At a Glance
- Tasks: Lead innovative exterior design projects and shape the future of McLaren vehicles.
- Company: Join McLaren, a leader in automotive design and innovation.
- Benefits: Enjoy 25 days holiday, enhanced pension, private medical insurance, and more.
- Other info: Collaborative environment with a focus on diversity and inclusion.
- Why this job: Make a real impact on cutting-edge vehicle designs and drive innovation.
- Qualifications: Proven experience in automotive exterior design and strong leadership skills.
The predicted salary is between 80000 - 100000 € per year.
The Head of Advanced Exterior Design leads the creation and development of advanced exterior design projects across McLaren. The role is responsible for driving innovative design solutions within defined packaging constraints, shaping future vehicle architecture, and ensuring the output remains contemporary, technically credible, and aligned with McLaren’s brand direction and design ambition.
Responsibilities
- Lead advanced exterior design projects from concept through to design development.
- Create innovative and visually compelling exterior design solutions around fixed or evolving vehicle packages.
- Influence and support the development of future vehicle architectures through strong design vision and design‑led thinking.
- Ensure all design outputs are progressive, on‑trend, and consistent with McLaren’s design language and brand values.
- Collaborate closely with engineering, aerodynamics, product strategy, and studio leadership to balance creativity with technical feasibility.
- Present design proposals clearly and confidently to senior stakeholders and decision‑makers.
- Guide and mentor designers within the advanced exterior design team, fostering a high‑performance and collaborative environment.
- Contribute to the broader McLaren Design strategy through thought leadership, innovation, and cross‑functional collaboration.
- Support the identification of emerging trends, technologies, and design opportunities relevant to future McLaren products.
- Maintain a strong awareness of competitor activity, market direction, and customer expectations to ensure design relevance and differentiation.
Qualifications
- Exceptional exterior design vision with a proven ability to deliver innovative automotive concepts.
- Strong understanding of vehicle packaging, proportion, surfacing, and design feasibility.
- Ability to influence architecture and technical development through design insight.
- High level of creativity, strategic thinking, and aesthetic judgment.
- Strong presentation, communication, and stakeholder management skills.
- Ability to lead projects and teams in a fast‑paced, high‑expectation environment.
- Excellent collaboration skills across design, engineering, and program functions.
- Deep awareness of automotive design trends, premium/luxury market expectations, and future mobility direction.
- Extensive experience in automotive exterior design, ideally within premium, luxury, or performance brands.
- Demonstrated success leading advanced or concept‑led exterior design projects.
- Experience working closely with cross‑functional technical teams on complex vehicle programs.
- Proven ability to translate strategic intent into highly resolved design proposals.
- Leadership experience within a design studio or advanced design environment.
Personal Attributes
- Highly creative and visually sophisticated.
- Proactive, confident, and solution‑oriented.
- Able to balance originality with practicality.
- Strong sense of design leadership and accountability.
- Passionate about innovation, brand building, and design excellence.
Benefits
- 25 days’ holiday, plus bank holiday.
- Annual buy & sell up to five days.
- Enhanced company pension scheme.
- Discretionary annual bonus award.
- Private medical insurance and health cash plan.
- Life assurance benefit.
- Ability to apply for a sabbatical of up to one year after only two years’ service.
- Benefits you can adapt to your lifestyle, such as discounted shopping.
- Generous parental leave policies.
- A range of wellbeing initiatives, such as employee assistance programme and free financial & mortgage advice.
McLaren Automotive commits to equal opportunity for all. Diversity, Equality and Inclusion is at the heart of our impact, it drives our innovation and enables us to truly create something special.
Head of Advanced Exterior Design employer: McLaren
McLaren Automotive is an exceptional employer that fosters a culture of innovation and creativity, making it an ideal place for the Head of Advanced Exterior Design to thrive. With a commitment to employee growth, McLaren offers extensive benefits including generous holiday allowances, enhanced pension schemes, and wellbeing initiatives, all within a collaborative environment that values diversity and inclusion. Located in a dynamic automotive hub, employees are encouraged to push boundaries and shape the future of luxury vehicle design while enjoying a supportive work-life balance.
StudySmarter Expert Advice🤫
We think this is how you could land Head of Advanced Exterior Design
✨Tip Number 1
Network like a pro! Get out there and connect with people in the automotive design industry. Attend events, join online forums, and don’t be shy about reaching out to McLaren employees on LinkedIn. You never know who might have the inside scoop on job openings!
✨Tip Number 2
Show off your portfolio! When you land that interview, make sure to bring a killer portfolio that highlights your best exterior design projects. Tailor it to showcase how your work aligns with McLaren’s innovative design ethos and brand values.
✨Tip Number 3
Practice your pitch! Be ready to present your design ideas clearly and confidently. Think about how you can influence future vehicle architectures and be prepared to discuss your vision for McLaren’s design direction during interviews.
✨Tip Number 4
Stay updated on trends! Keep an eye on emerging automotive design trends and technologies. This knowledge will not only help you in interviews but also show that you’re passionate about innovation and staying ahead of the curve in the industry.
We think you need these skills to ace Head of Advanced Exterior Design
Some tips for your application 🫡
Show Off Your Design Vision:When you're crafting your application, make sure to highlight your exceptional exterior design vision. Share specific examples of innovative automotive concepts you've delivered, and how they align with McLaren's brand direction and design ambition.
Balance Creativity with Technical Feasibility:We want to see how you can blend creativity with practicality. In your written application, discuss your understanding of vehicle packaging and how you've influenced architecture and technical development through your design insights.
Communicate Clearly and Confidently:Your presentation skills matter! Use your application to demonstrate how you can clearly communicate design proposals to stakeholders. This is your chance to show us your strong communication and stakeholder management skills.
Collaborate and Lead:Collaboration is key at McLaren. In your application, mention your experience working closely with cross-functional teams and how you've led projects in a fast-paced environment. We love seeing candidates who can foster a high-performance and collaborative atmosphere!
How to prepare for a job interview at McLaren
✨Know Your Design Vision
Before the interview, take some time to refine your design vision. Be ready to discuss how your innovative ideas align with McLaren's brand direction and design ambition. Think about specific projects you've led that showcase your ability to create compelling exterior designs.
✨Master the Art of Collaboration
Since this role involves working closely with engineering and other teams, prepare examples of how you've successfully collaborated in the past. Highlight your communication skills and how you balance creativity with technical feasibility to achieve outstanding results.
✨Stay Ahead of Trends
Familiarise yourself with the latest automotive design trends and competitor activities. Be prepared to discuss how these insights can influence future vehicle architectures at McLaren. Showing that you're proactive about market direction will impress the interviewers.
✨Present with Confidence
Practice presenting your design proposals clearly and confidently. Use visual aids if possible, and be ready to answer questions from senior stakeholders. Demonstrating strong presentation skills will show that you can effectively communicate your design vision and influence decision-makers.
