Design Director, Marketing

📍 Job Overview

Job Title: Design Director, Marketing

Company: IMG

Location: London, United Kingdom

Job Type: Full time

Category: Marketing Operations / Creative Strategy

Date Posted: August 24, 2026

Experience Level: 10+ years

Remote Status: Hybrid

🚀 Role Summary

• Oversees and influences creative direction across graphic design, presentation design, campaign creative, brand identity, digital, social, motion, and experiential activations for a leading global sports marketing agency.

• Drives creative strategy and execution for high-stakes pitches, RFPs, and major client campaigns, ensuring world-class conceptual thinking and execution.

• Manages, mentors, and inspires a team of designers, setting high standards for quality, consistency, and creative excellence in all deliverables.

• Collaborates closely with senior leadership, business development teams, and marketers to interpret briefs and shape visually striking, strategically effective designs.

• Leverages emerging AI-driven design tools and innovative formats to enhance creative output, storytelling, and operational efficiencies.

📝 Enhancement Note: While the title is "Design Director, Marketing," the responsibilities heavily lean into strategic creative leadership for business development (pitches, RFPs) and client brand management, aligning it closely with a GTM (Go-To-Market) and Brand Operations focus rather than traditional marketing execution. The emphasis on "winning clients," "building brands," and "influencing how IMG shows up to clients, partners and fans" positions this role as critical to revenue generation and client retention through strong brand presentation and strategic creative.

📈 Primary Responsibilities

• Lead the creative vision and execution for IMG's most strategically important pitches and Request for Proposals (RFPs), from initial brief to final presentation.

• Elevate the creative ambition of all pitch materials by introducing innovative concepts, strong conceptual thinking, and world-class design execution.

• Develop and implement robust pitch frameworks, templates, and presentation systems to enable faster, higher-quality, and more consistent responses.

• Drive creative direction for major clients and global marketing campaigns, overseeing the process from initial concept development through to final delivery.

• Manage and evolve brand development initiatives, including campaigns, brand activities, and marketing collateral, ensuring brand consistency and impact.

• Mentor, manage, and inspire a team of graphic designers, illustrators, and motion designers, fostering a culture of creative excellence and continuous improvement.

• Collaborate directly with senior stakeholders, industry-leading strategists, and marketing teams to interpret complex briefs and translate them into compelling visual narratives.

• Build and maintain scalable template systems and asset libraries to streamline workflows, improve efficiency, and elevate design quality across the organization.

• Proactively identify and implement opportunities to enhance design capabilities through the adoption of new tools, processes, and emerging formats, including AI-driven design solutions.

• Balance hands-on design leadership and execution with strategic oversight of creative projects.

• Manage multiple high-priority projects simultaneously, delivering exceptional quality under tight deadlines in a high-pressure, fast-paced environment.

• Maintain and evolve IMG's overarching brand identity, ensuring its consistent application across all touchpoints.

📝 Enhancement Note: The responsibilities highlight a blend of strategic leadership and hands-on creative direction, crucial for a role that influences how IMG presents itself to potential clients and partners. The emphasis on "winning clients," "building brands," and managing "pitch frameworks" underscores its strategic importance in revenue generation and business development operations.

🎓 Skills & Qualifications

Education: While no specific degree is listed, a Bachelor's or Master's degree in Graphic Design, Visual Communications, Marketing, or a related field is typically expected for such a senior role. A strong emphasis will be placed on demonstrated experience and portfolio.

Experience:

• 10+ years of progressive experience in design, with a minimum of 3 years in a leadership capacity, managing teams within an agency, studio, or in-house creative environment.

• Proven track record of leading creative for high-stakes pitches and RFPs that have resulted in successful client wins.

• Extensive experience in developing and managing brand systems, integrated marketing campaigns, and large-scale activations.

• Demonstrated ability to translate strategic objectives into visually compelling creative solutions. Required Skills:

• Exceptional command of typography, layout, composition, and visual storytelling techniques.

• Advanced proficiency in Adobe Creative Suite (Photoshop, Illustrator, InDesign, After Effects).

• Strong expertise in Figma for collaborative design and prototyping.

• Proven ability to manage multiple complex projects simultaneously, prioritizing tasks effectively and delivering high-quality results under pressure.

• Experience in presenting and articulating creative concepts and strategic rationale to senior leadership and external stakeholders.

• Deep understanding of brand identity development, campaign creation, and multi-channel marketing collateral design.

• Strong leadership, mentoring, and team-building capabilities, with the ability to inspire and motivate creative talent.

• Excellent verbal and written communication skills, with the ability to articulate design decisions and strategic thinking clearly. Preferred Skills:

• Knowledge and practical experience with AI-driven design tools (e.g., Flora, Runway, Nano Banana, generative design platforms) to improve creative output, storytelling, and time efficiencies.

• Experience in motion design and digital design, including UI/UX principles.

• Background in sports, entertainment, or culturally driven brands is highly preferred.

• Familiarity with project management methodologies and tools relevant to creative workflows.

📝 Enhancement Note: The emphasis on AI-driven design tools is a key differentiator, indicating IMG's forward-thinking approach to creative operations and efficiency. This is a critical keyword for candidates to highlight. The preference for sports/entertainment experience is also a significant signal for specialization.

📊 Process & Systems Portfolio Requirements

Portfolio Essentials:

• Winning Pitch Presentations: Showcase examples of successful pitch decks, demonstrating strategic thinking, creative concept development, and persuasive visual storytelling that led to client wins. Highlight the role played in developing the creative narrative and visual execution.

• Integrated Marketing Campaigns: Present comprehensive campaigns across multiple channels, illustrating the strategic approach, creative execution, and impact on brand perception or business objectives.

• Brand Systems: Provide examples of developing or evolving brand identity systems, including guidelines, brand assets, and their consistent application across various touchpoints.

• Large-Scale Activations: Showcase experience in designing for significant events, experiential marketing, or large-scale brand activations, demonstrating an understanding of spatial design, audience engagement, and logistical considerations.

Process Documentation:

• Workflow Design and Optimization: Demonstrate an understanding of creative workflow processes, from brief to delivery, and how you have optimized these for efficiency, quality, and speed, particularly in high-pressure pitch environments.

• Implementation and Automation: Highlight experience in implementing design systems, templates, and leveraging tools (including AI) to automate repetitive tasks and improve the consistency and scalability of creative output.

• Measurement and Performance Analysis: While not explicitly stated for design, demonstrate how creative outputs contribute to business objectives. For pitches, this might involve showcasing how the creative strategy directly addresses client KPIs or business challenges.

📝 Enhancement Note: For a Design Director role focused on pitches and brand, the portfolio is paramount. The emphasis on "winning pitch presentations" and "strategic thinking" indicates that the portfolio should not just display aesthetics but also demonstrate a clear link between creative strategy and business outcomes, crucial for a role impacting revenue and client acquisition.

💵 Compensation & Benefits

Salary Range:

Based on industry benchmarks for a Design Director with 10+ years of experience in a major global city like London, and considering the leadership responsibilities and specialized skills (including AI design tools), the estimated annual salary range is £80,000 - £110,000 GBP. This range can vary based on the candidate's specific experience, portfolio strength, and negotiation.

Benefits:

• Hybrid Working Flexibility: Opportunity to blend in-office collaboration with remote work, offering a balance between team synergy and personal flexibility.

• Generous Annual Leave: Standard holiday entitlement, often supplemented by additional days for long service or public holidays.

• Pension Scheme: Company contributions to a pension plan to support long-term financial security.

• Health and Wellness Programs: Access to health insurance, wellness initiatives, and potentially employee assistance programs.

• Professional Development: Opportunities for ongoing learning, including access to training, workshops, and potentially support for industry certifications or conferences.

• Employee Discounts/Perks: Potential access to discounts on IMG/TKO events, merchandise, or partner services.

Working Hours:

Standard working hours are 9:00 – 17:00, Monday to Friday. However, the role requires flexibility due to the demands of pitch deadlines, client events, and business schedules, which may necessitate working unsocial hours or traveling.

📝 Enhancement Note: The salary range is estimated based on London market rates for senior creative leadership roles in large, reputable organizations within the sports and entertainment sector. Benefits are standard for a full-time position of this level in the UK, with specific emphasis on flexibility and professional growth relevant to creative roles.

🎯 Team & Company Context

🏢 Company Culture

Industry: Sports Marketing & Entertainment. IMG operates at the intersection of sports, media, and entertainment, representing a vast portfolio of major global federations, events, and teams. This industry demands creativity, agility, and a deep understanding of fan engagement and brand partnerships.

Company Size: IMG is a subsidiary of TKO Group Holdings, Inc., a significant entity in the sports and entertainment world, with TKO owning iconic properties like UFC and WWE. IMG itself is a large global agency. This size implies a structured environment with opportunities for broad impact and cross-functional collaboration, but also requires navigating larger organizational processes.

Founded: IMG was founded in 1960. Its long history signifies stability, deep industry expertise, and established relationships within the sports and entertainment landscape. This legacy provides a strong foundation for its current operations and future growth.

Team Structure:

• Operations Team Aspect 1: The Design team likely operates within a broader Marketing or Creative department. It will consist of a Director (this role), potentially Art Directors, Graphic Designers, Motion Designers, and Presentation Specialists.

• Operations Team Aspect 2: This role reports to a senior marketing or commercial leader (e.g., VP of Marketing, Head of Business Development Creative). The team will collaborate extensively with Business Development, Sales, Strategy, and Client Management teams.

• Operations Team Aspect 3: Cross-functional collaboration is key, especially with Business Development for pitches and Client Management for ongoing brand work. There will also be interaction with content production, digital, and events teams.

Methodology:

• Data Analysis and Insights: While not a data analyst role, creative strategies will be informed by market research, fan insights, and client performance data to ensure designs are strategically sound and impactful.

• Workflow Planning and Optimization: Emphasis on structured creative processes, efficient project management, and the implementation of systems (like templates and AI tools) to streamline delivery.

• Automation and Efficiency Practices: Proactive adoption of tools and technologies, including AI, to automate tasks, enhance productivity, and improve the quality and speed of creative output.

Company Website: https://www.img.com/

📝 Enhancement Note: Understanding IMG's position within TKO Group Holdings is crucial. It's a major player in sports marketing, meaning the creative output directly impacts revenue generation through pitches and client brand growth. The "Innovation Mindset" core competency is particularly relevant for this role, given the focus on AI tools.

📈 Career & Growth Analysis

Operations Career Level: This is a senior leadership role, a Design Director, positioned at the top of the creative hierarchy within the marketing function. It requires strategic vision, team management, and significant influence on business development and client brand strategies. This level demands not only creative excellence but also business acumen and operational efficiency.

Reporting Structure: The Design Director will likely report to a senior executive within the Marketing or Commercial division, such as a VP of Marketing, Chief Marketing Officer, or Head of Business Development. This position has direct reports within the design team.

Operations Impact: The impact of this role on revenue and business decisions is substantial. The quality of pitch presentations and client creative directly influences the ability to win new business, retain existing clients, and enhance the perceived value of IMG's services. Strategic creative direction shapes the brand's external perception and market positioning.

Growth Opportunities:

• Operations Skill Advancement: Opportunity to lead larger creative teams, oversee more significant global campaigns, and potentially expand into broader creative leadership roles across TKO Group Holdings.

• Industry Skill Development: Deepen expertise in sports and entertainment marketing, brand strategy, and cutting-edge design technologies, including AI applications in creative fields.

• Leadership Potential: Develop strategic leadership skills, executive communication, and influence within a major global sports and entertainment organization, paving the way for executive-level positions.

📝 Enhancement Note: The role is critical to the Go-To-Market strategy by ensuring compelling presentations and brand experiences that drive client acquisition and retention. Growth opportunities extend beyond design into broader commercial and strategic leadership within IMG and TKO.

🌐 Work Environment

Office Type: The role is based at Chiswick Park, London, which is known for its modern, campus-like environment designed to foster collaboration and employee well-being. It offers amenities and a professional setting conducive to creative work.

Office Location(s): Chiswick Park, London, United Kingdom. This location is accessible and provides a professional environment.

Workspace Context:

• Collaborative Environment: Chiswick Park's design encourages interaction. The role requires active participation in team meetings, brainstorming sessions, and cross-functional project discussions.

• Operations Tools and Technology: Access to industry-standard design software (Adobe Creative Suite, Figma), potentially specialized AI design tools, and presentation technologies. Collaboration platforms for remote and in-office work will also be utilized.

• Operations Team Interaction: Frequent collaboration with direct reports, senior stakeholders, business development teams, and marketing colleagues, fostering a dynamic and communicative work atmosphere.

Work Schedule: The standard 9:00 – 17:00 schedule provides a baseline, but the nature of pitch deadlines and client demands means the role requires flexibility and the ability to adapt to unsocial hours when necessary. This flexibility is crucial for managing high-pressure operational cycles.

📝 Enhancement Note: Chiswick Park is a well-regarded business location, suggesting a professional and well-equipped work environment. The hybrid aspect indicates a modern approach to work-life balance, though the operational demands of the role necessitate adaptability.

📄 Application & Portfolio Review Process

Interview Process:

• Initial Screening: A recruiter or HR representative will review applications and conduct an initial screening call to assess basic qualifications and cultural fit.

• Portfolio Review: Candidates will be asked to present their portfolio, focusing on key examples relevant to the role's responsibilities (pitch decks, brand systems, campaigns). This stage assesses creative excellence, strategic thinking, and presentation skills.

• Hiring Manager Interview: A detailed discussion with the hiring manager (likely a senior marketing or commercial leader) to delve deeper into experience, leadership style, strategic approach to creative challenges, and understanding of the sports/entertainment industry.

• Team/Stakeholder Interviews: Interviews with key stakeholders from Business Development, Strategy, or other relevant departments to assess collaboration capabilities, communication style, and ability to integrate creative vision with business objectives.

• Creative Challenge/Presentation: Potentially a short, timed creative exercise or a more in-depth presentation task designed to simulate a pitch scenario, evaluating problem-solving skills, conceptual thinking, and execution under pressure.

• Final Interview: A final discussion with senior leadership to confirm cultural fit, strategic alignment, and overall suitability for the role.

Portfolio Review Tips:

• Curate Strategically: Select 3-5 of your strongest projects that directly align with the job description, particularly winning pitch presentations, integrated campaigns, and brand system development.

• Tell a Story: For each project, clearly articulate the brief, your strategic approach, the challenges faced, your creative solution, the tools/processes used (especially AI), and the measurable outcomes or impact.

• Highlight Leadership: If showcasing team projects, clearly define your specific role, contributions, and leadership approach.

• Showcase Process: Include examples of how you've built templates, optimized workflows, or used AI to enhance efficiency and quality.

• Prepare for Presentation: Practice delivering your portfolio walkthrough concisely and engagingly, anticipating questions about your decision-making process and strategic rationale.

Challenge Preparation:

• Understand the Context: Research IMG's recent campaigns, client roster, and the sports/entertainment landscape. Identify current trends and potential creative opportunities or challenges.

• Think Strategically: Be prepared to articulate how design directly supports business objectives, client acquisition, and brand growth.

• Demonstrate Process: If given a creative brief, outline your approach to understanding the problem, brainstorming concepts, developing solutions, and ensuring quality and efficiency.

• Emphasize AI Integration: Be ready to discuss how you would leverage AI tools to enhance the creative process and outcomes.

📝 Enhancement Note: The interview process emphasizes practical demonstration of skills through portfolio and potentially a creative challenge, directly assessing how candidates can contribute to revenue-generating activities like pitches. The portfolio review is the most critical component.

🛠 Tools & Technology Stack

Primary Tools:

• Adobe Creative Suite: Essential for graphic design, illustration, photo editing, and motion graphics (Photoshop, Illustrator, InDesign, After Effects).

• Figma: Critical for collaborative design, prototyping, and UI/UX work, especially for presentations and digital assets.

• Presentation Software: Proficiency in tools like PowerPoint and Keynote is assumed for pitch deck creation, but expertise in creating visually dynamic presentations using design software is key.

Analytics & Reporting:

• While not a direct analytics role, understanding how design impacts metrics (e.g., engagement rates, conversion rates on digital assets, pitch win rates) is important. Familiarity with dashboard tools like Tableau or Power BI for reviewing performance data might be beneficial. CRM & Automation:

• No direct CRM or automation tool usage is specified, but understanding how design assets are managed and deployed within marketing automation platforms or content management systems could be a plus. Emerging Technologies:

• AI-driven Design Tools: Explicitly mentioned and highly valued. This includes generative design platforms, AI-powered image creation tools (e.g., Midjourney, DALL-E), AI video editing tools (e.g., RunwayML), and AI for workflow automation (e.g., Flora, Nano Banana). Candidates are expected to be knowledgeable and, ideally, experienced in leveraging these for creative and efficiency gains.

📝 Enhancement Note: The explicit mention of "AI-driven design tools" is a significant requirement and differentiator. Candidates should be prepared to discuss their experience and innovative applications of these tools in a creative and operational context.

👥 Team Culture & Values

Operations Values:

• Business Acumen: Understanding the financial drivers of pitches and client work, interpreting business data to inform creative decisions, and aligning design strategy with strategic outcomes that drive revenue.

• Operational Excellence: Driving efficiency in creative workflows, ensuring governance in brand application, and championing continuous improvement in the delivery of design services, especially under tight deadlines.

• Innovation Mindset: Cultivating curiosity, embracing experimentation with new design tools (especially AI), and developing forward-looking creative capabilities that keep IMG at the forefront of the industry.

• Leadership & Collaboration: Inspiring and guiding the design team, building trust with stakeholders, and enabling effective collaboration across diverse departments to achieve shared goals.

Collaboration Style:

• Cross-functional Integration: A collaborative approach is essential, working closely with Business Development, Strategy, and Client Management to ensure creative output is strategically aligned and meets client needs.

• Process Review and Feedback: An open culture for constructive feedback exchange within the design team and with stakeholders to refine creative concepts and improve processes.

• Knowledge Sharing: Encouraging the sharing of best practices, new design techniques, and insights from AI tool utilization to foster collective growth and innovation.

📝 Enhancement Note: The core competencies of TKO Group Holdings align directly with the operational demands of this role. Emphasizing how design contributes to "Business Acumen" and "Operational Excellence" will resonate strongly.

⚡ Challenges & Growth Opportunities

Challenges:

• Balancing Creative Ambition with Business Demands: The constant need to deliver innovative, high-quality creative solutions under tight deadlines for high-stakes pitches while adhering to brand guidelines and client objectives.

• Integrating Emerging Technologies: Effectively incorporating and championing the use of AI-driven design tools across the team, which may require training, adaptation, and overcoming potential resistance to change.

• Managing Diverse Stakeholder Expectations: Navigating the needs and preferences of various internal stakeholders (senior leadership, BD, Sales) and external clients, ensuring creative solutions meet strategic goals and brand requirements.

• Maintaining Creative Excellence at Scale: Ensuring consistent high quality and innovative output across a wide range of projects and clients within a large, fast-paced organization.

Learning & Development Opportunities:

• Operations Skill Advancement: Opportunities to lead larger creative initiatives, manage bigger budgets, and potentially expand into broader strategic creative roles within IMG or TKO.

• Industry Conference and Certification Participation: Potential to attend leading design and sports/entertainment industry events, and perhaps pursue certifications in new design technologies or management.

• Operations Mentorship and Leadership Development: Access to mentorship programs and leadership training designed to hone strategic thinking, executive presence, and team management skills.

📝 Enhancement Note: The challenge of integrating AI tools is significant and offers a clear growth path for the successful candidate to become a leader in this area.

💡 Interview Preparation

Strategy Questions:

• "Describe your process for developing a creative strategy for a high-stakes pitch. How do you ensure it aligns with business objectives and client needs?"

• "How have you leveraged AI or other emerging technologies to enhance creative output or improve workflow efficiency in previous roles? Can you provide a specific example?"

• "Walk us through a challenging client brief you received. What was your approach, how did you collaborate with stakeholders, and what was the outcome?" Company & Culture Questions:

• "What excites you about IMG and the sports/entertainment industry, and how do you see your creative leadership contributing to our brand's success?"

• "How do you foster a culture of creative excellence and continuous improvement within a design team?"

• "IMG emphasizes 'Business Acumen' and 'Operational Excellence.' How do you integrate these principles into your creative direction and team management?" Portfolio Presentation Strategy:

• Structure Your Narrative: For each project, clearly define the "Why" (the brief/challenge), the "How" (your strategy, process, and tools), and the "What" (the solution and its impact/results).

• Quantify Impact: Whenever possible, use metrics to demonstrate the success of your creative work (e.g., pitch win rate increase, engagement metrics, brand perception shifts).

• Showcase Process & AI: Explicitly detail how you approached the project, highlighting your problem-solving skills and any innovative use of AI or new technologies.

• Be Concise and Engaging: Practice presenting your work within a set timeframe, ensuring clarity, confidence, and enthusiasm. Be ready to answer detailed questions about your design decisions and strategic rationale.

📝 Enhancement Note: Interview preparation should focus on demonstrating not just creative talent, but also strategic thinking, leadership, operational efficiency, and an understanding of how design drives business outcomes, particularly in the context of pitches and client relationships.

📌 Application Steps

To apply for this Design Director, Marketing position:

• Submit your application through the provided link on the Workday portal.

• Operations Portfolio Customization: Tailor your portfolio to prominently feature examples of winning pitch presentations, integrated marketing campaigns, and brand system development. Specifically highlight projects where you led creative strategy and execution, and demonstrate your experience with AI-driven design tools.

• Resume Optimization: Ensure your resume clearly outlines your 10+ years of design experience, with at least 3 years in a leadership capacity. Use keywords from the job description, such as "Creative Direction," "Brand Identity," "Pitch Presentation," "AI-driven Design Tools," "Team Leadership," and "Strategic Storytelling." Quantify achievements where possible.

• Interview Preparation: Practice articulating your creative process, leadership philosophy, and approach to operational efficiency. Prepare to discuss specific examples of how you've driven business results through design and how you utilize AI tools. Rehearse your portfolio presentation to be clear, concise, and impactful.

• Company Research: Thoroughly research IMG, its parent company TKO Group Holdings, their recent marketing efforts, key clients, and the sports/entertainment industry landscape. Understand their core competencies and how your skills align with their values and strategic goals.

⚠️ Important Notice: This enhanced job description includes AI-generated insights and operations industry-standard assumptions. All details should be verified directly with the hiring organization before making application decisions.