Design Manager, MENA/SSA at British Council

Role Purpose

To manage regional design needs, working closely with the Head of Design and creatives in the Brand Team. The Design Manager will be responsible for implementing and managing a regional design roster on an ongoing basis, ensuring all creative assets align with our brand guidelines, and upskilling colleagues in the regional Marketing Operations Hubs on brand guidelines and training. They will drive a focus on standardisation and templating while still ensuring materials meet local needs.  

Main Accountabilities:

Consultancy, analysis and problem solving 

• Manages creative discussions with agencies in regions, ensuring creative concepts are delivered and making sure they comply with our brand standards and guidelines. 
• Provides creative direction and guidance to the wider regional team to enable them deliver successful marketing materials and communications. 
• Manages regional permissions, copyright and asset storage as required. 
• Manages regional agencies on an ongoing basis, updating them about new materials and guidelines coming from the Brand Team. 
• Works closely with the creative team in the Brand Team sharing and discussing creative work, making recommendations around what is and isn’t working. Takes learnings back into the region to drive quality and consistency. 

Service improvement 

• Ensures global brand training is meeting regional needs, gathering training requirements, providing feedback and supporting the rollout of new training offers. 
• Ensures new assets are uploaded to the Brand Hub to be shared with the wider network. 
• Ensures brand training is delivered in region, engaging with the wider brand network. 
• Reviews regional needs in terms of templating with the Head of Design. 
• Maintains brand standards/creative quality in region, supported by the Head of Design. 
• Continually looks for new ways to better use creative content, identifying new formats, technologies and channels for presentation of content. 
• Keeps abreast of production software and technology to ensure industry standards.
• Implement the equality, diversity and inclusion (EDI) framework for design by demonstrating inclusion of diversity in creative across both print and digital and implementing EDI recommendations. 

Relationship and Stakeholder Management 

• Proactively builds and maintains collaborative relationships with internal peers and stakeholders to ensure integrated, joined up and future-proofed working.
• Promotes and champions best practice digital design through the Marketing Community of Practice.  

Subject/Sector Expertise 

• Commissions content and assets to meet regional requirements. 
• Provides advice and guidance to marketing colleagues on the best approach to their creative requirements.
• Creates and manages regional agency rosters and frameworks, working with the Head of Design in the Brand Team 
• Manages freelance resources e.g., designers, copywriters, photographers, ensuring everything coming from them is aligned with our brand and brand guidelines. 

Leadership and management

• Acts as a Brand Ambassador, helping deliver a strong British Council brand.

About You (essential requirements for the role):

• Relevant degree or demonstrable equivalent level of experience
• Knowledge of modern graphic design technology and experience in aspects of graphic design.
• Understanding of modern production methods, including those in other countries.
• Experience in the management of corporate identity standards and branding
• Experience of managing external agencies and freelance staff

Desirable requirements for the role

• Experience in a large globally dispersed organization
• Presentation skills
• Microsoft Office suite including PowerPoint
• Creative skills e.g. video editing, motion graphics, illustration
• Stakeholder management and influencing
• Ability to assess creative projects and assets
• Ability to upskill others on quick design tasks