Creative Group Head (Art)

Established in 2004, OLIVER is the world’s first and only specialist in designing, building, and running bespoke in-house agencies and marketing ecosystems for brands. We partner with over 300 clients in 40+ countries and counting. Our unique model drives creativity and efficiency, allowing us to deliver tailored solutions that resonate deeply with audiences.

As a part of The Brandtech Group, we're at the forefront of leveraging cutting-edge AI technology to revolutionise how we create and deliver work. Our AI solutions enhance efficiency, spark creativity, and drive insightful decision-making, empowering our teams to produce innovative and impactful results.

About the role:

The Creative Group Head will oversee and direct conceptual and design projects, and will ultimately be responsible for the quality of ideas and the end-to-end design execution of jobs, from brief through to implementation and delivery. The Creative Group Head will have responsibility for overseeing multiple simultaneous live projects.

The overall objective is to direct, inspire, lead and support all levels of design and creative talent across the account, defining and advancing a positive and highly productive design culture for OLIVER.

It is the Creative Group Head's job:

• To champion creativity and excellent customer centricity.
• To creatively direct concept designers/graphic designers/artworkers/brand journalists/copywriters harnessing their development and performance, in a manner that assures maximum efficiency and creativity.
• To upskill both design and copy teams to ensure their output is best in class compared to any other competing agency
• To manage, supervise, review and audit the work of designers, artworkers and copywriters to ensure the creative level expected of OLIVER is being met.
• To help drive maximum efficiency, productivity and the maintenance of the highest quality of creative concept, design and artwork.
• To oversee, manage and review new creative concepts for both new and existing clients.
• To undertake the design of digital collateral, to the client’s brief and exacting standards and within agreed timeframes.
• To act as brand guardian to ensure all design collateral produced is faithful to the client’s brand guidelines.
• To work actively with all internal and external stakeholders to ensure the delivery of the highest level of client service from OLIVER.
• To collaborate closely with the Leaders to organise and prioritise workload, especially around deadlines.
• Be flexible to respond to increases in workload/tight deadlines.
• To build on our strong client relationships and to be the equal creative partner of the Group Account Director to drive new business forward with existing and new clients.
• Attend company meetings and social events both with OLIVER and with the client.
• To work with and support the OLIVER team in order to deliver excellent consumer experiences.
• Some working outside of normal office hours might be required to meet deadlines and strategic objectives.
• To inspire the team and help them think about innovative and ground breaking creative campaigns for brands across the biz.

What you will be doing:

• To work with the GAD and BD to define and implement the creative strategy for the studio.
• To motivate and influence the creative team to constantly strive for excellence in performance.
• To proactively monitor the quality of copy & design projects being produced and submitted by leading internal review sessions and seeking feedback from both internal and external stakeholders.
• To oversee and manage the timely delivery of all jobs / projects going through the studio, always taking into consideration the clients’ requirements and expectations.
• To investigate, propose and implement innovative ways of delivering creative services to maximise efficiency and productivity.
• To actively oversee and manage team meetings, forward scheduling meetings and work review meetings.
• To manage, oversee and coordinate the sharing of knowledge and the facilitation of learning within the team and all other employees to improve business practices, refine processes, aid and promote the development of creative ideas and introduce new services.
• To organise monthly work / successes / learnings presentations to the wider SMT team to showcase work from the studio/team managed.
• Attend client meetings, present work, discuss needs and identify opportunities.
• To assign creative leads and develop accounts and creative teams.
• To work actively with the workflow / studio manager in coordinating the effective allocation of design resource, facilitating information from colleagues, business managers and staff. In order to provide effective resource support to meet client demands and to cover flexible working, holiday and sick leave requirements in the most economical manner.
• To act as brand guardian to ensure all design collateral produced by the creative team is faithful to the client’s brand guidelines.
• To ensure all Unilever digital guidelines, and other mandatory processes and guidelines are always followed by the creative team and to be the final gatekeeper for all creative work before delivery.
• To work actively with all internal and external stakeholders to ensure the delivery of the highest level of client service from all creative team members.
• To manage, train and mentor staff and oversee their professional development through the setting of SMART objectives and PDPs, offering knowledge, motivation, support and experience as required, including but not limited to their creative and technical skill, so as to increase productivity, staff retention and enhanced staff morale.
• With the assistance of Design Team Leaders, ensure all staff members accurately record timesheets and show positive billable utilisation rates within their timesheets..
• Other ad-hoc duties as and when required.

What you need to be great in this role:

The Creative Group Head will combine first-class design expertise, creativity and thought leadership with commercial acumen and leadership gravitas.

The Creative Group Head will:

• Be hands on with a strong focus on digital.
• Be experienced in directing complex, commercial, design projects involving senior stakeholders and interdisciplinary creative teams with strong experience across FMCG category.
• Be highly creative with the ability to generate ideas and practically contribute to copy and design details, demonstrating exceptional pure graphic design and typography skills.
• Have deep technical design skills in one or more discipline, e.g. Design for Digital, Brand Immersion, Events, User Experience, etc.
• Have a proven ability to communicate and liaise with all levels in the business.
• Have a proven ability to influence stakeholders at all levels, including outside the design team.
• Have a proven ability to effectively manage creative teams.
• Have Director level written and verbal communication skills, including public speaking.
• Be proficient in Adobe CC, Microsoft Office and other related software.
• Be a driven, proactive, helpful, and enthusiastic team player.
• Have excellent customer relationship skills.
• Passion for and inquisitive about AI and new technologies
• Understanding and knowledge of AI tools is beneficial, but ability to learn and digest benefits and features of AI tools is critical

#LI-FA1 #LI-Onsite

Our values shape everything we do:

Be Ambitious to succeed

Be Imaginative to push the boundaries of what’s possible

Be Inspirational to do groundbreaking work

Be always learning and listening to understand

Be Results-focused to exceed expectations

Be actively pro-inclusive and anti-racist across our community, clients and creations

OLIVER, a part of the Brandtech Group, is an equal opportunity employer committed to creating an inclusive working environment where all employees are encouraged to reach their full potential, and individual differences are valued and respected. All applicants shall be considered for employment without regard to race, ethnicity, religion, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, age, neurodivergence, disability status, or any other characteristic protected by local laws.

OLIVER has set ambitious environmental goals around sustainability, with science-based emissions reduction targets. Collectively, we work towards our mission, embedding sustainability into every department and through every stage of the project lifecycle.