Freelance Design Director

About the Studio

StudioXAG designs striking spaces that bring brand stories to life. The team is known for creating memorable, immersive experiences for well-known global brands, with work aimed at generating surprise, delight, awe, and an emotional response.

The studio is made up of imaginative thinkers, concept-led creatives, and hands-on makers who turn ambitious ideas into reality.

Role Overview

StudioXAG is seeking a Freelance Design Director to shape the direction of the Creative Studio. This senior leadership role calls for someone who can set a high creative bar, guide bold ideas, and lead strong work across projects, teams, and clients.

The position suits a seasoned creative leader who is comfortable championing ambitious ideas, developing others, and keeping creative ambition aligned with business realities.

What You'll Do

In this role, you will direct and strengthen design work across the Creative Studio, report to the Associate Creative Director, and lead some of the studio’s most strategically important and creatively demanding projects. You will also help lift the standard of creative output across the wider team.

Alongside directing your own work, you will support and coach Lead Designers, build team capability, and influence how the studio evolves through your creative judgment, leadership, and taste. You will also own a key area of creative innovation or capability to help shape the studio’s future growth.

Creative Direction

• Shape concept-driven design across several projects, converting briefs into focused and persuasive creative direction.
• Take responsibility for prominent, high-ambition work and establish the standard for quality and craft.
• Improve the overall creative level of the studio by helping teams arrive at fewer, sharper, more impactful ideas.
• Run reviews with confidence and clarity, keeping creative ambition balanced with commercial constraints.
• Push innovation and creative development in a specialist area of interest or expertise.

Leadership

• Coach and develop Lead Designers through practical feedback, mentoring, and structured support.
• Grow capability across the Creative Studio through strong direction and input.
• Contribute to a high-performing creative culture by helping with talent development, recruitment, and standards uplift.
• Lead with accountability, confidence, and clarity.

Collaboration and Communication

• Turn briefs into clear creative direction and aligned outcomes across teams.
• Work closely with Design Project Management to ensure delivery matches creative ambition.
• Build dependable relationships with clients and internal stakeholders, guiding projects from briefing through production.
• Safeguard the creative vision throughout the full delivery process.

What They're Looking For

StudioXAG would like to hear from candidates who bring strong creative leadership, sharp judgment, and the ability to set direction across multiple projects and teams. Experience in luxury brand, retail, experiential, or agency settings is important, along with a history of mentoring creatives and strengthening team capability.

The ideal person is a clear communicator, confident presenter, and compelling storyteller who can win confidence from senior stakeholders. They should be able to pair bold ideas with commercial awareness and understand how to deliver work that makes an impact at scale.

A strong connection to culture, design, and innovation is important, as is curiosity about where the industry is heading. Candidates should also be technically confident with standard industry tools such as SketchUp, Adobe Creative Suite, and rendering software.

Bonus Experience

• Experience developing new capabilities, services, or ways of working.
• Interest in emerging tools, AI, or changing creative processes.
• Strength in a specialist area that could help the Creative Studio evolve over time.

Location and Working Pattern

This is a hybrid role based in East London (E10), with three days each week in the studio and two flexible days. Standard working hours are 9:00 am to 6:00 pm, with some flexibility available.

Belonging and Inclusivity

StudioXAG is committed to equality and welcomes people from all backgrounds. The business values different perspectives and believes they make the work more creative and effective.

Everyone is welcome at StudioXAG.