Global Design Manager

AtkinsRéalis

Global Design Manager overseeing a high-performing design team across the UK and internationally. Driving creative excellence, operational efficiency, and strategic alignment in a dynamic environment.

Posted 6/13/2026full-timeBristol • 🇬🇧 United KingdomMid-LevelSeniorWebsite

About the role

Key responsibilities & impact

Lead, mentor, and support a high-performing global design team.
Work in close partnership with Principal Creatives to maintain high standards of delivery, whilst driving team development, performance, and wellbeing across the function.
Foster a collaborative, inclusive, and high-quality creative culture.
Support team growth, development, and capability building across regions.
Oversee and ensure consistently high standards of creative output.
Drive alignment with global design principles, processes, and expectations.
Enable seamless delivery across teams, ensuring consistency and efficiency.
Contribute to and help deliver the global Creative Design strategy.
Balance creativity with strong operational and commercial awareness.
Identify opportunities to improve processes, workflows, and ways of working.
Build and maintain strong relationships with internal stakeholders and project teams.
Confidently scope and oversee delivery across multiple complex, global projects.
Act as a key connector across teams, ensuring clear communication and alignment.
Contribute to the evolution of Creative Design’s offering.
Identify opportunities to enhance client value through innovation and technology.
Drive continuous improvement across creative output and team performance.

Requirements

What you’ll need

Experience working in a creative environment, with broad understanding of creative disciplines and effective collaboration with specialist teams.
Proven leadership experience in a creative or design environment within a multi-disciplinary team, working with a close sub-leadership team.
Strong understanding of design principles, creative processes, and delivery.
Strong communication skills, both written and verbal, with the confidence and previous experience of pitching to clients both face to face and virtually.
Exposure to working with global or cross‑cultural teams.
Strong commercial acumen, with previous experience in project planning, scheduling, and budgeting.
Strong organisational skills, with the ability to manage multiple tasks simultaneously.
A proactive, positive, and collaborative approach.
Excellent attention to detail and a willingness to learn from others.
Comfortable working in a fast‑paced environment with shifting priorities.
Strategic mindset with the ability to drive improvements and outcomes.
Experience managing operational aspects of a creative function.

Benefits

Comp & perks

Explore the rewards and benefits that help you thrive – at every stage of your life and your career.
Enjoy competitive salaries, employee rewards and a brilliant range of benefits you can tailor to suit your own health, wellbeing, financial and lifestyle choices.
Make the most of a myriad of opportunities for training and professional development to grow your skills and expertise.
Combine our hybrid working culture and flexible holiday allowances to balance a great job and fulfilling personal life.
Be rewarded.

ATS Keywords

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Applicant Tracking System Keywords

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Hard Skills & Tools

design principlescreative processesproject planningschedulingbudgeting

Soft Skills

leadershipcommunicationcollaborationorganisational skillsattention to detailstrategic mindsetproactive approachpositive attitude