Design Director - Brand and Creative Agency

Designate; Brighton; On-site; GBP 60,000 - 80,000; Full time

Job summary

A creative agency in Brighton seeks a Design Director to lead teams and oversee design projects while maintaining high standards. Responsibilities include guiding creative vision, mentoring designers, and ensuring alignment with business goals. The ideal candidate has proven experience in creative leadership, a strong portfolio, and expertise in design software. This role is pivotal in delivering impactful brands and fostering collaboration with clients and internal teams.

Qualifications

• Proven experience in leading creative/design teams.
• Strong portfolio demonstrating exceptional conceptual and execution skills.
• Ability to work across diverse projects.

Responsibilities

• Guide the design vision and maintain high creative standards.
• Mentor and manage a team of designers.
• Present ideas and build strong client rapport.
• Oversee projects from concept to delivery.
• Ensure brand consistency and impact.
• Align design efforts with business objectives.

Skills

Leadership of creative/design teams

Exceptional conceptual skills

Excellent communication skills

Expertise in Adobe Creative Cloud

Strategic thinking

Problem-solving abilities

Tools

Adobe Creative Cloud

Project management tools

Job description

Designate is a brand, strategy and creative agency. We Trigger Bigger Thinking with our clients. By creating space for conversation, thinking and action, we're constantly looking for ways to defy convention and the status quo to find new ways for our clients' brands to stand out, to be differentiated and to deliver results.

Creative opportunity is at the heart of Designate's mission. We passionately believe in the power of creativity to make a difference in this world. And we believe that it comes from our people. From their own differences, from their views and perspectives, from the sparks that fly when our rough edges meet. Designate is a place to think freely, think widely and to express yourself forcefully.

It means we create opportunity for our clients by giving it to the people who work here.

Designate is a place for genuine individuals with a passion for creativity and a drive for success.

The role

We would like a Design Director to lead creative teams, set visual strategy, and ensure high-quality design execution across projects (branding, digital, print) while managing client relationships, mentoring designers, and aligning creative output with business goals, often handling pitches and brand guardianship with a hands‑on, inspiring approach.

You can add critical value by ensuring the visual holds meaning and engagement with the appropriate audience, working successfully alongside crafted copy. They must be able to think independently and take initiative over design and other aesthetic decisions, whilst keeping in mind Designate’s agency proposition ‘Trigger Bigger Thinking’.

You are able to deal with working under pressure often with tight deadlines and used to an adaptive, agile and fluid environment, while inputting to Designate’s internal strategies as required.

We would like you to give tangible direction, guidance and inspiration to the design team, as well as ensuring timings and budgets are considered and adhered to. Design Directors are strong communicators with a passion for what they help create and a desire to maintain our creative integrity and our agency mission.

Key Responsibilities

• Creative Leadership: Guide the design vision, inspire teams, and maintain high creative standards for all projects.
• Team Management: Build, mentor, and manage a team of designers, fostering collaboration and professional growth.
• Client Interaction: Present ideas, pitch creative, manage feedback, and build strong client rapport.
• Project Oversight: Oversee projects from concept to delivery, ensuring they meet brand guidelines, deadlines, and budgets.
• Brand Guardianship: Act as a guardian for client brands, ensuring consistency and impact.
• Strategic Alignment: Link design efforts with overall business objectives and marketing strategies.
• Hands-On Contribution: Get involved in design work when needed, especially for high-level conceptual thinking.

Key Skills & Qualifications

• Proven experience in leading creative/design teams.
• Strong portfolio demonstrating exceptional conceptual and execution skills.
• Excellent communication, presentation, and interpersonal skills.
• Expertise in design software (Adobe Creative Cloud) and project management tools.
• Strategic thinking and problem-solving abilities.
• Ability to work across diverse projects (branding, digital, advertising).

Typical Reporting Structure

• Reporting to the Creative Director
• Collaborates closely with strategists, account directors, and other creative leadsli>