Design Manager

Company Description

Who is HelloKindred?

HelloKindred are specialists in staffing marketing, creative and technology roles, offering a range of talent solutions that can be delivered on-site, remotely or hybrid.

Our vision is to make work accessible and people’s lives better. We do this by disrupting traditional employment barriers – connecting ambitious talent to flexible opportunities with trusted brands.

Job Description

Anticipated Contract End Date/Length: 12-month contract with potential to extend
Work Set Up: Hybrid (3 days per week in office)

Our client in the financial services industry is looking for a highly creative and experienced Design Manager to deliver exceptional design solutions across marketing materials, advertising assets, event collateral, and large-scale campaigns.

This role sits within an internal Design and Creative Centre of Excellence and leads complex projects from concept to delivery across print and digital platforms. The Design Manager will oversee a South Africa-based team, collaborate closely with senior creative leadership in London, ensure brand consistency across all channels, and drive high-quality, strategically aligned creative output while fostering strong cross-regional collaboration.

What you will do:

• Lead the creation of high-impact marketing collateral including brochures, flyers, presentations, campaign assets, social media graphics, and event materials across print and digital platforms.
• Drive creative collaboration with senior creative leadership, facilitating design discussions, critiques, and reviews to ensure alignment with brand strategy and project objectives.
• Champion brand integrity by enforcing visual identity standards and ensuring consistency and excellence across all deliverables.
• Oversee design asset management by maintaining organised, optimised, and accessible files, templates, and resources to support efficient workflows.
• Shape and influence creative concepts for campaigns, events, and marketing communications to ensure innovation and strategic alignment.
• Lead creative ideation sessions, encouraging bold thinking and pushing creative boundaries to deliver standout solutions.
• Execute advanced design work using Adobe Creative Suite and related tools to produce polished layouts, illustrations, motion graphics, and multimedia assets.
• Oversee quality control processes to ensure all outputs meet accessibility standards, technical specifications, compliance requirements, and brand guidelines.
• Mentor, coach, and provide constructive feedback to designers, fostering professional growth and maintaining high creative standards.
• Manage day-to-day design output, share work regularly with senior creative leadership, and collaborate closely on large-scale campaigns and complex projects.
• Partner closely with Creative Operations to ensure efficient briefing processes, clear prioritisation, and timely delivery of projects.
• Foster strong communication and collaboration between South Africa and UK teams to ensure a connected and unified creative environment.

Qualifications

• Strong awareness of user experience and experience design principles.
• Expert mastery of branding, typography, colour theory, and layout principles to ensure creative excellence and consistency across all channels.
• Extensive proficiency in Adobe Creative Suite including Photoshop, Illustrator, InDesign, After Effects, Premiere Pro, and Acrobat DC, with the ability to explore emerging tools and technologies.
• Deep knowledge of inclusive design practices and accessibility standards, with demonstrated ability to champion compliance and best practice.
• Exceptional communication and stakeholder management skills, with the ability to influence creative direction and collaborate effectively within multi-disciplinary teams.
• Proven ability to prioritise and manage multiple high-profile projects independently, delivering on time and to the highest standard.
• Demonstrated commitment to continuous learning, innovation, and staying ahead of design trends and technologies.
• Experience mentoring and upskilling designers while fostering a culture of creative excellence.
• Experience working within financial services is advantageous.
• Experience managing design teams is preferred.
• Ability to confidently pitch creative ideas and present to senior stakeholders.
• Knowledge of Ceros, Canva, and Figma is desirable.
• Ability to create animated HTML5 banner adverts using Adobe Animate or similar tools is advantageous.
• Excellent attention to detail and strong passion for design and creativity beyond core job responsibilities.

Additional Information

All your information will be kept confidential according to EEO guidelines.

Candidates must be legally authorized to live and work in the country where the position is based, without requiring employer sponsorship.

HelloKindred is committed to fair, transparent, and inclusive hiring practices. We assess candidates based on skills, experience, and role-related requirements.

We appreciate your interest in this opportunity. While we review every application carefully, only candidates selected for an interview will be contacted.

HelloKindred is an equal opportunity employer. We welcome applicants of all backgrounds and do not discriminate on the basis of race, colour, religion, sex, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, age, national origin, disability, veteran status, or any other protected characteristic under applicable law.