, comfortable navigating pace, ambiguity and evolving priorities
- Someone who can bring structure, clarity and standards to a scaling in-house team
- A collaborative partner to the Creative Director and senior stakeholders across marketing, product and brand
- A multi-channel thinker - confident overseeing digital, ecommerce, brand, print and campaign output to ensure a cohesive experience
- Design leadership - guiding and growing a multidisciplinary design team across digital, brand, and campaign work
- Balancing strategic thinking with enough craft knowledge to credibly guide and challenge your team - a master of Adobe Creative Suite and Figma, no stranger to hopping on the tools and delivering high-impact creative at pace
- AI curiosity in a business context, incorporating emerging tools into your workflow to unlock smarter, faster creative development
- Digital storytelling - designing for ecommerce, retail, and performance environments where creativity meets commercial impact
- Collaboration - working closely with marketing, product, and strategy teams to deliver joined-up, insight-driven creative
- Elevating creative standards across both print and digital
- Hybrid working ideally (2 days per week in the Wales HQ - travel/accommodation expenses for those not living locally) - open to dialogue around remote setup
- The chance to make a massive impact at a moment of transformation - think 'start up' mentality with the infrastructure and footprint of a heritage brand
- Bonus potential
- 25 days holiday
Locations
Head of Design in Basildon, Essex employer: 3Search
Contact Detail:
3Search Recruiting Team
StudySmarter Expert Advice 🤫
We think this is how you could land Head of Design in Basildon, Essex
✨Tip Number 1
Network like a pro! Reach out to your connections in the design world and let them know you're on the hunt for a Head of Design role. You never know who might have the inside scoop on opportunities or can put in a good word for you.
✨Tip Number 2
Show off your leadership skills! When you get the chance to chat with potential employers, share examples of how you've successfully led teams through change. Highlight your experience managing remote teams and how you keep everyone engaged and performing at their best.
✨Tip Number 3
Be ready to discuss your design process! Prepare to talk about how you balance strategic thinking with hands-on design work. Employers will want to see that you can not only lead but also dive into the creative side when needed.
✨Tip Number 4
Apply through our website! We’ve got loads of resources to help you nail that interview. Plus, applying directly shows your enthusiasm for the role and gives you a better chance of standing out from the crowd.
We think you need these skills to ace Head of Design in Basildon, Essex
Some tips for your application 🫡
Show Your Leadership Skills: Make sure to highlight your experience in leading design teams, especially if you've managed remote or distributed teams. We want to see how you've galvanised and elevated your team through change, so share specific examples!
Be a Multi-Channel Maestro: Since this role involves overseeing various design outputs, showcase your versatility across digital, print, and brand design. We love seeing candidates who can balance strategic thinking with hands-on craft knowledge, so don’t hold back!
Embrace the Transformation: This is a moment of reinvention for the brand, so let us know how you’ve navigated transformation in your previous roles. Share your approach to managing ambiguity and evolving priorities while maintaining high creative standards.
Apply Through Our Website: We encourage you to apply directly through our website. It’s the best way for us to keep track of your application and ensure it gets the attention it deserves. Plus, we love seeing applications come in through our own channels!
How to prepare for a job interview at 3Search
✨Showcase Your Leadership Skills
As a Head of Design, your leadership abilities are paramount. Prepare examples of how you've successfully led teams through change, especially in remote settings. Highlight specific instances where you galvanised your team and built a strong culture, even when working from different locations.
✨Demonstrate Your Design Expertise
Be ready to discuss your design instincts across various mediums, including digital and print. Bring along a portfolio that showcases your best work, particularly projects that involved collaboration with marketing and product teams. This will help illustrate your ability to deliver cohesive experiences.
✨Embrace the Transformation Mindset
This role is all about navigating transformation. Prepare to talk about your experiences with ambiguity and evolving priorities. Share how you've brought structure and clarity to a scaling team, and be ready to discuss how you can apply this mindset to their current creative and digital transformation.
✨Highlight Your Multi-Channel Thinking
The company is looking for someone who can oversee various channels effectively. Be prepared to discuss your experience with digital storytelling and how it impacts commercial success. Show your understanding of how to balance strategic thinking with hands-on design work, especially using tools like Adobe Creative Suite and Figma.