Location
London, hybrid working

Hours
Full-time

Salary
£50,000–£65,000, depending on experience

About the Role
We’re looking for an accomplished Senior Brand & Digital Designer to join Ascend Studio, an independent branding, design and digital agency based in Farringdon, London. For 20 years, Ascend has helped leading organisations uncover what makes them special and turn it into enduring brands by combining rigorous strategic thinking with brave ideas and exceptional craft. Our work spans strategy, identity, campaigns, motion and digital experiences for clients in the UK and internationally. We are a small, close-knit team of strategists, designers, digital specialists and project leads who are candid, collaborative and ambitious. Our values are simple: do it with guts, tell it like it is and make it count.

This is a pivotal appointment. Working closely with our Creative Director and design team, you will lead brand and digital projects, guide other designers and connect strategic thinking with exceptional execution. You will help shape the growth of the team by supporting new designers and influencing our culture, standards and processes. This role suits someone who wants greater influence while remaining closely involved in the work.

Key responsibilities include leading brand and digital projects from initial thinking to final delivery, turning strategy into distinctive identities and flexible brand systems, designing digital experiences grounded in strong UX and UI, creating user journeys, wireframes, prototypes, responsive layouts and design systems, maintaining a clear creative vision across physical and digital touchpoints, presenting ideas confidently to clients and colleagues, collaborating with strategists, writers, developers, motion designers and other specialists, reviewing development work to protect design intent, guiding other designers, improving processes and helping shape the future team, and balancing creative ambition with deadlines, budgets and practical delivery.

Experience
At least seven years’ professional design experience with an outstanding portfolio spanning brand identity and digital design. Strong UX and UI experience including user journeys, information architecture, responsive design and interaction. Advanced proficiency in Figma and Adobe Creative Cloud. Experience creating scalable digital design systems and leading projects from concept to completion. Confidence presenting work and communicating directly with clients. Practical understanding of how designers and developers work together. Previous line-management experience is not essential but the ability to take creative responsibility and grow into a broader leadership role is important. Motion design or animation experience is a welcome bonus, either hands-on or through creative direction.

About you
You are a strong conceptual thinker with excellent visual judgement and an exceptional eye for detail. You care about the idea as much as its execution and understand that a successful brand must work just as effectively on screen as it does everywhere else. You bring a collaborative, low-ego approach to leadership and the ability to give thoughtful feedback and help other designers develop.

Qualifications
No specific qualifications are required but a strong portfolio and professional experience demonstrating your skills and leadership potential are essential.