| Job description | Job Title: Senior Design Manager
Location: National Audit Office (NAO)
Job Type: Full-Time, Permanent
Salary: £52,578 per annum plus Civil Service employer pension contribution of 28.97%. A higher base salary may be available for exceptional candidates.
About Us
The National Audit Office (NAO) is the UK’s independent public spending watchdog. Our work supports Parliament in holding government to account and helps improve public services. We're looking for a Senior Design Manager to lead and inspire our creative team, drive design innovation and operational excellence, and elevate our deliverables, building the NAO brand.
Role overview
As Senior Design Manager, you'll lead a design team of four, directly line managing two members; the Integrated Design Lead and the Senior Integrated Designer. You'll oversee the creative direction and operational activity for our key publications, video, digital assets, PowerPoint decks, and some internal communications, ensuring that all outputs are innovative and meet the very highest standards while staying true to the NAO brand.
Your leadership will help foster creativity, improve team capabilities, and drive the digital-first mindset across the team and in turn, the wider Communications team. You’ll manage the design pipeline, ensuring projects are delivered on time, on-brand, and to the highest quality. Additionally, you'll collaborate closely with internal and external clients and stakeholders, providing expert advice and creative solutions. |
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| Responsibilities | Lead, mentor, and inspire a small team of integrated designers and artworkers, promoting collaboration and creativity.
Oversee the delivery of, as well as produce, high-quality digital and print designs for external publications, video, web assets, and various internal and event/corporate materials.
Be the owner of creative quality, responsible for quality assurance of everything that’s produced by the design team.
Manage the design project pipeline, ensuring efficient workflows and timely delivery.
Guide the creative team through challenges and innovation, staying ahead of trends.
Build strong relationships with internal clients and internal and external stakeholders, ensuring clear communication, managing expectations well, and achieving the best creative outcomes.
Act as a key member of the wider Communications management team, facilitating and building strong inter-team relationships and enabling collaborative and inclusive ways of working.
Support the Head of Design & Publishing in shaping broader Communications strategies and goals.
Take charge of a creative budget as well as resource planning and recruitment for the Design team to meet fluctuating design needs from across the organisation. |
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| Skills required | Proven experience in design leadership, with strong skills in creative direction and brand development.
Broad expertise in both digital and print design, with a strong portfolio showcasing your work.
Solid experience in creative project management, ensuring high-quality outputs and
on-time delivery.
Advanced proficiency in Adobe CC (InDesign, Illustrator, Photoshop, Acrobat) as well as either Premiere Pro and/or After Effects.
A good working knowledge of PowerPoint with the ability to design templates with ease that are on brand and user-friendly.
A digital-first mindset including, ideally, knowledge of creative AI tools, with a genuine passion for innovation and keeping up with design trends.
Strong people skills, with experience managing, mentoring, and coaching diverse teams.
Strong experience in managing creative and print suppliers, with a demonstrable aptitude for achieving value for money.
Why join us?
At the NAO, you’ll be part of a dynamic, forward-thinking team where your creativity will directly impact public services. You’ll work on a variety of exciting projects, collaborate with a talented team, and have the chance to shape the future of design at the NAO. |
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| Educational requirements | |
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