Creative Designer (Junior to Intermediate)

About the Company

AL Marketing is an award-winning creative agency located just outside Hertford. The agency focuses on destination marketing, building campaigns, content and experiences for shopping centres, retail destinations and leisure brands. The team is small, ambitious and values originality, curiosity and initiative, with a strong preference for ideas that go beyond standard marketing approaches.

This opportunity is aimed at someone who wants to contribute meaningful ideas, produce strong work, learn new capabilities and develop with the agency.

Role Overview

The agency is hiring a Creative Designer to join its team. The level is intentionally flexible: the role could suit a recent graduate with a standout portfolio and strong enthusiasm to learn, or someone who already has agency or client-side experience. The main priorities are creative ability, a confident attitude, clear communication and a willingness to get involved.

The position extends beyond conventional graphic design. The work includes campaign ideas, content creation, presentations, social content, video-related projects and wider creative development across varied client work. The designer will collaborate closely with the Client Services team, Social Media team and the rest of the agency to turn concepts into finished outputs across multiple channels.

What You Will Do

• Develop fresh campaign ideas for promotions, events, activations and broader marketing activity.
• Explore several creative directions before narrowing down the most effective option.
• Take part in brainstorming sessions and collaborative workshops.
• Contribute to branding, content, experiences and audience engagement ideas.
• Help shape campaign copy, headlines and concept lines when needed.
• Research trends, audience behaviour and cultural insights to strengthen creative output.
• Produce design assets for print, digital and social channels.
• Create artwork for press ads, posters, outdoor media, direct mail, POS and promotional materials.
• Build digital advertising visuals, web graphics, social content and email creative.
• Support branding, signage, wayfinding and identity projects.
• Prepare presentation decks for pitches, proposals and client meetings.
• Maintain a consistently high standard across all deliverables and formats.
• Create and edit content for social media platforms.
• Support video projects from concept development through to final delivery.
• Storyboard and visualise ideas for content and campaigns.
• Edit video and create motion graphics where needed.
• Help define visual direction and creative approaches for shoots and content production.
• Use AI tools to speed up research, ideation and creative development.
• Experiment with image-generation tools to test concepts and visual directions.
• Use large language models and AI assistants to support content development, creative exploration and workflow efficiency.
• Stay alert to new technology and share useful discoveries with the wider team.
• Work with colleagues across creative, social and client services teams.
• Support shoot preparation, production and post-production tasks.
• Assist with website, CMS and email marketing work when required.
• Contribute to the agency’s own marketing and promotional activity.
• Be ready to help with both high-profile projects and day-to-day agency tasks.

What the Team Is Looking For

The agency places more value on creative potential, attitude and problem-solving than on a fixed number of years of experience. The right person will be comfortable contributing ideas, open to learning and able to work well in a collaborative environment.

• Someone who is naturally curious, imaginative and commercially aware.
• A person who is comfortable presenting ideas and discussing them clearly.
• Someone who can explain and defend creative choices.
• A designer who can consider multiple solutions to a brief.
• An enthusiastic learner who wants to develop new skills and use new tools.
• A positive, proactive team player who works well with others.
• A well-organised person who can manage several projects at once.
• Someone interested in culture, fashion, retail design, technology and emerging trends.

Essential Skills and Experience

• A strong portfolio showing creative thinking and design capability.
• Excellent command of Adobe Creative Suite, especially Photoshop, Illustrator and InDesign.
• Solid visual communication and layout skills.
• Ability to design for both print and digital outputs.
• Good presentation and communication skills.
• Strong accuracy and attention to detail.

Additional Skills That Would Help

• Experience in video editing using Premiere Pro or a similar tool.
• Motion graphics or animation skills using After Effects or equivalent software.
• Experience creating social media content.
• Ability to design presentations and tell a story visually.
• Some background in copywriting, concept writing or campaign development.
• Familiarity with AI-powered creative tools and workflows.
• Experience in photography, videography or creative direction.
• Knowledge of WordPress or another CMS.
• Experience with Mailchimp or similar email platforms.
• Basic understanding of HTML and CSS.
• Website design experience.
• Confidence using Microsoft Office and PowerPoint.

Working Arrangements

This is a hybrid role based around the office in Brickendonbury, near Hertford. The team typically works from the office for around three days each week, usually Monday to Wednesday, although this can change. The arrangement supports team meetings and strong internal communication. Full-time office working is also an option.

The office is not well connected by public transport, so driving is realistically required for the office-based days.

Package and Benefits

• Salary depends on experience and skill level.
• 23 days of holiday, plus an office shutdown between Christmas and New Year that does not reduce annual leave entitlement.
• Holiday allowance increases with length of service.
• Option to join private healthcare.
• An extra day off for your birthday.
• Company pension scheme.
• Company laptop and phone.
• Flexible hybrid working and homeworking.
• Free on-site parking.
• Regular social events, including an annual Christmas party.
• Support for gaining industry qualifications.

What Success Looks Like

During the first year, the agency would like the new hire to bring fresh ideas to campaigns and pitches, grow confidence when presenting internally and externally, produce strong design work across multiple channels, contribute to content and video work, use AI and other emerging tools to improve workflows, and broaden skills across design, digital marketing and creative strategy. The goal is to become a trusted and valued part of the team.

Why This Role Could Be a Great Fit

This is a chance to work on a wide variety of projects in a growing agency where ideas are genuinely heard and individual contribution matters. The role offers exposure to the full creative process, from early concept development through to final delivery, alongside opportunities to expand creatively and professionally.

Contact

For further information, contact Sam Moore, Senior Account Director, at [email protected] or +44 (0)7842 708227.