Design Manager

Wonderworks Communications is a strategically driven full-service creative agency with a clear vision to be specialists and experts within the drinks industry. Driven by insight we define the wonder in every brief and find the big idea that drives the comms and activations campaigns for drinks brands big & small.

We are a growing business with studios in London and Edinburgh, with a team that are located across the UK, and internationally servicing Global clients.

To support the continued growth of the business we now require a Design Manager to help manage the day to day running of the agency, helping to organise the workflow from strategy/concept, through to design and artwork delivery. Working across account management and creative teams, they will be expert in all aspects of work planning and briefing; balancing resources within the teams and external freelancers/suppliers, while hitting deadlines on time and on budget.

Overview of the Role:

As a senior team member within the Creative & Strategy team you will assume a pivotal role in driving our agency's mission to consistently deliver exceptional & outstanding work for our clients; you will drive, empower, and inspire our team and clients, setting the standard for the delivery of Creative Excellence.

Under the director of the Design Director you will take charge of the Operational, and Production delivery of Creative.

The successful applicant will have a proven track record in a similar role, being a confident, pro-active and personable team player. Working in a blended environment primarily via Microsoft Teams, they will have excellent interpersonal skills, and experience in managing remote teams.

With a background in design and/or production, they will be proficient in Adobe CC software and Mac OS to provide technical support to the creative team, assisting with artworking, file management and delivery and management of external Production partners.

The Design Manager must be equally at home in handling Creative, Team members and Admin, using the calendars, spreadsheets and other digital organisation tools central to work planning and implementation.

With existing contacts within the design industry, they will be able to build on our existing base of freelancers/suppliers managing resources in the areas of design, creative artworking, 3D modelling, lifestyle/still life photography, print production etc.

A key role within the business, the Design Manager will directly contribute to the agency’s growth by providing a solid organisational base for us to operate from.

FULL JOB DESCRIPTION

This is a key role within the business.

A lead role within the Creative team with a focus on Operational aspects.

Key responsibilities:

Team & Creative Resourcing

• Support the Design Director & Creative Strategy Director through effective management of creative and strategic resourcing using Streamtime software
• Liaison with the Client Account teams on approach to briefs & accuracy in scoping
• Manage the accurate reporting of resourcing and capacity planning to ensure timely management of resourcing challenges
• Manage the sourcing, briefing and delivery of Freelance creatives supporting lead creatives & Client Account team
• Support the Design Director with the ongoing development and training of Creative Team members
• Support the Creative Team with design execution as directed by the Design Director

NOTE: The role supports the Design Director, and other Director level team leads and final direction on resourcing, approach to business challenges etc. comes from Leadership team level in the business. However, the Design Manager role plays a very active part in putting forwards solutions to the business challenges, and opportunities.

Production Management

• Support the Design Director with the delivery of Artwork & Production delivery of client briefs
• Be a champion in the business for effective delivery within client platforms and systems, eg. Brand Muscle, DAL, etc.
• ‘Dotted Line’ management of Artworking resources within the business
• Sourcing and co-management of external production suppliers alongside Design Director and Client Account team

Business Creative & Marketing

• Support the Design Director by leading the delivery of creative that delivers against business marketing efforts, including but not limited to:

o Creative Delivery & maintenance of the company website

o Creative Delivery of social content

o Creative Delivery of sales & marketing initiatives

Business Management

• Support effective management of IT provision across the business – in liaison with MD and Departmental Leads
• Under the direction of the Leadership Team support with delivering against initiatives to achieve annual fiscal targets and growth of the business with new clients.
• At peak times of asset/artwork delivery (eg. Playbooks & Toolkits) adopt a project management role when required; managing the delivery of assets & artwork to brief and deadline set out by the Client Account team.
• A role model, leading by example - demonstrating passion for the drinks Industry and Wonderworks as a business alongside behaviors that foster positive culture and delivery of fiscal targets.
• Mentoring & managing team members across the business as required to ensure delivery against the business vision

Salary:

£50k p/a dependant on experience

3 month trial period to validate the role within the business, and the candidate suitability.