Senior Design Manager

(CLOSING FRIDAY 3 MAY)

JOB SUMMARY

Founded in 1977, The Really Useful Group (RUG) exists to represent, manage, and license the work of the most commercially successful composer of all time, Andrew Lloyd Webber. We oversee the portfolio of brands (Phantom of the Opera, Cats, Starlight Express etc.) under Andrew Lloyd Webber Musicals and collaborate with best-in-class partners to extend them into traditional and non- traditional entertainment mediums.

The Really Useful Group is expanding its range of business activities and IP exploitations, delivering franchise plans for key Andrew Lloyd Webber Musicals. These franchise plans include new category exploration across the Entertainment industry from location-based experiences to consumer products to new publishing formats to digital projects and more.  

The Senior Design Manager is responsible for taking visual ideas from concept to execution stage, in both print and digital advertising, on a variety of platforms and mediums. In support of the Brand & Franchise Development Team, commercial and licensing teams the Senior Designer Manager will also work within a larger team of commercial, creative and marketing professionals, delivering on all company goals and initiatives.

For all brand asset development, the Senior Design Manager will be the key go to design expert on all branding and future brand development strategy. The Senior Design Manager will work closely with the CEO, Brand and Franchise Development Director and Commercial Teams on the creation of clear brand development strategy to build connected franchise brand equity for all Really Useful Group properties on a global scale. 

To be successful in this role, you should have a strong portfolio of design work, a bachelor’s degree in graphic design or a related field, and 5+ years of experience in a design-focused role, be able to show innovation in your work as well as creative curiosity.

MAIN JOB TASKS AND RESPONSIBILITIES: 

• Reporting to the CEO with a dotted line to the Brand & Franchise Development Director, and working cross-functionally, the Senior Design Manager will shape the creation of global, visual brand strategy for all key franchisees at The Really Useful Group.
• Lead the development of brand and marketing assets that deliver on strategic objectives while maintaining a high level of quality and consistent design standards.
• Development of branding strategy, brand assets, style guides, and strategic global brand guidelines.
• Briefing, partnering and managing freelancers, outside agencies and design resource on behalf of the company and all projects.
• Champion and advising on all franchise branding strategies, use of key brand assets and lead on developing an expanding digital asset library.
• Collaborating with key partners’ marketing and design departments, advising and art directing where required.
• Projects include logo and branding development, print and digital key art, digital media assets, animations, photoshoot concepts, CRM images, video assets, print campaign assets, social media graphics, landing pages, presentation decks, and other promotional items.
• Work with brand teams on campaign creative design assets, kick-off decks, messaging and versioning across multiple platforms and formats.
• Ensure a high-volume of design elements are finished and delivered accurately, on-time and on brief.
• Ability to pivot and work with great agility in a fast paced and entrepreneurial marketing culture.
• Act as visual brand guardian across all brand and marketing assets across the company to ensure all consumer-facing work maintains a consistent design voice and tone across every platform and touchpoint.
• Keep abreast of current and emerging design trends, with a particular focus on original content promotions within entertainment brand marketing.

PERSON SPECIFICATION

• 5+ years in as brand development, design role in the entertainment, consumer products or FMCG environment.
• Expert in Adobe creative suite (Photoshop, Illustrator, InDesign, and Acrobat)
• Excellent project management skills and ability to deliver against tight deadlines.
• Animation and video editing experience preferred.
• Excellent presentation and negotiation skills.
• Excellent communications skills – written and verbal.
• Innovative and highly motivated and a drive to ‘break new ground’.