Graphic Designer (Lead)

📍 Job Overview

Job Title: Lead Graphic Designer

Company: Serco Plc

Location: Defence Academy of the United Kingdom, Shrivenham, SN6 8LA, United Kingdom

Job Type: Full Time / Fixed Term Contract (12 months)

Category: Creative & Media / Art & Design / Management & Leadership / Government & Public Sector

Date Posted: May 22, 2026

Experience Level: Mid-Senior Level (5-10 years)

Remote Status: On-site

🚀 Role Summary

• Lead the end-to-end creation and delivery of high-quality digital and print design assets to support critical defence training and communication initiatives.

• Manage and optimize the graphics workflow queue, ensuring efficient allocation and timely completion of design projects across the team.

• Develop engaging creative content, including animations and social media assets, that enhances communication and training effectiveness.

• Provide mentorship, guidance, and support to junior designers, fostering skill development and maintaining consistent brand and design standards.

• Ensure all design outputs strictly adhere to established brand guidelines, accessibility standards, and the overall creative direction, while collaborating with stakeholders for practical and cost-effective solutions.

📝 Enhancement Note: This role is positioned as a "Lead" Graphic Designer, indicating a requirement for not only strong individual design capabilities but also leadership, workflow management, and team mentorship. The focus on defense training and communication within a government-adjacent organization (Serco Plc operates in public services) suggests a need for rigorous adherence to standards, security clearances, and potentially a more formal, process-driven approach to creative execution.

📈 Primary Responsibilities

• Spearhead the conceptualization, design, and production of diverse digital and print collateral, ensuring exceptional quality and impact.

• Oversee and manage the graphics request queue, intelligently prioritizing and distributing tasks among the design team to maximize efficiency and output.

• Create compelling visual content, including motion graphics, animations, and social media assets, tailored to specific campaign objectives and audience engagement.

• Actively mentor and coach junior designers, providing constructive feedback, sharing best practices, and fostering a collaborative environment for continuous learning and skill enhancement.

• Uphold and enforce brand integrity by ensuring all design work consistently aligns with brand guidelines, accessibility standards (e.g., WCAG), and the overarching creative strategy.

• Engage proactively with internal and external stakeholders, including clients, production teams, and third-party suppliers, to gather requirements, manage expectations, and deliver solutions that are both practical and cost-efficient.

• Contribute to the continuous improvement of design processes and workflows, identifying opportunities for innovation and efficiency gains within the Media Services team.

• Stay abreast of emerging design trends, technologies, and best practices to inform creative strategies and maintain a competitive edge in visual communication.

📝 Enhancement Note: The responsibilities highlight a blend of hands-on design work and leadership. Managing "workflow from the graphics queue" and "allocating work across the team" are key operational aspects of this lead role, emphasizing efficiency and resource management. The mention of "animations and social media assets" points to a need for modern digital design skills beyond traditional print.

🎓 Skills & Qualifications

Education:

Experience:

• A minimum of 5-10 years of progressive experience in graphic design, with a significant portion in a lead or senior capacity, demonstrating a proven track record of delivering impactful design solutions.

• Extensive experience in managing the complete design lifecycle for both digital and print projects, from concept development through to final delivery.

Required Skills:

• Advanced proficiency in the Adobe Creative Suite, specifically:

  • After Effects: For animation, motion graphics, and dynamic content creation.
  • Photoshop: For image editing, manipulation, and digital asset creation.
  • InDesign: For layout design, publication design, and print production.
  • Illustrator: For vector graphics, logo design, and illustration.

• A strong and diverse portfolio showcasing a wide range of high-quality digital and print design projects, including examples of animations and social media assets.

• Excellent communication, interpersonal, and presentation skills, with the ability to effectively influence and guide colleagues, stakeholders, and clients.

• Proven ability to manage multiple projects simultaneously, prioritize tasks effectively, and meet tight deadlines in a fast-paced environment.

Preferred Skills:

• Experience working within government, defense, or a similarly regulated industry.

• Familiarity with accessibility standards (e.g., WCAG 2.1) and best practices for inclusive design.

• Experience in managing design workflows and using project management tools.

• Basic understanding of video editing principles.

📝 Enhancement Note: The requirement for "Advanced knowledge of Adobe Creative Suite, including After Effects, Photoshop, InDesign and Illustrator" is critical. The portfolio requirement is also emphasized, suggesting candidates should prepare to showcase a breadth of work, including motion graphics and social media content. The "Lead" title and mention of mentoring imply leadership and team development skills are highly valued.

📊 Process & Systems Portfolio Requirements

Portfolio Essentials:

• Showcase a diverse range of design projects demonstrating proficiency in both digital and print mediums, with a clear emphasis on impactful visual communication.

• Include examples of creative content such as animations, motion graphics, or social media assets, highlighting your ability to produce engaging digital experiences.

• Present case studies that detail your role in the design process, from initial brief and concept development through to final execution and any measured outcomes.

Process Documentation:

• Be prepared to discuss your personal design process, including how you approach project briefs, concept generation, feedback incorporation, and final delivery.

• Articulate your experience in managing design workflows, including task prioritization, resource allocation, and collaboration with team members and stakeholders.

• Provide examples of how you have ensured design outputs meet accessibility standards and other relevant compliance requirements.

📝 Enhancement Note: For a lead role, the portfolio should not just display finished work but also demonstrate the candidate's process, problem-solving approach, and ability to manage projects and teams effectively. The emphasis on "workflow management" and "collaboration" suggests that the portfolio should reflect these operational capabilities.

💵 Compensation & Benefits

Salary Range: Up to £36,100 per annum, depending on experience. (Note: This is a specific figure provided in the job description.)

Benefits:

• Competitive holiday package

• Pension: Up to 6% contributory pension scheme

• Training and development:

  • Over 1,100 internal courses available
  • Funding for qualifications and apprenticeships (including L3 Team Leader and L5 Operations Manager apprenticeships)
  • Mentoring opportunities
  • Focus on internal progression

• Health and wellbeing:

  • Employee Assistance Programme
  • Bupa Anytime HealthLine
  • Wellbeing app
  • 30% off at Serco-managed leisure centres
  • 24/7 access to a virtual GP service

• Discounts: Across around 1,000 retailers (food, clothing, days out, entertainment, travel)

• Charity:

  • Paid volunteering day
  • Tax-free charitable giving through Payroll Giving Scheme
  • Donate to the Serco People Fund Charity

• Employee networks supporting inclusion and connection (LGBTQIA+, women, parents, people with disabilities, veterans, cultural backgrounds).

Working Hours: 37 hours per week.

📝 Enhancement Note: The salary is explicitly stated as "up to £36,100". The benefits package is extensive, with a strong emphasis on learning and development, health and wellbeing, and employee support networks, which are attractive to professionals seeking long-term career growth and a supportive work environment. The mention of specific apprenticeships (L3 Team Leader, L5 Operations Manager) might indicate potential career pathways or development opportunities relevant to leadership roles.

🎯 Team & Company Context

🏢 Company Culture

Industry: Government & Public Sector Services, Defence. Serco Plc is a global company that operates in sectors such as defense, justice, transport, and public health, providing essential services to governments and private sector clients.

Company Size: Large Enterprise (Serco Plc is a global organization with tens of thousands of employees).

Founded: 1929. Serco has a long history of providing services to governments and public organizations worldwide.

Team Structure:

• The role is within the Media Services team, likely part of a larger communications, marketing, or operational support function within the Defence Academy of the United Kingdom.

• As a Lead Graphic Designer, you will likely report to a Head of Media Services, Communications Manager, or similar.

• You will manage and mentor other graphic designers within the team.

Methodology:

• Emphasis on delivering high-quality, impactful creative solutions that meet specific client needs within the defense sector.

• Adherence to strict brand guidelines, accessibility standards, and security protocols is paramount.

• A focus on workflow management