Design Principal

Full-time/Part-time – Utrecht, NL

CLEVER°FRANKE is an enthusiastic, multidisciplinary team of 50+ people with 15 different nationalities from across the world. We are visual designers, data designers, interaction designers, developers, project managers, data analysts, and others. We are curious about the world around us and apply the same curiosity to our work and projects. The work we create as a studio is diverse and centers around data and complexity.

It ranges from visual identities with data (as with Eurovision), data-driven storytelling (as with Voices from the Frontlines), to digital platform design and development (as with Globalance Bank). In all our work we aim to provide new perspectives on complex data and topics, while merging form and function into cohesive unique experiences.

As Design Principal, your primary responsibilities are to ensure the delivery of excellent work and to evolve our design practice to ensure we remain a pioneering studio. This is done through design direction on client projects, collaboration on proposals and pitches, and internal projects. You bring ideas to projects, and together with the team, you shape the brief and challenge the team and client to think beyond the initial ask.

Your role involves collaborating with other principals, design leads, and team members to share knowledge and expertise, and to innovate in visual design across the organization. As one of our design leaders, you will play a role in sharing our vision with the world by giving presentations at events and conferences, supporting our PR efforts, and maintaining relations within the design community.

You will oversee the wellbeing and development of team members, ensuring they develop their talents and tracking their progress towards development goals. You are able to motivate the team and help them to overcome challenges. In effect, you are a role model for the (design) team.

You take a proactive approach to identifying and addressing challenges, with a track record of implementing innovative solutions and process improvements. Additionally, you balance a focus on individual projects with an understanding of the studio's overall goals, including a solid grasp of business operations and the ability to propose solutions that align with company objectives.

As Design Principal, you will bring over 10 years of experience in visual design, graphic design, typography, and motion design. You have a strong understanding of visual design principles, trends, and history, along with the ability to develop and align our design signature within the organization. You are capable of adapting the design process and style to meet client needs while staying true to the studio's vision and signature.

In and across projects, you are an important point of connection with our clients. You have the experience and interest to connect with clients and to take a commercial perspective when exploring creative opportunities for projects, including leading work on project pitches and supporting PR work. You’ll need to sell clients on our creative vision, building and steering the project's strategic direction with confidence.

This means translating visual design concepts into language that resonates with clients, helping them trust our approach while keeping their business goals upfront on what we deliver.

When collaborating with others and providing design direction, you can clearly articulate ideas, align others with your design and project vision, while remaining open to input from both clients and team members. Your communication skills are excellent, with the ability to adapt your style to different audiences as needed. Given your responsibility for the well-being and growth of designers, you have proven experience in leading and developing teams, with a focus on motivating team members and supporting their growth.

As Design Principal, you are effectively a role model for the team, so we expect you to have the social skills and awareness that make you effective and supported in this role.

You take a proactive approach to identifying and addressing…