Senior Graphic Designer
π Job Overview
Job Title: Senior Graphic Designer
Company: J.P. BODEN & CO. LIMITED
Location: Boden House, London, UK
Job Type: Full-time
Category: Creative & Media / Art & Design / Marketing / Retail
Date Posted: 2026-01-07
Experience Level: Mid-Senior to Senior
Remote Status: Hybrid (3 days in office, 2 days WFH)
π Role Summary
- Craft visually impactful designs across digital and print platforms, including online features, emails, catalogue pages, PR materials, and digital site assets, to inspire customers and elevate the Boden brand.
- Champion brand consistency and evolution through exceptional typography, confident layout, and a deep understanding of the Boden tone of voice and visual identity.
- Lead digital projects from conceptualization through to final delivery, ensuring best-in-class design and adherence to platform-specific best practices.
- Collaborate closely with cross-functional teams, including marketing, merchandising, and editorial, to translate campaign objectives and collection stories into compelling visual narratives.
- Drive the creative strategy towards a digital-first approach, staying attuned to cultural, digital, and fashion trends to ensure content remains fresh, relevant, and engaging.
π Enhancement Note: This role is positioned as a Senior Graphic Designer, suggesting a need for strategic thinking beyond execution. The emphasis on evolving creative strategy and leading digital projects implies a significant level of autonomy and influence in shaping the brand's visual direction.
π Primary Responsibilities
- Visually interpret and bring the unique Boden tone of voice to life, actively contributing to its ongoing evolution.
- Maintain and champion design consistency across all channels, focusing on typography, layout, and overall brand expression.
- Translate creative briefs, understanding project purpose and target audience, to deliver exceptional and effective design solutions.
- Develop and present compelling concepts for seasonal campaigns and broader brand initiatives.
- Own the end-to-end execution of digital design projects, from initial ideation and concepting to final asset delivery.
- Serve as the primary design lead for key seasonal campaigns, ensuring visual cohesion across all customer touchpoints.
- Create engaging, high-quality content for digital platforms, adhering to industry best practices for each channel.
- Prioritize customer-centric design decisions, ensuring all creative output resonates with and appeals to the target audience.
- Confidently present creative ideas and design rationale to various stakeholders across the business.
- Foster strong collaborative relationships with cross-functional teams to push creative boundaries and achieve shared goals.
- Ensure seamless alignment between copy, content, and design elements in all creative outputs.
- Leverage knowledge of upcoming collections to proactively shape creative direction and asset creation.
- Proactively monitor industry and platform-specific trends to ensure all content remains fresh, relevant, and cutting-edge.
π Enhancement Note: The responsibilities highlight a blend of creative execution and strategic input. Leading digital projects end-to-end and acting as design lead for campaigns indicates a senior-level responsibility for project ownership and creative direction, requiring strong organizational and communication skills.
π Skills & Qualifications
Education: While not explicitly stated, a Bachelor's degree in Graphic Design, Visual Communications, or a related field is typically expected for a Senior Graphic Designer role. Experience: Established expertise within a mid-senior or senior design role, ideally with experience in both in-house and agency environments. Proven track record of leading design projects and campaigns from concept to completion.
Required Skills:
- Graphic Design Proficiency: Demonstrated excellence in visual design principles, including composition, color theory, and aesthetics.
- Typography Expertise: Strong command of typographic hierarchy, readability, and creative application to enhance brand messaging.
- Layout Skills: Confident and skilled in creating balanced, engaging, and effective layouts for both print and digital media.
- Brand Expression & Guardianship: Proven ability to maintain and evolve a consistent, recognizable brand look and feel across all touchpoints.
- Figma Proficiency: Expert-level skills in Figma for interface design, prototyping, and collaborative workflows.
- Adobe Creative Suite Mastery: Advanced proficiency in Photoshop, Illustrator, and InDesign for asset creation and manipulation.
- After Effects Skills: Competence in After Effects for motion graphics, animation, and dynamic digital content creation.
- Digital Project Leadership: Experience in managing and executing digital design projects from conception to final delivery.
- Campaign Development: Ability to conceptualize and design cohesive visual assets for integrated marketing campaigns.
- Creative Strategy Input: Capacity to contribute to and help shape overall creative strategy, particularly for digital-first initiatives.
- Cross-functional Collaboration: Proven ability to work effectively with diverse teams (e.g., marketing, merchandising, editorial).
- Concept Development: Strong conceptual thinking skills to generate innovative and impactful design ideas.
- Presentation Skills: Confidence and skill in presenting creative concepts and design rationale to stakeholders.
- Trend Awareness: Keen understanding and awareness of cultural, digital, and fashion trends to inform design decisions.
- Customer Focus: Ability to place the customer at the center of design decisions, ensuring relevance and appeal.
- Team Guidance: Experience and willingness to guide and mentor more junior creatives.
Preferred Skills:
- AI Design Experience: Familiarity or experience with AI tools for design ideation or asset generation.
- Print Design Expertise: Additional experience or a strong portfolio showcasing print design capabilities.
- Storytelling through Design: Ability to craft visual narratives that communicate brand stories effectively.
π Enhancement Note: The explicit mention of Figma, Adobe Creative Suite, and After Effects indicates a need for hands-on technical proficiency. The requirement for "established expertise within a midβsenior or senior design role" and the expectation to "guide more junior creatives" clearly positions this as a senior-level position requiring leadership potential.
π Process & Systems Portfolio Requirements
Portfolio Essentials:
- Comprehensive Design Showcase: A curated selection of high-quality work demonstrating expertise across various design disciplines, including digital assets (web banners, social media graphics, email templates), print collateral (catalogues, brochures, PR materials), and campaign visuals.
- Digital-First Focus: Prominent examples of digital design projects, showcasing an understanding of web and mobile best practices, user experience (UX) principles, and responsive design.
- Brand Consistency Examples: Specific projects that highlight the ability to maintain and evolve a consistent brand identity across multiple channels and touchpoints.
- Process & Rationale Documentation: For key projects, include brief explanations of the design process, challenges faced, solutions implemented, and the rationale behind design decisions. This should demonstrate strategic thinking and problem-solving.
- Campaign Leadership Examples: At least one case study detailing leadership on a significant campaign, from concept development and stakeholder presentations to final execution and cross-channel integration.
- Tool Proficiency Demonstration: Visual evidence or mention of tools used, particularly Figma, Adobe Creative Suite, and After Effects, within the project examples.
Process Documentation:
- Brief Interpretation & Conceptualization: Showcase how you interpret creative briefs and develop initial concepts, perhaps through mood boards, sketches, or early-stage digital mockups.
- Iterative Design & Feedback Integration: Demonstrate how you incorporate feedback from stakeholders and iterate on designs to arrive at a polished final product. Include examples of presenting concepts and handling revisions.
- Cross-functional Collaboration Workflow: Provide examples of how you have collaborated with non-design teams (e.g., marketing, copywriters, merchandisers) to ensure seamless integration of design with other campaign elements.
π Enhancement Note: The explicit instruction to include an "up-to-date portfolio" and that "applications without one cannot be considered" makes this a critical requirement. The emphasis on digital projects and campaign leadership suggests portfolio pieces should reflect these specific areas of expertise.
π΅ Compensation & Benefits
Salary Range: For a Senior Graphic Designer in London, UK, with the specified experience level and hybrid work arrangement, a competitive salary range is estimated between Β£45,000 and Β£65,000 per annum. This estimate is based on industry benchmarks for senior creative roles in London, considering the company's size and the demand for specialized design skills in fashion retail.
Benefits:
- Competitive Salary: A strong base salary reflecting the candidate's experience and the senior nature of the role.
- Targeted Annual Bonus Scheme: An opportunity to earn additional compensation based on company and individual performance.
- Generous Boden Clothing Allowance: A significant allowance to purchase Boden clothing.
- 30% Discount on All Current Clothing Ranges: A substantial discount on all Boden products.
- 25 Days Holiday Annually, Plus Bank Holidays: A generous annual leave entitlement for work-life balance.
- Online Portal with an Array of Discounts: Access to a platform offering discounts on various retail and entertainment options.
- Virtual GP Service: Convenient access to healthcare services for the employee and their household.
- Free Onsite Parking: Practical benefit for those commuting to the office by car.
- Subsidised CafΓ©: On-site dining option at a reduced cost.
Working Hours: The standard working hours are typically 40 hours per week, aligning with industry norms. The hybrid model offers flexibility, with 3 days expected in the North Acton office and 2 days available for remote work.
π Enhancement Note: The salary estimate is derived from current market data for Senior Graphic Designers in London, UK, factoring in the fashion retail industry and the hybrid work model. Benefits are directly pulled from the provided text and highlighted for their attractiveness to potential candidates.
π― Team & Company Context
π’ Company Culture
Industry: Fashion Retail. Boden is known for its stylish, grounded, and uplifting brand ethos, focusing on ethical, inclusive, and fun product curation and customer experience. Company Size: J.P. Boden & Co. Limited is a well-established retail company with a significant presence. While the exact employee count isn't provided, the scope of operations suggests a medium to large organization within the fashion sector. Founded: Founded in 1991, Boden has a history of building a strong brand identity and customer base, evolving from a mail-order company to a significant online and physical retailer.
Team Structure:
- Creative Team: The Senior Graphic Designer will report to the Creative Design Lead, indicating a structured hierarchy within the creative department.
- Cross-Functional Collaboration: The role requires close collaboration with various teams, including marketing, merchandising, editorial, and potentially PR, highlighting a matrixed and collaborative work environment.
- Mentorship Aspect: The expectation to "guide more junior creatives" suggests a team dynamic that values knowledge sharing and development.
Methodology:
- Brand-Centric Design: A core methodology is bringing the Boden tone of voice to life visually and ensuring consistency across all channels.
- Digital-First Evolution: A strategic focus on evolving the creative approach to be digital-first, emphasizing thoughtful concepting and storytelling.
- Customer-Centric Approach: A commitment to placing the customer at the heart of all design decisions.
- Trend Integration: A proactive approach to staying aware of and integrating cultural, digital, and fashion trends.
Company Website: [Company URL - Boden.com]
π Enhancement Note: The company description emphasizes values like "Stylish, grounded, uplifting," "collaboration, honesty and friendship," and creating a "world of beauty thatβs ethical, inclusive β and importantly β good fun." This paints a picture of a positive, people-focused work environment with a strong brand identity.
π Career & Growth Analysis
Operations Career Level: This role is firmly positioned at the Mid-Senior to Senior level within the Graphic Design and Creative function. It requires established expertise and the ability to operate with a degree of autonomy, leading projects and influencing creative direction. The expectation to mentor junior staff further solidifies its senior standing.
Reporting Structure: The Senior Graphic Designer reports directly to the Creative Design Lead. This suggests a clear reporting line within the Creative department, with potential for further progression to roles like Art Director or Creative Lead over time.
Operations Impact: The Senior Graphic Designer's work directly impacts the brand's visual appeal, customer engagement, and ultimately, sales. By creating "standout design" and "inspiring" visuals across all touchpoints, they play a crucial role in attracting new customers, retaining existing ones, and reinforcing the Boden brand identity in a competitive market. Their influence on the "digital-first" creative strategy is key to the company's modern marketing efforts.
Growth Opportunities:
- Creative Leadership: The role provides a direct path to leading campaign creative and mentoring junior designers, offering opportunities for developing leadership skills.
- Strategic Influence: The emphasis on evolving "creative strategy" and driving a "digital-first" approach allows for significant input into the brand's future visual direction.
- Skill Expansion: Exposure to diverse projects across print and digital, including motion graphics (After Effects), and potential AI design tools, allows for continuous skill development.
- Career Progression: Potential career path could lead to Art Director, Creative Lead, or Head of Design roles within Boden or similar fashion retail organizations.
π Enhancement Note: The role offers a clear growth trajectory from individual contributor to a leadership and strategic influencing position, particularly within the digital creative space. The focus on mentorship and strategic input provides valuable development opportunities.
π Work Environment
Office Type: The role is based at "Boden House," the company's office location. The description indicates a hybrid work arrangement, with 3 days per week at the office and 2 days working from home. This suggests a modern office environment designed for collaboration and focused work.
Office Location(s): Boden House, North Acton, London, UK. This location benefits from office amenities like free onsite parking and a subsidized cafΓ©.
Workspace Context:
- Collaborative Hub: The 3 days in the office are intended for collaboration, team meetings, and in-person brainstorming sessions, fostering a connected team environment.
- Creative Tools & Technology: The team is expected to utilize industry-standard tools such as Figma, Adobe Creative Suite, and After Effects, indicating access to necessary technology for creative work.
- Team Interaction: Opportunities for direct interaction with the Creative Design Lead, fellow designers, and cross-functional teams will be prevalent during office days.
Work Schedule: The standard working hours are likely 40 hours per week. The hybrid model provides flexibility, allowing for remote work for 2 days a week, which can aid in managing personal schedules and focusing on tasks requiring deep concentration away from office distractions, while still maintaining core business hours.
π Enhancement Note: The hybrid work model is a key feature, balancing in-office collaboration with the flexibility of remote work, a common preference for creative professionals. The office location in North Acton, London, provides access to specific amenities.
π Application & Portfolio Review Process
Interview Process:
- Initial Screening: Review of CV and portfolio to assess suitability for the Senior Graphic Designer role. Applications without a portfolio will not be considered.
- Portfolio Review & Discussion: A dedicated session to walk through the candidate's portfolio, discussing specific projects, design choices, process, and impact.
- Skills Assessment: Potential practical exercise or technical assessment focusing on Figma, Adobe Creative Suite, or After Effects, or a scenario-based problem-solving task.
- Stakeholder/Team Interviews: Meetings with the Creative Design Lead, potential team members, and possibly cross-functional colleagues to assess collaboration skills, cultural fit, and strategic thinking.
- Final Interview: Likely with a more senior member of the creative or marketing department to confirm overall fit and alignment with company goals.
Portfolio Review Tips:
- Curate for Relevance: Prioritize projects that best showcase your digital design skills, campaign leadership, typography, and brand consistency work, aligning with the responsibilities of this role.
- Highlight Digital-First: Ensure strong representation of digital assets, web design, email campaigns, and social media content.
- Showcase Campaign Ownership: Include at least one detailed case study of a campaign you led or significantly contributed to, detailing your role, concept, execution, and results.
- Explain Your Process: For each key project, briefly outline your thought process, the problem you were solving, your design solutions, and the tools used. Demonstrate strategic thinking, not just aesthetic output.
- Quantify Impact: Where possible, include metrics or outcomes that demonstrate the success of your designs (e.g., increased engagement, conversion rates, brand recognition).
- Demonstrate Tool Proficiency: Clearly indicate which tools were used for each project, especially Figma, Adobe Creative Suite, and After Effects.
- Tailor to Boden: Research Boden's current brand aesthetic and recent campaigns to understand their style and tailor your presentation to show how you can contribute to and evolve it.
Challenge Preparation:
- Scenario-Based Challenges: Be prepared for hypothetical scenarios related to evolving a brand's digital presence, creating assets for a new collection, or solving a specific design problem for the Boden brand.
- Concept Presentation: Practice articulating your design concepts clearly and persuasively, explaining the rationale behind your creative choices.
- Time Management: If given a timed design challenge, practice working efficiently and delivering a polished output within constraints.
- Stakeholder Communication: Prepare to discuss how you would communicate design decisions and manage feedback from various stakeholders.
π Enhancement Note: The explicit requirement for a portfolio and the emphasis on digital-first and campaign leadership are critical. Candidates should prepare to deeply discuss their portfolio and demonstrate strategic thinking beyond just visual execution.
π Tools & Technology Stack
Primary Tools:
- Figma: Essential for collaborative UI/UX design, prototyping, and creating scalable design systems. Expect to use it for digital asset creation and team collaboration.
- Adobe Creative Suite:
- Photoshop: For image editing, manipulation, and creating detailed digital graphics.
- Illustrator: For vector graphics, logos, icons, and complex illustrations.
- InDesign: For layout design, particularly for catalogue pages and print collateral.
- After Effects: Crucial for creating animated graphics, motion design, video elements, and dynamic digital content.
Analytics & Reporting: While not explicitly listed as a requirement for the designer, an understanding of how design impacts performance metrics (e.g., click-through rates, conversion rates) is beneficial. Familiarity with tools like Google Analytics or platform-specific analytics may be helpful for understanding design effectiveness.
CRM & Automation: Not directly applicable to the Senior Graphic Designer role, but an awareness of how design integrates with marketing automation platforms and CRM systems is advantageous for understanding campaign workflows.
π Enhancement Note: The explicit mention of Figma, Adobe Creative Suite, and After Effects highlights the core technical toolkit required for this role. Proficiency in these tools is non-negotiable.
π₯ Team Culture & Values
Operations Values:
- Stylish, Grounded, Uplifting: These core values should be reflected in the design output β creating beautiful, functional, and positive visual experiences.
- Collaboration, Honesty, Friendship: The team environment fosters open communication and teamwork, expecting designers to be supportive and honest in their interactions.
- Ethical & Inclusive: A commitment to creating design that is responsible, representative, and accessible to all.
- Good Fun: The company culture aims to be enjoyable and engaging, suggesting a workplace where creativity can thrive in a positive atmosphere.
- Customer-Centric: A fundamental value where customer needs and preferences guide design decisions.
- Data-Driven Insights: While not explicitly stated for design, an understanding of how design impacts performance metrics implies a data-informed approach to creative work.
- Efficiency & Best Practices: The emphasis on "best-in-class design" and "best-practice content" suggests a value placed on high standards and efficient execution.
Collaboration Style:
- Cross-functional Integration: Designers are expected to work closely with marketing, merchandising, and editorial teams, requiring a collaborative approach to align on campaign goals and brand messaging.
- Open Feedback Exchange: The culture encourages honesty and friendship, implying a willingness to give and receive constructive feedback to improve creative outcomes.
- Knowledge Sharing: The expectation to guide junior creatives fosters a culture of mentorship and shared learning within the design team.
- Proactive Contribution: Designers are encouraged to "push creative boundaries" and "shape creative direction," indicating an environment that values proactive input and innovation.
π Enhancement Note: The company values emphasize a blend of aesthetic excellence, ethical considerations, and a positive, collaborative work environment. Candidates should demonstrate how their personal values and working style align with these principles.
β‘ Challenges & Growth Opportunities
Challenges:
- Digital-First Evolution: Adapting and innovating the brand's visual language to meet the demands of a rapidly evolving digital landscape and ensuring a consistent, high-quality digital presence.
- Balancing Brand Consistency with Trend Relevance: Maintaining the core Boden brand identity while incorporating current cultural, digital, and fashion trends to keep the brand fresh and appealing.
- Cross-functional Alignment: Effectively managing diverse stakeholder expectations and ensuring design solutions meet the needs of various departments (marketing, sales, product) while adhering to brand guidelines.
- Leading Complex Campaigns: Overseeing the visual execution of major seasonal campaigns across multiple channels, ensuring cohesion and impact from concept to delivery.
- Mentoring Junior Talent: Developing the skills to effectively guide and support more junior designers, fostering their growth while maintaining the team's high standards.
Learning & Development Opportunities:
- Creative Strategy Influence: Opportunity to directly impact and evolve the companyβs digital-first creative strategy.
- Leadership Development: Gaining experience in leading design projects, mentoring junior staff, and presenting creative concepts to senior stakeholders.
- Industry Trend Immersion: Staying at the forefront of design, digital, and fashion trends through practical application and continuous learning.
- Advanced Tool Proficiency: Deepening expertise in Figma, Adobe Creative Suite, and After Effects, with potential exposure to AI design tools.
- Cross-Industry Exposure: Working within the dynamic fashion retail sector provides unique insights into brand building and consumer engagement.
π Enhancement Note: The challenges are framed as opportunities for growth, particularly in strategic thinking, leadership, and adapting to industry trends, which are key for a senior-level role.
π‘ Interview Preparation
Strategy Questions:
- "How would you approach evolving the Boden brand's visual identity to be more digital-first while maintaining its core aesthetic?" (Focus on strategic thinking, digital trends, and brand guardianship.)
- "Describe a time you led a significant creative campaign from concept to completion. What were the key challenges, and how did you ensure cohesion across different channels?" (Assess project leadership, problem-solving, and cross-channel execution.)
- "Imagine we need to create assets for a new collection launch that targets a younger demographic. What would be your initial design approach and considerations?" (Evaluate conceptualization, audience understanding, and trend awareness.)
- "How do you ensure your designs are not only visually appealing but also effective in driving customer engagement and conversions?" (Focus on customer-centricity, impact measurement, and understanding of marketing goals.)
Company & Culture Questions:
- "What do you admire about the Boden brand, and how do you see your design style contributing to it?" (Assess brand research and cultural fit.)
- "Describe your experience working collaboratively with marketing, merchandising, or editorial teams. How do you handle differing opinions or feedback?" (Evaluate collaboration and communication skills.)
- "How do you stay current with design, cultural, and fashion trends, and how do you integrate them into your work?" (Gauge proactivity and trend awareness.)
- "How would you approach mentoring a junior designer on our team?" (Assess leadership potential and team contribution.)
Portfolio Presentation Strategy:
- Structure for Impact: Begin with your strongest, most relevant projects. For each, clearly state the brief, your role, the challenge, your solution, and the outcome.
- Tell a Story: For campaign work, walk through the narrative: concept, execution across platforms, and impact.
- Highlight Digital Expertise: Dedicate sections or specific projects to showcase your mastery of digital design tools and principles.
- Demonstrate Process: For one or two key projects, visually or verbally explain your iterative process, how you incorporated feedback, and your rationale.
- Be Ready for Deep Dives: Anticipate questions about specific design choices, technical execution, and how you'd adapt a project for a different medium or audience.
- Connect to Boden: Whenever possible, draw parallels between your portfolio work and Boden's brand, showing how your skills align with their needs.
π Enhancement Note: Interview preparation should focus on demonstrating strategic thinking, leadership potential, and a deep understanding of both design principles and the Boden brand. Portfolio presentation is crucial and should be highly curated.
π Application Steps
To apply for this Senior Graphic Designer position:
- Submit your application through the provided Workday link: Ensure all fields are completed accurately.
- Curate and Prepare Your Portfolio:
- Select 5-7 of your strongest projects that best align with the job description's emphasis on digital design, campaign leadership, and brand consistency.
- Ensure your portfolio clearly showcases your proficiency in Figma, Adobe Creative Suite, and After Effects.
- For key projects, prepare a brief narrative outlining the brief, your role, your process, and the impact of your design.
- If possible, include examples that demonstrate an understanding of fashion retail or DTC brands.
- Optimize Your Resume:
- Highlight your experience in mid-senior or senior design roles.
- Use keywords from the job description, such as "Graphic Design," "Typography," "Figma," "Adobe Creative Suite," "After Effects," "Campaigns," "Digital Projects," and "Creative Strategy."
- Quantify achievements where possible (e.g., "Increased engagement by X% through redesigned email templates").
- Research Boden:
- Familiarize yourself with Boden's current campaigns, brand voice, and product offerings.
- Understand their values and target audience.
- Note any recent creative initiatives or design trends you see on their platforms.
- Practice Your Presentation:
- Rehearse walking through your portfolio, focusing on clear communication, concise explanations, and showcasing your strategic thinking.
- Prepare answers to common interview questions related to design process, collaboration, and brand management.
β οΈ 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.
Application Requirements
Candidates should have established expertise in a mid-senior or senior design role, with proficiency in Figma, Adobe Creative Suite, and After Effects. They should also possess strong typography and layout skills, along with the ability to oversee multiple projects.