Lead Digital Designer (UX/UI/AI) in Hampshire, Portsmouth

Permanent / Full-time

Salary: £45k+ DOE

We back talent and ambition - whether you’re a high-performing Senior ready to step into leadership or an experienced Lead looking to build and shape a design function properly. This is not a “sit in the corner and design” role. This is a chance to own the standard, raise the bar and help build the future of design at LDOT. Show us the impact you can make and we’ll show you the package to match.

Who We Are

God-mode designers. Performance perfectionists. Straight-talkers. We are LDOT, a digital-first marketing agency in Southampton with a simple obsession: design that blows jaws off and campaigns that actually deliver ROI. No jargon. No fluff. Just world-class work that punches above its weight and makes competitors cry into their dashboards. We are scaling - fast. Bigger clients. More complex builds. Higher expectations. And that means our design function needs leadership, structure and ambition to match. We’re not hiring “another designer.” We’re hiring the person who will lead design as we grow.

About This Role

This is a genuine Lead role. You will:

• Set the standard for what great looks like at LDOT.
• Own the quality of our digital output.
• Mentor and direct freelance and in-house designers.
• Champion innovation, including the intelligent use of AI.
• Work alongside strategy and leadership to shape the direction of the agency.

Yes, you’ll still design - this is a hands-on role. Roughly 80% web design and 20% digital artwork. But you’ll also:

• Guide projects from strategy through to delivery.
• Protect the LDOT standard before work reaches clients.
• Build systems and processes that allow design quality to scale.
• Help us grow from a brilliant design team into a formidable design function.

You’ll combine strategic thinking with serious design craft. You’ll bring ideas to life in Figma. And you’ll present them with the confidence of someone who knows design changes businesses.

What You Will Do

• Join client kick-offs and extract the insights that shape project strategy.
• Design websites, landing pages and systems that blend performance with creativity.
• Build and maintain component-driven design systems in Figma.
• Create wireframes and lo-fi prototypes that evolve into stunning hi-fi designs.
• Support with content updates for client sites (WordPress preferred).
• Deliver digital and occasionally print design as part of wider client accounts.
• Present and hand over designs confidently — in person or via tools like Loom.
• Collaborate closely with strategists, developers and marketers to deliver campaigns that look as good as they perform.
• Contribute thought leadership through articles, playbooks, social posts, award entries and more.

Design Leadership

• Take ownership of the design function at LDOT, setting the standard for craft, performance and presentation.
• Lead and mentor freelance and in-house designers, providing clear briefs, constructive feedback and quality control.
• Manage design resourcing across projects, ensuring the right talent is deployed at the right time.
• Establish and evolve internal design processes, templates and best practice to improve speed and consistency.
• Review and sign off key deliverables before client presentation, protecting the LDOT standard.
• Support hiring and onboarding of additional designers as we scale.
• Help shape the long-term vision for LDOT’s design capability.

AI & Innovation

• Champion the smart use of AI within the design process to increase speed, quality and creative exploration.
• Identify and implement AI tools that enhance ideation, wireframing, asset creation and workflow efficiency.
• Lead experimentation with AI-assisted design while maintaining LDOT’s craft, originality and performance standards.
• Upskill the wider team in practical AI applications within UX/UI and digital design.
• Treat AI as a performance multiplier, not a gimmick.

What You Bring

• Strategic & Leadership Skills
• Confidence during design phase onboarding.
• Clear communication and presentation skills, live or recorded.
• Ability to align design decisions with business goals and performance metrics.
• A collaboration mindset - working seamlessly with strategists, developers and marketers.
• Experience leading or mentoring designers, freelancers or junior team members.
• High standards and the confidence to challenge work that doesn’t meet them.
• Ability to give clear, actionable creative feedback that elevates output.
• Ownership mindset - you step in and lead.
• Calm decision-making under pressure, balancing creativity with deadlines and commercial priorities.
• Curiosity and proactive adoption of AI tools that enhance strategic creative thinking.
• Ability to balance automation with craft - knowing when AI accelerates output and when human judgement leads.
• A forward-thinking mindset that keeps LDOT at the cutting edge.

Core Technical Skills

• Figma: auto-layout, component libraries, variables and responsive design.
• Strong UI/UX experience, building designs with conversion at the heart.
• Graphic design skills across Photoshop and Illustrator.
• Basic CMS knowledge (WordPress ideal).
• Wireframing and page layout skills designed for performance.
• Experience balancing performance-driven design with creative, award-worthy ideas.

Performance & Analytical Skills

• Conversion Rate Optimisation mindset - always testing, tweaking, improving.
• Strategic process understanding: strategy → wireframe → lo-fi → hi-fi → dev handover → QA & feedback rounds.
• Critical thinking: designs led by purpose, not just decoration.

Why LDOT®?

Because average is not in our vocabulary. Here you will:

• Lead, not just execute.
• Shape the direction of design within a fast-scaling agency.
• Work on high-profile, high-impact projects that stretch you.
• Have the freedom to innovate and test ideas that excite you.
• Collaborate with A-players who raise the bar daily.
• Accelerate your career faster than in any “safe corporate” environment.
• Earn a competitive package that rewards impact, not time served.
• Gain access to fully-funded, career-changing training as part of progression.

This is one of the most exciting times to join LDOT. We’re scaling fast, taking on bigger clients and bolder projects. If you want to help build something — not just sit inside it — now is the moment.

Ready To Apply?

This is not for coasters. It’s for the ambitious. The hungry. The ones who want to own it. If you’re ready to lead, raise standards and do the best work of your career, we want to hear from you. Apply now and let’s make design that actually works.