Freelance Graphic Designer

Approximately 10 weeks | Anticipated September start

Remote working with occasional London studio attendance

Competitive day rate

We are working with an internationally recognised design consultancy on an exciting opportunity for two experienced freelance Graphic Designers to support a major global transport programme.

The project will bring together specialists across transport design, architecture, digital experience, branding, colour, material and finish to create a cohesive vision for a future public transport ecosystem.

The initial assignment will be an intensive 10-week period of creative exploration and concept development. The project is currently awaiting final client approval, but the successful Designers are expected to begin in early September.

The Opportunity

Working as part of a multidisciplinary design team, you will help translate a series of strategic themes into distinctive visual territories.

The initial phase will explore nine different creative directions across a selection of transport modes. These will gradually be refined into three developed routes before one overarching direction is selected.

Each Designer is likely to take ownership of approximately three initial themes, developing the graphic language, colour, pattern and livery thinking associated with each.

This is a conceptual graphic design assignment rather than a production or artwork role. You will need to interpret broad strategic ideas, explore their creative potential and build compelling visual systems that can work across different vehicles, formats and physical environments.

Key responsibilities

• Interpret strategic themes and translate them into distinctive visual concepts
• Develop graphic identities, colour palettes, patterns and livery directions
• Explore multiple creative routes within a fast-moving optioneering process
• Apply visual ideas to two-dimensional vehicle elevations
• Consider how graphics will translate across different three-dimensional forms
• Create flexible design systems that can work across multiple transport modes
• Work collaboratively with brand, transport, industrial design, CMF and visualisation specialists
• Participate in creative workshops, reviews and presentations
• Respond to feedback and develop selected themes through successive project stages
• Produce clear, persuasive and presentation-ready creative work
• Maintain a high standard of design throughout an intensive development programme

About You

You will be an established Midweight or Senior Graphic Designer with a portfolio demonstrating strong conceptual thinking and sophisticated brand application. You may come from a brand consultancy, design studio, advertising agency, environmental design practice or transport-related environment. Previous experience of livery or transport design would be highly relevant, but it is not essential.

We are particularly interested in Designers who can demonstrate an ability to take an initial idea or strategic proposition and build a rich, coherent visual world around it.

You should be comfortable working autonomously, developing several creative territories simultaneously and collaborating with experienced specialists from different design disciplines.

Essential experience

• A strong portfolio of high-quality graphic and brand design
• Experience developing original concepts rather than solely implementing existing guidelines
• Excellent typography, colour, composition and image-making skills
• The ability to translate strategic ideas into compelling visual systems
• Experience applying a brand language across multiple formats or environments
• Confidence presenting and explaining creative thinking
• The ability to explore and develop ideas quickly without compromising quality
• Strong collaboration and communication skills
• The experience and judgement to contribute effectively from the outset
• Reliable availability across the anticipated 10-week assignment

Software (you should be confident using):

• Adobe Creative Suite, particularly Illustrator, Photoshop and InDesign
• Figma

Experience with After Effects may be useful but is not essential.

The consultancy has also developed its own technology to accelerate the visualisation of two-dimensional graphics on three-dimensional transport forms.

Working arrangements

The assignment is expected to run for approximately 10 weeks, beginning in early September. Remote working can be accommodated, although Designers based in or within reach of London would be advantageous. Occasional studio attendance may be required for workshops, design reviews and collaborative sessions.

Please send your details to me to find out more.