Job Description

Design Production Lead - 8 Month FTC
Hybrid - 2 days onsite in Hertfordshire
\xc2\xa362,000 - \xc2\xa365,000 Pro Rata + Benefits

The Role/Profile

We\'re looking for an experienced Design Production Lead to who knows that it all starts (and ends) with the customer. You will have experience setting design teams up with the tools and processes to respond to the business as it meets the ever evolving needs of the clients customers. Supporting those teams you continually strive to deliver improved experiences, answering the objectives set out in every brief.

To do this, you\'ll lead and coach a team of designers to set a vision and direction for the clients biggest challenge - how they produce high quality design solutions, at volume, in response to customer data and insights, as supplied in each brief.

This is a \'ground up\' role. You will establish a solid foundation in their design system, one that ensures consistency across all formats, from onsite merchandising and directional banners, as well as Shop in Shops, and evergreen deal promotions. You will shape the vision for how they achieve this, the final result being a highly efficient process that balances quality with speed in visual execution.

As well as this, you will need to reappraise the quality and execution of their CRM templates. While their base layer publishing tool is pretty robust, the design layout, copy and content needs a complete overhaul. Working with the CRM team you will design a new set of templates that will showcase inspirational content, i.e recipe ideas, foodie tips, through to seasonal deals and promotions.

Key Responsibilities

Quality of output. Oversee, and sign off all work produced in your work stream. Ensure that work produced of a high standard in both form and function; meets the commercial owner\'s brief; is delivered on time; is in line with the creative direction and philosophy defined by the department head, and answers any stated needs of the user and the business (including timings and cost considerations) in a way that is in their best interests. Ensure the consistent application of the supplier\'s brand and, where relevant, the client brand, in all creative output.

Productivity. Constantly strive for new ways to increase productivity, and reduce friction and inefficiency in the process. Keep colleagues informed about the progress of work being done by you and your team.

Communication. Ensure that the work produced meets the brief. Be the main point of contact for the business for your area, empowering your team to deal directly where appropriate. Work with business owners and team leads to ensure positive interactions with other teams at all times.

Technical leadership. Be a key point of forward-thinking and technical expertise for your area, including running skills tutorials. Set a consistently positive example for the team in all your work and behaviours. Oversee work across all required channels from design to production, and completion, providing guidance where necessary.

Line management. Ensure the support, development and wellbeing of the team - carrying out critical business activities such as reviews, mentoring and training in a proactive, timely manner. Set a consistently positive example for the team in all your work and behaviours, and nurture and maintain a positive, work-orientated culture and morale in your team.

User experience. Understand the customer and the point at which they are interacting with the business, put this at the forefront of all that you and your team create.

Meet business objectives. Understand what business owners are asking for, and translate that into commercial, powerful, creative solutions. Act in the best interests of the client and its customers at all times.

Change management. Embed a culture of change within your team. Support the department head in creating a flexible, scalable team that is able to meet the ever-changing, fast-paced and dynamic needs of the business. Create incremental value by identifying, recommending and leading solutions to business/user problems.

Day-to-day work includes:

• Manage a team of 9+ that will evolve our design system including elements, the templates and components used for content design
• Work with the other Leads to create robust templates that help streamline the working process.
• Present your ideas to team members, business stakeholders and senior leadership.
• Work with the wider business to help improve the customer journey and drive sales.
• Collaborate with other team members, including photographers and copywriters.
• Ensuring projects are delivered on time and that each meets the client brief.

• High level of understanding of customer centric design processes
• Expert, up-to-date knowledge of design industry trends, software and best practice.
• Expert proficiency in creating prototypes, wireframes, user flows and handing this to development teams
• Expert level of technical proficiency in Adobe digital design software, including Photoshop, Illustrator, Figma and Xd
• Knowledge of best practice designs for web, email and mobile communications.
• Able to work collaboratively with the employees outside of your team.
• Expert, up-to-date knowledge of industry trends, and platform and software capabilities. Can teach and mentor others.
• High level of commercial awareness.
• Able to use data / analysis to inform work and ensure it is as effective as possible.
• Able to lead the work of project teams and mentor colleagues with less experience.
• Able to lead and manage relations with external suppliers.

Major Players