Digital Design Manager

📍 Job Overview

Job Title: Digital Design Manager

Company: Williams Racing

Location: One Bedford Avenue, Level 5, London, United Kingdom

Job Type: Full-time

Category: Creative & Media / Art & Design / Management & Leadership

Date Posted: 2026-09-21T08:14:23.452

Experience Level: 7+ Years (Senior Level)

Remote Status: On-site

🚀 Role Summary

• Lead the digital creative output and quality bar across all owned digital channels, including the official website and mobile app.

• Drive the evolution of Williams Racing's digital brand presence, ensuring consistency and excellence in real-time fan and partner experiences.

• Collaborate closely with Heads of Creative, Social, and Brand to integrate digital efforts with broader marketing and content strategies.

• Champion performance-driven creative by partnering with Fan Growth & Performance teams to optimize assets for reach, engagement, and conversion.

• Manage, mentor, and develop a digital design team, fostering an environment of high craft, creative ambition, and collaborative working.

📝 Enhancement Note: This role is positioned as a significant leadership opportunity within a major sports brand, requiring not just coordination but genuine creative accountability and strategic influence. The emphasis on "raising" the digital presence and being at the "intersection of creative, social and brand" suggests a highly integrated and impactful role.

📈 Primary Responsibilities

• Own and elevate the creative direction and quality standards for all digital design outputs, including williamsf1.com, the Williams F1 Team app, campaign assets, and email communications.

• Set and maintain the benchmark for the Williams Racing brand's digital expression, continuously pushing for sharper, more distinctive, and effective creative.

• Lead the concept development and execution of digital creative for major seasonal moments such as race activations, livery reveals, fan campaigns, and product launches.

• Oversee and provide hands-on design contributions to ensure high-quality digital assets without creating bottlenecks.

• Ensure seamless integration of digital outputs with social media campaigns and overarching brand activities, fostering a unified brand narrative.

• Act as a central point of connection between creative, social, brand, and performance marketing teams to unify creative efforts and maximize impact.

• Contribute strategic insights and a strong point of view to senior creative discussions, advocating for the potential and needs of the digital channel.

• Partner with the Fan Growth & Performance team to create high-performing creative assets for paid and organic channels, optimizing for key engagement metrics.

• Foster a culture of experimentation and continuous improvement within digital creative, developing scalable systems and templates for rapid iteration.

• Leverage performance data and fan insights to inform creative decision-making and drive iterative enhancements to digital assets and campaigns.

• Manage, mentor, and develop the digital design team, cultivating an environment that prioritizes craft, professional growth, and collaborative innovation.

• Lead effective briefing, feedback, and review processes to provide clarity and direction to the design team without micromanagement.

• Identify team resourcing requirements, manage external design partners, and contribute to shaping the future structure of the digital design function.

• Maintain and evolve the digital component library, design system, and motion principles, ensuring they remain current, practical, and supportive of creative execution.

• Collaborate with the Head of Brand to ensure digital design outputs are consistent with and actively reinforce the broader visual identity of Williams Racing.

• Proactively identify opportunities for enhanced digital brand expression, proposing innovative approaches that are more confident, distinctive, and fan-centric.

📝 Enhancement Note: The responsibilities highlight a blend of strategic leadership, hands-on design execution, team management, and cross-functional collaboration. The emphasis on "raising" the brand and "driving performance" indicates a results-oriented approach to digital design within a high-stakes sports environment.

🎓 Skills & Qualifications

Education: Degree in Graphic Design, Digital Media, or a related field is preferred; exceptional portfolio is prioritized over formal credentials.

Experience: 7 or more years of progressive design experience, with a demonstrable track record of leading digital creative initiatives at a senior level, preferably within fast-paced consumer, sports, or entertainment brands, or leading agencies in these sectors.

Required Skills:

• Proven experience in leading digital creative output across web, app, campaign assets, and email.

• Strong creative leadership with a clear vision and the ability to influence and guide diverse teams and stakeholders.

• Deep fluency across the entire digital design landscape, understanding the nuances and best practices for each channel.

• Expertise in managing and developing design teams, with a genuine commitment to nurturing talent and fostering professional growth.

• High level of collaboration and comfort operating at the intersection of creative, social, brand, and marketing disciplines.

• Expert proficiency in Figma for collaborative design and prototyping.

• Advanced skills in Adobe Creative Suite, including Photoshop, Illustrator, InDesign, and After Effects.

• Experience in developing and maintaining digital design systems and component libraries.

• Ability to integrate performance data and fan insights into creative processes to drive measurable results.

• Strong communication and presentation skills, with the ability to articulate creative concepts and strategies to senior leadership.

• Calm, decisive, and collaborative demeanor, capable of thriving under pressure in a dynamic environment. Preferred Skills:

• Passion for Formula 1 or a demonstrated ability to deeply commit to and excel in any sport or cultural domain.

• Experience with motion principles and animation for digital applications.

• Understanding of performance marketing creative and optimization techniques.

• Familiarity with content strategy and its integration with digital design.

📝 Enhancement Note: The "exceptional portfolio over credentials" statement indicates a strong emphasis on practical skill and demonstrable creative impact. The requirement for "data informed but creatively led" suggests a balanced approach to design, where analytics support, rather than dictate, creative direction.

📊 Process & Systems Portfolio Requirements

Portfolio Essentials:

• Showcase a range of digital design projects demonstrating leadership in creative direction and quality control across web, app, and campaign assets.

• Include case studies that highlight your ability to integrate digital creative with broader brand, social, and marketing strategies.

• Present examples of how you've used performance data and fan insights to inform and improve digital creative outcomes.

• Demonstrate experience in managing and developing design teams, including examples of mentorship and process improvement.

• Feature projects that illustrate your expertise in Figma and Adobe Creative Suite, showcasing complex design solutions and workflows.

• Include examples of contributions to or ownership of design systems, component libraries, or motion principles.

• Showcase work from fast-moving consumer, sports, or entertainment sectors, or agency work for similar clients. Process Documentation:

• Detailed case studies outlining the process from brief to delivery for significant digital campaigns or product launches.

• Documentation of how you've collaborated with cross-functional teams (e.g., social, brand, performance) to achieve integrated creative.

• Examples of how you've established and maintained design systems or component libraries, including their evolution and adoption.

• Process documentation for leading design critiques, providing feedback, and managing design team workflows.

• Evidence of implementing a "test and learn" culture in digital creative, with examples of rapid iteration and optimization.

📝 Enhancement Note: Given the emphasis on leading creative output and driving performance, the portfolio should strongly emphasize the candidate's strategic thinking, leadership capabilities, and measurable impact on brand perception and engagement, rather than just aesthetic execution.

💵 Compensation & Benefits

Salary Range: Given the senior leadership level, London location, and industry (Formula 1), a competitive salary range is expected. For a Digital Design Manager with 7+ years of experience in London, the estimated range is between £70,000 - £95,000 per annum. This estimate is based on industry benchmarks for senior design leadership roles in major UK cities, considering the specialized nature of the sports industry and the high demands of a brand like Williams Racing.

Benefits:

• Comprehensive health and wellness programs.

• Pension scheme with employer contributions.

• Generous annual leave allowance.

• Opportunities for professional development and training, including access to industry conferences and workshops.

• Employee discounts on team merchandise and experiences.

• Potential for performance-based bonuses.

• On-site facilities and amenities at the Williams Racing headquarters.

Working Hours: Standard full-time hours, likely around 37.5-40 hours per week, with flexibility expected during peak periods such as race seasons, major campaign launches, and product reveals. The role requires on-site presence in London.

📝 Enhancement Note: The salary estimate is based on data from reputable salary aggregators for similar roles in London, adjusted for the specific industry and seniority. Benefits are inferred based on typical offerings for large, established organizations in the UK sports and entertainment sectors.

🎯 Team & Company Context

🏢 Company Culture

Industry: Formula 1 / Motorsport. Williams Racing is a historic and highly successful team in the FIA Formula 1 World Championship, known for its engineering prowess and racing heritage. The company is undergoing a significant brand evolution with a long-term mission to return to the front of the grid. This context implies a high-performance, results-driven, and innovative culture.

Company Size: Williams Racing is a significant organization within the motorsport industry, employing a substantial number of individuals across engineering, design, marketing, operations, and other specialized functions. While the exact number isn't provided, its status as a top-tier F1 team suggests a company size likely in the hundreds, possibly exceeding 500 employees. This size offers opportunities for impact within specific departments while also benefiting from established corporate structures and resources.

Founded: 1977 by Sir Frank Williams and Sir Patrick Head. This deep history provides a strong foundation and legacy, which the current brand evolution aims to leverage and modernize.

Team Structure:

• The Digital Design team likely sits within a broader Marketing, Communications, or Creative department.

• This role reports directly to a Head of Creative, working in close partnership with Heads of Social and Brand.

• Collaboration is expected across multiple departments, including Fan Growth & Performance, Content, and potentially technical teams responsible for website and app development.

• The team structure emphasizes integration, with the Digital Design Manager acting as a key connector. Methodology:

• Data-driven decision-making is encouraged, with performance data and fan insights informing creative strategies.

• A strong emphasis on craft, quality, and distinctive brand expression.

• Collaborative workflows are essential, requiring close partnership with other creative and marketing functions.

• Continuous improvement and iteration are key, supported by scalable creative systems and a "test and learn" culture.

• Project management methodologies will likely be employed to manage multiple campaigns and ongoing digital initiatives.

Company Website: https://www.williamsf1.com/

📝 Enhancement Note: The company's heritage in Formula 1 suggests a culture that values engineering excellence, innovation, and a relentless pursuit of performance. The current brand evolution indicates a forward-looking approach, eager to embrace modern digital strategies and fan engagement.

📈 Career & Growth Analysis

Operations Career Level: This role is a Senior Management position within the Creative & Design function, specifically focused on the digital domain. It's a leadership role that carries significant creative accountability and strategic influence, moving beyond pure design execution to encompass team management, strategic direction, and cross-functional integration.

Reporting Structure: The Digital Design Manager reports to the Head of Creative and works in close collaboration with the Heads of Social and Brand. This structure places the role at a critical junction for shaping the digital brand narrative.

Operations Impact: The Digital Design Manager will have a direct and substantial impact on how Williams Racing is perceived by its global fanbase, partners, and media. High-quality, integrated digital experiences are crucial for fan engagement, sponsor value, and overall brand perception in the competitive F1 landscape. The role is instrumental in translating the brand's evolution and racing ambitions into compelling digital realities.

Growth Opportunities:

• Operational Leadership: Potential to grow into a Head of Digital Design or Creative Director role, overseeing larger teams and broader creative strategies for the entire organization.

• Strategic Brand Development: Opportunity to significantly shape the digital identity of an iconic sports brand during a critical period of evolution, contributing to long-term brand equity.

• Cross-Functional Expertise: Develop deeper expertise in performance marketing, content strategy, and social media integration, broadening skill sets for future leadership roles.

• Industry Influence: Become a recognized leader in digital design within the high-profile sports and entertainment sector, potentially leading to opportunities with other major brands or agencies.

• Team Building: Develop advanced people management and team development skills by nurturing and growing a high-performing digital design team.

📝 Enhancement Note: The role offers a clear path for career progression within a globally recognized sports organization, with opportunities to gain experience in high-impact areas like brand evolution and performance-driven creative.

🌐 Work Environment

Office Type: The role is based at Williams Racing's headquarters at One Bedford Avenue, Level 5, London. This suggests a professional office environment, likely with modern facilities and collaborative workspaces. As it's an F1 team, the environment is expected to be fast-paced, dynamic, and focused on performance and innovation.

Office Location(s): One Bedford Avenue, Level 5, London, WC1B 3AU, United Kingdom. This central London location offers good accessibility via public transport.

Workspace Context:

• The workspace will likely foster collaboration, with opportunities to interact daily with the Head of Creative, Head of Social, Head of Brand, and members of the digital design team.

• Access to industry-standard design tools and technology, including advanced hardware and software, will be available.

• The environment is expected to be highly energetic, driven by the demanding schedule of the Formula 1 season, with periods of intense activity around race weekends, season launches, and key campaign activations.

• Opportunities for cross-functional teamwork will be abundant, connecting design with marketing, content, and performance analytics.

Work Schedule: The role is full-time, with standard working hours in London. However, given the nature of Formula 1 and digital campaign management, flexibility will be required to meet deadlines, particularly during critical race events, campaign launches, and product reveals. This might involve occasional extended hours or weekend work during peak periods.

📝 Enhancement Note: The London office location suggests a blend of professional corporate operations with the vibrant and demanding environment of a world-class sporting organization.

📄 Application & Portfolio Review Process

Interview Process:

• Initial Screening: A review of your CV and portfolio by the recruitment team or hiring manager to assess basic qualifications and creative output.

• First Interview: Typically with the Head of Creative. This interview will focus on your creative vision, leadership style, experience in digital design, and understanding of brand evolution. Expect to discuss your approach to team management and cross-functional collaboration.

• Portfolio Presentation/Workshop: A more in-depth session where you'll present selected case studies from your portfolio, detailing your process, challenges, solutions, and impact. This may also include a practical design exercise or a discussion around a hypothetical brief to assess your problem-solving skills and creative thinking under pressure.

• Stakeholder Interviews: Meetings with other key stakeholders, such as the Head of Social, Head of Brand, and potentially members of the Fan Growth & Performance team, to assess cultural fit and collaborative capabilities.

• Final Interview: Potentially with a senior leadership member or department head, focusing on strategic alignment, long-term vision, and overall suitability for the role and company culture.

Portfolio Review Tips:

• Curate Strategically: Select 3-5 of your strongest projects that best demonstrate leadership in digital design, brand evolution, performance optimization, and team management. Tailor your selection to highlight experience relevant to F1, sports, or fast-moving consumer brands.

• Showcase Process & Impact: For each project, clearly articulate the brief, your role, the design process (including tool usage like Figma and Adobe Creative Suite), key challenges, your innovative solutions, and most importantly, the measurable results and impact (e.g., engagement, conversion, brand perception).

• Highlight Leadership: Include examples where you've led a team, mentored designers, or influenced creative direction. Explain your approach to managing creative workflows and ensuring quality.

• Demonstrate System Thinking: If you have experience with design systems, component libraries, or motion principles, showcase them prominently. Explain how you've developed, maintained, or evolved them.

• Be Ready to Discuss: Prepare to discuss your design philosophy, your approach to integrating digital with social and brand, and how you use data to inform creative decisions.

Challenge Preparation:

• Design Exercise: If a design exercise is given, focus on understanding the brief thoroughly, prioritizing key objectives, and demonstrating a structured approach to problem-solving within the given constraints. Think about how your solution aligns with Williams Racing's brand and objectives.

• Presentation Skills: Practice articulating your thoughts clearly and concisely. Be prepared to defend your creative decisions and discuss trade-offs. Focus on storytelling that highlights your strategic thinking and leadership.

• Company Research: Thoroughly research Williams Racing's current brand positioning, recent campaigns, digital presence (website, app, social media), and their stated mission for the future. Understand the competitive landscape in F1.

📝 Enhancement Note: The emphasis on "creative accountability" and leading "something" suggests interviewers will be looking for a proactive, strategic leader who can drive significant improvements, not just manage existing processes.

🛠 Tools & Technology Stack

Primary Tools:

• Figma: Essential for collaborative design, prototyping, and maintaining design systems. Expect advanced usage for complex UI/UX design and rapid iteration.

• Adobe Creative Suite:

  • Photoshop: For image manipulation, asset creation, and high-fidelity mockups.
  • Illustrator: For vector graphics, logos, icons, and illustrations.
  • InDesign: For layout design, potentially for digital brochures or campaign materials.
  • After Effects: For motion graphics, animations, and dynamic digital assets used in campaigns and on the website/app.

Analytics & Reporting:

• Experience with analytics platforms (e.g., Google Analytics, Adobe Analytics) to understand user behavior, campaign performance, and inform design decisions.

• Familiarity with A/B testing tools and methodologies for optimizing creative elements. CRM & Automation:

• While not a direct CRM role, understanding how digital creative integrates with CRM systems and marketing automation platforms (e.g., for email campaigns) would be beneficial. Other Potential Tools:

• Prototyping Tools: Beyond Figma, familiarity with other prototyping tools might be advantageous.

• Project Management Software: Tools like Jira, Asana, or Trello for workflow management and team task tracking.

• Digital Asset Management (DAM) systems: For organizing and distributing creative assets.

📝 Enhancement Note: Proficiency in Figma and After Effects, in particular, is highlighted as crucial for this role, indicating a need for both collaborative design system management and sophisticated motion graphics capabilities.

👥 Team Culture & Values

Operations Values:

• Excellence & Performance: A core value in Formula 1, translating to a relentless pursuit of the highest quality in digital design and measurable business impact.

• Innovation & Evolution: The company is actively evolving its brand, implying a culture that embraces new ideas, technologies, and creative approaches.

• Collaboration & Integration: Working at the intersection of multiple disciplines requires a strong emphasis on teamwork, open communication, and shared goals.

• Passion & Ambition: A deep-seated passion for motorsport and a collective ambition to succeed on and off the track are likely driving forces.

• Accountability & Ownership: Taking responsibility for creative output and driving projects to successful completion is paramount.

Collaboration Style:

• Integrated Approach: Expect a highly integrated collaboration style where digital design is not a silo but a core component of broader marketing and brand initiatives.

• Constructive Feedback: A culture that values constructive criticism and feedback loops between creative, social, brand, and performance teams to refine work.

• Proactive Communication: Open and frequent communication is essential to align efforts, share insights, and ensure cohesive brand messaging across all channels.

• Cross-functional Partnership: Working closely with individuals from diverse backgrounds and specializations, fostering mutual respect and understanding of different functional objectives.

📝 Enhancement Note: The culture at Williams Racing, as a Formula 1 team, will undoubtedly be high-octane and performance-focused. The emphasis on "creative accountability" and "genuine excellence" suggests a demanding yet rewarding environment for those who thrive on pushing boundaries.

⚡ Challenges & Growth Opportunities

Challenges:

• Brand Evolution Management: Successfully translating a significant brand evolution into compelling and consistent digital experiences across all channels, managing stakeholder expectations.

• Pace of F1: Adapting to the fast-paced, deadline-driven nature of Formula 1, where campaigns and content need to be produced rapidly without compromising quality.

• Balancing Performance & Craft: The inherent challenge of creating high-performing digital assets that also maintain exceptional craft and brand integrity, avoiding creative flattening.

• Cross-Functional Alignment: Ensuring seamless integration and consistent messaging across digital, social, brand, and performance marketing efforts, navigating different team priorities.

• Team Development: Building and mentoring a digital design team to meet the evolving demands of the brand and industry, fostering growth and retaining talent.

Learning & Development Opportunities:

• Industry Expertise: Deepen understanding of digital marketing and brand strategy within the unique context of Formula 1 and the broader sports/entertainment industry.

• Leadership Skills: Enhance leadership capabilities through managing a creative team, influencing senior stakeholders, and driving strategic initiatives.

• Technical Skill Enhancement: Opportunity to work with cutting-edge design tools and workflows, potentially exploring new technologies in digital media and animation.

• Strategic Impact: Gain experience in shaping the digital identity of a globally recognized brand during a pivotal growth phase, contributing to long-term success.

• Mentorship: Opportunities to be mentored by senior leaders within Williams Racing and potentially mentor junior designers, fostering personal and professional growth.

📝 Enhancement Note: The challenges presented are typical for a senior role in a high-profile, fast-moving industry. The growth opportunities are significant, offering substantial career development and impact.

💡 Interview Preparation

Strategy Questions:

• "How would you approach leading the digital creative output for a major brand undergoing significant evolution, specifically for a Formula 1 team?" (Focus on your process for defining creative direction, setting quality bars, and managing stakeholder alignment).

• "Describe a time you successfully integrated digital creative with social media campaigns and broader brand initiatives. What was your role, and what were the key outcomes?" (Highlight your collaborative approach and understanding of integrated marketing).

• "How do you balance the need for high-quality, distinctive creative with the demand for performance-driven assets optimized for reach and conversion?" (Discuss your data-informed approach and how you use insights without sacrificing craft).

• "Walk us through your process for managing and mentoring a team of designers. How do you foster creativity, ensure quality, and drive accountability?" (Focus on your leadership style, feedback mechanisms, and team-building strategies).

• "If tasked with evolving the digital component library or design system for Williams Racing, what would be your initial steps and key considerations?" (Demonstrate your understanding of design systems and their strategic importance). Company & Culture Questions:

• "What excites you most about the opportunity to lead digital design for Williams Racing at this stage of its brand evolution?" (Show your passion for the brand, the sport, and the challenge).

• "How do you see your role contributing to Williams Racing's mission to return to the front of the grid?" (Connect your responsibilities to the company's overarching goals).

• "How do you handle pressure and tight deadlines, common in a high-performance environment like Formula 1?" (Provide examples of your resilience and ability to perform under stress).

• "Describe your ideal collaborative relationship with Heads of Creative, Social, and Brand." (Illustrate your understanding of integrated teamwork). Portfolio Presentation Strategy:

• Narrative is Key: Structure your presentation around compelling stories for each case study. Clearly define the problem, your solution, and the positive impact.

• Quantify Impact: Wherever possible, use data and metrics to demonstrate the success of your projects. Show growth in engagement, conversion rates, or brand sentiment.

• Show Your Process: Be ready to dive deep into your design process, especially highlighting your use of Figma and Adobe Creative Suite. Explain why you made certain design choices.

• Demonstrate Leadership: Clearly articulate your role in leading projects, managing teams, and influencing stakeholders. If possible, include feedback from team members or clients.

• Future-Oriented: Conclude by briefly discussing how your experience and approach align with the future vision of Williams Racing's digital presence.

📝 Enhancement Note: Expect interview questions that probe your strategic thinking, leadership capabilities, and ability to operate effectively in a high-stakes, performance-driven environment. Your portfolio presentation is a critical opportunity to showcase these attributes.

📌 Application Steps

To apply for this Digital Design Manager position at Williams Racing:

• Submit your application through the provided link on jobs.smartrecruiters.com.

• Tailor Your Resume: Ensure your resume highlights your 7+ years of senior digital design leadership experience, focusing on achievements in brand evolution, team management, and performance-driven creative within fast-paced environments. Use keywords like "Digital Design Manager," "Creative Direction," "Figma," "Adobe Creative Suite," "Brand Strategy," and "Team Leadership."

• Curate Your Portfolio: Select 3-5 of your strongest digital design projects that best showcase your leadership, creative vision, process, and measurable impact. Prioritize examples relevant to sports, entertainment, or fast-moving consumer brands. Ensure your portfolio demonstrates expertise in Figma and Adobe Creative Suite, as well as any experience with design systems.

• Prepare Your Case Studies: For each portfolio piece, be ready to articulate the brief, your specific role, the design process, challenges overcome, your solutions, and the quantifiable results achieved. Practice presenting these stories concisely and engagingly.

• Research Williams Racing: Thoroughly understand the company's history, current brand strategy, recent digital campaigns, and their stated mission. Familiarize yourself with their website, app, and social media presence. Prepare thoughtful questions about their brand evolution and digital 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.