Design & Creative Lead

Job level: Senior

Department: Production (Graphics)

Reporting to: Head of Production

A senior specialist role within Axonn focused on elevating the quality, creativity, and efficiency of design output across all client accounts. Unlike a traditional team lead position, this role carries no direct line-management responsibilities. Instead, it is centred on three core pillars:

1. Creative excellence - Championing high design standards, ensuring all output is on-brand, visually compelling, and aligned to each client's strategic goals.
2. Innovation & tooling - Identifying, testing, and integrating new tools, AI-powered workflows, and production techniques that improve speed, consistency, and creative capability.
3. Goal-oriented production - Working closely with the Head of Production and account teams to ensure content is designed with clear performance objectives in mind, supporting measurable outcomes for clients.

The role acts as a creative point of reference across the production department - offering guidance, feedback, and best-practice recommendations - without carrying responsibility for people management, HR, or resourcing.

Creative & Design (approx. 60%)

• Produce high-quality design work across Axonn's full range of content formats (static, interactive, social, presentation, etc.)
• Act as a creative benchmark for the team - setting and maintaining design standards across client accounts
• Act as the go-to authority on client brand identity within production - owning the interpretation of brand guidelines, maintaining brand asset libraries, and ensuring creative consistency across all touchpoints
• Conduct design QC on output, ensuring brand alignment, visual consistency, and adherence to client guidelines
• Provide constructive creative feedback as a subject-matter expert
• Collaborate with account managers and clients on creative direction, joining calls as required

Production & Strategy Support (approx. 25%)

• Work with the Head of Production to align creative output with client content strategies and campaign goals
• Contribute to content strategy sessions and campaign planning, providing creative input before briefs reach production
• Have an active voice in shaping campaign creative direction alongside account management and content production teams - ensuring design thinking is embedded early in the process
• Support the development of creative proposals and pitch materials for new and existing clients
• Contribute to production planning by advising on creative feasibility, timelines, and resource requirements
• Help define and refine Axonn's creative offering as services and client needs evolve

Innovation, AI & Process Improvement (approx. 15%)

• Research, evaluate, and recommend new design tools, AI platforms, and automation opportunities
• Develop and document new workflows that integrate AI and emerging technology into day-to-day production
• Lead internal training/workshops to upskill the wider team on new tools and techniques
• Build reusable templates, component libraries, and design systems that improve production efficiency
• Stay current with industry trends in design, AI-generated imagery, and content production technology

This role sits within the Production (Graphics) department and reports directly to the Head of Production. It operates as a senior individual contributor with no direct reports. The Design & Creative Lead collaborates cross-functionally with other content and account management teams.

Essential

• Proven experience working in an agency environment, managing and delivering creative projects for multiple clients concurrently
• Specific experience working on global campaigns, with a strong understanding of European/Western brand standards and creative sensibilities
• Strong portfolio demonstrating creative range, brand design, and content production across multiple formats
• Excellent eye for detail and a high bar for design quality
• Working knowledge of AI design tools (e.g. Midjourney, Adobe Firefly, DALL-E) and a genuine enthusiasm for integrating them into production
• Proficiency in Prompt Engineering: Demonstrated ability to craft, test, and iterate on advanced prompts for AI image generation and content tools to achieve precise, on-brand results that minimise post-production refinement
• Ability to balance creative ambition with commercial objectives and production deadlines
• Strong communicator - able to articulate creative decisions and give clear, constructive feedback
• Self-directed and proactive; comfortable working autonomously without line-management oversight

• Measurable improvement in production efficiency through new tools/processes
• Consistent positive client feedback on creative quality and brand alignment
• Successful adoption of at least 2-3 new tools or AI-enhanced workflows within the first 12 months
• Contribution to upskilling the wider production team on emerging techniques

• Opportunity to grow within a dynamic digital marketing team
• Exposure to diverse projects across industries
• Continuous learning and development opportunities
• Competitive salary and benefits package
• Provident Fund (PF), Gratuity, and Insurance benefits
• Dynamic and flexible working environment in a fun and creative London-based digital marketing agency
• Quarterly company socials to connect and celebrate with the team
• Up to 25 days holiday per year + Bank holidays