Head of Design - M&C Saatchi Abel

We are a highly entrepreneurial and opportunity focused company who want to be the most desired creative company on the African continent and beyond. 

We believe that “the people with the best people win” and are looking for a dynamic Johannesburg based head of design to join our team and be part of this audacious vision. 

Responsbilities

It is your responsibility to ensure world-class design across our JHB studio. Oversee, inspire, mentor and manage your teams to create brilliant work. Partner with traffic to ensure workflow of your team. Always give recognition and inspire the design team while still focusing on creating your own award-winning work. It is critical that you become a voice within the industry representing the agency on various industry design forums and panels. Champion and inspire the Agency internally about all aspects design. We’re a hands-on agency. The successful applicant will be expected to function as an award-winning designer in their own right – and not just as a manager and mentor.

5 Core focus areas

1) People and relationship management

1. Probably the most important part of your job: Rallying all agency disciplines to solve problems and create beautifully simple work. You are also responsible for the happiness, performance and motivation levels of your team. You are both manager and mentor and should have excellent interpersonal skills. Employing the right, diverse team is key

2) Conceptual thinking:

1. You are ultimately responsible for the impeccable quality of thinking that your team produces. You should be able to both develop, inspire and guide your team towards unique and impactful ideas for every brief. We're all about producing beautifully simple solutions for a complex world, this is your ultimate focus.

3) Execution

1. You are the benchmark of quality and the standard for design and art direction in the agency. Your talent should be beyond question and be the envy of all below you. You should display an intolerance for the ordinary.

4) Presentation

1. You can present work with conviction to the most senior clients and organisational heads. You will be responsible for presenting your teams pitch work. You will need to be able to present work right from strategy to creative execution.

5) Production

1. You will be responsible for all production decisions: choice of suppliers and the quality of work you extract from them. You should feel confident having the final say on work before it goes to client and to print.

2. Requirements when applying

1. A Link to an envious portfolio of award-winning design work across blue-chip clients
2. Extensive Agency experience (over five years minimum in admired and respected agencies)

We don't do ego.

We solve in the positive.

While we look at every CV submitted to us in detail, given the sheer volume of applications we’re not able to respond to every applicant personally. Rest assured that if we like what we see, we’ll be in touch as soon as possible. Alternatively, we’ll keep your details on record for future consideration.

If you haven’t heard from us within two weeks, your application has unfortunately been unsuccessful.