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: Enjoy 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 Devon, Exeter employer: 3Search
Contact Detail:
3Search Recruiting Team
StudySmarter Expert Advice 🤫
We think this is how you could land Head of Design in Devon, Exeter
✨Tip Number 1
Network like a pro! Reach out to your connections in the design world, especially those who might have insights into the company you're eyeing. A friendly chat can sometimes lead to a referral, which is gold dust in the job market.
✨Tip Number 2
Show off your portfolio! When you get that interview, make sure to bring your A-game with a well-curated portfolio that highlights your leadership in design. Tailor it to showcase projects that align with the brand's vision and values.
✨Tip Number 3
Prepare for the unexpected! In interviews, be ready to discuss how you've led teams through change and ambiguity. Share specific examples of how you’ve built culture and cohesion remotely – that’s what they want to hear!
✨Tip Number 4
Don’t forget to follow up! After your interview, send a thank-you note that reiterates your excitement about the role and how you can contribute to their transformation. It shows you’re genuinely interested and keeps you top of mind.
We think you need these skills to ace Head of Design in Devon, Exeter
Some tips for your application 🫡
Show Your Leadership Skills: Make sure to highlight your leadership experience in your application. We want to see how you've successfully managed teams, especially remotely. Share specific examples of how you've built culture and cohesion in a distributed environment.
Be Creative and Strategic: Don’t just list your design skills; show us how you balance creativity with strategic thinking. We’re looking for someone who can guide a multidisciplinary team, so include examples of projects where you’ve done just that.
Embrace Change: This role is all about transformation, so let us know how you handle change and ambiguity. Share experiences where you've navigated evolving priorities and still delivered high-quality results.
Apply Through Our Website: We encourage you to apply directly through our website. It’s the best way for us to receive your application and ensures you don’t miss out on any important updates during the process!
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 elevate creative standards.
✨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 open about your approach to managing change while maintaining high performance.
✨Highlight Your Multi-Channel Thinking
The brand is looking for someone who can oversee a cohesive experience across various channels. Be prepared to discuss your strategic thinking and how you've integrated digital storytelling into your design work. Show how your understanding of e-commerce and retail environments has driven commercial impact in your previous roles.