ABOUT LOPEZ
LOPEZ is a strategic design consultancy based in Gurgaon, working across brand identity, communication, digital platforms, spatial design, experience systems, and wayfinding.
For over three decades, we have partnered with corporations, institutions, governments, and cultural organisations to solve complex problems through clarity, systems thinking, and design rigour.
Our work is rooted in a simple belief:
Design is not decoration.
It is a way to reveal what matters, align people around shared purpose, and build systems that endure.
THE OPPORTUNITY
LOPEZ is seeking a Design Director to help lead the next phase of the studio's creative growth.
This is not a conventional design leadership role.
We are looking for someone who can operate comfortably at both ends of the spectrum:
At the macro level:
• Strategy
• Systems thinking
• Brand architecture
• Organisational understanding
• Experience design
• Creative leadership
At the micro level:
• Typography
• Visual systems
• Form development
• Layout and hierarchy
• Design refinement
• Craft and execution
The Design Director will play a critical role in strengthening design quality, mentoring teams, building creative systems, improving review processes, and helping reduce founder dependency across the studio.
The role is intended as a long-term leadership position with the potential to evolve into broader creative leadership responsibilities.
REPORTING
Reports To: Anthony Lopez, Founder & Chief Designer
Operational Alignment: Tarka Patil, Project Director
Works Closely With:
• Strategy Team
• Project Management Team
• Design Managers
• UX/UI Team
• Content & Communication Team
CORE RESPONSIBILITIES:
Design Excellence & Creative Quality
- Lead and oversee design quality across projects.
- Review and strengthen work across branding, communication, digital, environmental, spatial, and experience assignments.
- Ensure consistency between strategic intent and creative execution.
- Improve first-time-right outcomes across the studio.
- Uphold and evolve LOPEZ standards of clarity, originality, coherence, and craft.
- Drive excellence in typography, visual systems, storytelling, hierarchy, detailing, and execution.
Studio Leadership & Team Development
- Mentor Design Managers, designers, and multidisciplinary teams.
- Build stronger creative capability across the organisation.
- Guide teams through critique, refinement, and problem-solving.
- Conduct regular creative reviews and coaching sessions.
- Identify capability gaps and development opportunities.
- Support recruitment, assessment, and development of future design talent.
Creative Direction & Project Leadership
- Provide creative direction across branding, communication, digital, environmental, and experience projects.
- Support projects from strategic intent through implementation.
- Balance creative ambition with business realities, timelines, and delivery requirements.
- Help ensure projects maintain quality through all stages of development.
Systems Thinking & Design Frameworks
- Lead development of identity systems and design frameworks that work cohesively across physical, digital, spatial, and communication touchpoints.
- Strengthen review systems and creative processes.
- Help develop methodologies, standards, and reusable design tools.
- Contribute to creating intellectual capital that strengthens the studio over time.
Client & Stakeholder Leadership
- Engage confidently with senior stakeholders across corporate, institutional, and government sectors.
- Translate complex business and cultural challenges into clear creative direction.
- Present, defend, and refine work with maturity and conviction.
- Build trust through competence, insight, and professionalism.
Organisational Capability Building
- Help reduce founder dependency by strengthening design leadership across the organisation.
- Improve collaboration between strategy, project management, UX, content, and design teams.
- Contribute to the development of a stronger and more self-sufficient creative organisation.
- Support the studio's long-term growth and maturity.
WHAT SUCCESS LOOKS LIKE
After 12–18 months:
- Design quality across the studio has improved significantly.
- Design Managers have become stronger leaders and mentors.
- Creative review systems are established and functioning effectively.
- First-time-right delivery has improved.
- Founder review dependency has reduced substantially.
- Teams demonstrate stronger design judgement and decision-making.
- The studio operates with greater consistency, confidence, and creative excellence.
WHO WE ARE LOOKING FOR
We are looking for someone who combines:
- Exceptional design judgement.
- Strong systems thinking.
- Leadership maturity.
- Curiosity and humility.
- Strategic understanding.
- Deep respect for craft.
- A genuine interest in developing people.
This role is suited to someone who enjoys building teams and improving work as much as creating it.
EXPERIENCE & QUALIFICATIONS
- 8–15 years of experience in a leading design consultancy, branding studio, or multidisciplinary creative practice.
- Strong portfolio demonstrating excellence across identity systems, communication, experience, and implementation.
- Proven ability to mentor teams and lead creative reviews.
- Strong understanding of typography, visual systems, storytelling, design strategy, and implementation.
- Experience working across multiple scales and disciplines.
- Excellent communication and stakeholder management skills.
- Degree in Design, Visual Communication, Architecture, Visual Arts, or related discipline preferred.
APPLICATION REQUIREMENTS
Along with your portfolio and resume, please submit a brief note (maximum two pages) addressing the following:
- A project where your strategic thinking significantly improved the outcome.
- A project where your design judgement significantly improved the outcome.
- A project where you helped improve another designer's work.
- What do you believe is missing from most design reviews today
- If you joined a 25–30 person design studio tomorrow, what would you focus on improving in your first six months
Applications without these responses may not be considered.
WHAT WE OFFER
- Opportunity to shape work of national and international significance.
- Leadership role within one of India's most respected independent design consultancies.
- A multidisciplinary studio environment with deep strategic and creative exposure.
- Meaningful autonomy, responsibility, and long-term growth potential.
- Competitive compensation aligned with experience and capability.
