CREATIVE DIRECTOR - BRAND & PRODUCT

“I can’t go on, I must go on, I will go on.

That’s what the cyclist says to himself, that's what the innovator says to themself as well” - Simon Mottram - Founder

Rapha exists to inspire the world to live life by bike.  

18 years after disrupting the sport and taking it on a new journey, Rapha is now a grown up company with a large loyal customer base, delivering to numerous countries around the world. We have excited the market with innovations, collaborations and created riding communities that help to create lifelong memories.

As a business we now have a solid infrastructure, with offices in the US, Asia & Europe as well as our world class Head office, Rapha Works, based in London. Here, 200 of the most talented people in the industry come together to collaborate, innovate and create product & community experiences for cyclists.

With the strong foundations and competitive advantage Rapha now has, this critical role will be responsible for regaining creative leadership to the organisation & the industry, creating a vision for the future of cycling and to drive and inspire the world to live a life by bike.

The next chapter of Rapha & cycling as a whole needs the same vision, creativity and inspiration as when Simon Mottram founded the brand nearly 20 years ago, presenting a unique opportunity for the right candidate.

This role will lead the product and brand creative teams whilst also being responsible for contributing to the brand strategy, obsessing on the customer experience through all of the touchpoints of the brand including the website, our clubhouses and the RCC, the world’s largest cycling club.

Reporting to and working closely alongside the Chief Product Officer of Rapha the candidate will be encouraged and given freedom to challenge and disrupt the status quo with the aim of Rapha becoming the reference point for purpose led, creative brands of the future.

THE ROLE

• Creative Leadership - inspiring the organisation (in all areas) to ideate and create the cycling experiences of the future. Internally and externally become the figurehead of creativity inspiring those around with your vision
• Brand Strategy - Working closely with the managing director, define and create the brand strategy, dreaming up a new future for the sport and cyclings role in the future worl
• Rapha Experience - Define the Rapha experience across all touchpoints of the business, what should the brand look, smell, feel and sound like. You will obsess about the smallest things that make all the difference creating a world leading consumer experience that will set the benchmark for others to follow 
• World Class Product Design - The company performance lives and dies on its product. The successful candidate will inspire a team to create the future of cycling apparel and hardwear, connecting and working with the world's best athletes and the cultural taste setters from around the globe.
• Asset Creation - Create the most inspiring ‘spine tingling’ videos that drive people to ride, create world class photography that sets the benchmark, and create assets that ensure our website and clubhouses are ahead of all competition in the lifestyle space.
• Cultural Leader - Rapha is a purpose led organisation, founded by a passionate cyclist. You will live these values through your own connection to cycling and outdoor activities in general, you will inspire the organisation to follow and externally will be used as a reference point for cultural leadership in an organisation. 

THE CANDIDATE:

The ideal candidate will possess the following skills and qualities:

• Have extensive experience of both Product Design and Brand Creative 
• Have a strong understanding of purpose led organisations and the authentic, legitimate approach that is required to deliver success
• Have strong management skills with the ability to inspire and influence different parts of the matrix in a large global organisation
• Ability to manage a diverse group of people, especially focused on directing creatives
• Be a creative design thinker
• Have a network of world class creative partners to call upon and collaborate with
• The ability to articulate yourself inspirationally through presentation and writing
• Have the mental capacity to work in the future strategically and in the present signing off all creative work in the brand, working across multiple seasons
• Know how to oversee complex work streams, and ability to implement the creative workflows & people into the wider business
• A good communicator and able to build relationships with our external brand partners and athletes
• A driven attitude
• Approx 10+ years at director level
• A passion for cycling and outdoor sports and a healthy lifestyle

LOVE THE SPORT - Make part of your life

THINK FOR YOURSELF - Lead by example

SUFFER - Good isn’t enough

INSPIRE OTHERS - Be proactive, always

WORKING AT RAPHA

We are continuously looking into ways to invest in our employees and build a better working culture and environment. Here are just some of the internal benefits we offer. 

• Flexible working hours 
• Support ad-hoc remote working during the week 
• No meeting Fridays - giving you time back for things like personal development
• Free barista coffee and Friday afternoon social drinks in the office
• Monthly department social events and quarterly office social away days
• We offer a flexible riding benefit to allow you to go out riding on a Wednesday morning with colleagues or learn to cycle to cycling through our Getting Started Scheme. 
• We offer all our employees a 50% apparel discount and a discount for family and friends 
• An annual clothing allowance 
• Free membership to the Rapha Cycling Club 
• Company Pension Scheme
• Enhanced Parental Leave

At Rapha, we welcome candidates from all backgrounds. We are always working to create an environment that is focused on equality, inclusion, empowerment and respect.

As part of our continued commitments to diversity, equity and inclusion, we would like to invite you to answer a set of voluntary demographic questions. If you choose to answer, the responses will only be used to help us identify areas for improvement in our hiring process and to measure our efforts to recruit diverse and under-represented talent. Your responses, or your choice not to respond, won’t be associated with your specific application and won’t in any way be used in the hiring decision. 

This information will be kept confidential and will be treated according to Rapha’s Privacy Policy, available here.