CEO Job Description

Closing date: 3 November 2025

‘Stimulation not congratulation’
D&AD is a registered charity whose mission is to stimulate, celebrate and enable excellence in commercial creativity, in the belief that this creates better outcomes for all concerned - commercially, culturally, socially, politically and environmentally; and to campaign for a fairer, more diverse, better gender-balanced industry.

Our main areas of activity are awards, events and education and we serve a global community of creative practitioners from our headquarters in Shoreditch.

The money D&AD makes from its commercial activities - Awards, Masterclasses and Partnerships - is channeled back into the industry we serve, mainly via the New Blood program, which provides a conveyor belt of talent into the industry, and which is comprised of, inter alia, the New Blood Awards, the New Blood Festival, the Academy, Shift – a twelve week night school for people without qualifications who have the talent and desire to enter the industry - and Shift Studio.

Reporting
The CEO reports to a Board of Trustees, who are in the main awarded and senior creative practitioners, and a Chair. They lead a team of around 40 people. The senior management team at D&AD is experienced and well-established, comprised of a COO (Donal Keenan) and five directors.

Industry challenges and primary responsibilities
The awards industry is overpopulated and the competition is stiff. D&AD's reputation as the most prestigious award in the sector is based on the degree of difficulty involved in winning a Pencil, its British heritage and the integrity of its jurors and judging process. This reputation is by far our greatest asset. It follows that the first responsibility of D&AD's CEO is to act as the guardian of the brand's reputation, mission, values, and behaviour.

Like many industries the advertising and design sector has gone through unprecedented changes in recent years and continues to do so. The pandemic accelerated some of these and created a confused situation. AI and other digital developments have made the future of the conventional parts of the advertising and design sector uncertain. Plotting a future course is therefore challenging. But adapting to the changing landscape in order to stay relevant by providing valuable leadership, advice, support, products and services to our global creative community - wherever it is situated - is crucial.

However, the area of D&AD’s activities that perhaps best defines us, differentiates us from our main competitors and signals our value to the industry is our commitment to creative training and education for creative practitioners, and the nurturing and development of young talent. Whatever else happens it’s likely that these programs and activities will need to be amplified in the future.

Detailed role definition
First, foremost and crucially the CEO must love and cherish D&AD’s purpose, mission and values, and the community we serve. They must be capable of looking beyond the confusion currently afflicting parts of our business and boldly plotting a course that gives D&AD a leading role in the industry of the future.

The CEO will lead from the front as the main visible face of D&AD (alongside the President, Trustees and other senior staff), being/becoming an expert on the industry, a spokesperson for it and a go-to speaker, advisor, influencer and commentator. The CEO will be capable of writing and speaking on important industry topics and, as such, have/earn the respect of senior industry practitioners, clients, D&AD partners and other stakeholders. The CEO will, in promoting creative excellence, fairness and diversity, believe in, exemplify and live the values of the Organisation.  The CEO will have extensive commercial and managerial experience.

Leadership and delegation
Beyond these key qualities the CEO will lead the team on all key management functions, delegating appropriately and clearly setting expectations, goals, targets and performance metrics for the organisation overall and the senior management team.

Performance
The CEO will be responsible for performance as measured against the goals outlined above and, of course, financially; as well as in terms of setting a strategic course that future- proofs the organisation, in as much as that is possible in the current environment.

Creating culture
The CEO will take the lead on creating an appropriately dynamic and richly creative culture - one that attracts talent and optimises performance. D&AD is a springboard to other things for many of our people and there is a large and influential D&AD diaspora. So an important aspect of this in 2025 is to encourage D&AD’s people to enjoy the environment and to take advantage of the stimulating and educational experiences on offer, to broaden and develop professionally, and to enjoy and value their D&AD experience.

Personal style
They will have a confident personal style - open, flexible, non-hierarchical, accessible, personally unselfish, keen to promote the interests of talented colleagues and ultimately ambitious for the organisation rather than themselves. They are likely to have had experience in leading an organisation in or adjacent to the creative industries.

Time commitment
D&AD is open to discussion when it comes to the amount of time needed to fulfil the role – previous incumbents have worked a flexible three day week. As such, it might well suit someone looking to make a lifestyle change; or someone returning to the industry after a break.

Finally
Affection and respect for the community we serve and an evident interest in creativity in all its forms and its practitioners are vital requisites. D&AD is a very special organisation and leading it is a very special privilege.

Salary package and benefits
On application and by negotiation.

D&AD is committed to diversity, equality, equity, inclusion and respect for all.  Providing a work environment in which all employees are treated with fairness, respect and dignity and which is free of discrimination, victimisation, bullying and harassment.   At D&AD we are interested in every individual bringing their ‘Whole Self’ to work and this includes you! Please email vanessa.knight@dandad.org to let us know if you need any reasonable adjustments to be made for any part of the recruitment process.

In order to comply with the Prevention of Illegal Working, Immigration, Asylum and Nationality Act, you will need to provide appropriate documentation that proves that you are eligible to work in the UK.  

Due to the number of applications we receive, we regret that you will not be contacted unless you are shortlisted for an interview. If you have not heard from us within three weeks of the closing date of your application you should assume that you have not been successful on this occasion. 

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