Hand Picked Hotels was founded in 2001 by owner and Chairman, Julia Hands MBE, and today still remains a family-owned group which has 21 unique luxury country houses and coastal retreats, each hand picked for their individuality. Architecturally distinctive and quintessentially British, every hotel boasts an extraordinary location from Scotland to the Channel Islands, offering breathtaking views from vast countryside to expansive beaches, to lush woodlands.
Dedicated to creating unique and enchanting stays, curated personalised service runs through the heart of every hotel. Whilst each hotel is individual, each property fulfils the company values of family, individuality, community and care, with a team commitment to aiming higher and delight their guests with magical experiences that offer a true escape from the every day.
Hand Picked Hotels are committed to protecting the environment for a sustainable future, and all of our hotels have received the ‘Green Tourism’ accreditation. A Recognition of our progress in reducing energy use and waste, supporting biodiversity, and sourcing responsibly from local and ethical partners.
We are now looking for an accomplished Creative Lead to shape and elevate how the Hand Picked Hotels brand is expressed across every customer touchpoint.
This role will be based in our Corporate Office located in London Bridge and will also involve travel as required.
About the role:
This is a high-impact opportunity for a strategic creative thinker who also enjoys being hands-on. Working closely with the Commercial Marketing Director and colleagues across Marketing, Digital, Sales, Revenue and Operations, you will turn commercial opportunities into distinctive campaigns and compelling guest-facing stories.
You will lead creative development from the first spark of an idea through to rollout—shaping propositions, directing photography and video, building scalable design systems and ensuring every execution reflects the warmth, character and premium positioning of Hand Picked Hotels.
What you’ll do
Set the creative direction
•Develop original concepts and campaign platforms that strengthen the brand and support commercial objectives.
•Shape the creative proposition for Weddings, Meetings & Events, Spa, Dining and seasonal experiences, always in line with the master brand.
•Act as guardian of our visual identity, evolving it thoughtfully while maintaining consistency across every customer touchpoint.
•Challenge briefs constructively and champion fresh approaches that keep the brand
•relevant, fresh and distinctive.
Create campaigns that inspire
•Lead integrated campaigns from insight and concept through to final delivery across CRM, digital, paid media, social, web, print and hotel collateral.
•Translate seasonal and commercial priorities into memorable storytelling for Christmas, gift vouchers, leisure breaks, brand partnerships and more.
•Create compelling identities and visual systems that help new propositions stand out in the premium hospitality market.
Lead art direction and production
•Direct photography and video shoots, developing mood boards, shot lists, creative treatments, and a clear vision for production partners.
•Build a high-quality image and video library that supports long-term brand growth.
•Deliver and oversee exceptional creative across digital and print, including CRM, website, paid media, social, sales collateral, hotel materials, presentations and internal communications.
•Develop scalable templates, toolkits and design systems that enable efficient production without compromising creative standards.
Project management, organisation and stakeholders’ management
•Manage multiple projects and priorities, delivering to deadlines, pre-determined budget and to an exceptional standard.
•Build trusted relationships with internal stakeholders and brief external creatives and agencies if/ when required.
•Explore emerging creative technologies, including AI-enabled workflows, to improve speed and scalability while ensuring consistency of expression and protecting an authentic premium brand experience.
About you
You will be an experienced creative leader with excellent judgement, a strong portfolio and the confidence to take ideas from strategic thinking through to outstanding execution. You are commercially aware, naturally curious and able to inspire others through your ideas and collaborative approach.
You’ll bring:
•At least eight years’ experience in a senior creative, art direction or brand design role.
•A portfolio that demonstrates strong campaign development, brand identity and creative thinking.
•Experience creating integrated campaigns across digital and offline channels.
•Strong art direction experience across photography and video.
•An excellent understanding of typography, layout, visual storytelling and brand identity.
•Advanced proficiency in Adobe Creative Suite.
•Strong stakeholder management, presentation, organisation and project management skills.
•The ability to balance strategic thinking with hands-on creative delivery in a fast-paced environment.
Experience within premium hospitality, luxury, lifestyle or travel brands would be particularly welcome, as would motion design or video editing skills, experience managing creative partners, knowledge of AI-powered creative workflows, or experience building scalable design systems.
Why join Hand Picked Hotels?
You’ll have the opportunity to shape the creative expression of one of the UK’s most distinctive luxury hospitality brands. Working with passionate colleagues across our collection, you will influence how guests discover, experience and remember Hand Picked Hotels—and help our brand continue to evolve with imagination and purpose.
If you are passionate about premium brands, visual storytelling and exceptional customer experiences, we would love to hear from you.
Our Benefits:
•A competitive salary discussed at interview stage.
•Company pension scheme with a generous employer contribution.
•Life assurance and enhance company sickness scheme.
•Employee Assistance Program to support you with whatever life throws at you.
•28 days holiday plus bank holidays, increasing to 33 days including bank holidays with length of service.
•Forward career progression, with access to our In House and external training programs, including apprenticeships and other recognised hospitality industry courses which are all supported by our learning and development team.
•Discounted colleague stays in our hotels and on food & drink.
•Annual loyalty awards (e.g. afternoon teas and overnight stays)
•Online retail discount platform offering thousands of savings with high street retailers and restaurants as well as a health and well-being platform.
•Opportunity to make lifelong friendships and be part of team that celebrates Diversity and Inclusion.