About this role
Hello, we’re Starling. We built a new kind of bank because we knew technology had the power to help people save, spend and manage their money in a new and transformative way. We’re a fully licensed UK bank with the culture and spirit of a fast-moving, disruptive tech company. We’re a bank, but better: fairer, easier to use and designed to demystify money for everyone. We employ more than 3,500 people across our London, Southampton, Cardiff and Manchester offices.
As Associate Creative Director of Design, you’ll help lead and elevate Starling’s visual identity. You’ll bring strategic thinking and strong creative execution across digital and physical touchpoints. This role is about design craft, systems thinking and brand guardianship. You’ll work closely with the internal design team, shaping work that’s smart, consistent and beautiful — while making sure it always ladders back to the brand and business goals.
You’ll lead by example, helping others grow their design skills, and acting as a trusted voice for design across the business.
Key ResponsibilitiesDesign Leadership and Brand Systems
Own and evolve Starling’s visual identity and design systemGuide the design team through complex briefs with clarity and intentEnsure consistency and quality across formats, channels and outputsDevelop scalable design frameworks that support brand growth
Creative Direction and Delivery
Lead design thinking and visual development on brand and marketing projectsTranslate creative concepts into clean, confident executionsEnsure final work meets both strategic and visual standardsPresent confidently to stakeholders and offer clear rationale for design decisions
Team Mentorship and Collaboration
Support and develop designers across levels with structured, useful feedbackChampion a high level of craft across the teamCollaborate closely with product, marketing, motion and writing teamsHelp connect the dots across design, content and technologyRequirements
6+ years experience in design, with a strong track record of building or evolving brandsExpert-level understanding of brand systems, typography, layout and compositionDeep fluency in Figma and Adobe Creative SuiteA portfolio that shows clarity, consistency and design excellence across a variety of outputsStrong communicator who can advocate for design and inspire othersAble to give clear, actionable feedback and lead by example
Bonus Points
Experience building and maintaining design systemsComfort working alongside developers or product teamsUnderstanding of accessibility, responsive design and digital guidelinesAbility to input into tooling, process or team operationsBenefits
25 days holiday (plus take your public holiday allowance whenever works best for you)An extra day’s holiday for your birthdayAnnual leave is increased with length of service, and you can choose to buy or sell up to five extra days off16 hours paid volunteering time a yearSalary sacrifice, company enhanced pension schemeLife insurance at 4x your salaryPrivate Medical Insurance with VitalityHealth including mental health support and cancer care. Partner benefits include discounts with Waitrose, Mr&Mrs Smith and PelotonGenerous family-friendly policiesPerkbox membership giving access to retail discounts, a wellness platform for physical and mental health, and weekly free and boosted perksAccess to initiatives like Cycle to Work and Salary Sacrificed Gym partnerships
About Us
You may be put off applying for a role because you don't tick every box. Forget that! While we can’t accommodate every flexible working request, we're always open to discussion. So, if you're excited about working with us, but aren’t sure if you're 100% there yet, get in touch anyway.
We’re on a mission to radically reshape banking – and that starts with our brilliant team. Whatever came before, we’re proud to bring together people of all backgrounds and experiences who love working together to solve problems.
Starling Bank is an equal opportunity employer, and we’re proud of our ongoing efforts to foster diversity & inclusion in the workplace. Individuals seeking employment at Starling Bank are considered without regard to race, religion, national origin, age, sex, gender, gender identity, gender expression, sexual orientation, marital status, medical condition, ancestry, physical or mental disability, military or veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by applicable law.
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