Head of Digital Shelf / Visualisation

Role purpose

The Head of Digital Shelf / Visualisation is a senior management role responsible for the operational excellence, creative quality, and technical precision of the entire CGI and Visualisation team. This role oversees The Aire WayTM end-to-end process (Design, Develop, Deliver) as it relates to digital assets — ranging from initial creative CGI output to the delivery of technical GS1 assets for downstream production.

You will partner with the respective “Heads of” to drive the "Intelligence Revolution," ensuring all digital shelf outputs provide unrivalled clarity, consistency, and confidence at speed.

Key responsibilities

1. Provide accountable leadership for the Digital Shelf / Visualisation team, ensuring day-to-day work meets high-quality standards and client expectations across CGI and GS1 asset production
2. Directly manage, mentor, and inspire a multidisciplinary team, including Senior, Mid-weight, and Junior Visualisation Specialists
3. Ensure planning and capacity management is monitored and established to maintain client satisfaction, including the orchestration of weekly planning meetings within the Design/Develop Digital Shelf / Visualisation team
4. Collaborate with the Global Operations team to identify workflow efficiencies, optimise CGI production, and improve quality control measures across the end-to-end offer
5. Manage the transition of assets from initial creative design through to technical "Deliver" phases, ensuring all outputs are optimised and colour consistent for downstream production and GS1 compliance
6. Lead team resourcing and managing freelance dependency to maintain an optimal balance of permanent and contingent staff within budget constraints, ensuring adherence with our software requirements
7. Act as the primary point of escalation for visualisation-related operational challenges, implementing solutions that eliminate repeat errors and enhance brand performance
8. Identify training requirements and implement mentoring programs to develop the technical and creative potential of the Digital Shelf / Visualisation crew
9. Maintain accurate reporting on key metrics, including team utilisation, timesheet efficiency, and project status, providing clear insights to the Global Creative Director
10. Serve as Aire Global’s subject matter expert on the future of CGI and Digital Shelf, staying ahead of industry trends (e.g., Digital Twins, The Omniverse, and AI-driven rendering) to align the visualisation roadmap and the broader business strategy
11. Help define, track, and deliver Objectives and Key Results (OKRs) that align with Aire Global’s broader business strategy, ensuring the Visualisation team’s output directly contributes to this momentum

Objectives

1. Ensure maximum effectiveness within the Visualisation team to deliver "The Ultimate Design-to-Shelf Experience”
2. Collaborate with the Head of Design, Head of Develop and Head of Deliver to ensure the CGI/Digital Shelf phase is fluid, accurate, and optimised for speed
3. Foster a high-performance culture by proactively addressing development needs and personnel concerns through the PDP process
4. Identify and implement AI-based solutions, SOPs and process improvements (e.g. MSH process optimisation) to support creative development

Key Performance Indicators

1. Maintain an 80% for team billable hours and ensure 100% accuracy in timesheet completion
2. Optimise the balance of permanent vs. contingent staff to stay within budget constraints while meeting fluctuating project demands
3. Identify and implement at least two measurable process improvements or AI-based solutions per year to increase speed or reduce manual touch points in the CGI workflow
4. Achieve a 95% first-time approval rate for technical GS1 assets delivered to downstream production.
5. Measure and achieve a year-on-year reduction in the number of amend cycles or creative re-work required for digital shelf assets
6. Successfully lead Non-Conformance Report (NCR) meetings alongside the Group Excellence Manager to identify root causes and eliminate repeat technical errors in the visualisation process
7. Ensure 100% of the Visualisation team (Senior to Junior) have active Personal Development Plans with measurable progress against technical skills
8. Maintain a high retention rate of direct reports through effective mentoring and coaching
9. Maintain high internal and external stakeholder satisfaction scores regarding the clarity and consistency of CGI outputs, measured through client satisfaction surveys and internal feedback from respective “Heads of”

Knowledge, experience and qualifications

Skills and Experience

• Extensive experience in a senior CGI or leadership role within an agency or CPG environment
• Deep understanding of CGI workflows, 3D visualisation, digital shelf requirements
• (MRHIs/Secondary Content), and GS1 asset standards
• Exceptional skills in leading complex, multidisciplinary teams and managing mid-level specialists.
• Proven track record in operational reporting, managing commercial metrics, and optimising
• recruitment pipelines
• Confident communicator able to articulate technical visualisation decisions to stakeholders
• and clients

Knowledge

• Strong understanding of FMCG, brand architecture, and how digital assets integrate into broader packaging and POSM strategies
• Comprehensive knowledge of downstream production needs, including how CGI assets
• translate to physical shelf and digital shelf
• Up-to-date knowledge of category behaviours and consumer expectations regarding the digital shelf

Qualifications

• Degree-level certification in a design or CGI-related discipline, or equivalent industry experience in a senior leadership role
• Expert-level proficiency in Cinema 4D and the Adobe Creative Suite
• Other 3D software is advantageous
• Portfolio demonstrating expert-level craft and strategic thinking is essential
• Comparable industry experience