Design Director

**About Elmwood Design Consultancy**:
Elmwood Design Consultancy is a leading global design agency renowned for creating impactful and innovative brand experiences. With a rich history of design excellence, we are committed to pushing the boundaries of creativity and design to deliver outstanding results for our clients. As we continue to elevate our creative team, we are now looking for a visionary and experienced Design Director to lead and inspire our dynamic design team.

**Who are we looking for**:
We are seeking an exceptional **Design Director**to lead and innovate across a diverse range of projects. As a strategic thinker and an inspiring leader, you will shape the creative direction and push the boundaries of design excellence. You will foster a collaborative and empowering environment, mentoring and guiding a talented team to consistently deliver outstanding work. Your vision, expertise, and leadership will play a key role in setting the tone for creative strategy and execution, aligning design solutions with client needs while always striving for excellence.

**What you will do**:
**Delivery**
- Lead the team on high-value projects, demonstrating exceptional creativity, strategic thinking, and problem-solving to deliver outstanding results that align with the client’s brief and strategic goals.
- Manage multiple projects simultaneously, ensuring timely and high-quality delivery for each, while maintaining the creative integrity of the work.
- Actively review the team’s delivery and resource management to achieve creative and commercial outcomes.
- Support the Creative Director in delivering award-winning creative work and contribute to the creation of high-quality awards entry materials, including imagery and project stories.Ensure that work is captured effectively for case studies, showcasing Elmwood's work across key platforms.

**Relationships**:

- Develop and maintain strong relationships with key stakeholders, including clients, suppliers, and industry networks.
- Actively contribute to sustaining Elmwood’s reputation as a world-class design agency through effective management, networking, and PR, both internally and externally.
- Build and empower teams to achieve creative success for clients while also supporting their individual growth and career development.
- Maximize the creative output on projects by guiding the team, offering constructive feedback, and fostering an environment of collaboration.
- Identify opportunities for development within your direct reports and junior design team members to support talent growth and retention.Support the Creative Director in cultivating a positive, successful workplace by encouraging learning, healthy competition, and teamwork.

**Leadership**:

- Lead, mentor, and inspire a diverse team of designers, helping them achieve their creative potential while maintaining high standards of design excellence.
- Provide clear direction, feedback, and coaching to team members, ensuring a high level of engagement and motivation within the team.
- Foster a positive, inclusive, and collaborative studio environment where ideas can flourish, and team members feel empowered to take ownership of their work.
- Set the tone for the team’s approach to design, ensuring that the creative output aligns with both client objectives and Elmwood’s strategic vision.
- Build and cultivate an environment of continuous learning and professional development, encouraging the growth of junior and senior team members alike.Champion creativity within the studio and work closely with the Creative Director to foster a culture of innovation and bold design thinking.

**Commercials**:

- Show commercial leadership by aligning creative work with effective strategies, standards, and business objectives for Elmwood.
- Lead multiple projects while identifying opportunities to expand scope and create additional revenue streams for the agency.Stay informed of industry trends, seeking new opportunities to enhance Elmwood’s offering and drive business growth.

**Thinking Broader**:

- Continuously learn and improve your understanding of Elmwood’s systems, processes, and creative insights to better contribute to the studio’s success.
- Participate in shaping and delivering the studio’s creative strategy and overall studio strategy to build Elmwood's creative and commercial reputation.Develop and deliver one presentation as part of Elmwood’s internal L&D program to share knowledge and inspire others.

**What you have done**:

- A proven track record of experience in the creative industry with expertise in brand strategy, graphic design, and creative direction.
- A degree in graphic design or an equivalent qualification, along with a portfolio that demonstrates exceptional creativity, intellect, and craftsmanship, ideally featuring award-winning work.
- Strong strategic thinking when it comes to brands and an ability to deliver work that meets both creative and commercial objectives.
- A successf