Head of Design

Our Team We are UKTV’s in-house creative studio – a multi-disciplinary team responsible for delivering standout campaigns, bold brand work and brilliant content for our channels and streaming service. We bring together creative, design, production and innovation under one roof to create work that’s effective, audience-first, and makes people feel something. Purpose of the role To lead and elevate the design capability at UKTV – across key art, digital, social, 3D, motion and out-of-home – championing craft, creativity, and innovation at every touchpoint. You’ll lead a talented team of designers and motion specialists, shape design strategy, and set a creative vision that ensures everything we make looks world-class. You’ll have a strong point of view, an excellent eye, and a love for storytelling through visuals – from mood to layout to movement. You’ll also be a future-facing leader – staying ahead of cultural, design and technology trends, embracing AI and emerging tools to empower the team, and fostering a culture of experimentation and continuous improvement. We’re a small but mighty player in the TV and streaming world, and this role plays a key part in how we punch above our weight. As a team leader, you’ll be responsible for creating the conditions where people can do their best work. You’ll set clear expectations, coach and mentor individuals, and give constructive feedback that inspires improvement. You’ll invest time in developing skills, supporting career progression, and building a collaborative, inclusive culture where ideas are heard, celebrated and challenged. What we would like you to bring to the role….key experience, knowledge, skills & personal qualities Experience A proven track record of leading multidisciplinary design teams across brand, broadcast, digital and campaign work. Experience mentoring and developing teams, helping others grow while raising creative standards. A history of embedding best-practice workflows, structures and processes to enable creativity and efficiency. Experience working in-house or agency-side with entertainment, streaming, or culturally-relevant consumer brands. A portfolio that shows your eye for craft, composition, typography, and movement across multiple formats. Track record of successfully piloting, implementing, or scaling AI-powered creative tools. Confidence presenting work internally and externally – from senior stakeholders to channel talent. Knowledge Deep understanding of contemporary design and visual culture. Awareness of platform-native content design, particularly social and digital. Good knowledge of tools and processes across the design ecosystem, including After Effects, Adobe Creative Suite, Figma etc. Strong awareness of AI design tools, workflows, and creative automation – with a drive to explore, test, and embed new technology to empower creativity and efficiency. Future-facing mindset – staying ahead of industry trends and adapting quickly to new platforms, audience behaviours, and tools. A strong grasp of how design, performance, brand and behaviour intersect. Knowledge of how to build positive team cultures that balance creative ambition with wellbeing, diversity and inclusion. Skills & personal qualities Strong conceptual thinker with a sharp visual eye. Comfortable switching between leadership, strategy and hands-on doing. Skilled in coaching, feedback and conflict resolution, with the ability to bring out the best in different personalities. Inspiring, inclusive and open – someone who brings energy to the room. Comfortable with ambiguity, and confident navigating a fast-paced environment. Emotionally intelligent and collaborative. A champion of great ideas, high standards and fearless creativity. Strong organisational skills with the ability to prioritise resources, balance workloads and maintain momentum under pressure. What you will get to work on….key outputs and responsibilities of the role Leading and developing a high-performing design team across 3D, motion, brand, digital and key art. Setting and evolving the visual standard of everything we create – from brand launches to title campaigns. Building clear development plans for individuals, ensuring regular check-ins and constructive feedback. Driving the creative vision for the UKTV visual identity in collaboration with the CMO, Creative Director and wider leadership team. Championing innovation – bringing in new tools, technologies, and design approaches to keep UKTV’s work fresh, competitive and ahead of the curve. Embedding AI and automation where they add value, freeing the team to focus on high-impact creative thinking. Encouraging a culture of experimentation, curiosity and adaptability to change. Working closely with creative, marketing, media and production leads to ensure ideas are consistent, well-executed and on-brand. Overseeing external design partners, freelancers and agencies when needed. Collaborating on broader creative strategy and team development as part of the leadership group. Helping shape the next chapter of UKTV’s creative evolution. About UKTV UKTV has been at the forefront of branded television for over 30 years, entertaining the nation with programmes they love. Its leading brands – U&Dave, U&DRAMA, U&W, U&YESTERDAY, Gold, Alibi and Eden - span comedy, entertainment, natural history, factual and drama, and are delivered to UK viewers through free streaming service U, Sky, Virgin Media, NOW, Freeview and Freesat; and to Irish viewers through Sky, Virgin Media, Eir, Vodafone and NOW. Channel & content availability varies by platform. UKTV’s content is also available to UK viewers via dedicated FAST channels on Samsung TV Plus, Amazon Freevee, Pluto TV and Virgin Media. UKTV is a significant investor in British creativity and is committed to working with new and established writers, directors and programme-makers. The broadcaster is part of BBC Studios, the UK's most-awarded production company, a world-class distributor with international branded services, and a commercial subsidiary of the world's leading public service broadcaster, the BBC.