ON is a fast-moving, design-minded technology partner — building compelling and high-impact digital experiences and software platforms. We work with forward-thinking companies that value design and user experience.

We’re not your typical agency, and place a heavy emphasis on bespoke, best-fit solutions that are tailored to the full stack challenges that we are solving — with technical rigour behind our delivery, and a focus on the right tools for the right job.

As a rapidly growing business, we’re looking for a talented Design Director to join our multidisciplinary team of technologists, designers, strategists and researchers.

Our work spans a wide range of sectors, including MedTech, FinTech, Creative, Venture, FoodTech; with an increasing focus on sustainability through our work with charities, ClimateTech, and AgTech companies.

If that sounds like your cup of tea, we’d love to chat.

About the role 

As our Design Director, you’ll be leading an incredible team of talented and diverse designers. We structure our team around versatile designers who are constantly developing and broadening their wide skill sets. Our teams are highly skilled and multifaceted, collaborating across all disciplines involved in the design and technology process. To ensure that our growing team is properly supported, we’re looking for someone with the skill set and experience to lead the way. You will bring your own unique value and will work together with the team to ensure the development and success of projects, individuals, and the design discipline.

• This is a permanent, full-time position

• We’re headquartered in North Greenwich, London, we support flexible working, and are happy to accept candidates from anywhere in the UK.
  

Responsibilities

• You will guide clients and multi-disciplinary teams in the creation of world class products and experiences

• You will be responsible for the leadership, growth and development of a team of circa 10 designers, encouraging and ensuring world-class design by facilitating collaboration between designers, disciplines, and teams

• Setting the benchmark for quality and best practices, you’ll help steer designers to execute in a fast-moving, global environment

• You will also be an ambassador for our principles both internally and externally 

• You will contribute to the studio's strategic direction and growth from business development and pitches to operational choices and culture

About you 

We are looking for someone who is motivated, communicative, and detail oriented. 

• Highly passionate. You care deeply about fostering design in a user-centered and interdisciplinary client service environment. You have an understanding of the digital product and service landscape and take an active interest in new technologies

• A practitioner leader. You are still passionate about doing actual design as well as leading and guiding others

• An excellent communicator and story-teller. Whether it’s about people, design or product, you bring a positive energy into any conversation and are able to get those around you excited around a shared purpose. You have a high-level ability to develop, articulate and explain ideas so that others (including clients) comprehend them, love them and buy into them

• A caring, empathetic, humble mentor and coach. You care about developing your team, helping them overcome challenges, and helping nurture the future leaders of our team

• Commercially savvy. You understand how to achieve commercial objectives without undermining the quality of our work. Ideally, you understand our competitive landscape and know how to keep us differentiated in our offering. You identify opportunities and see the potential in any project or client engagement.

• A change maker. You enjoy change, problem-solving, and you’re passionate about learning and experimenting

• Intuitive to the needs of the clients, designers and cross-discipline teams

• Comfortable with ambiguity and are able to execute in a fast-paced environment

• Ability to work in an iterative fashion, collaborating closely with various project teams and clients in order to define problems and goals

• Ability to design elegant user flows and interactions for a global audience across platforms

• Ability to manage the design team’s overall quality of work by offering direction and inspiration

• Ability to give and receive feedback from other designers and cross-disciplinary partners

• 5+ years experience in a senior design leadership role leading teams

• A strong foundation in design craft and design thinking

• Deep demonstrated expertise in digital product design

• Experience in design ownership/leadership across multiple teams and projects

• Experience of working in an agency environment

• Demonstrating record of nurturing talent, facilitating career growth and personal development

Benefits

As part of a fast-growing team, we expect a lot from our people, but also make sure that you have the support you need to deliver and to grow - both personally and professionally. As well as working with a dynamic, diverse and multidisciplinary team, you get:

• A competitive salary

• Access to the company bonus scheme

• 24 days paid holiday per year, plus national holidays

• Remote working as standard

• We’ll provide an Apple laptop and an external monitor along with any equipment you need to be comfortable working from home

• Work from home allowance, we’ll contribute to your internet

• Funding and resources to continue professional development

• Additional benefits with each year of service

We have quarterly reviews, and realise the importance of giving people the time and resources they need to develop their skills.

We are committed in our journey to eliminating discrimination, encouraging and valuing diversity amongst our workforce. We welcome enquiries from everyone.