Design Director London, England, United Kingdom

Established in 2004, OLIVER is the world’s first and only specialist in designing, building, and running bespoke in-house agencies and marketing ecosystems for brands. We partner with over 300 clients in 40+ countries and counting. Our unique model drives creativity and efficiency, allowing us to deliver tailored solutions that resonate deeply with audiences. As a part of The Brandtech Group, we’re at the forefront of leveraging cutting‑edge AI technology to revolutionise how we create and deliver work. Our AI solutions enhance efficiency, spark creativity, and drive insightful decision‑making, empowering our teams to produce innovative and impactful results.

About the role

Working in close partnership with the brand's senior stakeholders, you will provide strategic creative leadership and set the standard for impactful, audience driven design across multiple channels. This role relies on the ability to build strong, trusted and collaborative relationships: you’ll work closely with stakeholders, build trust, and bring people with you through clear narrative, persuasive communication, and confident presentation. You will bring a proven record of delivering high value conceptual and crafted design, coupled with the confidence to challenge assumptions, negotiate priorities, and guide teams toward ambitious creative outcomes. With strong judgment and initiative, you will push the boundaries of what great design can achieve, ensuring visual storytelling continues to inspire, engage, and strengthen its connection with audiences.

What you will be doing

• Leading a studio of designers, working closely with the client's Marketing and Editorial teams to produce stunning communications, with guidance from OLIVER’s Head of Design and Group Creative Director.
• Building tight, honest and robust relationships with client stakeholders, being their trusted commercial creative partner.
• Working closely with the client's Executive Creative Director to ensure total brand consistency throughout all commercial communications.
• In team collaboration – working hand in hand with the Group Account Director and as a creative partner to the lead conceptual copywriter.
• Hands on, generating strong craft and conceptual design using industry best practice.
• Crafting award worthy creative solutions for ATL, BTL and TTL campaigns – from branded toolkits to digital first marketing activity.
• Being the brand guardian, ensuring quality, accuracy and consistency for the studio's output.
• Inter agency collaboration to ensure craft and design standards across external agency projects.
• Growing and mentoring a team of designers to grow and develop their skills.
• Influencing and owning look and feel across all products in the brand portfolio.
• Taking responsibility for the flow and quality of work produced in a time efficient manner.
• Handling multiple projects simultaneously in a fast paced environment.
• Staying on top of industry trends in art, illustration, AI, typography, advertising and the wider media landscape.

What you need to be great in this role

• Obsessed with impactful ideas, graphics, typography, layout, and communication hierarchy.
• Confident embracing a complex brand system.
• Strong communication skills that allow you to sell ideas in an effective way.
• Proactive, collaborative, can do attitude with a determined work ethic.
• The ability to manage, lead, mentor and develop the careers of other designers.
• Excellent understanding of brand guidelines and graphic design principles.
• Familiarity with a range of channels and formats, including print and digital OOH, print ads, CRM, social media and online content.
• Ability to collaborate well with multiple stakeholders.
• Proactive, solutions focused mindset with the strength to get to the heart of a brief quickly.
• Curious to explore, experiment and stay updated with the latest in AI; experience in AI a plus.
• A working knowledge of motion design and storyboarding is a bonus.
• Keen sense of personal responsibility for the quality, presentation and accuracy of all work.
• 7+ years’ experience as a design leader working in a brand/marketing/design/advertising role.

Our values shape everything we do:

• Be Imaginative to push the boundaries of what’s possible.
• Be always learning and listening to understand.
• Be actively pro-inclusive and anti-racist across our community, clients and creations.

Equity, diversity and inclusion statement

OLIVER, a part of the Brandtech Group, is an equal opportunity employer committed to creating an inclusive working environment where all employees are encouraged to reach their full potential, and individual differences are valued and respected. All applicants shall be considered for employment without regard to race, ethnicity, religion, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, age, neurodivergence, disability status, or any other characteristic protected by local laws.

Sustainability

OLIVER has set ambitious environmental goals around sustainability, with science-based emissions reduction targets. Collectively, we work towards our mission, embedding sustainability into every department and through every stage of the project lifecycle.