Lead Designer (B2B Marketing + Brand), London

📍 Job Overview

Job Title: Lead Designer (B2B Marketing + Brand)

Company: HH Global

Location: London, England, United Kingdom

Job Type: Full-time

Category: Brand & Marketing Design Operations

Date Posted: 2026-08-24

Experience Level: 5-10 Years

Remote Status: Hybrid

🚀 Role Summary

• Lead the strategic evolution and visual execution of HH Global's global brand identity, driving creative excellence across all B2B marketing and brand initiatives.

• Champion brand consistency and elevate the visual language to reflect the company's ambition, innovation, and leadership in marketing activation services.

• Drive conceptual development for creative campaigns, visual narratives, and brand experiences across diverse channels including digital, social, events, and thought leadership.

• Serve as a key brand guardian, providing creative leadership and mentorship to internal teams and external partners, ensuring adherence to brand guidelines and best practices.

📝 Enhancement Note: While this role is in design, the emphasis on B2B marketing, brand strategy, and leading creative output for business objectives places it within the broader GTM (Go-To-Market) operations umbrella, particularly in how creative assets support sales enablement and marketing campaigns. The hybrid nature and focus on global brand evolution suggest a significant operational component to managing creative workflows and stakeholder alignment across different regions.

📈 Primary Responsibilities

• Spearhead the development, launch, and global rollout of HH Global's evolving brand identity and visual language.

• Lead creative direction for a wide array of marketing channels, including digital, social media, website content, video, thought leadership publications, events, and internal communications.

• Develop strategic creative solutions that translate business objectives and marketing strategies into impactful visual narratives and engaging brand experiences.

• Design scalable design frameworks, templates, and systems to ensure brand consistency while fostering creative innovation.

• Partner with content, communications, and marketing teams to bring brand stories and ideas to life through compelling visual execution.

• Collaborate with external agencies and internal teams to uphold best-in-class creative standards and drive innovation in design approaches.

• Act as a brand ambassador, promoting consistency and excellence across all visual communications and supporting the adoption of brand guidelines.

• Provide expert guidance on visual storytelling, presentation design, brand application, and creative best practices to internal stakeholders.

• Support high-value client pitches, strategic business opportunities, and executive-level communications through creative ideation and design leadership.

• Mentor and provide creative leadership to the wider design team, freelancers, and agency partners, fostering a culture of creativity and continuous improvement.

📝 Enhancement Note: The responsibilities highlight a strong operational component in managing brand assets, ensuring global consistency, and supporting sales enablement through pitch materials. The role requires not just creative execution but also the strategic planning and oversight of design processes to achieve business goals.

🎓 Skills & Qualifications

Education: Bachelor's degree in Graphic Design, Visual Communications, or a related field is typically expected, though extensive relevant experience can often substitute.

Experience: 5-10 years of progressive experience in brand design, marketing design, or creative agency environments, with a proven track record of leading creative projects from concept to execution.

Required Skills:

• A strong portfolio demonstrating conceptual thinking, brand development, and creative excellence across multiple channels and formats, detailing the design journey from conceptualization to final output.

• Exceptional understanding of typography, layout, color theory, composition, and visual storytelling principles.

• Advanced proficiency in Adobe Creative Cloud, including InDesign, Illustrator, Photoshop, and After Effects.

• Strong presentation design skills, particularly within PowerPoint and Keynote, for creating impactful business and marketing materials.

• Experience leading creative projects from concept through to execution, developing strategic creative solutions aligned with business and marketing objectives.

• Strong attention to detail and a commitment to high-quality creative output, balancing creativity with commercial and business objectives.

• Advanced proficiency in designing for digital platforms, websites, and social channels.

• Strong understanding of design systems and brand governance principles. Preferred Skills:

• Experience designing within B2B, technology, professional services, or global corporate environments.

• Experience leading or supporting major brand refreshes or rebrands.

• Knowledge of UX, UI, and digital design best practices.

• Understanding of motion graphics, animation, and video storytelling principles.

• Experience using AI-powered creative tools to enhance efficiency, ideation, and content creation workflows.

• Knowledge of event, experiential, and environmental design.

• Experience supporting high-value pitch, bid, or sales enablement activity.

• Experience collaborating with offshore design teams.

📝 Enhancement Note: The emphasis on B2B marketing, brand refresh, and sales enablement suggests that candidates with experience in a corporate or agency setting serving similar clients will be highly valued. The mention of AI-powered creative tools indicates a forward-thinking approach to design operations and efficiency.

📊 Process & Systems Portfolio Requirements

Portfolio Essentials:

• Showcase a comprehensive design journey from initial concept and strategy to final execution and impact, highlighting problem-solving and strategic thinking.

• Demonstrate experience in brand development, brand refreshes, and the creation of visual identities for B2B marketing initiatives.

• Include examples of how design solutions directly supported business objectives, marketing campaigns, or sales enablement efforts, preferably with measurable outcomes.

• Present case studies that illustrate collaboration with cross-functional teams (marketing, content, sales) and stakeholder management.

• Feature a range of design applications across digital platforms (websites, social media), print collateral, presentations, and potentially event or experiential design. Process Documentation:

• Evidence of developing and implementing design systems or scalable design frameworks to ensure brand consistency and efficiency.

• Examples of how brand guidelines were created, maintained, and enforced across a global or multi-stakeholder environment.

• Documentation or case studies detailing the process of translating business briefs into creative concepts and visual strategies.

• Demonstrations of workflow optimization, possibly including the integration of new tools or methodologies to improve design output and turnaround times.

📝 Enhancement Note: For a Lead Designer role focused on brand and B2B marketing, the portfolio is crucial for demonstrating not just aesthetic skill but also strategic thinking, process management, and the ability to drive business impact through design. The emphasis on "design journey" and "scalability" points to operational rigor.

💵 Compensation & Benefits

Salary Range: Based on industry benchmarks for a Lead Designer with 5-10 years of experience in London, a competitive salary range is estimated to be between £60,000 and £85,000 per annum. This estimate considers the seniority of the role, the focus on B2B marketing and brand strategy, and the cost of living in London.

Benefits:

• Comprehensive health and wellness programs, potentially including private medical insurance and mental health support.

• Generous paid time off (PTO), including vacation days, public holidays, and potential for sick leave.

• Pension scheme contributions to support long-term financial planning.

• Opportunities for professional development, training, and attendance at industry conferences relevant to design and marketing.

• Hybrid working model providing flexibility between home and office-based work.

• Access to global employee networks and communities, fostering a sense of belonging.

• Potential for performance-based bonuses or other incentives.

Working Hours: Standard full-time working hours, typically around 40 hours per week, with a hybrid arrangement allowing for a blend of office-based and remote work. Flexibility may be offered, but core business hours for collaboration are expected.

📝 Enhancement Note: The salary range is an estimation based on London market rates for experienced design leadership roles in the marketing sector. Actual compensation will depend on the candidate's specific experience, skills, and negotiation. The benefits package is typical for a company of HH Global's size and industry, with a focus on employee well-being and professional growth.

🎯 Team & Company Context

🏢 Company Culture

Industry: Marketing Activation Services (B2B). HH Global operates within the marketing services sector, focusing on helping brands activate their growth ideas through responsible and sustainable marketing execution at scale. This positions them as a key partner for large global organizations looking to optimize their marketing supply chains and creative output.

Company Size: Over 4,000 colleagues across more than 55 countries. This indicates a large, globally distributed organization with established processes and a significant operational footprint.

Founded: Information not directly provided, but the scale suggests a company with a substantial history and established market presence.

Team Structure: The Lead Designer will sit within the Brand Creative team and work closely with the Global Marketing function. This implies a collaborative structure where design is integrated into broader marketing strategy and execution. The reporting line would likely be to the Head of Brand Creative or a similar senior marketing/brand leader.

Methodology: HH Global emphasizes "responsible marketing activation" and "sustainable marketing execution." This suggests a data-driven and process-oriented approach to creative services, focusing on efficiency, impact, and ethical considerations. The brand refresh initiative points to a strategic focus on evolving their market narrative and visual presence.

Company Website: HH Global Website URL - https://hhglobal.com/

📝 Enhancement Note: The company's scale and global reach mean that operational considerations like managing brand consistency across diverse markets and supporting various business units are paramount. The focus on "responsible marketing activation" suggests a culture that values sustainability and ethical practices in its operations.

📈 Career & Growth Analysis

Operations Career Level: This is a Lead Designer role, indicating a senior position within the Brand Creative team. It requires not only strong design craft but also strategic thinking, leadership capabilities, and the ability to influence brand direction. It sits at the intersection of creative execution and operational management of brand assets.

Reporting Structure: The role reports into the Brand Creative team, likely to the Head of Brand Creative, and collaborates closely with the Global Marketing function. This structure allows for close alignment with marketing strategy and provides visibility to senior leadership.

Operations Impact: The Lead Designer's work will directly impact HH Global's market perception, brand differentiation, and attractiveness to B2B clients. By elevating the visual identity and ensuring creative excellence, they contribute to the effectiveness of marketing campaigns, sales enablement materials, and overall brand equity, which are critical operational outputs for a marketing services company.

Growth Opportunities:

• Specialization & Leadership: Opportunity to become the de facto expert on HH Global's visual identity and brand strategy, potentially leading to managing larger creative teams or taking on broader brand strategy roles.

• Strategic Influence: Deep involvement in a major brand refresh offers significant opportunities to shape the company's future visual direction and gain high-level stakeholder exposure.

• Skill Development: Exposure to AI-powered creative tools, advanced digital design, and global brand rollout provides avenues for continuous learning and upskilling in cutting-edge design operations.

• Cross-functional Exposure: Collaboration with global marketing, sales enablement, and executive communications teams can broaden understanding of business operations and strategic initiatives.

📝 Enhancement Note: The "Lead" title suggests a potential path towards a Creative Director role or a management position overseeing a design function. The emphasis on brand refresh and strategic projects provides a high-visibility platform for career advancement within HH Global's operational framework.

🌐 Work Environment

Office Type: Hybrid work environment, blending remote work with office-based collaboration. This indicates a modern workplace that values flexibility while recognizing the importance of in-person interaction for team synergy and strategic discussions.

Office Location(s): The role is based in London, specifically mentioning an office in Bishopsgate, which is a central business district. This location offers excellent connectivity and access to professional networks.

Workspace Context:

• Collaborative Environment: The hybrid model encourages collaboration through scheduled in-office days and virtual teamwork. The Brand Creative team and Global Marketing function are key collaborators, fostering a dynamic exchange of ideas.

• Tools & Technology: Access to advanced design software (Adobe Creative Cloud) and presentation tools (PowerPoint, Keynote) is standard, with an expectation to leverage AI-powered creative tools for efficiency.

• Team Interaction: Opportunities for direct interaction with senior leadership, marketing teams, and potentially client-facing roles during pitch development. Mentorship and knowledge sharing are encouraged within the design team.

Work Schedule: Standard full-time hours (approx. 40 hours/week) with a hybrid arrangement. While flexibility is inherent in hybrid work, core hours for meetings and collaborative sessions are expected to ensure seamless operations and project execution.

📝 Enhancement Note: The hybrid nature of the role requires strong self-management and communication skills to ensure effective collaboration and project delivery within the operational framework of the team.

📄 Application & Portfolio Review Process

Interview Process:

• Initial Screening: A review of CV and portfolio to assess creative skills, relevant experience, and alignment with the role's requirements.

• Creative Task/Challenge: Candidates may be asked to complete a design exercise or present a case study from their portfolio that demonstrates their approach to a B2B marketing or brand challenge. This assesses conceptual thinking, strategic application, and design craft.

• Stakeholder Interviews: Meetings with the Head of Brand Creative, Global Head of Marketing, and potentially other senior stakeholders to evaluate strategic thinking, leadership potential, communication skills, and cultural fit.

• Final Interview: A discussion focusing on career aspirations, understanding of HH Global's brand, and how the candidate can contribute to the company's growth and operational success.

Portfolio Review Tips:

• Strategic Storytelling: Clearly articulate the brief, your strategic approach, the design process, and the impact of your work. Focus on the "why" behind your creative decisions.

• B2B & Brand Focus: Highlight projects that demonstrate experience in B2B marketing, brand identity development, and brand refreshes. Showcase how design solves business problems.

• Process & Scalability: Include examples of design systems, templates, or frameworks that ensure consistency and efficiency, especially for global rollouts.

• Impact Metrics: Where possible, quantify the success of your designs (e.g., increased engagement, improved brand perception, successful pitch conversion).

• Technical Proficiency: Be prepared to discuss your proficiency with Adobe Creative Cloud and other relevant design tools, including any experience with AI-powered creative technologies.

Challenge Preparation:

• Research HH Global: Understand their current brand, market position, services, and values. Identify potential areas for visual improvement or strategic brand communication.

• B2B Marketing Principles: Refresh your understanding of effective B2B marketing design strategies, targeting, and messaging.

• Brand Refresh Case Study: Be ready to discuss your experience or approach to a significant brand refresh, including the operational challenges and considerations.

• Presentation Skills: Practice articulating your design rationale clearly and concisely, adapting your communication style for different stakeholders.

📝 Enhancement Note: The portfolio review is critical for this role. Candidates should prepare to not only showcase their creative output but also their strategic thinking, process management, and ability to drive business results through design within a corporate operations context.

🛠 Tools & Technology Stack

Primary Tools:

• Adobe Creative Cloud Suite: Advanced proficiency expected in InDesign (for layouts and collateral), Illustrator (for vector graphics and logos), Photoshop (for image manipulation and digital assets), and After Effects (for motion graphics and animation).

• Presentation Software: Strong skills in PowerPoint and Keynote for creating high-impact pitch decks and executive presentations.

• Design Systems & Governance Tools: Familiarity with principles of design systems and brand governance platforms to ensure consistency.

Analytics & Reporting:

• While not a primary analytics role, an understanding of how design impacts digital analytics (website traffic, engagement rates) and campaign performance is beneficial.

• Familiarity with reporting tools may be required for presenting design performance metrics. CRM & Automation:

• No direct CRM or automation tool requirements are listed, but an understanding of how design assets integrate into marketing automation platforms or CRM systems for sales enablement is advantageous.

• AI-Powered Creative Tools: Explicitly mentioned as a desirable skill, indicating a forward-thinking approach to design operations and content creation efficiency. Examples could include AI image generators, content optimization tools, or AI-assisted design software.

📝 Enhancement Note: The emphasis on Adobe Creative Cloud and presentation software is standard for a lead design role. The inclusion of AI-powered creative tools signifies a move towards more efficient and innovative design operations.

👥 Team Culture & Values

Operations Values:

• Creative Excellence: A commitment to producing high-quality, impactful, and innovative design work that elevates the brand.

• Brand Stewardship: Acting as a guardian of the HH Global brand, ensuring consistency, integrity, and effective communication across all touchpoints.

• Collaboration & Partnership: Working effectively with internal teams (marketing, content, sales) and external partners to achieve shared objectives.

• Innovation & Adaptability: Embracing new design approaches, technologies (like AI tools), and market trends to keep the brand fresh and relevant.

• Responsibility & Sustainability: Aligning creative output with HH Global's commitment to responsible marketing activation and sustainable practices.

Collaboration Style:

• Cross-functional Integration: A proactive approach to collaborating with marketing, content, and sales teams to ensure design solutions are strategically aligned and effectively executed.

• Mentorship and Knowledge Sharing: A willingness to mentor junior designers and share best practices, fostering a culture of continuous learning and improvement within the design team.

• Stakeholder Management: Confident and clear communication with senior leaders, presenting design rationale and recommendations effectively, and building trust through reliable delivery.

📝 Enhancement Note: The culture values both individual creative contribution and the operational discipline required to manage a global brand effectively. The emphasis on "responsible marketing activation" hints at a culture that prioritizes ethical considerations and long-term impact.

⚡ Challenges & Growth Opportunities

Challenges:

• Global Brand Refresh Execution: Successfully leading and implementing a significant brand refresh across diverse international markets, ensuring consistency while allowing for localized relevance.

• Balancing Creativity with Business Objectives: Translating complex B2B marketing goals and business needs into compelling creative solutions that meet commercial demands.

• Managing Multiple Stakeholders: Navigating the needs and expectations of various internal departments and senior leaders to gain alignment on creative direction.

• Keeping Pace with Evolving Design Trends & Technology: Integrating new tools, particularly AI-powered creative solutions, into existing workflows while maintaining high standards.

Learning & Development Opportunities:

• Brand Strategy Leadership: Deepen expertise in brand strategy, visual identity development, and global brand management through hands-on experience with a major refresh.

• Advanced Design Technologies: Gain practical experience with AI-powered creative tools, motion graphics, and potentially UX/UI principles, enhancing technical skill sets.

• Cross-functional Project Management: Develop skills in managing large-scale, cross-functional creative projects with significant operational impact.

• Executive Communication: Hone presentation and persuasion skills by regularly interacting with and presenting to senior leadership.

📝 Enhancement Note: The challenges are typical for a senior design role involved in a major brand initiative, requiring both creative vision and robust operational execution. The growth opportunities are significant for career advancement.

💡 Interview Preparation

Strategy Questions:

• "Describe your process for leading a global brand refresh. What were the key operational challenges, and how did you address them?" (Focus on process, stakeholder management, and problem-solving.)

• "How do you balance creative innovation with the need for brand consistency and commercial objectives in a B2B marketing context?" (Highlight strategic thinking and business acumen.)

• "Walk us through a complex design project where you had to manage multiple stakeholders with differing opinions. How did you achieve consensus and deliver a successful outcome?" (Demonstrate collaboration and negotiation skills.) Company & Culture Questions:

• "What excites you most about HH Global's brand and our mission in responsible marketing activation?" (Showcase research and genuine interest.)

• "How would you approach becoming the brand guardian for HH Global, ensuring consistency across all our B2B marketing efforts?" (Focus on process, guidelines, and proactive management.)

• "How do you see AI-powered creative tools impacting the future of B2B marketing design, and how would you leverage them here?" (Demonstrate forward-thinking and adaptability.) Portfolio Presentation Strategy:

• Narrative Flow: Structure your presentation around clear case studies that tell a story: problem, strategy, process, execution, and results.

• Highlight B2B & Brand Impact: Emphasize projects relevant to B2B marketing and brand development. Quantify success where possible.

• Showcase Process: Detail your creative process, including concept development, iteration, and how you ensured brand consistency.

• Demonstrate Leadership: Use examples that showcase your ability to lead projects, mentor others, and influence stakeholders.

• Tool Proficiency: Be ready to discuss your experience with Adobe Creative Cloud and any innovative tools you've employed.

📝 Enhancement Note: Interview preparation should focus on demonstrating not just creative talent but also strategic thinking, leadership qualities, and an understanding of how design operations contribute to business success within a global B2B marketing environment.

📌 Application Steps

To apply for this Lead Designer position:

• Submit your application, including your CV and a link to your online portfolio, through the HH Global careers portal.

• Portfolio Customization: Curate your portfolio to prominently feature B2B marketing, brand identity development, and brand refresh projects. Include case studies that detail your design journey from concept to execution and demonstrate measurable impact.

• Resume Optimization: Tailor your resume to highlight leadership experience, proficiency in Adobe Creative Cloud and presentation design, and any experience with AI-powered creative tools or global brand rollouts. Use keywords from the job description.

• Interview Preparation: Practice articulating your design strategy, process, and leadership philosophy. Be prepared to discuss your approach to brand guardianship, stakeholder management, and creative problem-solving for B2B marketing challenges.

• Company Research: Thoroughly research HH Global's current brand, services, and values. Understand their commitment to responsible marketing activation and identify how your design expertise can contribute to their strategic goals.

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

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