Digital Design Manager

The NRLA: Who we are

The UK's largest membership organisation for private residential landlords, the National Residential Landlords Association (NRLA) supports and represents more than 100,000 members across England and Wales.

Created by landlords, for landlords, it offers investors everything they need to run a successful and compliant lettings business, whether they are full-time property professionals running large portfolios or accidental landlords with a single let.

The NRLA is a trusted ally, on hand to guide members through the complex regulatory environment, with all the essential documents and guidance needed to run a successful and fully compliant business.

A truly member-first organisation, innovation is at the heart of what we do and have invested in and developed new proptech solutions for members, including the acquisition of property safety certification firm Safe2 and the development of the property management system Portfolio.

A dynamic and fast-paced organisation, the NRLA is a great place to work, and it is not just us saying that; we have Investors in People Gold status to prove it. The association was also named one of the best companies to work for in the UK in a list compiled by The Sunday Times.

Our enthusiastic and ambitious staff work out of offices in Central Manchester and Central London, with hybrid working options available. Colleagues typically work from home four days a week, with one day in the office.

We are looking for colleagues who are professional, adaptable, and innovative. In return, we offer an inclusive and creative working environment with attractive options for training and career development, and a competitive salary and benefits package.

The NRLA package:

25 days annual leave increasing to 26 days with three years’ service, 27 days with five years’ service and 28 days with seven years’ service

Additional annual day off for your birthday

Salary exchange Pension scheme

Life assurance

Cash plan health and wellbeing benefit including Employee Assistance Programme and counselling service

Sick pay

Cycle purchase loans, season tickets loans and interest free staff loans

Complimentary NRLA membership

Non contractual annual performance-related bonus scheme

Enhanced maternity and paternity pay

Main Purpose & Scope Of Job:

We are seeking a Digital Design Manager to lead and oversee the design development, management, and delivery of creative digital projects.

This role is a blend of producing high-level, hands-on design work while also managing the studio workflow and mentoring our team of designers and videographers.

You will be responsible for producing exceptional design outputs across a variety of digital channels, ensuring that all work is on-brand and optimised for each platform. Additionally, you will be responsible for managing project timelines, ensuring deadlines are met, and guiding the team through their tasks and professional development. You will also work closely with key stakeholders to translate business objectives into impactful, high-quality design solutions.

The ideal candidate will bring significant experience in digital design, a strong portfolio showcasing creative excellence, leadership abilities, art direction, and the ability to collaborate effectively with both internal teams and stakeholders.

Duties & Key Responsibilities

Brand Strategy:

• Be the guardian of the NRLA brand and sub brand identities, ensuring they resonate with target audiences and differentiate from competitors
• Share and embed digital design trends into the NRLA toolkit to ensure that the brand creative reflects its mission to be a modern and dynamic organisation.
• Lead the team to generate creative responses to briefs, from concept to execution.

Digital Design:

• Lead and create excellent digital design work, including website assets, email content, social media content, digital ads, and other marketing materials, ensuring they align with brand guidelines and objectives.
• Deliver exceptional design solutions that balance creativity with functionality, meeting both business needs and user expectations.
• Work on various design styles, including layout, typography, imagery, and interactive design, ensuring the output is visually engaging and on-brand.
• Lead the creative direction for high-profile design projects, taking ownership of the entire process from concept through to final execution
• Manage brand creative concept agency and lead the exploration of new creative concepts that enhance brand awareness, user engagement, and drive business growth.

Workflow Management:

• Manage the design studio workflow to ensure all projects are delivered on time and to the highest standard.
• Oversee multiple design projects, prioritise tasks, and allocate resources effectively to meet deadlines.
• Implement processes and best practices for managing design projects efficiently, collaborating with cross-functional teams to manage expectations and deliver first-class internal customer service.
• Collaborate cross-functionally to align content efforts with business objectives and campaigns.

Team Leadership & Mentorship:

• Provide mentorship and guidance to the studio members, offering constructive feedback and art direction to support their growth and skill development.
• Ensure the overall studio work aligns with the overall project goals and maintains a high standard of design.
• Foster a positive, collaborative, and creative team environment, encouraging innovation and continuous improvement in design practices.

Agency Management:

• Work with external design and copy writing agencies ensuring high-quality deliverables within timelines and budgets.

Stakeholder Communication and Management:

• Work closely with key stakeholders, including marketing, communications, commercial, and product teams, to understand business goals and ensure designs align with these objectives.
• Present design concepts, proposals, and final deliverables to internal teams and senior management, incorporating feedback to refine and improve the work.
• Manage stakeholder expectations, balancing creative solutions with business requirements and tight deadlines.

Person Specification

Qualifications:

• ·Qualification in Digital Design, Digital Media, UX design, or a related field.
• Proven experience in a digital design manager or similar role

Skills & Abilities:

• Strong hands-on creative design skills with a portfolio demonstrating high-quality digital design work.
• Expertise in Adobe Creative Suite (Photoshop, Illustrator, InDesign, After Effects), Figma, Sketch, and other relevant design tools.
• Experience with front-end design concepts, including HTML, CSS, and knowledge of web development practices is a plus.
• Excellent leadership and mentoring skills, with a passion for guiding and developing junior talent.
• Strong communication skills with the ability to present design concepts and solutions clearly and confidently to stakeholders at all levels.
• Solid understanding of digital design best practices, UI/UX principles, and responsive design for web and mobile.
• A keen eye for detail, ensuring all design work is polished and professional.

Experience

• Minimum 5 years of experience in digital design, with a strong portfolio of high-quality design work.
• Proven track record of managing digital design projects from concept to completion, with an emphasis on delivering innovative, on-brand solutions.
• Experience managing designers and videographers, helping them grow and develop their skills.
• Experience of managing a busy design studio and delivering multiple outputs for various stakeholders without impacting quality.
• Knowledge of UX/UI best practice
• Experience working closely with cross-functional teams, including marketing, product, commercial, and communications, to meet business goals.
• Knowledge of and experience in social media design and editing tools

Knowledge:

• Knowledge of branding & digital design, creative concept development
• Understanding of the PRS
• Skilled with project management tools

Personal Attributes and other requirements:

• Creative: Creative approach to brand and digital design
• Collaborative: Works seamlessly with cross-functional teams with a positive approach
• Innovative: Injects innovative thinking into creative outputs, formats, and channel executions