Head of Brand & Creative

Department: Miscellaneous Location: Bristol, UK DescriptionWe’re building the UK's next generation engineering powerhouse, providing critical technology that strengthens national security and resilience.Rowden presents a rare opportunity for an ambitious brand leader. We’re a growing challenger brand with a clear vision to build an engineering powerhouse, and we care deeply about how we show up in the world. We’re obsessed with our brand strategy, and we want someone to take full ownership of it day to day.Headquartered in Bristol (UK), we combine modern engineering methods with cutting-edge commercial technology to create adaptable, mission-critical systems. We focus on solving the tough challenges that others overlook, ensuring our customers can operate effectively in an ever-changing world. This role is for someone ambitious, creative, and drawn to great design and storytelling. You’ll shape how Rowden looks, sounds, and communicates globally. You’ll evolve a brand with real momentum, and you’ll bring in exceptional partners and talent as it grows. If you want ownership, pace, and the chance to build something distinctive with real impact, this is the role.More information about security clearance is available here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/united-kingdom-security-vetting-clearance-levelsKey areas of responsibilityAs Rowden’s Head of Brand & Creative, you’ll lead brand strategy, brand identity, creative direction and messaging across the company. You will be responsible for: Visual identity and design systems: You will own the look and feel of Rowden and evolve it as we grow, shaping typography, colour, layout, motion, and overall expression.Creative direction: You will define the visual direction for campaigns, launches, photography, film, and case studies, guiding specialists and keeping standards high.Brand voice and content strategy: You will understand our tone instinctively and turn it into a clear, consistent voice used across the company.Narrative development and storytelling: You will shape the Rowden story into a simple, coherent narrative that works across products, services, and markets.Positioning, messaging and brand architecture: You will build the messaging architecture that keeps us aligned as we scale, adapting it for customers, investors, partners, and recruits.Supplier ecosystem and creative operations: You will build and manage a network of trusted creatives - designers, illustrators, photographers, videographers, animators - and act as the quality gate.Brand governance & quality control: You will turn rough ideas into sharp briefs, manage timelines, keep delivery calm, and prevent off-brand work from reaching customers.Attention to craft: You will care deeply about the details - spacing, type, colour, hierarchy, usability - and you’ll fix issues before anyone needs to ask.Technical literacy across design and digital: You will give precise feedback across design, motion, photography, and web, guiding specialists effectively.Brand evolution for global markets: You will help evolve the brand as Rowden shifts from UK services to a global exporter of mission-critical solutions, making it more accessible, international, and product-led.Key skills, experience and behavioursYou will be hands-on and close to the work, shaping the detail as much as the big picture. You’ll bring high personal standards and stay resourceful when the brief is loose or the path isn’t obvious. You think in stories, apply sharp editorial judgement, and always push for clarity over noise. When priorities shift - and they will - you stay steady and resilient. Above all, you’re relentlessly focused on the user and take real pride in producing work that represents a company with purpose.The processThere will be an initial screening call, followed by a video interview and then a final face-to-face interview. Candidates who progress past the screening call will receive access to a data room with our style guide and current brand assets to help inform later discussions.Working at RowdenWe are committed to building a flexible, inclusive, and enabling company. Our aim is to create a diverse team of talented people with unique skills, experience, and backgrounds, so please apply and come as you are!We also recognise the importance of flexible working and support this wherever we can. We typically operate a flexible, hybrid-working model, with an average 3 days in the office each week (dependent on the role). We welcome the opportunity to discuss flexibility, part-time working requirements and/or workplace adjustments with all our applicants.Rowden is a Disability Confident Committed company, and we actively encourage people with disabilities and health conditions to apply for our roles. Please let us know your requirements early on so that we can make sure you have everything you need up front to help make the recruitment process and experience as easy as possible.Finally, if you feel that you don’t meet all the criteria included above but have transferable skills and relevant experience, we’d still love to hear from you!