Head of Design

3Search; Manchester; Hybrid; GBP 70,000 - 90,000; Full time

Job summary

A global sports brand in Manchester seeks a Head of Design to lead its creative transformation. This role involves guiding a dedicated design team and maintaining hands-on involvement in digital design across all platforms. The ideal candidate will possess strong leadership skills, proficiency in Adobe Creative Suite and Figma, and a drive to innovate within a heritage brand undergoing significant change. Enjoy hybrid working conditions and the chance to leave a substantial impact during this transformation.

Benefits

Hybrid working

Bonus potential

25 days holiday

Qualifications

• Experience in leading a multidisciplinary design team across digital, brand, and campaign work.
• Ability to deliver high-impact creative quickly and efficiently.
• Familiarity with incorporating AI tools into creative processes.

Responsibilities

• Lead, mentor, and inspire the design team while staying hands-on.
• Shape design direction for various digital and brand experiences.
• Collaborate closely with cross-functional teams.

Skills

Design leadership

Craft and execution

AI curiosity in a business context

Digital storytelling

Collaboration

Tools

Adobe Creative Suite

Figma

Job description

Overview

HEAD OF DESIGN – DIGITAL CREATIVE FOR GLOBAL SPORTS BRAND

This is one of those rare opportunities to join a legacy business on the cusp of reinvention. A 100-year-old success story entering its next chapter, this brand is embarking on a major creative and digital transformation, scaling its in-house design capability and redefining what creativity looks like in a category ripe for disruption.

As Head of Design, you’ll be the creative heartbeat of that evolution, leading, mentoring, and inspiring a talented design team while staying hands-on with the craft, leading on digital design best practice. You’ll partner closely with a Creative Director and cross-functional teams to shape the design direction across web, app, digital collateral (social, email etc) and brand experience. If you want to bring your track record in ecommerce to help elevate a heritage brand into a modern, global player, then this is for you!

What they need

• Someone who’s equally strategic and hands-on - a lead-by-example creative who still loves being on the tools
• A designer who can bring structure, guidance, and inspiration to a growing in-house team while rolling up their sleeves on the work
• Someone comfortable navigating change and ambiguity - this is a business mid-transformation and the pace is fast
• A digital native who thrives on variety : from digital campaigns and app experiences to packaging and live event screens (this really does touch on all channels and needs someone who can create a cohesive multichannel brand experience)
• Someone who’s motivated by the chance to build something, shaping process, culture, and creative standards from the ground up

What you're great at

• Design leadership - guiding and growing a multidisciplinary design team across digital, brand, and campaign work
• Craft and execution - a master of Adobe Creative Suite and Figma, delivering high-impact creative at pace
• AI curiosity in a business context - incorporating emerging tools into your workflow to unlock smarter, faster creative development
• Digital storytelling - designing for ecommerce, retail, and performance environments where creativity meets commercial impact
• Collaboration - working closely with marketing, product, and strategy teams to deliver joined-up, insight-driven creative

What you'll get

• Hybrid working (3 days per week in the Wales HQ - for team leadership and cross function collaboration - possible flex for those living further afield)
• The chance to make a massive impact at a moment of transformation - think "start up" mentality with the infrastructure and footprint of a heritage brand
• Bonus potential
• 25 days holiday