Senior Wayfinding Design Lead

Populous; Greater London; Hybrid; GBP 70,000 - 90,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Hybrid working

Gym membership discounts

Staff events access

Job summary

Populous is seeking a Senior Wayfinding Design Lead in London to head the wayfinding design function within the studio. You will lead projects across sports, urban realm, and aviation wayfinding, collaborating with architecture and landscape teams and guiding design and delivery from concept through construction.

The ideal candidate will have exceptional graphic and information design skills, typographic expertise, and experience translating complex information into clear user experiences.

Qualifications

• Strong graphic design and information design skills.
• 1

Responsibilities

• Liaise with clients to determine project briefs and schedules.
• Lead projects from concept through detailed design.
• Collaborate with architectural, landscape and spatial teams.
• Document design through plans, elevations, and details.
• Produce sign placement plans and content schedules.
• Present in front of clients.

Skills

Excellent communication

Graphic design

Information design

Typography

Presentation skills

Education

Degree in graphic design or information design

Tools

Adobe Creative Suite

Illustrator

InDesign

Photoshop

MS Office

Job description

We design the places where people love to be together — and we can’t do it without you.

Populous is all about people — it’s in our name. Attracting and retaining talented people who are passionate about their work is what makes us thrive. As a global firm, we have established roots in cities across the world, uncovering the very best local talent. The diversity of our team is our greatest strength and one of the most powerful sources of our creativity. We believe in supporting each other, coming together as a team to make sure everyone is fulfilled professionally, creatively, and personally.

Why Work With Us

Culture

Populous is built around the core values of integrity, entrepreneurial creativity, excellence and enjoyment. There are many milestones and celebrations along the way — yours and ours — and we share in these special moments together. We also reach beyond our offices to help make our local communities stronger, from engaging with university students and taking part in urban clean‑up projects, to partnering with sports charities and promoting sustainable design.

Understanding people is what Populous is all about — and that begins with the people in our team. That’s why we have designed a comprehensive benefits program to support your employee experience at Populous and your life outside of work, including flexible work environments. From CrossFit in London, to the Noosa Triathlon in Australia to mental health check‑ins in the Americas, we have all kinds of initiatives to help you keep mind and body in top condition.

Diversity, Equity, Inclusion + Belonging

With more than 1,600 colleagues in 33 offices spanning four continents, we value the incredible range of talents, beliefs, experiences and perspectives of every person that makes up our team. You bring your authentic self and we’ll set the stage for you to succeed.

Professional Development

Populous is a team of people that are emotionally connected to their work. We wouldn’t have it any other way. From mentor programs and cross-disciplinary design charettes to global conferences, you will have a wealth of opportunities to innovate and learn, shaping your career to meet your personal goals.

Our commitment to innovative design has earned us the top spot in architecture on Fast Company's list of the world's 50 most innovative companies.

“We are a team of fans, dreamers, thinkers and doers. We come together to amplify the magic of fandom and break barriers for the future of sports and entertainment.”

What happens when you provoke designers to bring to life a digital footprint?

Tapping the Power of a Global Knowledge Network

For more than 40 years Populous has had a singular focus – to draw people together around the things that they love, to be the leading design firm that specialises in places, spaces and events where people gather. Our success is defined by designing projects that are seen as the benchmark. We are committed to future innovation, anticipating and shaping the future of our industries.

Populous Wayfinding is a team of specialist designers, strategists and industry experts, working as part of the wider Populous design and architecture practice.

We bring a distinct wayfinding perspective and expertise to projects of every scale, whether through cross‑disciplinary collaboration on projects, or delivering our own specialist commissions.

Our approach is holistic and human‑centred: we look beyond signs to understand people, behaviour and the diversity of journeys through a place, considering both the practical needs and emotional responses that shape how people navigate and experience complex environments.

As we continue to bring to life award‑winning venues and experiences our EMEA Practice is looking for a Senior Wayfinding Design Lead based in our Shoreditch studio.

About the Role

The Populous London studio is seeking a Senior Wayfinding Design Lead to lead the wayfinding design function within the studio, fostering collaboration across disciplines and guiding the design and delivery of major sports and entertainment, urban realm, and aviation wayfinding projects.

The ideal candidate will demonstrate exceptional graphic design and information design skills, with experience in wayfinding systems, mapping, pictograms and information graphics, alongside a strong command of typography and visual communication.

You will have proven experience collaborating with architectural, landscape and spatial design teams, translating complex information into clear, engaging and accessible user experiences. An understanding of product design, fabrication and materiality would be advantageous.

Key responsibilities include:

• Liaise directly with clients to determine project briefs, deliverables, and schedules.
• Lead projects from concept through detailed design, coordinating with the other design disciplines across the project.
• Undertake project and user research and apply findings to project outputs.
• Present in front of clients
• Collaborate with the architectural team, manufacturers, and other third‑party teams to align work streams.
• Collaborate with the design team and client on all aspects of the design process.
• Document design through plans, elevations, and details, coordinating with vendors to maintain design intent.
• Provide sign placement plans, content schedules, proof‑referencing numbers, produce artwork according to signage requirements (sizing and standards), and articulate design decisions.

Key requirements include:

• Good communication (written and oral) and presentation skills
• Exceptional graphic design skills with a strong background in information and user‑centric design (i.e., map design, pictograms, information graphics)
• Experience in working with architecture and spatial design, specifically with large‑scale public buildings
• Strong familiarity with architectural construction documents, scales, sections, plans, and elevations; proficiency in drawing in scale
• Ability to work in the architectural environment of wayfinding, be fully conversant with architectural terminology, and track architectural drawings
• Excellent design aesthetic and typography skills
• A solid understanding of user behaviour in complex environments
• Effective written, visual, verbal, and presentation communication skills (internal team and client‑facing)
• Firm working knowledge of the Adobe Creative Suite, including Illustrator, InDesign, and Photoshop
• Confidently working with the Microsoft Office Suite
• Degree in graphic design, information design, or another related equivalent degree.

About the Studio

Our Worship St studio is located just a short walk from Shoreditch High St Station, surrounded by well‑known bars and restaurants and with excellent travel connections. Our employees enjoy a comprehensive and competitive benefits programme, as well as the opportunity to attend events at several Populous‑designed venues.

Why Join the Team?

• Work alongside passionate, creative individuals who lead their industry, transform ideas into reality and celebrate the beauty of human connection
• Enjoy various benefits, such as hybrid working and gym membership discounts
• Enjoy the opportunity to attend events at Populous‑designed venues
• Connect and learn at regular social and knowledge sharing events including an annual conference and a weekend abroad Christmas party

Populous is an equal opportunity employer.

We are committed to supporting candidates to perform at their best throughout the recruitment process, including making reasonable adjustments to our process. If you wish to discuss or request an adjustment, please contact our recruitment team at [e-mail] .