Design Director; AI & Tech

Design Director (AI&Tech) London / Manchester

This position sits in our Marketing & Technology service based in London. We combine data, technology, creative and paid media to crack brands’ business problems & drive revenue through a variety of digital marketing solutions like social, influencer, TTL ad campaigns, augmented reality, AI and innovation. Our clients include eBay, easy

Jet, Just Eat Takeaway and Pepsico.

We are looking for a Design Director for an exciting AI Platform client of ours. The work we produce for them is varied and can range drastically from simple BAU creative responses, to in‑person creative sprints and even full productions across multiple global markets.

As a Design Director and lead on the client, you’ll be responsible for reviewing and signing off work, upholding brand and business standards, and ensuring creative excellence across all campaigns and projects. You will work with a wider team of creatives, producers etc, providing clear, decisive feedback, guidance and inspiration to support members of the team across these disciplines. As well as building, delegating and empowering the team to confidently take on work, you will be a hands‑on creative with a willingness to ‘get your hands dirty’ to help the team.

This role combines design management and creative leadership, balancing people development, asset production, resource management and creative innovation. You’ll act as a trusted partner to wider team leads, bringing both vision and practical executional expertise to every project.

• Lead, develop, motivate and inspire DEPT’s design teams and encourage collaboration
• Deliver and inspire innovative and high quality work across all deliverables from the team
• Develop strong creative ideas rooted in narrative, pacing, composition, and visual structure
• Initiate and facilitate creative team collaboration and sharing, and team cohesion through social and team building initiatives
• Guide execution across motion and static deliverables to keep work aligned with the original creative intent
• Lead, develop, motivate and inspire the design team as well as encouraging collaboration
• Be the face and voice of design at Dept®, to raise the profile of the team
• Suggest best ways of working, and hustle for the best opportunities
• Work with the ECD to build processes, structures and raise the quality of design
• Nurture and build a team of happy and fulfilled designers
• Build a productive and working relationship with other disciplines across the agency to deliver projects
• Maintain brand consistency throughout all our marketing projects
• Explore and work within a variety of different formats and platforms to create global campaigns
• Generate the creative ideas and campaign look and feel
• Deliver and inspire innovative and high quality work across all deliverables from the team
• Collaborate with other designers and creative planners
• Be aware of and respond to current design trends and culture
• Use your experience and ideas to contribute to the development of our creative process
• Present work internally and externally
• Stay up-to-date with industry development and tools

• Experience of growing, inspiring and leading a team of 10+
• Strong experience leading on a client with a consultative approach, ideally a client in the tech or AI space
• Work with management to operationally set the client team up for success
• Strong visual judgement and confidence contributing to concepts and creative direction
• Experience working with resource / operations to ensure projects are set up for success
• A high attention to detail, especially in large scale asset production and sign off
• Experience in creating and reviewing scopes/timing plans
• Curiosity around AI tools and interest in learning how they can support creative work
• A strong portfolio or showreel showing concept, craft, and high quality motion and design work, with examples of tech or AI‑led campaigns

• A flexible, hybrid working policy (2 days from the office, depending on location).
• An excellent salary based on experience and equal pay policies
• Pension, free private healthcare, mental health support, and company sick pay scheme.
• 26 days paid…