Design Lead

Bluetree Recruits; Guildford; Hybrid; GBP 62,000 - 68,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Hybrid working

Birthday day off

Pension contributions

Salary sacrifice EV scheme

25 days' holiday + bank holidays

Job summary

Bluetree Recruits is seeking a Design Lead for a Guildford-based branding and digital agency, delivering brand and campaign work for a global sports client. This permanent hybrid role places you at the creative helm of high-visibility projects and senior studio leadership.

You will drive art direction, evolve brand identities and playbooks, direct a freelance bench across 2D/3D, ensure print quality, and confidently present work to clients.

Qualifications

• Extensive agency or studio experience, senior or lead level, strong brand and campaign portfolio.
• Strong creative direction and campaign thinking across multiple channels.
• Fine typography and print production know-how.

Responsibilities

• Lead creative and art direction across brand and campaign work, including brand-first campaign development for a global sport client
• Build and evolve brand identities, guidelines and campaign toolkits for regional and global rollout
• Direct a freelance bench across 2D, 3D, animation, film and photography, ensuring quality
• Quality-check artwork to the highest creative and technical standard before it leaves the studio
• Present and defend work confidently to clients, contributing to new business pitches

Skills

Creative Direction

Brand Campaigns

Team Leadership

Art Direction

Print Production

Tools

Figma

Adobe Creative Suite

After Effects

Job description

Design Lead - Guildford, Surrey (Hybrid)

£62,000 – £68,000 DOE plus benefits

We are recruiting for a Design Lead to join our client, a branding and digital agency based in Guildford. They are looking for a senior-level creative to take the reins on brand and campaign work, including a major ongoing partnership with a global sports brand. This is a permanent full time hybrid role.

What’s on Offer

Structured training and development, pension and salary sacrifice EV scheme, 25 days' holiday plus bank holidays, birthday day off, volunteer days, team culture days, and a genuinely collaborative, senior studio culture where leadership is earned and there for the taking.

What You'll Be Doing

• Lead creative and art direction across brand and campaign work, including brand-first campaign development for a global sport client
• Build and evolve brand identities, guidelines and campaign toolkits for regional and global rollout
• Direct a freelance bench across 2D, 3D, animation, film and photography, holding the line on quality
• Quality-check artwork to the highest creative and technical standard before it leaves the studio
• Present and defend work confidently to clients, and bring creative thinking into new business pitches

What You'll Bring

• Extensive agency or studio experience, including time at senior or lead level, with a strong brand and campaign portfolio
• Strong creative direction, concept development and campaign thinking that works across multiple channels
• An exceptional eye for detail, sharp typographic craft, and confident print production know-how
• Experience directing freelancers, with clear, constructive feedback and the confidence to send work back
• Fluentin Figma and advanced Adobe Creative Suite; After Effects and curiosity about AI tools a bonus
• A genuine feel for sport subcultures, tennis especially, or an equally running, football, climbing, skate or music

Bluetree Recruits is an Equal Opportunities Employer

Bluetree Recruits Ltd is an Equal Opportunities Employer and acts as an Employment Agency in relation to this vacancy.

We offer equal opportunities to all candidates regardless of race, religion, gender, sexuality, disability, age and other protected status as required by applicable law.

We can only consider applications from candidates who are eligible to work in the UK