Design Lead in London

Design Lead in London

London Full-Time 60000 - 80000 £ / year (est.) No working from home possible
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At a Glance

  • Tasks: Lead creative projects from concept to delivery, crafting award-winning campaigns.
  • Company: Join a dynamic team at a leading creative agency focused on innovation.
  • Benefits: Collaborative environment, opportunities for growth, and the chance to work on exciting projects.
  • Other info: Be part of a culture that values creativity, collaboration, and continuous improvement.
  • Why this job: Make an immediate impact with your creativity and leadership in a fast-paced setting.
  • Qualifications: Proven design experience, strong conceptual skills, and excellent presentation abilities.

The predicted salary is between 60000 - 80000 £ per year.

Accepting applications until: 26 June 2026

Design Lead – Creative Outdoor

Your New Role:

As a Design Lead you'll take genuine ownership of creative work from concept to delivery. You're an ideas person and a maker: providing conceptual leadership, art directing, and designing integrated campaigns across our OOH portfolio - motion, digital, 3D, and beyond. You will have a strong desire to make award-worthy campaigns and push to raise the bar of creative excellence across the industry. You'll work closely with the Creative Director and Head of Creative on campaign development, ensuring every piece of output meets our high standards from strategy through to final delivery. You'll collaborate with brands and agencies across all sectors, present creative solutions to clients, and contribute to new business pitches.

This is creative leadership with immediate impact. The Creative Director needs an experienced partner to handle oversight and direction - your judgement will be visible to leadership and clients from day one.

As a Design Lead at Global, you will:

  • Key Responsibilities
  • 20% Lead conceptual development on briefs from initial strategy through to final creative execution
  • 40% Generate original, strategically sound creative ideas that align with client objectives and Global's creative vision
  • 10% Collaborate with the Creative Director and Head of Creative to shape campaign narratives and ensure creative excellence
  • 10% Present concepts confidently to internal teams and external clients, articulating your rationale and responding to feedback with clarity
  • 10% Contribute creative thinking to new business pitches and proactive campaign ideas

What You’ll Love About This Role

  • Think Big: No one day will be the same - taking a random observation and making it happen
  • Own It: Relationship building. Building and maintaining excellent relationships with key Creative Agency clients, proactively identifying opportunities to deliver innovative and award-winning campaigns
  • Keep it Simple: Keep things moving and people in the loop by keeping the tracker tidy with clear next steps, and friendly updates when things change
  • Better Together: Opportunity to be part of developing new products to market from ideation to execution and implementation

What Success Looks Like

In your first few months, you’ll have:

  • Delivered award-worthy creative work across at least three client campaigns, demonstrating your ability to balance conceptual thinking with flawless execution
  • Built strong relationships with the Creative Director, Head of Creative, Commercial teams, and key external clients
  • Presented creative concepts confidently to internal and external stakeholders, showing your ability to articulate ideas and manage feedback
  • Identified opportunities to improve processes, tools, or ways of working within the creative team
  • Contributed meaningfully to at least one new business pitch or innovation pilot
  • Demonstrated your leadership style by championing creativity, experimentation and providing constructive feedback on team output.

What You’ll Need

  • Proven senior-level design experience in an agency, creative studio, or in-house team (OOH, advertising, or integrated campaigns)
  • Strong conceptual skills: You're a creative thinker who can generate original ideas, not just execute them
  • Outstanding design craft across digital, print, motion, and 3D formats—with a portfolio that proves it
  • Art direction experience: You can lead the visual direction of campaigns and guide others to execute your vision
  • Excellent presentation skills: Confident presenting creative work to clients and senior stakeholders
  • Collaborative mindset: You work well with cross-functional teams and thrive in a fast-paced, dynamic environment
  • Attention to detail: You care about craft and quality, and you don't let anything substandard go out the door
  • Expert-level proficiency in Adobe Creative Suite (Photoshop, Illustrator, InDesign); confident in motion tools (After Effects, Premiere, or similar)

Creating a place we all belong at Global

Design Lead in London employer: Global Media Group

At Global, we pride ourselves on fostering a vibrant and inclusive work culture that encourages creativity and innovation. As a Design Lead, you'll have the opportunity to collaborate with talented professionals in a dynamic environment, where your ideas will be valued and your growth supported through ongoing development opportunities. With a focus on delivering award-winning campaigns, you'll enjoy the thrill of making an immediate impact while building strong relationships with clients and colleagues alike.

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Contact Details:

Global Media Group Recruitment Team

StudySmarter Expert Advice🤫

We think this is how you could land Design Lead in London

Show Off Your Skills with a Killer Portfolio

As a graphic designer, your portfolio is your secret weapon! Make sure it's not just a collection of your work but showcases your creative process too. Use platforms like Behance or Dribbble to share your designs and gain visibility within the design community.

Get Involved in Design Meetups

Networking is key in the design world! Check out local design meetups or workshops where you can connect with other creatives and potential employers. This is a goldmine for finding unadvertised job openings at companies like Global Media Group.

Tailor Your Applications

When you’re applying for a full-time role at a creative company like Global Media Group, don’t go for a one-size-fits-all approach. Ensure your application highlights specific projects or styles that align with their brand image, showing that you’re a perfect fit for their team.

Leverage Social Media

Don't underestimate the power of social media in landing your dream design job! Share your work on platforms like Instagram or Pinterest, and engage with accounts from your desired companies—this could put you on their radar before they start hiring.

We think you need these skills to ace Design Lead in London

Creative Leadership
Conceptual Development
Art Direction
Presentation Skills
Collaboration
Attention to Detail
Design Craft

Some tips for your application 🫡

Showcase Your Portfolio:Your portfolio is your visual CV! Make sure to include a link to your best design projects that showcase your creativity and versatility. Tailor it to include works that relate to the kind of design work Global Media Group does, so they can see you in action.

Tailor Your CV for Design:When crafting your CV, highlight your design skills and software proficiencies, like Adobe Creative Suite or Sketch. Mention any relevant experience you have with branding, UI/UX design, or typography, as we want to see how you fit in with the creative team at Global Media Group.

Craft a Compelling Cover Letter:In your cover letter, share your design philosophy and what excites you about working at Global Media Group. Let us know how you approach your design projects and any specific campaigns or themes that resonate with you, showing we’re not just a good fit but a perfect match!

Highlight Collaboration Skills:As a graphic designer, you often work with various teams and stakeholders. In your application, mention experiences where you've collaborated with others to bring a project to life, whether it's with clients, writers, or developers. This shows you can thrive in a team environment, which is key at Global Media Group.

How to prepare for a job interview at Global Media Group

Get Your Portfolio Ready

Your portfolio is your secret weapon in graphic design interviews! Make sure it's showing off your best work, with a variety of styles and projects that highlight different skills — from branding to digital illustration. Be prepared to talk through each piece, focusing on your creative process and the tools you used.

Know Your Design Tools Inside Out

Familiarity with software like Adobe Creative Suite is a must! Brush up on your skills with Photoshop, Illustrator, and InDesign, as interviewers might dive into specific technical questions or ask for your workflow. If you’ve worked with any innovative tools or techniques, don't hesitate to showcase that expertise!

Prepare for Design Challenges

Some companies may throw a design challenge your way during the interview! This might involve sketching out ideas or solving a branding issue on the spot. Practising these quick thinking exercises beforehand can help us show off our creativity and adaptability.

Passion Counts

For a full-time position, showing genuine enthusiasm for design is key! Talk about your inspirations, the projects you're excited about, and why you're drawn to Global Media Group. They want to see not just a skilled designer, but someone who'll bring passion and fresh ideas to the team.