About me.

^{> PERSONAL}

Oliver Ray  |  [email protected]  |  Linkedin.com

^{> PROFILE}

With over 20 years of experience across the various fields, formats and platforms of the design industry, my skills are well-established and versatile.

Previous roles within both agency and in-house teams have given me experience and knowledge of all aspects of the creative design process.

I am a self-motivated and enthusiastic designer, eager to leverage my expertise and experience to support and deliver engaging design projects and to collaborate with and empower teams.

Proven record in creative problem-solving, marketing design, brand creation, implementation and development, as well as championing user experience and data-influenced design.

^{> EXPERIENCE}

Lead Designer | Hargreaves Lansdown | 2017-2024: Responsibilities at team and product level whilst leading, developing and facilitating the business User Centred Design community. I had responsibilities within the Brand authority, was the owner of the visual identity and a lead/stakeholder of the companies design system.

As lead of the visual design team, my time was split between leading creative direction and management of the User Interface (UI) team, which was committed to the ongoing development of the digital experience and management of the Graphic Design team, whose primary purpose was to support HL’s marketing department.

Notable achievements: Creation and development of HL’s brand and visual identity. Creation and delivery of HL’s first multi-channel and multimedia, (including TV) nationwide campaign “Switch Your Money ON”

Senior Designer | Hargreaves Lansdown | 2013-2017:  Responsible for providing design solutions for digital project teams as well as building and coordinating marketing campaigns, leading projects, art direction, as well as organising and line management of the digital design team.

Lead Web Designer | Midlands Co-operative | 2007-2013:  Conceptualise, design, develop and implement attractive professional data-influenced websites. Responsible for the implementation and development of a new brand as well as leading and managing multiple design projects.

Senior Designer | Midlands Co-operative | 2003-2007:  Responsible for leading design collaboration, art direction and 

production on a wide range of media including Web, social, print, video, exhibitions and stores. 

Designer | Human Zoo Creative | 2001-2003:  Responsible for providing design solutions for a wide range of media. 

^{> SKILLS}

Team Leadership/Management | Creative problem solving | Concept Design | Creative direction | Art Direction | Data-influenced design | Brand & Identity design | Brand management | Design | Illustration | UI | UX. 

Knowledge/experience in: Social media marketing (Facebook, Instagram) | Google DoubleClick | Google Studio | Adobe Creative programs | Hand-coded HTML, CSS, Javascript and J-query.

^{> QUALIFICATIONS}

Level 3 IML Managing a team | Google DoubleClick html5 certified | Google Studio certified | NN/g Lean UX & Agile | IDF Interaction Design for Usability.

^{> EDUCATION}

1997-2000 | Staffordshire University | BA (Hons) Design: Graphics.