Branding Design Director (Freelance)

M+C Saatchi Middle East; Dubai; On-site; AED 180,000 - 360,000; Full time

Job summary

M+C Saatchi Group in Dubai is seeking an exceptional Freelance Design Director to lead strategically driven brand identities and visual campaigns. You will craft distinctive brand worlds that are commercially effective and creatively outstanding.

We’re seeking a strategic thinker with world-class branding, proficiency in Adobe Creative Suite, and the ability to direct photography, typography, color, and visual storytelling. Experience with AI tools like Midjourney and Krea is highly valued.

Qualifications

• A highly strategic designer with outstanding branding and visual identity experience.
• Ability to create high-level brand systems aligned with business objectives and campaign strategies.
• Conceptual thinker who elevates creative quality and drives award-winning work.
• Deep understanding of design, culture, trends and visual storytelling.
• Strong art direction with exceptional photography, typography and color skills.
• Proficiency with AI tools to create distinct imagery for brands and campaigns.
• Excellent presentation design and ability to craft compelling decks and narratives.
• Experience leading and mentoring designers across large campaigns.

Responsibilities

• Lead the creation of strategically driven, world-class brand identities and campaigns.
• Develop distinctive brand worlds that are strategically grounded and visually exceptional.
• Direct large-scale campaigns across multiple touchpoints with consistency and craft.
• Mentor designers, set direction, and elevate quality at every project stage.

Skills

Branding & visual identity

Art direction

Brand systems

AI imagery (Midjourney/Krea)

Adobe Creative Suite

Presentation design

Team leadership & mentorship

Typography & color theory

Tools

Midjourney

Krea

Photoshop

Illustrator

InDesign

Keynote

Job description

We’re looking for an exceptional Freelance Design Director to lead the creation of strategically driven, world‑class brand identities and visual campaigns.

This is a role for someone who thinks beyond execution, someone who can see the bigger picture, challenge convention, and consistently push creative work into award‑winning territory. You’ll be responsible for developing distinctive brand worlds that are strategically grounded, visually exceptional, and commercially effective.

What we’re looking for

• A highly strategic designer with outstanding branding and visual identity experience.
• The ability to create thoughtful, high-level brand systems that align with business objectives and campaign strategies.
• A conceptual thinker who brings ambitious ideas to every project and proactively elevates creative quality.
• A deep understanding of design, advertising, fashion, architecture, culture and emerging visual trends, ensuring work feels relevant, contemporary and future-focused.
• Strong art direction skills, with an exceptional eye for photography, composition, colour, typography and visual storytelling.
• The ability to develop compelling visual mood directions that define the creative vision for brands and campaigns.
• Advanced AI capabilities, with expert knowledge of Midjourney and Krea to create distinctive, ownable, cinematic imagery for brands and campaigns.
• A strategic approach to typography, colour and visual systems that builds memorable and ownable brand worlds.
• Outstanding presentation design skills, with the ability to craft beautifully considered decks, mock‑ups and visual narratives that bring ideas to life.
• Expert proficiency across Adobe Creative Suite (Photoshop, Illustrator and InDesign) and Keynote.
• Highly efficient with the ability to lead the rollout of large‑scale campaigns across multiple touchpoints while maintaining exceptional craft and consistency.
• Proven experience leading and mentoring designers, setting direction and ensuring the highest standards of execution throughout every stage of a project.

We’re looking for someone who combines strategic thinking, exceptional design and visual craft, and the power of AI to create work that not only looks beautiful, but defines brands, influences culture and sets new creative benchmarks.

We are looking for permanent as well as long term freelance candidates who are willing to work from office.

M+C Saatchi Group was founded in 1995 and is now the biggest Independent creative agency group in the World. Founded on one core principle, Brutal Simplicity.