Creative Director

Description

?What If! drives human-powered experimentation engines, partnering with businesses to solve their most difficult problems in an innovative way. We provide the safe adventure that helps to de-risk ideas, accelerate impact, and empower people and organisational transformation by using the best mechanism of learning in the world — experimentation.

We’re looking for a Creative Director to join our London office and lead a team of passionate designers in creating breakthrough work for clients. As a Creative Director, you’ll be a champion of our Design to Learn / Design to Launch philosophy, developing our business offering and driving projects forward through our experimentation-led approach. As a thought partner to the CEO and Global Head of Design, you'll have a direct hand in shaping the relationship of design and innovation at ?What If!. With a compelling, distinct point of view on the power and impact of design, you'll set the bar for outstanding quality and execution of design deliverables. You'll fluently articulate our design offering, ensuring smooth communication with current and prospective clients and cultivating strong client relationships. As a champion of our offering, you'll inspire both our design team and our clients to think bigger, bolder, and beyond the expected. Day by day, you'll build, mentor, and lead a team of talented and passionate designers, actively investing in their career and talent development. You'll oversee all aspects of project trajectories in the UK business, from planning out resourcing to driving design deliverables forward.

At ?What If!, “Design to Learn / Design to Launch” is the driving philosophy behind our approach to design, ensuring we create impact in the real world through experimentation. We Design to Learn by creating concepts and visuals to test with consumers, and Design to Launch by iterating designs based on deep human insights to launch them into the world for our clients. This means not only bringing ideas to life through design, but will also developing the value proposition and strategy behind the design.

Requirements

You will be responsible for the leadership of the UK Design team, effectively selling the value of our design work through Business Development, and championing the creation of lasting design impact through our work.

• Leadership
  • Be a thought partner to the UK Leadership to develop design offerings alongside evolving business goals
  • Be a thought partner to the Global Head of Design, coordinating and streamlining best practices with our counterparts in ?What If!’s New York and Shanghai offices
  • Lead client sessions with a compelling, distinct POV on the power and impact of design
  • Actively invest in design team members’ career and talent, building structured development plans
  • Support and inspire our design team through day-to-day project direction, planning of deliverables, and mentorship
  • Work directly with the global CFO and HR team to manage P&L through hiring and promotions

• Business Development
  • Effectively sell the value of our design to bring in new business on projects, proposals, and pitches
  • Cultivate and maintain strong client relationships while effectively managing client expectations
  • Develop ?What If!’s POV on design to advance the business forward in sales and business development
  • Work closely with internal casting teams to effectively scope project timelines, budgeting, and resourcing
  • Constantly build our network of partners and freelancers in design and other related disciplines (e.g. illustrators, industrial designers, architects, digital developers, copywriters)

• Impact
  • Be a champion of creating disruptive, innovative impact through design, inspiring both our design team and our clients to think beyond the expected
  • Constantly evolve and push boundaries in developing the ?What If! brand, positioning the business as a leader in innovation and design
  • Oversee all design projects on the UK team, ensuring that design deliverables meet the highest standards of quality and achieve all creative, strategy, and project objectives
    
    

You'll need to have experience -

• 10+ years of design industry experience with a strong background in the world of design, strategy, and innovation
• Compelling design portfolio demonstrating a passion and ability to lead creative, strategic initiatives across a wide range of media, including digital product design and development
• Outstanding leadership, business development, and people management skills

• Exceptional interpersonal and client management skills
• Ability to handle difficult situations with grace while under pressure, promoting a positive-minded company culture
• Proven aptitude for quick creative problem solving and sharp attention to detail within a fast-paced work environment
• Passion for innovation, with a unique point of view on the power of design
• Experience in digital prototyping with a comprehensive understanding of UI/UX design
• Strong verbal, written, and visual presentation skills, demonstrating an ability to clearly articulate ideas and present work both internally and in front of clients
• Bachelor’s degree in graphic design, visual arts, or an equivalent degree
• Fluency in industry-standard design applications (i.e. Photoshop, Illustrator, InDesign, Sketch, InVision, PowerPoint)

Benefits

• 30 days holiday
• Private Medical Insurance (BUPA)
• Life Assurance (4 x salary)
• Pension (up to 5% matched contribution)
• Dental Insurance (you pay 50% we pay 50%)
• Travel Insurance (for you + those travelling with you)
• Company Doctor
• Cycle to Work scheme
• Corporate Gym Membership - Fitness First
• Season Ticket Loan

Never stop asking ?What If?