Graphic Design Lead

Forwardrole; Manchester; On-site; GBP 35,000 - 45,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Flexible start times

City-centre office

Public transport access

Parking discount

25+ days leave

Job summary

Forwardrole is seeking a Graphic Design Lead in Manchester City Centre. This hands-on leadership role combines directing a small creative team with delivering high-quality marketing design across digital and print, including paid social, email, and web assets.

The ideal candidate has senior design experience, proven leadership ability, and a strong portfolio in B2B marketing. SaaS experience is highly beneficial; the role sits in a UK marketing team of 16, reporting to senior stakeholders.

Qualifications

• Senior-level design experience with leadership/management preferred.
• B2B marketing design experience is desirable.
• SaaS industry experience would be beneficial.
• Strong portfolio showing commercial marketing design across digital and print.

Responsibilities

• Lead and manage the creative team, including two videographers.
• Set creative direction and maintain high output standards.
• Prioritise briefs across the marketing function.
• Remain hands-on, producing digital and print assets.
• Develop concepts for campaigns and marketing activity.
• Design paid social, email and web assets.
• Create whitepapers and thought leadership content.
• Maintain brand consistency across all output.
• Review work and provide feedback.
• Collaborate with marketing and senior stakeholders on briefs.
• Present ideas and justify design choices.
• Balance campaigns with changing priorities.

Skills

Senior-level design experience

Leadership/mentoring

B2B marketing experience

SaaS experience

Branding/typography/layout

Adobe Creative Suite

Figma

Digital and print design

Tools

Adobe Creative Suite

Figma

Job description

Graphic Design Lead

Salary: £35,000 - £45,000 per annum
Location: Manchester City Centre
Working Pattern:5 days on-site, 37.5 hours per week
Experience: Senior-level design experience, with leadership/management experience preferred
Domain: B2B, ideally SaaS

About the Business

Our client is a well-established B2B software business helping organisations simplify and improve the way they manage their people, HR and workplace responsibilities. With a growing UK marketing function, the business is continuing to develop its brand and creative output across multiple channels.

The Role

This is a hands-on Design Lead position combining creative leadership with the delivery of high-quality marketing design.

You'll sit within a wider UK marketing team of 16 and lead a small creative team, including two videographers. The role is less about a traditional job title and more about taking ownership of the creative output, setting direction, managing priorities and ensuring work consistently meets a high standard.

You'll work across both digital and print, producing creative for paid social, email, web, internal communications, whitepapers, thought leadership and wider marketing campaigns.

The ideal candidate will bring strong B2B experience, with SaaS experience particularly beneficial, alongside the confidence to manage and lead a creative team.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead and manage the creative team, including two videographers.
• Set creative direction and maintain a consistently high standard of output.
• Manage and prioritise briefs across the wider marketing function.
• Remain hands-on, creating high-quality digital and print assets.
• Develop creative concepts for campaigns and marketing activity.
• Design paid social and other paid marketing assets.
• Create visual assets for email and web.
• Produce whitepapers, thought leadership content and internal communications.
• Maintain and evolve brand consistency across all creative output.
• Review creative work and provide clear, constructive feedback.
• Work closely with marketing and senior stakeholders to understand briefs and deliver effective creative solutions.
• Present creative ideas and confidently explain design decisions.
• Balance planned campaigns with reactive requirements and changing priorities.

What We're Looking For

• Strong experience working at Senior Designer, Design Lead, Creative Lead or similar level.
• Previous experience leading, mentoring or managing other creatives.
• Strong hands-on design skills across both digital and print.
• B2B marketing experience is highly desirable.
• SaaS experience would be particularly beneficial.
• A strong portfolio demonstrating commercial marketing design.
• Experience creating paid social, email and web assets.
• Experience producing longer-form content such as whitepapers and thought leadership materials.
• Strong understanding of branding, typography, layout and visual communication.
• Confident communicating with senior stakeholders and challenging briefs where appropriate.
• Strong organisational skills, with the ability to manage multiple priorities.
• Excellent Adobe Creative Suite skills.
• Figma experience.

This role does not require UX/UI or motion design experience.

Working Pattern & Benefits

• 37.5-hour working week.
• 5 days on-site
• Flexible start times.
• 25+ days' annual leave, increasing to 27 days after two years.
• Manchester city-centre office.
• Easily accessible by public transport.
• Discounted parking available at the nearby car park.