POSITION: Chief Designer, Materiality (12 month temporary assignment)

POSTING END DATE: 21/07/2025

LOCATION: Gaydon, Warwickshire (UK)

SALARY: Competitive

At JLR, we're on a continual journey to reimagine the future of modern luxury, and we want you to be part of it. Through our exquisite and timeless house of brands – Range Rover, Defender, Discovery and Jaguar – we're defining a new approach to sustainability and providing exceptional experiences. As a leader here, you have the opportunity to influence the way we think, providing your unique insight and vision for a better future. It's time to become a proud creator.
 
WHAT TO EXPECT
 
You will have overall responsibility and accountability for innovation, development and delivery of Colour & Material Design strategies into production for all Land Rover and Jaguar Colour & Material vehicle programs assigned. (The allocation of project workload will be by architecture or brand – TBC.)

Other responsibilities will involve research into current and future landscape shifts to develop strategies for Colour & Material Design for the interior and exterior of vehicles to satisfy the client, brand and design attributes and requirements.  Focus on more sustainable and responsible material initiatives and methods of make will be required.

Your passion for new material technologies, high visual quality/standards of presentation and environmental innovation should be second nature.

THE ROLE
 
Key Responsibilities

• Lead research around client, market shifts and material technologies that can help identify new ideas for next generation vehicles and create vehicle line material strategies and plans for future implementation – but also individually be abreast of shifting changes in cultural and technology landscapes
• Lead teams that research and develop more sustainable material technologies for future implementation
• Lead the creation of digital and physical assets that visually communicate Colour & Material strategies
• Lead the design, development and implementation of colour and material design proposals for concept vehicles and design vision properties and production programmes assigned
• Present new ideas for the direction and creation of phy-digital presentations to communicate new ideas and/or brand family concepts
• Project management and creative leadership of concept/vision vehicle builds, and development related to Colour and Material design
• Advise and lead team members who will procure materials, create renderings and provide relevant documentation/planning to support colour and material property builds and asset creation
• Conduct competitor and analogous industry benchmarking and collaborate with external suppliers
• Lead and translate material concepts and technologies from 2D to 3D product
• Share best practice with the team as well as Creative and Technical advice and direction as appropriate
• Support PR activities related to Project work as required
• Prepare for, present and participate in Senior level reviews as required (presentations to CCO, Brand Directors, CPE’s, VLD’s as well as GPS and Marketing teams to name a few key Senior Stakeholders)
• Engagement and support of product research and customer clinics as required
• Elevate and represent the C&M Design discipline and organisation both internally and externally
• Focus and contribution to recruitment, retention, ongoing team engagement, with a focus on well-being is required
• Undertake any other work as directed by your line manager in connection with your job as may be requested

Key Performance Indicators

• Leadership of assigned project teams – develop and role model best practices for the teams to create efficiencies in Design delivery and decision making – as evidenced with on time model delivery and benchmark material technology seeds, developments and ultimately delivery into programs
• Collaboration within the Design Function is required along with the creation of strong networks and relationships with key interfaces outside of the function – evidenced through positive relationships that work with Unity to deliver new material technologies and more sustainable and responsible materials and processes
• Proactively seek and lead work that anticipates internal and external business needs using Colour & Material Design as the catalyst
• Create and lead new methods and benchmarks of visual communication through Colour & Material Design (digital and physical)
• Identify and develop new more sustainable and responsible Material Technologies with internal and external partners that can deliver industry leading content and futured attributes for our luxury client base
• Recruitment and retention of talent is imperative to create harmony within the organisation and efficiently deliver to our clients – evidenced with best practice to keep team members resilient, promote team members, bring key capabilities in with your network and consistently scout for futured skills and talent to keep the team on the front foot

Key Interactions

• Senior Managers in Global Product Strategy and Customer Insights
• Senior Managers and Directors in Marketing
• Project relevant CPE’s and VLD’s
• Senior Managers and Directors in Product Engineering
• Senior Managers in Sustainability/Materials Engineering

WHAT YOU’LL NEED

Essential Knowledge, Skills and Experience

• Proven creative and presentation skills, including but not limited to advanced use of/awareness of Adobe Creative Suite (Photoshop, Illustrator, InDesign) and Microsoft Office software and ability to reference relevant digital platforms, luxury brands and emerging technologies/softwares appropriately for research and creative purposes
• An expert level experience of product and automotive design combined with good aesthetic judgement, colour vision and colour perception
• Diverse product range experience (multiple brands) as well as evidence of ability to lead/create creative strategy work
• Knowledge of automotive and analogous industry material technologies, processes and suppliers with a high degree of competitor awareness
• Good communication skills and the ability to relate to and communicate/collaborate at all levels
• Global work experience
• Relevant degree or equivalent experience preferred
• Proven ability to plan and undertake projects to a strict deadline
• Content and people leadership experience (leading leaders)
• Agile and Flexible working style

Desirable Knowledge, Skills and Experience
 

• Proven ability to adjust to changing design, feasibility and cost requirements
• Analogous product design industry experience
• Agile methodology knowledge/experience
• A proven growth mindset
• Global Studio experience

Personal Profile

Essential

• Demonstrates our Creators' Code behaviours of Customer Love, Unity, Integrity, Growth and Impact
• An individual with a client first mindset who is easy to do business with and makes people feel special, driven to deliver experiences that are personalised, transparent and dependable
• A determined individual, highly driven, committed and results-orientated who works with pace, energy and confidence
• An individual who is able to apply creative and analytical rigour to develop and drive well thought out operational plans, collaborate across functions and combine a short term, pragmatic focus with strategic vision
• An individual who is resilient, energetic and enthusiastic, responds constructively to new ideas and input in a changing business environment
• An individual who is able to challenge existing thinking in a positive way whilst building credibility and trust through experience and personal style
• A sophisticated communicator who is able to communicate directly, clearly and openly 
• An individual who can demonstrate good capability in leadership and management skills, who can motivate, develop and lead functional and cross-functional teams
• An individual who protects people and creativity and understands the unique human talent that makes up the function of Design – unique skill sets that no other function can replicate

Desirable

• An individual who is comfortable challenging all stakeholders with strong influencing and engagement skills
• Strong presence
• A passionate individual who heeds the clarion call of making the intangible tangible, who possesses the mindset and resilience to drive luxury innovation and quality inch by inch

Creating Modern Luxury requires a modern approach to work. At JLR, hybrid working is a voluntary, non-contractual arrangement providing employees flexibility around how, when and where they work. Some roles require more on-site work, but details of this can be discussed with the hiring manager during the interview stage.

We work hard to nurture a culture that is inclusive and welcoming to all. We understand candidates may require reasonable adjustments during the recruitment process. Please discuss these with your recruiter so we can accommodate your needs. 

JLR is committed to equal opportunity for all.

Please be aware that we may close this vacancy for applications before the stated deadline if we receive a high volume of interest. We strongly advise you to submit your application as early as possible.