Design Director - 12M FTC Experience Design

The Branding Journal; Greater London; Hybrid; GBP 95,000 - 150,000; Full time

Job summary

Landor in London is seeking a Design Director (Experience) to lead the creative strategy for experiential brand work across spatial design, retail environments, and exhibitions. This role demands translating brand insights into memorable experiences and guiding multi-disciplinary teams from brief through launch.

You will lead workshops, present design strategies, and nurture a high-performing design culture within a hybrid work model, four days in-office.

Qualifications

• Significant design experience in a brand-focused agency or similar environment.

Responsibilities

• Define and champion the creative vision and design strategy for experience-led projects, including spatial design and branded spaces.

Skills

Brand design

Strategic thinking

Leadership

Client storytelling

Stakeholder management

Financial awareness

Mentoring

Team leadership

Creative trends

Tools

Adobe Creative Suite

Figma

Miro

Cinema 4D

Rhino

AutoCAD

SketchUp

Vectorworks

Job description

Landor is looking for a Design Director (Experience) to join our London studio. Could this be you?

We are Landor, part of WPP
World-leading brand experts,
underpinned by the most expansive strategic & creative capabilities in our category.
We make brands more valuable and less vulnerable.
We build brands differently. We work with our clients to define and solve their business problems through the lens of brand. We strategically join the dots between our design, experience, governance and measurement capabilities, and always connect our brand work to business outcomes.
Landor companies also include amp (sonic branding), bdg (workplace & architectural experts), Deep Local (creative technologists) and ManvsMachine (3D motion design).

About WPP

WPP is the trusted growth partner for the world’s leading brands. We unitecutting-edge media intelligence and data solutions, world-class creativity, next-generation production, transformative enterprise solutions and expert strategic counselin a single company –powered by exceptional talent and our agentic marketing platform, WPP Open,to help our clients navigate change, capture opportunity and deliver transformational growth. For more information, visit WPP.com.

What you’ll do

• Define and champion the creative vision and design strategy for experience-led projects, including spatial design, retail environments, branded spaces, pop‑ups, exhibitions and expos.
• Translate brand, business and audience insights into distinctive concepts and memorable experiences that connect physical and digital touchpoints.
• Lead projects from initial brief, research and concept development through design development, prototyping, production, fabrication, installation and launch.
• Shape cohesive spatial experiences, guiding elements such as customer and visitor journeys, layouts, circulation, materials, lighting, graphics, signage, wayfinding, content and interactive technology.
• Lead multiple projects concurrently, delivering innovative, high-quality work that meets client objectives and strengthens their brand.
• Collaborate with clients and multidisciplinary teams—including strategy, brand, digital, architecture, production and client services—to develop integrated solutions.
• Oversee design reviews, technical coordination, prototypes, mock‑ups and site implementation, resolving challenges while protecting the creative vision and ensuring designs are practical to build and operate.
• Ensure solutions consider accessibility, inclusivity, sustainability, safety, operational needs and project requirements.
• Act as a senior creative partner to clients: build trusted relationships, lead workshops, present design strategies and communicate a clear point of view.
• Lead creative development for client pitches and new business opportunities when required.
• Partner with Client Services to align scope, resourcing, schedules and budgets with project and financial goals while identifying opportunities for growth.
• Set a high standard for creative excellence, providing constructive critique and guidance to strengthen team output.
• Recruit, mentor and inspire designers, fostering a supportive, ambitious and collaborative creative culture.
• Identify opportunities to develop the team’s capabilities and support its future growth.
• Build strong relationships with client‑side creative teams, production partners and suppliers to ensure continuity and quality from concept to completion.
• Serve as an internal leader in experience and spatial design, collaborating across the business to solve complex creative and strategic challenges.

What you’ll need

• Significant design experience in a brand‑focused design agency or similar environment.
• A strong strategic and creative point of view, with the ability to turn bold ideas into distinctive, high‑quality design.
• Excellent conceptual skills and a track record of developing innovative brand‑led work.
• Confidence presenting design strategies and telling compelling stories to clients, stakeholders and teams.
• Strong communication and relationship‑building skills, with the business acumen to manage stakeholders, grow client relationships and identify commercial opportunities.
• Financial awareness, including the ability to set and work towards financial goals for projects and teams.
• Proven ability to lead, motivate and encourage project teams with an optimistic, growth‑oriented approach.
• A strong awareness of design and creative trends, as well as the cultural, industry and global shifts influencing how people engage with brands.
• A passion for design, branding and creative excellence.
• Proficiency with creative tools such as Adobe Creative Suite, Figma, Miro and AI tools, alongside proficiency with relevant design and visualisation software, such as Cinema 4D, Rhino, AutoCAD, SketchUp, Vectorworks, 3D rendering and real‑time visualisation tools. Experience with interactive or immersive platforms is an advantage.
• Experience in digital design and motion graphics, including leading the creation of impactful visual content across platforms.

We believe the best work happens when we're together, fostering creativity, collaboration, and connection. That's why we’ve adopted a hybrid approach, with teams in the office around four days a week. If you require accommodations or flexibility, please discuss this with the hiring team during the interview process.

We build brands. We build futures. Landor, a WPP company, is an equal opportunity employer. We consider all applicants without discrimination or regard to particular characteristics, committed to a culture of respect where everyone belongs and can progress in their careers.

#LI-DNI #LI-DNP