Creative Lead

Salary: £60k- £70k DOE

Holiday: 25 days + UK bank holidays + birthday

Benefits: Personal development budget, workplace pension, employee assistance programme, company social events, summer hours July/August, quarterly bonus scheme

Place of Work: Hybrid- 3 days Studio (EC1M, London), 2 days remote. Flexible working available.

Start Date: ASAP

Probation Period: 6 months from start date

The Creative Lead will be responsible for our studios creative vision, manage client relationships, and implement design processes that drive consistent quality and innovation to become the leaders in our sector. This role is critical to shaping our internal design culture and providing mentorship across teams.

The successful candidate will have experience in visual merchandising, an eye for exceptional design, and the ambition to expand Etch Creative’s market influence.

Key Responsibilities

Creative Leadership, Team Relations & Vision Conceptual Development:

Lead and grow Etch Creative’s conceptual visual merchandising (VM), brand activation and store design services, positioning Etch as a leader in the sector.

Design Consistency: Ensure design consistency and quality by guiding team members throughout the creative process, from initial concept to final product and constantly looking to be elevating our creative offering above and beyond our competitors.

Brand Communication: Develop and maintain internal and external design and presentation documents that align with Etch’s high standards, ensuring a class leading design language.

Wider Team Management: Develop and build a working relationship and system to define and implement a working process to collaborate with our Engineering Team to manage and drive efficiency through manufacturing and project management. Lead quarterly reviews with all direct reports to assign and evaluate measurable objectives which will be monitored for quarterly bonus allocation for team members.

Business Development & Client Relations Onboarding & Relationships:

Cultivate new client and supplier relationships, identifying and securing business opportunities aligned with Etch’s growth strategy.

Market Awareness: Keep up-to-date with industry trends, sustainability advancements, new materials and encourage team exploration in these areas.

Project & Process Management End-to-End Project Management:

Oversee projects from inception to final activation, ensuring deadlines, budgets, and client expectations are met. Managing and maintaining Scoro® across direct reports and liasing with Project Managers to ensure alignment on key financial and service level objectives.

Lean Process Implementation: Develop and enhance project workflows for optimal efficiency, ensuring clarity and accuracy in client and supplier communication.

Strategic Growth & Team Development: Grow and develop a creative team focused on the VM sector, setting the foundation for expansion in alignment with Etch’s growth targets. System & Process Implementation: Lead the establishment of new systems and processes to meet growth objectives for conceptual VM.

Secondary Responsibilities

Project Administration: Manage project communications, including purchase orders, delivery notes, and logistics, to ensure seamless project execution.

Sustainability & Innovation: Drive sustainable design practices within the team, continuously exploring eco-friendly materials and technological innovations.

Studio Culture: Organise and foster in-house creative events that contribute to an inspiring and collaborative studio culture. Maintain a forward-thinking approach to company branding and documentation to ensure etch as a brand remains prominent in the market and in line with current and forecasted trends.

Personal Branding: Maintain a professional online presence (e.g., LinkedIn, Behance) that reflects the values of Etch Creative and your position as a creative leader.

Skills & Qualifications Experience:

Minimum of 5+ years in a senior creative leadership role, preferably within visual merchandising, experiential design, or related fields.

Project Management: Proven experience in managing complex, multi-phase projects from inception through to completion.

Business Development: Strong track record of building and nurturing client relationships, with a proactive approach to sourcing and developing new business.

Technical Skills: Proficiency in Adobe Creative Suite and other industry-standard design software. Knowledge of 3D rendering software Cinema 4D is a plus.

Leadership: Demonstrated experience in mentoring and leading a creative team, with a commitment to fostering a positive and inclusive studio culture and regular, clear and structured feedback and reviews for all direct reports.

Communication: Exceptional verbal and written communication skills, with an ability to articulate and advocate for design concepts to diverse audiences.

This really is a role that can be shaped around the right candidate, whether you are looking to be Head of Design, Design Director, Head of Creative – we are looking for someone with the creative flair to conceptualise wow factor retail displays for some of the worlds most luxurious brands.

Your portfolio must be a show stopper! Please email to emily@etchcreative.co.uk

*YOU MUST BE ABLE TO COMMUTE TO LONDON OFFICE x3 DAYS PER WEEK!