Design Director

Havas Media Network

New York, NY, USA

Published: 6/14/2022

Full Time

Job Description

Creative Leadership & Design Execution

Own, uphold, and evolve the Havas Media Network look and feel across all touchpoints

Lead design for all new business pitches — partnering with new business and strategy teams to use design as a strategic lever to increase pitch win rates, strengthen perceived value, and differentiate HMN in competitive reviews.

Partner with Growth leadership to shape how ideas are expressed — ensuring creative storytelling amplifies the strategic narrative.

Bring a clear and opinionated creative point of view on design, storytelling, and emerging formats — setting the bar for what great looks like across the organization

Oversee design of client-facing meeting materials, QBRs, and executive presentations across the Havas Media Network North America portfolio

Develop creative programs and design concepts that meet business objectives and advance our brand and proposition strategy

Create and steward design identities and toolkits for tentpole internal and external events — developing visual systems that give each initiative a distinct and memorable presence

Design internal and external email communications, newsletters, announcements, and leadership presentations

Curate imagery and graphics that support key messaging and overall agency look and feel

AI & Innovation

Champion the design team's adoption of AI-powered creative tools — identifying, testing, and implementing solutions that reduce production time and improve output quality across all formats

Build repeatable, AI-enhanced workflows for the team's most common tasks: deck production, image sourcing, template generation, and copy-fitting

Stay at the forefront of emerging design and AI tools — form opinions, run experiments, and translate what's useful into everyday practice for the team

Systems & Enablement

Develop and maintain a library of brand-approved, self-service templates in tools accessible to non-designers across the organization (e.g., Canva, Figma, PowerPoint)

Create and run training programs that equip colleagues network-wide to produce on-brand materials independently — reducing bottlenecks without sacrificing quality

Own the design tool stack for both the team and the broader organization, ensuring access and training for all

Establish intake processes, prioritization frameworks, and production workflows that keep the team efficient and delivering at a high level

Team & Resource Management

Manage, mentor, and grow the in-house design team — setting clear expectations, fostering a culture of craft and continuous improvement, and creating pathways for professional development

Supervise and develop designers, assigning projects and managing hours accordingly

Ensure that deadlines across projects and designers are met

Provide quality control over design outputs and production

Manage relationships with freelance designers and external creative partners (videographers, etc.), along with the design department's budget

WHAT YOU'LL NEED / SKILLS

7-10 years of design experience, with at least 3 years in a leadership role overseeing a team or design function

An exceptional portfolio demonstrating mastery of presentation design, brand identity, and communications design — work that is strategic, not just aesthetic

Deep expertise in the Adobe Creative Suite, with strong command of Figma, PowerPoint, Keynote, and Canva

Fluency in AI-powered creative tools — you have built workflows around these tools, not just experimented with them

Experience building design systems, brand guidelines, and self-service templates for large, complex organizations

Experience designing and publishing lightweight websites and social media pages on platforms like WordPress and Squarespace

Strong communication and presentation skills, with the ability to articulate and defend creative decisions to senior stakeholders

Demonstrated ability to manage competing deadlines across multiple high-priority projects simultaneously

WHO YOU ARE

A hybrid designer comfortable with both print and digital mediums

A senior creative leader with strong design instincts and a genuine hunger to experiment with what's next

Equally comfortable setting the strategic vision for a high-stakes pitch and rolling up your sleeves to produce it

Energized by building systems and tools that make others more effective — your definition of success includes the wins you enable, not just your own output

Curious, collaborative, and always exploring what's emerging in design and technology — and translating it into practice

A service-oriented partner to the business who understands that great design in a commercial environment is design that helps the organization win

A clear and confident communicator who can present up, down, and across the organization

Professional, respectful, and positive while working in a high-pace, high-pressure environment

Passionate about diversity and inclusion, and committed to ethics and values consistent with Havas Media's high standards

THE CULTURE

At Havas Media Network, we pride ourselves on fostering a healthy, inclusive culture driven by two-way dialogue, bold thinking, and shared accountability. The Marketing & Communications team is a central function of the agency responsible for all internal and external brand storytelling, executive visibility, employee engagement, and growth marketing.

You'll be joining a team led with clarity, mentorship, and momentum — and you'll be empowered to bring a challenger mindset to everything you create.

WHY THIS ROLE MATTERS

This role is at the heart of our transformation — accelerating how we market ourselves and our ideas in a world defined by convergence. You'll set the standard for how Havas Media Network North America shows up: in pitch rooms, in inboxes, and at every touchpoint that shapes how clients and prospects see us.

If you're a creative leader with strong design instincts, a deep fluency in AI, and a drive to build something that lasts, this role is your platform.

Compensation: 140-150K