Design Director (2.5 days p/w) in London

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: As Design Director, you'll serve as both brand guardian and strategic creative partner for Client - leading the studio's creative output while building close relationships with senior stakeholders across marketing, communications, and the partnership. This is a director‑level role with genuine scope: you'll set the creative vision, maintain brand consistency across all channels, and develop the talent around you. You'll work closely with OLIVER's creative leadership, bringing your expertise to everything from campaign concepting and typographic craft to team coaching and executive presentations.

What you will be doing:

• Lead all visual communications for Client, acting as brand guardian across print, digital, social, and events - ensuring consistency, quality, and strategic alignment at every touchpoint.
• Set the creative vision and direction for the studio, translating complex briefs from senior stakeholders into compelling, sophisticated design solutions.
• Build, mentor, and develop the in‑house creative team - providing clear creative direction, constructive feedback, and ongoing coaching that elevates individual craft and collective output.
• Serve as the primary creative partner to senior Client stakeholders, including marketing leadership and firm partners, presenting creative strategy and executions with confidence and clarity at executive level.
• Oversee the production of high‑quality communications tailored for professional services audiences - from thought leadership campaigns and pitches to events and digital content.
• Champion and evolve Client's brand system, keeping it contemporary, distinctive, and appropriate for a regulated sector environment.
• Manage multiple concurrent projects across the portfolio, balancing hands‑on creative contribution with leadership responsibilities and proactive problem‑solving.
• Collaborate with OLIVER's wider creative and account leadership to identify opportunities to grow the studio's offering and deepen the Client relationship.
• Oversee studio‑level production budgets - including cost estimation, supplier relationships, and spend reporting - ensuring financial performance aligns with Client and OLIVER expectations.
• Drive responsible integration of AI tools across studio workflows, setting quality standards and governance that preserve craft excellence while improving efficiency.

What you need to be great in this role:

• A strong portfolio of sophisticated brand and campaign work, with particular depth in B2B, corporate, or professional services environments.
• Expert-level understanding of brand systems - how to build, maintain, and evolve them within complex, regulated contexts.
• A track record of leading and developing creative teams, with a coaching approach that brings out the best in people at all levels.
• Experience presenting creative work to executive and partner‑level audiences, with the presence and communication skills to hold a room and advocate for ideas with conviction.
• Deep craft knowledge across print and digital - typography, layout, art direction, and visual storytelling - with the ability to contribute hands‑on when the work demands it.
• Proficiency with Adobe Creative Suite (Photoshop, Illustrator, InDesign) and familiarity with Figma and contemporary design tooling.
• Experience managing studio‑level or project‑level production budgets, including supplier relationships and cost oversight.
• Experience integrating AI tools strategically across studio projects and operations, with the ability to set quality standards and governance at studio level.
• Clear understanding of where AI enhances creative output - and where human craft and judgement remain essential.
• Drives thoughtful AI adoption within the team, maintaining rigorous human oversight and mentoring others in responsible, effective use.
• Agentic approach to complex creative and business challenges: systematic, adaptive, and focused on outcomes.

Our values shape everything we do:

• Be Ambitious to succeed.
• Be Imaginative to push the boundaries of what's possible.
• Be Inspirational to do groundbreaking work.
• Be always learning and listening to understand.
• Be Results-focused to exceed expectations.