Experience

Date

Position

Role

August 2019 – Present

Principal Product Designer (Freelance), PepTalk

Leading the product design for a global start-up, working in a small team with the product co-founders, Product Manager and Developers. Key responsibilities:

Design research into competitor markets and user needs

Identifying and proposing key functionality for the product in a phased approach

Conducting and presenting areas of experience design back to key stakeholders (including user research, user flows and wireframes)

Designing key pages / screen templates for build using Sketch and Zeplin

September 2020 – October 2020

Lead UI Designer (Freelance), Publicis.Sapient

Leading design for a discovery brief for a renowned beauty brand, working in a dedicated brand team with Strategy, Content, UX, and Development into the brand Group Creative Director. Key responsibilities include:

Identifying and creating experience principles with UX & Content Strategy Leads

Design research into competitive space

Art direction for three distinctive creative routes

Designing key pages / routes using Sketch and Photoshop

Presenting ideas and designs to the internal team and clients

August 2020 – September 2020

Senior UI Designer (Freelance), DataDesign

Working into the CD to design the UI for dashboards and key screens for a client portal

January 2016 – June 2020

Design Director, Saatchi & Saatchi

Reporting into the Head of Design in an integrated hands-on Design Director role to help lead and mentor a team of over 25 multidisciplinary Designers. Key responsibilities:

Establishing team structures and brand ownership for the team, as well as design processes for the agency

Scoping and selecting briefs for the team based on their skill set or areas identified for growth

Building, managing and sustaining the Design Team, including yearly performance reviews

Providing Design Direction for the team to ensure work is being crafted to a high level of standard

Overseeing projects for the design team as well as being hands-on and leading my own

Presenting and explaining design rationale to the wider team and clients

April 2014 – December 2015

Digital Design Director, Saatchi & Saatchi

Leading a large team of Visual and UX Designers in a hands-on role for Saatchi & Saatchi’s first in-house digital department. Key responsibilities:

Establishing a user-centred design process for the digital design team

Providing Design direction for Visual Designers and ensuring UX best practice was followed

Overseeing projects for the design team as well as being hands-on and leading my own

Presenting and explaining design rationale to the wider team and clients

Building, managing and sustaining the Digital Design Team, including yearly performance reviews

Scoping and selecting briefs for the team based on their skill set or areas identified for growth

September 2013 – April 2014

Digital Creative Lead, Outside Line / Saatchi & Saatchi

A hands-on role for a digital agency that was acquired by Saatchi & Saatchi to be its in-house digital arm. My time was split between leading digital design projects and mentoring and art directing a team of ten Designers, whilst reporting to the Digital Design Director. Key responsibilities:

Quoting and producing concepts for clients and pitches

Branding / visual identity and designs for websites, digital display and apps

Working with the Digital Design Director to streamline departmental processes

July 2013 – August 2013

Digital Art Director, F#

Heading up the UK Design Team for the start-up whilst overseeing and art directing global Creatives in Indonesia & Australia, reporting into the Global Director of Design. A hands-on role designing campaign based websites that integrated into Spotify’s advertising platform.

Key responsibilities:

Establishing design processes to improve efficiency between departments and global teams

Responsible for managing and mentoring multiple Designers, monitoring their progress and performance

Creating creative concepts for campaigns for clients and pitches and overseeing and giving direction to Designers and Art Directors on their projects

April 2013 – June 2013

Lead UX Consultant (Freelance), Jellyfish

Leading UX for the agency by establishing a user-centred design process as they moved from a print studio to being integrated. Key responsibilities:

Producing and running UX workshops for the agency to provide as a service to clients

Creating user personas, user journeys and wireframes for the Visual Design team

Presenting work to key stakeholders

April 2013 – May 2013

Lead Digital Creative (Freelance), Hello World

Leading the visual design and overseeing UX for a high-end skincare range’s e-commerce website. Key responsibilities:

Running creative and UX workshops with the client to identify key business goals, user needs and art direction for their new website

Mentoring junior members of the design team providing feedback to work and sharing best practice working principles

July 2009 – March 2013

Head of Design & UX, ConversionWorks

Whilst in my role at Webexpectations as their Head of Creative, ConversionWorks was formed as its sister agency. I juggled two hands-on roles for both agencies, leading a small digital Design Team with UX and conversion driven design methodologies. Key responsibilities:

Creating user personas, user journeys and wireframes

Running persona, card sorting and wireframing workshops with clients

Creating and running user testing and MVT / split testing to inform design decisions

Producing UX and conversion audits highlighting areas of improvements for client websites

April 2008 – March 2013

Head of Creative, Webexpectations

Heading up a small Design Team of five for a digital studio in a hands-on role. Key responsibilities:

Conceptualising, pitching and creating digital work (websites, social, banners, apps)

Leading & mentoring a profitable Design Team, including carrying out staff appraisals

Setting & maintaining a user-centred design process

Establishing and running UX workshops for the agency to provide as a service to clients

Producing realistic and cost-effective quotes

Brand development internally for the agency

April 2006 – April 2008

Senior Digital Designer, Webexpectations

Working in a small team with three other Designers for a digital studio, my key responsibilities included:

Producing and pitching usability led design concepts through to communicating directly with clients

Establishing user-centred design methodologies for the agency

Responsible for mentoring interns, monitoring progress and performance

Reviewing and securing freelance support when upscaling was required

November 2004 – April 2006

Digital Designer, Webexpectations

Working in a small Design Team of two for a digital studio, my key responsibilities included:

Producing original design concepts within a budget and to clients’ requirements

Attending client meetings to present work and share design rationale

Managing PPC campaigns and optimising websites for search engines

Converting visual designs to HTML templates