Design Lead

The Design Lead is responsible for overseeing the entire visual identity and creative output of the firm. This includes managing social media creatives, brand identity, marketing collateral, and website design and development. The role requires a blend of hands-on design execution, front-end web design oversight, team leadership, client-facing creative direction, and ownership of design processes to ensure high-quality deliverables.

Key Responsibilities

Creative & Brand: Lead the creative direction for social media campaigns, brand identities, and marketing collateral, including static, motion, and video-adjacent assets. Own and continuously evolve brand guidelines for both the agency and key client accounts. Translate client briefs and marketing strategies into compelling visuals across platforms such as Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn, TikTok, and YouTube.

Website Design & Development: Manage website design projects from concept through completion, including wireframes, UI mockups, and responsive visual design for client and internal websites. Oversee or directly execute front-end development using platforms like WordPress, Webflow, Shopify, or custom HTML/CSS/JS. Ensure websites are responsive, accessible, SEO-friendly, and consistent with brand guidelines. Coordinate with developers on design handoff, quality assurance, and website launches. Own UI/UX strategy for landing pages, microsites, and client web properties, including user flows, wireframes, and prototypes.

Team & Client Management: Lead, mentor, and review a team of graphic and web/UI designers. Present design and website concepts directly to clients, clearly communicating creative rationale. Efficiently incorporate client feedback while maintaining design quality and consistency. Manage project workflows, timelines, and deliverables using tools such as Asana, Trello, or ClickUp. Collaborate closely with content strategists, copywriters, social media managers, and account managers.

Process & Quality: Maintain high visual and functional quality standards across all creative and web deliverables. Support hiring, onboarding, and skill development within the design team. Stay updated on design trends, web technologies, and platform-specific best practices.

Required Qualifications

A minimum of 5 years of professional design experience, including at least 2 years in a lead or senior role, with strong website design and UI expertise. A proven portfolio showcasing work in social media creatives, brand identity, marketing collateral, website design, and UI/UX is essential. Expert proficiency in Adobe Creative Suite (Photoshop, Illustrator, InDesign) is required. Strong skills in UI/UX and web design tools such as Figma, Adobe XD, or Sketch are necessary. Working knowledge of website builders and CMS platforms like WordPress, Webflow, and Shopify, along with basic HTML/CSS/JS skills, is expected. A solid understanding of responsive design, SEO fundamentals, and web accessibility standards is important. Candidates must demonstrate strong knowledge of typography, color theory, layout, and brand systems. Excellent client-facing communication and presentation skills are essential. Proven experience managing design teams, including providing feedback, distributing workloads, and mentoring, is required. Ability to manage multiple client accounts and projects under tight deadlines is critical.

Preferred Qualifications and Benefits

Hands-on front-end coding experience with HTML/CSS/JavaScript or frameworks such as React is a plus. Experience with motion content tools like After Effects and Premiere Pro is advantageous. Familiarity with AI design tools such as Midjourney and Adobe Firefly for ideation is beneficial. Prior agency experience handling both marketing and web deliverables is preferred. Knowledge of web and social analytics platforms, including Google Analytics and Meta Insights, to inform design decisions is an asset.

Key Competencies

Creative vision, UI/UX and web design expertise, leadership and mentorship abilities, client management skills, attention to detail, effective time management, collaboration, and awareness of current design and technology trends are essential for success in this role.