At a Glance
- Tasks: Lead creative vision and mentor a design team to deliver impactful visual solutions.
- Company: Join a leading visual communications agency with 20+ years of experience.
- Benefits: Hybrid or remote work options, competitive salary, and opportunities for professional growth.
- Other info: Dynamic environment with a focus on creativity, innovation, and collaboration.
- Why this job: Shape innovative projects using AI and elevate your creative career.
- Qualifications: Strong leadership in design, expertise in presentation design, and experience with enterprise clients.
The predicted salary is between 60000 - 80000 £ per year.
We have a great opportunity for an AI focussed Design Director to join a leading visual communications agency with over 20 years' experience partnering with some of the world's most respected global technology and enterprise brands. This position can be hybrid if you are based near the Leicester/midlands area or remote based within the UK.
Presentations are central to what the agency does, their creative output also spans a broad range of formats, from digital documents and interactive sales assets to storyboards and motion-led video content. They combine strategic thinking with design craft, transforming complex information into compelling visuals that resonate across audiences and channels.
Role Purpose
As Design Director, you will support the Creative Director on leading the end-to-end creative vision across a key global enterprise client account, driving exceptional standards and shaping high-impact, enterprise-level work. You will operate as a strategic partner to the client, translating complex business challenges into compelling creative solutions.
You will inspire a multidisciplinary design team, mentoring and elevating output while ensuring consistency, innovation, and alignment with brand and business objectives. Acting as the senior creative voice, you will influence client direction, guide storytelling, and champion new ways of working particularly through AI-enabled creative workflows and scalable design systems. This role blends hands-on creative mentoring with strategic thinking, requiring someone confident working with enterprise clients, navigating complexity, and delivering clear, effective visual solutions.
Key Responsibilities
- Creative Strategy
- Support the creative vision across all projects, ensuring work is strategically aligned, innovative, and best-in-class.
- Translate complex client briefs into clear creative direction and compelling visual storytelling.
- Lead the development of digital campaign concepts, presentation design, and storyboards for high-impact communications and event experiences.
- Maintain and evolve creative standards in line with client brand and enterprise positioning.
- Enterprise Client Engagement
- Build strong relationships with senior stakeholders, acting as a trusted creative partner.
- Lead client workshops, briefings, and presentations with clarity and authority.
- Navigate complex challenges with strong problem-solving skills, balancing creativity with commercial and technical requirements.
- Shape briefs collaboratively, ensuring outputs deliver measurable impact.
- AI & Creative Innovation
- Champion the use of AI-powered tools and workflows to enhance creativity, efficiency, and scalability.
- Identify opportunities to embed AI into creative processes beyond surface-level execution.
- Drive innovation across design systems, storytelling, and content production.
- Ensure the team remains up to date with emerging tools and creative technologies.
- Creative Delivery & Craft
- Oversee the creation of high-quality outputs across digital campaigns, events, presentations, and experience-led work.
- Maintain strong hands-on capability across design tools, with expertise in presentation design.
- Ensure all work meets brand, technical, and enterprise-level standards.
- Provide clear creative direction across storyboarding, layout, and visual storytelling.
- Team Mentorship
- Mentor and develop designers (in-house and freelance).
- Provide clear direction and guidance to elevate creative output and capability.
- Support ideation sessions and encourage innovative thinking.
- Foster ownership, accountability, and continuous improvement.
- Creative Operations & Enablement
- Oversee the development of scalable design systems, templates, and reusable assets.
- Embed structured workflows and best practices across the team.
- Partner with project management, content, and client services to ensure seamless delivery.
Skills & Experience
- Strong experience in creative leadership within a design or agency environment.
- Expertise in presentation design and digital communications.
- Proven ability to work with enterprise-level clients and complex projects.
- Excellent storytelling, communication, and stakeholder management skills.
- High attention to detail with strong organisational and delivery capabilities.
Software Experience
- Strong knowledge of PowerPoint.
- Excellent experience across design tools (e.g. InDesign, Illustrator, Photoshop).
- Experience with tools such as Figma, After Effects, and Premiere Pro is a bonus.
- Skilled across AI-powered creative/operational tools (e.g. generative design, automation, workflow, content adaptation tools) Midjourney, Vero, Claude, Firefly, Runway etc.
Please send CV and portfolio stating your salary expectations.
Design Director in Stoke-on-Trent employer: Creative Recruitment Limited - Creative, Digital, Marketing, Creative & Client Services Talent
Join a leading visual communications agency that champions creativity and innovation, offering a dynamic work environment where your expertise as a Design Director will thrive. With a strong focus on AI-driven design solutions, you'll have the opportunity to mentor a talented team while collaborating with prestigious global clients. Enjoy the flexibility of hybrid or remote work options, alongside a culture that prioritises professional growth and fosters a collaborative spirit.
Contact Details:
Creative Recruitment Limited - Creative, Digital, Marketing, Creative & Client Services Talent Recruitment Team
StudySmarter Expert Advice🤫
We think this is how you could land Design Director in Stoke-on-Trent
✨Tip Number 1
Network like a pro! Reach out to your connections in the design world, especially those who work with enterprise clients. A friendly chat can lead to opportunities that aren’t even advertised yet.
✨Tip Number 2
Show off your skills! Create a portfolio that highlights your best work, especially projects that demonstrate your ability to translate complex briefs into stunning visuals. Make sure it’s easy to access and share.
✨Tip Number 3
Prepare for interviews by practising your storytelling skills. Be ready to discuss how you’ve tackled challenges in past projects and how you can bring innovative solutions to the table, especially with AI tools.
✨Tip Number 4
Don’t forget to apply through our website! It’s the best way to ensure your application gets noticed. Plus, we love seeing candidates who take that extra step to connect with us directly.
We think you need these skills to ace Design Director in Stoke-on-Trent
Some tips for your application 🫡
Showcase Your Creative Vision:When applying, make sure to highlight your unique creative approach. We want to see how you translate complex ideas into compelling visuals, so don’t hold back on sharing your design philosophy and past projects that demonstrate this.
Tailor Your CV and Portfolio:Customise your CV and portfolio to align with the job description. We’re looking for someone who can engage with enterprise clients and lead innovative design solutions, so make sure your experience reflects that!
Be Clear About Your AI Experience:Since this role involves championing AI in creative workflows, be upfront about your experience with AI tools. We want to know how you've used them to enhance creativity and efficiency in your past work.
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’re considered for this exciting opportunity as a Design Director!
How to prepare for a job interview at Creative Recruitment Limited - Creative, Digital, Marketing, Creative & Client Services Talent
✨Know Your Creative Vision
Before the interview, take some time to reflect on your creative vision and how it aligns with the agency's goals. Be ready to discuss specific projects where you've successfully translated complex briefs into compelling visuals, showcasing your strategic thinking and design craft.
✨Showcase Your AI Savvy
Since this role emphasises AI-enabled workflows, come prepared to discuss how you've integrated AI tools into your design processes. Share examples of how these tools have enhanced your creativity and efficiency, and be ready to suggest innovative ways they could be used in the agency's projects.
✨Engage with Storytelling
Storytelling is key in this role, so think about how you can demonstrate your ability to craft narratives through design. Prepare a few examples of past work where your storytelling skills made a significant impact, and be ready to discuss how you would approach storytelling for their enterprise clients.
✨Build Rapport with Stakeholders
As a Design Director, you'll need to build strong relationships with senior stakeholders. Practice articulating your communication style and how you engage with clients. Think of ways to showcase your problem-solving skills and how you navigate complex challenges while maintaining creativity and commercial awareness.
