Brand Design Lead (Graphics)

Role Responsibility

The Brand Design Lead is a newly created role within the Creative Direction team, reporting to the Head of Creative Vision. The Creative Direction team sets the direction for all creative outputs and owns the translation of the Selfridges brand. 

The Brand Design Lead owns the representation of the Selfridges brand through visual design, and sets the direction for the look and feel of our brand through exceptional, cutting-edge graphic and visual design. The role oversees a small team of designers, who will work with them to develop impactful concepts for campaigns, installations and branding projects that reflect our core brand guidleines. These concepts will be translated and rolled out by relevant teams in the wider business – such as Windows, Store Graphics or Digital Design. The role has final say on design direction across Selfridges outputs and requires strong skills in leadership and design direction, always with a focus on customer experience, brand storytelling and commerciality. It is pivotal to the creation of Selfridges visual design content, and intrinsic to the customer perception of the Selfridges brand.

As Brand Design Lead, you will –

• Develop, craft and own Selfridges Design guidelines and strategy, in consultation with the Executive Creative Director, Visual Presentation Director, Director of Brand Strategy and Head of Creative Vision 

• Operate as the guardian of the Selfridges Brand Design Guidelines across all customer facing communications and installations, monitor and provide guidance and high level sign offs for outputs across the business

• Develop innovative concepts for key campaigns and projects, drawing on talent and inspiration to create industry-leading design that sets Selfridges apart in its vision to reinvent retail.

 •Present and pitch design proposals across the business, clearly demonstrating their successful translation of brief

• Oversee a wide range of design across various channels and formats, including store signage, CRM, website, advertising, packaging and wayfinding.

• Partners closely with other Creative leaders, encouraging cross-functional collaboration and contribution to the creative direction of Selfridges overall; 

• Creates an environment which encourages teamwork and continuous improvement, setting the standard for high output, efficiency, sense of urgency and accountability while advocating and living core values and higher purpose

The Ideal Candidate

How you’ll do it…you will be:

• Be a highly skilled in design direction who can create and inspire impactful, unexpected, and compelling design concepts that can be translated for a wide range of channels and formats – from digital advertising to store windows.

• Be an insightful and customer focused creative leader who can develop brand materials for key campaigns, showing a strong understanding of Selfridges’ brand, creative direction, customer needs and 360 campaigns.

• Be constantly curious and seeking inspiration, ensuring that Selfridges design handwriting remains at the forefront of the industry whilst staying true to the core brand

• Be able to understand Selfridges wider creative vision, and how this can translate into brand design

• Have experience in leading and inspiring a team of designers to deliver high quality, brand-enhancing design

• Have strong influencing and stakeholder management skills; Able to work effectively cross-functionally and build partnerships with different areas of the business

• Have a deep appreciation and affinity with the Selfridges brand and an inherent understanding and appreciation for Selfridges’ values. 

About the Company

Rewards and benefits 

Here are just a few of our rewards and benefits that help make our team experience that bit more extraordinary. 

• Flexible working options to benefit you, your family and your wellbeing that can include part-time, flexi-time, job sharing or hybrid working

• Generous annual leave that increases with length of service 

• Up to five paid volunteering days – from beach cleans to co-ordinating food and clothing donations 

• Family leave that suits your set up including Maternity, Paternity, Adoption, Surrogacy and Shared Parental leave policies 

• Defined pension contribution scheme  

• Generous bonus and/or commission scheme  

• Enviable team member discount including sale previews and double discount days 

• Exclusive local discounts on a range of restaurants, bars, beauticians and entertainment 

• Subsidised gym memberships  

• A sustainable car salary sacrifice scheme (subject to eligibility criteria)

• Several internal communities to get involved in from our Diversity Board and Green Warriors who are leading the charge on D,E&I and sustainability, to the Wellbeings who are always thinking of new ways to champion healthy minds, bodies and routines for our team members 

• Workplace Options, our confidential team member assistance programme for when life gets tricky or you need a little guidance 

• Access to a wide range of training programmes to help your career development 

Read on to find out how you can play your part in Reinventing Retail… 

Everyone is welcome 

Selfridges is a place where we want everyone to feel a sense of belonging. We embrace every self and are committed to cultivating a diverse and inclusive working culture. We are leading with purpose to not only increase the visibility and recognition of under-represented talent within our organisation, but the wider industry too. Here at Selfridges, everyone is welcome – irrespective of race, gender, ethnicity, sexuality, age or disability, we stand by equal opportunities for all.   

To ensure every feels welcome, we offer support at every stage of the application and interview process.  Should you need it, please let your recruitment contact know and they will be more than happy to help.

Our awards cabinet  

We’re not ones to brag, but since you asked...Selfridges has won the award for The World’s Best Department Store an unprecedented four times at the IGDS awards, with an additional award for the Best Sustainability Campaign. We were also recognised as a ‘Best 25 Big Company to Work For 2020’ as awarded by The Sunday Times. 

Selfridges