Associate Director

About the role

We’re looking for an ideas-driven, highly-strategic Associate Director to join our team in London. 

You’ll work with our Creative Directors, Client Services Team, and an exceptional team of creatives and strategists drawn from across the design spectrum to transform global brands by weaving strategy, brand, and design.

A week at forpeople can mean electric cars, performance sportswear, agentic AI, and planting trees, so our Associate Directors are versatile, creative, and able to bring strategic perspective to a wide variety of projects and industries.

You’ll be responsible for designing and delivering amazing, strategically-impactful projects for a number of key clients.

Who we'd like to find

Since 2004, we’ve grown from only four to over a hundred by finding the right people – people that don’t only slot right in to our studio culture, but bring something incredible to it.

This role calls for someone who brings:

Brand Strategy Leadership — We partner with global companies and startups to define (or re-discover) their soul and essence in a changing world. We’re seeking experienced leaders who bring rigour and expertise in setting inspiring and effective brand strategies across multiple markets and industries.

Driving Big Ideas — As a studio we work across visual, verbal, spatial and digital consumer experiences – but the big idea is always the most critical element of what we do. We’re looking out for conceptual thinkers who can generate, articulate, and drive bold ideas into reality with clarity and flair.

Multidisciplinary Creative Judgement — While each of our Associate Directors come from different creative backgrounds, they’re all responsible for leading teams to deliver projects across creative boundaries to the highest standards. This means being highly discerning and knowing what great looks like across visual identity, 3D, and communications, as well as Strategy.

Entrepreneurial Relationship-building — As a part of the Associate Director role, you’ll partner with our Client Services team to identify and secure new projects. That means building strong relationships, being proactive, and knowing how to shape the right project for the right client at the right time.

Creative Team Mentorship — Our Associate, and Creative Directors are active in mentoring and developing more junior strategists and creatives. We’re looking for experience improving teams around you, demystifying brand strategy, and bringing new tools and processes to our practice.

Specifically, you’ll be:

• Flying the flag for big ideas and rigorous strategy

• Hands-on, both leading and contributing to the day-to-day output of projects

• Bringing optimism and accountability to project teams

• Communicating with clients and presenting our work beautifully and skilfully

• Working with Client Services to shape great project approaches, build client relationships, and seek out new opportunities

• Advocating for fresh ways of doing things – upping our game

• Advising and supporting more junior team members

• Supporting hiring, team development, and growth

Who we are

We're an employee-owned creative studio, working globally from an old pickle factory in London, and a former garage in Amsterdam. Our team of over 100 weaves together a diverse range of skills: from graphic, product, spatial and interaction design to moving image, writing, research and strategy.

Without knowing it, you’ve probably seen or experienced something we’ve had a hand in. Over the last 20 years, we’ve quietly shaped the future of some of the world’s most well-known brands as well as creating others you’ll soon get to discover. Our work is wide-reaching, from defining brand visions to building identities and designing experiences. Yet everything we do is born from a simple philosophy – we feel, think and do for people.

What we offer

People mean the world to us. That includes looking after our own, with things like:

• Global clients and world-class work

• A competitive salary

• A strong bonus and benefits package, reflecting both company and personal performance

• Training, support and personal career development

• A generous company pension

• A unique, inspiring working environment filled with incredible, like minded people

• Hybrid working, with a minimum of three days a week in our London studio