About the job

• Melbourne
• Hybrid
• Up to $135,000 + super

Some designers execute the brief. Others see what the brief could become.

We’re looking for a Senior Design Director to join a growing boutique design studio working with premium, design-led brands.

This is a genuine creative leadership role for someone who lives and breathes design, gets excited by ideas and knows how to turn strategy into distinctive, considered and memorable creative work.

You’ll be the senior creative voice in the studio, working closely with the Founder and wider design team to shape ideas, develop creative direction and push briefs somewhere unexpected.

And while the role is senior, it’s still hands-on. You’ll be involved in the work, not just reviewing it from the sidelines.

What you’ll be doingYou’ll work across a varied mix of branding, campaigns, digital, social, content and communications, with the opportunity to influence the creative from the initial brief through to execution.

• You’ll:Lead creative thinking and develop strong creative directions in response to client briefs.
• Translate brand and business strategy into distinctive creative ideas.
• Push ideas beyond the obvious and bring fresh thinking and new perspectives.
• Set creative direction across brand identity, campaigns, digital, social and content.
• Stay hands-on with concepts and key creative work.
• Lead brainstorming and creative development sessions.
• Present creative concepts and confidently articulate the thinking behind them.
• Provide art direction across photography, video and content.
• Mentor and develop the design team, providing clear creative direction without taking ownership of their work away from them.
• Identify opportunities to strengthen existing client relationships through creative thinking.
• Contribute to pitches, new business and the ongoing development of the studio.

Creative thinking mattersThis role isn't just about producing beautiful design. It's about thinking about the work.

You’ll be expected to take a brief, find the interesting idea within it and explore how that idea can be brought to life visually and verbally.

You don't need to be a copywriter, but you should be comfortable developing headline ideas, campaign lines or short-form copy where it forms part of the creative concept. Particularly when working on promotional campaigns, we’re looking for someone who can help shape both the headline and the design direction.

The commercial sideThe work is important, but so is understanding the business behind it.

You’ll need strong commercial acumen and an understanding of what it takes to run a creative team profitably. That means balancing creative ambition with budgets, resources, timelines and the commercial needs of the studio and its clients.

You’ll be comfortable thinking about how creative time is allocated, how projects are resourced and where efficiencies can be found without compromising the quality of the work.

What we’re looking forYou might be a Senior Design Director, Design Director, Associate Creative Director or an experienced Senior Designer ready to take on greater creative leadership.

Your title matters less than how you think and the quality of the work you produce.

• You’ll bring:A background in a design studio, brand studio or similarly design-led environment.
• Experience working with premium, design-led brands.
• A portfolio that demonstrates ideas and creative thinking, not just execution.
• Strong experience across brand identity, campaigns and broader design, including digital, social and content.
• Excellent visual judgement across typography, composition, imagery and storytelling.
• The ability to move from strategy and big ideas through to the detail of execution.
• Confidence developing creative concepts and design directions.
• An ability to contribute headline and campaign line ideas as part of the creative process.
• Experience directing photography, video or content.
• Strong presentation and client communication skills.
• Experience mentoring and developing designers.
• Strong commercial judgement and an understanding of creative team profitability.
• A collaborative, low-ego approach and the confidence to challenge ideas constructively.
• Curiosity about design, culture, technology and the wider creative industry.

The kind of person who will thrive hereSomeone who has strong opinions, but is generous with their thinking.

Someone who knows when an idea has potential and when it needs to go further.

Someone who can move between the big creative picture and the smallest design detail.

Someone who cares deeply about the quality of the work, but also understands that great creative needs to work for the client and the business.

No ego. Just great work.

• What’s on offerUp to $135k + super
• Hybrid working in Melbourne
• Genuine creative leadership and influence
• Ownership across the creative process
• The opportunity to work with premium property, construction, lifestyle and design-led brands
• A hands-on role where ideas and creative thinking are valued
• The opportunity to mentor and develop a design team
• Close collaboration with the Founder
• The opportunity to help shape the growth and creative direction of the studio

Interested?If you’re a senior creative who wants to have genuine influence over the work, the team and the direction of a growing design studio, I’d love to hear from you.

Please click apply now and make sure there is a link to your portfolio which showcases your branding work, how you think and that you have previously worked across premium brands in the past.

Please note this client is not open to sponsorship or relocation for this opportunity.

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