Design Jobs Board

Octopus Group is 60 strong award-winning independent B2B marketing agency based in Chancery Lane, London. In February 2021, Octopus joined Publicis Groupe UK to be their B2B centre of excellence, bringing our strategic, creative and commercial acumen to international clients, joining a community of 5,000 people working across 25 agencies. Publicis Groupe’s mantra is “Viva la Difference”, a celebration of the uniqueness of their agencies, all working together to get the best results for their clients.

And that means we’re growing. So we’re looking for great designers, just like you.

For Octopus Group, B2B and technology is our big passion. We take a different approach to B2B and technology marketing, built on the understanding that brands thrive when awareness and sales work together. Our guiding Brand to Sales™ philosophy is about helping our clients link brand reputation to commercial sales success, and brings together multiple expert-led disciplines to help B2B CMOs achieve their goals, building pipeline and brand at once. And the approach works. In 2019, Octopus won the Grand Prix in the B2B Marketing Awards, Drum B2B Awards and 3 PR Week Awards for its work, and regularly features as an industry Best Place to Work.

Octopus has a unique family feel where energy, enthusiasm, teamwork and a hunger to succeed are all mixed with a common purpose and a big safety net. Octopus Group is a special place to work and we devote lots of time and thought to keep it that way.

The opportunity:
We are looking for an Art Director who enjoys working in a fast-paced environment and loves B2B tech. This role will involve working closely with our Creative Director, strategy, copy and design teams to work on projects from concept to delivery. Taking cues from our Creative Director, you’ll direct our team of designers to make sure their work fulfills the creative brief, is on-brand, and continues to push our capabilities. To be successful in this role, you should have in-depth knowledge of and an infectious passion for design, art direction and developing concepts that elevate client briefs, with experience executing projects from conception to production.

Key responsibilities:

• Generate award-winning integrated ideas and concepts, and see them through to production
• Review the work of our design team and freelancers, ensuring a high standard of visual execution across our client portfolio, including editorial, web, social and video, providing clear and timely direction and feedback.
• Collaborate with teammates across the agency, ensuring alignment to the clients business objectives
• Be a hands-on designer across multiple branding and website design projects
• Uncover new ways to incorporate emerging and new media formats into campaigns
• Introduce and apply expert art direction to new business pitches
• Inspire our clients to be creatively progressive, through the application of fresh and inventive visual work

Desired Skills and Experience:

• You’ll have at least 5 years of creative agency experience, with proven experience in a similar role
• A portfolio showcasing integrated design across digital/web design, branding, social and content, and an ability to generate original ideas and visual concepts
• The confidence to explain and support your thinking, both internally and externally
• A flexible approach and willingness to adapt your ideas to the needs of clients
• A clear eye for typography, layout and understanding of the balance between detail and simplicity that makes ‘good’ design great
• The resilience to perform under pressure and deliver high-quality work to tight deadlines
• An enthusiastic relationship builder, keen to work across project teams, direct other designs, and communicate proactively with client services.
• A problem solver, keen to find the best way to to bring great work to life
• A creative thinker with the curiosity to learn new skills, and a keen eye for design trends and technologies
• Self-starter with a “let’s roll up our sleeves and get it done” attitude
• A clear communicator, comfortable in front of clients, and relishes the opportunity to talk about design

Reporting:
You will report to the Creative Director and work alongside the creative team

Salary:
Package designed to attract the right candidate, including our competitive benefits package of 25 days holiday, matched contributory pension, private medical care, flexible working, long-service sabbaticals, health cash plan, life assurance, childcare vouchers, free eye tests, new business and employee finder’s fees and lots more.

Everyone should feel at home, at work. At Octopus Group, all employees can be true to their authentic selves. Everyone is empowered to bring what makes us special and unique to the work we do. We are committed to investing in an inclusive culture that maximises the talent, skills, and diversity of our workforce. We strive to ensure that inclusivity and equality are not only at the heart of our company, but also aligned with all the clients and suppliers we work with.