Head of Design

📍 Job Overview

Job Title: Head of Design

Company: Entain

Location: London, England, United Kingdom

Job Type: Full-time

Category: Creative Leadership / Design Operations

Date Posted: 2026-06-23

Experience Level: Senior (10+ years)

Remote Status: Hybrid

🚀 Role Summary

• Lead and inspire a multi-disciplinary design team to deliver high-impact integrated campaigns across Entain's global portfolio of iconic brands.

• Champion AI adoption within the design function, integrating tools to enhance creative speed, insight generation, and overall quality of output.

• Set the overarching creative vision and act as the brand guardian for all global design outputs, ensuring consistency and excellence.

• Drive measurable business impact by partnering effectively with stakeholders and translating strategic insights into award-winning design solutions.

• Implement and scale best practice design processes to ensure efficient and effective delivery across multiple brands and touchpoints.

📝 Enhancement Note: While the title is "Head of Design," the responsibilities clearly indicate a senior leadership role with significant operational oversight for a creative agency function within a large enterprise. The emphasis on process implementation, AI adoption for efficiency, and stakeholder management points to a strong operations component, making it relevant for candidates with a background in managing creative workflows and driving operational excellence within design.

📈 Primary Responsibilities

• Define and articulate the creative vision and strategic direction for all design initiatives, ensuring alignment with Entain's brand identity and business objectives.

• Manage, mentor, and develop a team of design leaders and practitioners, fostering a culture of innovation, collaboration, and continuous improvement.

• Oversee the ideation and execution of strategically grounded design concepts for integrated campaigns, spanning static, motion, and digital executions.

• Proactively research, evaluate, and champion the integration of emerging technologies, particularly AI, to optimize creative workflows, enhance campaign performance, and unlock new creative possibilities.

• Collaborate closely with marketing, product, and other cross-functional teams to ensure design outputs are impactful, user-centric, and drive tangible business results (e.g., customer engagement, conversion rates).

• Establish and refine design operational processes, including project management, asset management, and quality assurance, to ensure scalable and efficient delivery across a diverse brand portfolio.

• Act as the primary point of contact for design-related matters, presenting creative strategies and outcomes to senior leadership and key stakeholders.

• Ensure adherence to brand guidelines and maintain creative integrity across all touchpoints, from digital platforms to advertising materials.

📝 Enhancement Note: The core responsibilities highlight a blend of strategic creative leadership and operational management. The emphasis on "scaling design delivery across multiple brands" and "implementing best practice processes" strongly suggests a need for robust operational planning, workflow optimization, and potentially the management of creative production pipelines, which are key areas for operations professionals.

🎓 Skills & Qualifications

Education: Bachelor's degree in Graphic Design, Visual Communications, Fine Arts, or a related field; Master's degree or equivalent professional experience is highly preferred.

Experience: Minimum of 10+ years of progressive experience in design, with at least 5-7 years in a senior leadership role managing large, multi-location, or multi-brand design teams.

Required Skills:

• Creative Leadership: Proven ability to set a compelling creative vision and inspire teams to achieve exceptional results.

• Brand Guardianship: Deep understanding of brand strategy and the ability to maintain creative integrity and consistency across diverse platforms.

• AI Integration: Demonstrated curiosity and practical experience in leveraging AI tools to enhance creative workflows, accelerate production, and improve design outcomes.

• Integrated Campaign Development: Expertise in conceptualizing and executing impactful campaigns across multiple channels (digital, static, motion).

• Strategic Thinking: Ability to translate business objectives and market insights into effective design strategies.

• Team Management & Mentorship: Strong track record of leading, motivating, and developing design talent.

• Stakeholder Management: Excellent communication and interpersonal skills to effectively partner with and influence cross-functional teams and senior leadership.

• Design Principles: Expert knowledge of typography, color theory, layout, motion graphics, and digital design best practices.

• Process Implementation: Experience in defining, documenting, and implementing scalable design processes and workflows.

Preferred Skills:

• Experience within the betting, gaming, or interactive entertainment industry.

• Familiarity with Agile methodologies in a creative context.

• Proficiency in project management software and creative operations platforms.

• Experience with user-centered design principles and UX/UI considerations.

📝 Enhancement Note: The requirements heavily emphasize leadership, strategic vision, and the practical application of design principles. The explicit mention of "AI adoption" and "implementing best practice processes to scale design delivery" suggests that candidates with a strong understanding of operational efficiency, workflow automation, and how to manage creative production at scale will be highly valued. This goes beyond pure creative output and touches on the operational management of a creative function.

📊 Process & Systems Portfolio Requirements

Portfolio Essentials:

• A comprehensive portfolio showcasing a minimum of 5-7 impactful, integrated creative campaigns across diverse media (digital, static, motion).

• Case studies demonstrating strategic thinking, problem-solving, and measurable business impact achieved through design initiatives.

• Examples of leadership in action, illustrating how you have guided teams to deliver complex projects under tight deadlines.

• Evidence of AI integration within creative workflows, highlighting how these tools were used to enhance speed, quality, or innovation.

• Documentation of process improvements or system implementations that have optimized design delivery at scale. Process Documentation:

• Examples of designed and implemented creative workflow processes that have improved efficiency, collaboration, or output quality.

• Templates or frameworks used for project brief intake, concept development, feedback loops, and final asset delivery.

• Metrics and reporting dashboards used to track design team performance, project status, and impact on business objectives.

• Documentation outlining how new technologies, such as AI, are integrated into established design processes and workflows.

📝 Enhancement Note: For this role, the portfolio is crucial not just for showcasing creative output but also for demonstrating operational leadership. Candidates should prepare to articulate the processes behind their creative successes, including how they managed teams, scaled operations, and leveraged technology (especially AI) for efficiency and impact. Documenting the implementation of design processes and their measurable outcomes will be key.

💵 Compensation & Benefits

Salary Range: Based on industry benchmarks for a Head of Design role in London, with extensive leadership experience and managing large teams, the estimated annual salary range is £90,000 - £130,000. This estimate considers the senior level, hybrid work model, and the significant responsibilities outlined.

Benefits:

• Generous group bonus scheme: Performance-based financial incentive tied to company and individual success.

• Hybrid working: Offers flexibility with 2 days required in the London office, balancing in-person collaboration with remote work.

• Private medical insurance: Comprehensive health coverage for employees.

• Pension scheme: Matched contributions up to 6%, providing long-term financial security.

• Additional "It's Your Game" day off: A unique perk for personal time off around the Christmas or New Year period.

• Entain & Enhance days: Two paid days annually dedicated to professional development or personal growth.

• Share save scheme: Opportunity to invest in the company and benefit from its growth.

Working Hours: Typically 40 hours per week, with flexibility offered through the hybrid working model. Core hours will likely be established for team collaboration and meetings.

📝 Enhancement Note: The salary range is an estimation based on market data for senior design leadership roles in London. The benefits package is comprehensive and reflects Entain's commitment to employee well-being and professional development, offering a mix of financial incentives, health support, and work-life balance initiatives. The hybrid model with 2 office days per week is a key aspect of the work arrangement.

🎯 Team & Company Context

🏢 Company Culture

Industry: Betting, Gaming, and Interactive Entertainment. Entain operates in a dynamic, fast-paced, and highly regulated sector, requiring innovation, responsibility, and a strong customer focus. The industry demands agility and a forward-thinking approach to technology and market trends.

Company Size: 29,000+ employees globally. This indicates a large, established enterprise with complex organizational structures and significant resources, providing opportunities for large-scale impact and career advancement.

Founded: While the exact founding date isn't specified, Entain has a rich history through its iconic brands, suggesting a company with deep roots and a long-term vision for growth and market leadership.

Team Structure:

• The Head of Design will lead a multi-disciplinary team of design leaders and practitioners, likely organized by brand, discipline (e.g., static, motion, digital), or project.

• This role operates within Entain's in-house creative agency, suggesting a centralized function that supports various business units and brands.

• Collaboration will be extensive with marketing, product development, brand management, and potentially technology teams across global and regional entities. Methodology:

• Data-Driven Design: Emphasis on using insights from customer engagement, campaign performance, and market trends to inform design decisions and measure impact.

• Agile Creative Operations: Implementing processes that allow for rapid iteration, flexibility, and efficient delivery of creative assets in response to market demands.

• AI-Augmented Creativity: Strategic integration of AI tools to enhance efficiency, explore new creative avenues, and improve the speed and quality of design output.

Company Website: https://entaingroup.com/

📝 Enhancement Note: Entain's positioning as a leader in the entertainment sector implies a culture that values innovation, speed, and a customer-centric approach. The scale of the company suggests a need for robust operational frameworks to manage design at scale, making the Head of Design's role crucial in establishing efficient workflows and driving consistent creative excellence across a broad portfolio.

📈 Career & Growth Analysis

Operations Career Level: This role represents a senior leadership position, equivalent to a VP or Director level within a creative or marketing operations context. It demands strategic oversight, team management, and the ability to drive operational excellence for a significant function. The scope extends beyond pure design execution to encompass the strategic management of a creative agency's operations.

Reporting Structure: The Head of Design will likely report to a senior executive within the Marketing, Creative, or Brand division, such as a Chief Marketing Officer (CMO), Chief Creative Officer (CCO), or VP of Marketing. This position will oversee a team of design professionals and potentially other creative leads.

Operations Impact: The Head of Design is pivotal in ensuring that Entain's brands are visually represented in a compelling, consistent, and effective manner. By optimizing design processes, championing AI adoption, and fostering creative excellence, this role directly influences customer engagement, brand perception, campaign performance, and ultimately, revenue generation across Entain's diverse portfolio.

Growth Opportunities:

• Leadership Expansion: Potential to expand the scope of responsibility to encompass broader creative operations, digital transformation initiatives, or the management of additional creative disciplines.

• Strategic Influence: Opportunity to shape Entain's global creative strategy, influence brand direction, and drive innovation in how the company engages with its audience.

• Industry Leadership: Becoming a recognized leader within the gaming and entertainment industry for innovative design practices and effective creative operations management.

• Cross-Functional Development: Gaining exposure to and influencing strategic decisions across marketing, product, and technology departments, enhancing overall business acumen.

📝 Enhancement Note: This role offers a significant opportunity for career growth beyond traditional design leadership. The emphasis on operationalizing creative processes and leveraging technology positions it as a strategic leadership role with considerable influence over business outcomes, making it attractive for operations-minded professionals looking to lead impactful functions.

🌐 Work Environment

Office Type: Hybrid working model, requiring 2 days per week in the London office at One Stratford Place. This suggests a modern, collaborative workspace designed to facilitate team interaction, brainstorming, and cross-functional meetings, while also allowing for focused work remotely.

Office Location(s): One Stratford Place, Montfichet Rd, London, E20 1EJ, United Kingdom. This location is in a prominent business district, likely offering good transport links and access to amenities, facilitating collaboration for teams based in or commuting to London.

Workspace Context:

• Collaborative Hub: The office environment is expected to foster collaboration, allowing the design team to connect, share ideas, and work together on integrated campaigns.

• Technology-Enabled: Access to modern design tools, software, and potentially AI-powered creative suites will be available to support the team's work.

• Cross-Functional Interaction: The hybrid model encourages intentional in-office time for key team meetings, stakeholder presentations, and collaborative working sessions with other departments.

Work Schedule: A standard 40-hour work week is expected, with the hybrid model offering flexibility. Core working hours will likely be established to ensure team availability for meetings and collaborative tasks. The focus will be on output and impact rather than strict adherence to hours, common in leadership roles.

📝 Enhancement Note: The hybrid nature of the role is a key aspect of the work environment, emphasizing a balance between in-person collaboration and individual focused work. For operations professionals, this means understanding how to manage team dynamics and workflows effectively across both remote and in-office settings.

📄 Application & Portfolio Review Process

Interview Process:

• Initial Screening: Review of CV and portfolio to assess creative leadership experience, AI integration interest, and alignment with brand guardianship.

• Hiring Manager Interview: Discussion on strategic vision, team leadership philosophy, and operational approach to managing design at scale.

• Team/Peer Interviews: Meetings with design leaders and potential cross-functional partners to evaluate collaboration style, communication skills, and cultural fit.

• Senior Leadership Presentation/Interview: Presentation of a strategic vision for Entain's design function, including AI integration and process optimization, followed by a Q&A.

Portfolio Review Tips:

• Strategic Storytelling: Frame your portfolio not just as a collection of work, but as a narrative of how your leadership and operational strategies drove successful outcomes.

• Quantify Impact: For each project, clearly articulate the business objectives, your role, the challenges faced, the solutions implemented (especially process or AI related), and the quantifiable results (e.g., improved engagement, efficiency gains, ROI).

• Showcase AI & Process: Dedicate sections or specific case studies to demonstrate your experience with AI integration and process implementation within design workflows. Explain the strategic rationale and operational benefits.

• Leadership Examples: Include examples of how you've mentored teams, resolved conflicts, or implemented new processes that improved team performance and scalability.

Challenge Preparation:

• Be prepared to discuss how you would approach setting the creative vision for Entain's diverse brands.

• Anticipate questions about how you would integrate AI into the existing design team's workflow ethically and effectively.

• Prepare to outline your strategy for managing a large, multi-disciplinary, hybrid design team and ensuring consistent quality.

• Think about how you would measure the success and impact of the design function on business objectives.

📝 Enhancement Note: The interview process will likely assess both creative vision and operational capability. Candidates should be prepared to articulate their leadership style, their strategic approach to managing a design function at scale, and their practical experience with AI and process optimization. The portfolio review will be a critical component, requiring clear demonstration of impact and operational thinking.

🛠 Tools & Technology Stack

Primary Tools:

• Design Software: Adobe Creative Suite (Photoshop, Illustrator, InDesign, After Effects, Premiere Pro), Figma, Sketch, or similar industry-standard design and prototyping tools.

• Project Management: Tools like Asana, Jira, Trello, Monday.com, or similar for workflow management, task tracking, and team collaboration.

• Asset Management: Digital Asset Management (DAM) systems for organizing, storing, and distributing creative assets efficiently.

• AI Creative Tools: Experience with generative AI platforms (e.g., Midjourney, DALL-E, Stable Diffusion for image generation; AI writing assistants for copy; AI tools for video editing or motion graphics) will be highly valued.

Analytics & Reporting:

• Web Analytics: Google Analytics, Adobe Analytics, or similar for understanding user behavior and campaign performance.

• Business Intelligence Tools: Tableau, Power BI, or similar for creating dashboards and reporting on key design metrics and business impact.

• A/B Testing Platforms: Tools for optimizing designs based on performance data.

CRM & Automation:

• While not primary, understanding of how design interacts with CRM systems (e.g., Salesforce, HubSpot) and marketing automation platforms for campaign execution is beneficial.

• Potentially, experience with workflow automation tools that can integrate with creative processes.

📝 Enhancement Note: The role requires proficiency in a wide range of design and project management tools. Crucially, the emphasis on AI adoption means familiarity with current generative AI tools and an understanding of how to integrate them into established creative workflows is a significant advantage.

👥 Team Culture & Values

Operations Values:

• Excellence & Innovation: A commitment to pushing creative boundaries while maintaining the highest standards of quality and execution.

• Collaboration & Transparency: Fostering an open environment where ideas are shared freely, feedback is constructive, and team members work cohesively across functions.

• Data-Driven Decision Making: Utilizing insights and analytics to inform design strategies and measure the impact of creative work on business goals.

• Efficiency & Scalability: Implementing robust processes and leveraging technology to ensure design delivery is effective, timely, and can scale with business growth.

• Responsibility & Integrity: Upholding Entain's commitment to responsible gaming and operating with ethical practices in all creative endeavors.

Collaboration Style:

• Cross-Functional Partnership: Proactive engagement with marketing, product, legal, and technology teams to ensure design aligns with broader business objectives and technical capabilities.

• Feedback-Centric: Cultivating a culture where constructive feedback is welcomed and used for continuous improvement of both creative output and operational processes.

• Knowledge Sharing: Encouraging the sharing of best practices, new tools (especially AI), and learnings across the design team and with other departments to foster collective growth.

📝 Enhancement Note: The culture at Entain, as reflected in this role, is likely to be dynamic, performance-oriented, and focused on innovation within the entertainment sector. For operations professionals, understanding and aligning with these values—particularly around efficiency, data-driven approaches, and collaborative problem-solving—will be key to success.

⚡ Challenges & Growth Opportunities

Challenges:

• Balancing Brand Consistency with Innovation: Ensuring that Entain's diverse portfolio of brands maintains a cohesive identity while continuously exploring new creative avenues and technologies like AI.

• Scaling Design Operations: Managing a large, multi-disciplinary team and ensuring efficient, high-quality design delivery across multiple brands and projects under tight deadlines.

• Integrating AI Effectively: Navigating the adoption of AI tools to enhance creativity and efficiency without compromising quality, originality, or ethical standards.

• Measuring Design Impact: Developing and implementing robust metrics to clearly demonstrate the ROI and business value of the design function to senior leadership.

• Managing Hybrid Teams: Optimizing collaboration, communication, and team cohesion within a hybrid work model.

Learning & Development Opportunities:

• AI in Creative: Deepening expertise in emerging AI technologies and their application within the design and entertainment industries.

• Strategic Leadership: Developing advanced leadership and strategic planning skills within a large, global organization.

• Industry Trends: Staying at the forefront of trends in betting, gaming, interactive entertainment, and digital design.

• Cross-Disciplinary Knowledge: Gaining a broader understanding of marketing, product development, and business strategy within the gaming sector.

📝 Enhancement Note: The challenges presented are common in large, fast-evolving organizations. For operations-focused candidates, these challenges represent opportunities to apply their skills in process optimization, change management, and strategic planning to drive significant improvements and demonstrate leadership.

💡 Interview Preparation

Strategy Questions:

• "How would you establish a creative vision for Entain's portfolio of brands, and what operational processes would you put in place to ensure its consistent execution?" (Focus on strategic planning, brand guardianship, and process implementation.)

• "Describe your approach to integrating AI into a large design team. What are the key operational considerations, potential benefits, and risks you foresee?" (Prepare to discuss AI adoption strategy, workflow integration, and change management.)

• "How would you measure the success and business impact of the design function at Entain? What KPIs would you track, and how would you report on them?" (Focus on data-driven decision making, ROI, and reporting mechanisms.) Company & Culture Questions:

• "What excites you about Entain and the betting/gaming industry, and how do you see design contributing to our success in this space?" (Research Entain's brands, market position, and responsible gaming initiatives.)

• "How would you foster a collaborative and innovative culture within a hybrid design team, and what role does process play in achieving this?" (Discuss your leadership style, team-building strategies, and operational frameworks.)

• "Given Entain's commitment to entertainment and innovation, how would you ensure our design outputs are both cutting-edge and responsible?" (Consider the balance between creativity, brand, and industry regulations.) Portfolio Presentation Strategy:

• Structure Your Narrative: Begin with your overall leadership philosophy and strategic approach, then dive into 2-3 key case studies that best illustrate your capabilities in creative leadership, AI integration, and operational management.

• Quantify Everything: For each case study, clearly present the problem, your solution (highlighting process improvements or AI use), and the measurable results (e.g., efficiency gains, engagement increases, cost savings). Use visuals to support your points.

• Demonstrate Process Thinking: Be ready to walk through the workflows, project management methodologies, and feedback loops you've implemented. Explain why these processes were effective and how they scaled.

• Address AI Use Cases: Clearly articulate specific instances where you or your team used AI tools, the purpose, the outcome, and what you learned. Be prepared to discuss the future potential of AI in design for Entain.

📝 Enhancement Note: Interview preparation should focus on demonstrating a blend of creative vision and strong operational acumen. Candidates need to articulate how they manage teams, processes, and technology (especially AI) to drive measurable business outcomes within a large, dynamic organization like Entain.

📌 Application Steps

To apply for this operations-focused design leadership position:

• Submit your CV and a compelling portfolio through the provided application link on SmartRecruiters.

• Portfolio Customization: Tailor your portfolio to highlight your experience in leading design teams, integrating AI tools, and implementing scalable design processes. Focus on case studies that demonstrate measurable business impact and operational efficiency.

• Resume Optimization: Ensure your resume clearly articulates your leadership experience, strategic contributions, and any experience managing creative operations or workflows. Use keywords related to creative leadership, AI in design, process optimization, and stakeholder management.

• Interview Preparation: Thoroughly research Entain, its brands, and its position in the market. Prepare to discuss your strategic vision for design leadership, your approach to managing hybrid teams, and your experience with AI and process implementation. Practice presenting your portfolio and articulating your impact.

• Company & Role Alignment: Clearly articulate in your cover letter (if applicable) and during interviews how your operational leadership skills and strategic vision align with Entain's goals and the specific requirements of this Head of Design role.

⚠️ 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.