At a Glance
- Tasks: Lead creative direction for exciting brand and campaign projects, including global sports initiatives.
- Company: Join a dynamic B-Corp studio in Guildford with a collaborative culture.
- Benefits: Enjoy hybrid working, competitive salary, personal development, and unique team culture days.
- Other info: Passion for sports, especially racket sports, is a plus!
- Why this job: Make an impact on high-profile campaigns while enjoying genuine autonomy and creative freedom.
- Qualifications: 8+ years in design, strong portfolio, and experience with brand strategy and directing freelancers.
The predicted salary is between 62000 - 68000 £ per year.
We're a six-person B-Corp studio in Guildford looking for a Design Director. A senior, hands-on creative who can take an idea, elevate it, and drive it through to work we're all proud to put our name on.
Around half your time will be spent on a global sports brand moving into brand-first, social-first campaign work — brand guidelines, campaign toolkits, and regional and global rollouts. The other half is varied: rebrands, strategic design projects and campaigns for clients across technology and B2B.
You'll work closely with our Executive Creative Director, and you'll direct our freelance bench of 2D, 3D, animation, film and photography specialists, setting the standard and holding the line on quality. There's real scope to get out on shoots, directing photography and video. We're genuinely collaborative — ideas come from everywhere here, and the best one wins regardless of who had it. Leadership is earned, and it's there to take.
Everyone here is senior enough to manage their own work and their own diary, and is trusted to get on with it. No unnecessary layers, no agency politics.
We're also early in our AI journey, building it into how we brief, research and produce. If that interests you, it's a good moment to join.
The role
- Leading creative direction across brand and campaign work
- Developing campaign ideas that work across multiple channels — social-first content through to print and environmental
- Building and evolving brand identities, visual systems, guidelines and campaign toolkits for regional and global rollout
- Directing our freelance bench, including film, video and photography direction and editing
- Quality-checking work to both creative and technical standards before it leaves the studio
- Presenting and defending work directly to clients
- Bringing creative thinking into pitches and new business alongside the ECD
What we're looking for
- Around 8+ years in an agency or studio, with time at senior, lead or director level
- A portfolio strong on both concept and craft, showing brand and campaign work — and evidence of consistency across volume, not only one-off showpieces
- Strong conceptual thinking: you generate original ideas rather than jumping straight to execution, and you can turn a complex brief into a clear creative narrative
- Brand strategy awareness — positioning, audiences, and connecting business objectives to creative solutions
- Fluency in social-first, platform-native campaign creative
- An exceptional eye for detail and strong typographic craft
- Confident with print artwork and production
- Experience briefing and directing freelancers — photographers, filmmakers, animators and other specialists
- Experience with high-profile brands and/or complex campaign rollouts
- Figma as your day-to-day, alongside advanced Adobe CS. Motion skills an advantage
A word on sport
A meaningful part of this role is racket sports — tennis in particular. We're not just looking for a fan. We're looking for someone who can get properly under the skin of a subculture and make work that people inside it recognise as true. If that's tennis for you, brilliant. If you've done it with running, football, climbing, skate or music, we're just as interested.
What we offer
- £62,000–£68,000 depending on experience, plus:
- Hybrid working — ideally 3 days a week in the Guildford studio, 2 remote
- 9–5. No evenings, no weekend heroics
- Genuine autonomy — you manage your own diary
- Exposure to a major global sports brand, alongside work in technology and B2B
- Structured personal development and training
- Pension scheme and salary sacrifice EV scheme
- Birthday day off and volunteer days
- Carbon reduction commitments and regular team culture days
As a B-Corp studio, we look for people who share our commitment to responsible, thoughtful ways of working.
Apply
We value thoughtful, genuine applications that reflect your own experience and perspective. This helps us understand how you think and approach your work, which is more important to us than polished or generic responses.
Please send your CV and a link to your portfolio to us. We're committed to building a diverse and inclusive team. We welcome applications from people of all backgrounds, experiences and perspectives, and we believe this makes our work and our business stronger.
Design Director in Woking employer: Orangery® | B CorpTM
At Orangery®, we pride ourselves on being a collaborative and innovative B-Corp studio located in Guildford, where creativity thrives and every voice is valued. As a Design Director, you'll enjoy genuine autonomy in your role, working on exciting projects for a global sports brand while also having the opportunity to shape your own career through structured personal development. With a strong commitment to responsible practices, a supportive work culture, and flexible hybrid working arrangements, we offer an environment where you can truly make an impact and grow professionally.
StudySmarter Expert Advice🤫
We think this is how you could land Design Director in Woking
✨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 Orangery® | B CorpTM.
✨Tailor Your Applications
When you’re applying for a full-time role at a creative company like Orangery® | B CorpTM, 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 Director in Woking
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 Orangery® | B CorpTM 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 Orangery® | B CorpTM.
Craft a Compelling Cover Letter:In your cover letter, share your design philosophy and what excites you about working at Orangery® | B CorpTM. 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 Orangery® | B CorpTM.
How to prepare for a job interview at Orangery® | B CorpTM
✨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 Orangery® | B CorpTM. They want to see not just a skilled designer, but someone who'll bring passion and fresh ideas to the team.
