The purpose of this role is to work closely with the Creative Directors and Strategy leads to help push the design boundaries of the agency output for existing clients and new business opportunities. Present innovative and differentiating ideas and designs to client. They will be responsible for the design ownership, creative strategic development and overall concept development of the Client’s brand.

We Dream. We Do. We Deliver.
 

About Merkle

Merkle, a dentsu company, powers the experience economy. For more than 35 years, we have put people at the heart of its approach to digital business transformation. As the only integrated experience consultancy in the world with a heritage in data science and our performance, Merkle delivers holistic, experiences that promote growth, engagement, and loyalty. Merkle's expertise has earned recognition as a "Leader" by top industry analyst firms, in categories such as digital transformation and commerce, experience design, engineering and technology integration, digital marketing, data science, CRM and loyalty, and customer data management. With more than 16,000 employees, Merkle operates in 30+ countries throughout the Americas, EMEA, and APAC. For more information, visit www.merkle.com.

Job Description

Role Summary:

We are seeking an experienced Design Director with over 10 years of experience leading UX/UI teams. This individual will drive our design initiatives with a focus on AI-driven design, rapid prototyping, and conceptual design, creating seamless experiences across connected digital, in-store, and physical environments. As the Head of Design, you’ll lead and nurture a team of passionate designers both onshore, nearshore, and offshore, inspiring them to push the boundaries of experience design through the latest technologies and human-centred practices.

Responsibilities:

• Leadership & Team Development: Lead, mentor, and inspire a team of UX/UI designers across the UK, Portugal, India, and Brazil. Cultivate a culture of innovation, nurturing each designer’s skill set with cutting-edge design techniques, especially in AI, rapid prototyping, and conceptual design thinking.
• Strategic Vision & Execution: Establish a design vision incorporating AI-driven insights, rapid prototyping methods, and connected experience thinking to deliver innovative solutions across web/App, in-store, and physical spaces. Empower the team to push creative limits by championing user-centric solutions.
• AI & Emerging Technology Integration: Position the team at the forefront of AI integration in design. Explore and implement AI-driven tools, methodologies, and design automation to enhance efficiency and impact.
• Rapid Prototyping & Conceptual Design: Lead the team in adopting rapid prototyping practices to test and validate ideas quickly. Drive conceptual design initiatives, encouraging team members to explore bold, visionary ideas and test innovative solutions.
• Connected Experience Design: Guide the team to design cohesive experiences across digital and physical touchpoints, including web, mobile, in-store, and other physical environments. Ensure that each experience aligns with brand goals and enhances customer engagement across channels.
• Resource Management & Project Support: Oversee the allocation of resources across projects, ensuring optimal alignment of skills to meet client needs.
• Sales & Growth: Support in key project pitches, collaborating closely with business development teams to secure new business.
• Client Engagement & Workshop Facilitation: Serve as a senior point of contact for clients, leading discovery and design-thinking workshops to uncover client goals and user needs. Guide clients through the design process, translating complex ideas into actionable strategies that meet business and user objectives.
• Capability Growth in Nearshore & Offshore Teams: Expand the design capabilities of nearshore and offshore teams, working closely with local leads to foster a high-performing, global design community.
• Cross-functional collaboration: Work closely with the broader team that includes strategists, researchers, and optimisation consultants to deliver integrated, data-driven design solutions. 
• Industry Leadership & Human-Centered Design Thinking: Stay at the cutting edge of design trends, including AI, connected experience design, and human-centred methodologies. Lead by example, positioning the team to consistently deliver industry-leading, user-centered experiences.

Requirements:

• Strong experience in UX/UI design, with substantial experience leading cross-functional and global teams.
• Fully experienced with Figma.
• Strong expertise in AI-driven design, rapid prototyping, and conceptual design, with a track record of integrating emerging technologies.
• Proven experience managing global teams, including onshore, nearshore, and offshore resources.
• Deep understanding of multi-channel, connected experiences that bridge digital, in-store, and physical environments.
• Experience in client-facing roles, including leading workshops, and project pitches, and delivering strategic design insights.
• Exceptional communication and collaboration skills, with the ability to work effectively with strategists, researchers, and optimisation specialists.
• Passion for human-centred design principles and a commitment to staying ahead of industry trends.

Additional information

Benefits and perks: