Overview
As Principal Visual Designer, you drive high-quality visual design across digital, print, brand and campaigns within Autotrader’s in-house creative studio. You’ll shape visual direction for multi-channel work and ensure accessibility and brand consistency while leading a team of designers. Collaborating with Creative Studio, Product Design and Marketing, you’ll translate briefs into compelling visual solutions that advance Autotrader’s goals. This role combines hands-on design excellence with people leadership to elevate the studio’s craft and output.
Pay / Benefits
- salary 50,000 – 65,000
- 25% total compensation via shares (10% annual over 3 years)
- 28 days holiday plus bank holidays and seasonal closures
- pension scheme (7% employer, 5% employee)
- private medical cover
- enhanced family leave provisions","car salary sacrifice scheme","share-save options","Digital GP and wellbeing support"),
Responsibilities
- Lead and produce high-quality visual design across digital, print, brand and campaign work
- Define visual direction and ensure consistency with brand standards and accessibility
- Coach, develop and lead visual designers to grow their craft and impact
- Set expectations for quality, delivery, and collaborative ways of working
- Collaborate with stakeholders across Creative Studio, Product Design and Marketing to translate briefs into effective visual solutions
- Advance design capability through craft, processes, and adoption of emerging tools and technology
Key requirements
- Strong portfolio with context on briefs, contributions, and decisions
- Hands-on design capability and solid understanding of design principles, typography, layout, colour, and accessibility
- Experience leading and coaching designers
- Experience developing design standards, systems, and processes for consistency and efficiency
- Strong communication, influencing and stakeholder management skills
- Experience translating complex briefs into clear, effective solutions
- Ability to balance hands-on delivery with people leadership and long-term design capability improvements
- Experience spotting and applying emerging design trends, technology and automation
- Strong communication
- Stakeholder management
- Mentorship and team development
- Visual design
- Typography
- Layout
Principal Visual Designer in Manchester employer: AutoTrader UK
At Autotrader, we pride ourselves on being a leading automotive marketplace that values innovation and diversity. Our collaborative tech community fosters an environment where Senior Software Engineers can thrive, with ample opportunities for mentorship and professional growth. With a hybrid working model, generous benefits including 28 days of holiday, private medical cover, and unique support for employee wellbeing, we ensure our team members feel valued and empowered in their roles.
