Job Title
Head of Advanced Exterior Design
Ref #
59080
Date posted
Wednesday, May 13, 2026
Country
United Kingdom
Location
Bicester
Business area
Design
Department
Design
Position level
3
Working time
Full Time
Working pattern
9am - 6pm Monday to Friday
What to Expect
The Head of Advanced Exterior Design leads the creation and development of advanced exterior design projects across McLaren. The role is responsible for driving innovative design solutions within defined packaging constraints, shaping future vehicle architecture, and ensuring the output remains contemporary, technically credible, and aligned with McLaren’s brand direction and design ambition.
What You'll Do
Lead advanced exterior design projects from concept through to design development.
• Create innovative and visually compelling exterior design solutions around fixed or evolving
vehicle packages.
• Influence and support the development of future vehicle architectures through strong design vision and design-led thinking.
• Ensure all design outputs are progressive, on-trend, and consistent with McLaren’s design language and brand values.
• Collaborate closely with engineering, aerodynamics, product strategy, and studio leadership to balance creativity with technical feasibility.
• Present design proposals clearly and confidently to senior stakeholders and decision-makers.
• Guide and mentor designers within the advanced exterior design team, fostering a highperformance and collaborative environment.
• Contribute to the broader McLaren Design strategy through thought leadership, innovation,and cross-functional collaboration.
•  Support the identification of emerging trends, technologies, and design opportunities relevant to future McLaren products.
• Maintain a strong awareness of competitor activity, market direction, and customer expectations to ensure design relevance and differentiation.
What You'll Bring
Exceptional exterior design vision with a proven ability to deliver innovative automotive concepts.
• Strong understanding of vehicle packaging, proportion, surfacing, and design feasibility.
• Ability to influence architecture and technical development through design insight.
• High level of creativity, strategic thinking, and aesthetic judgment.
• Strong presentation, communication, and stakeholder management skills.
• Ability to lead projects and teams in a fast-paced, high-expectation environment.
• Excellent collaboration skills across design, engineering, and program functions.

Deep awareness of automotive design trends, premium/luxury market expectations, and future mobility direction.

Experience and Background
• Extensive experience in automotive exterior design, ideally within premium, luxury, or performance brands.
• Demonstrated success leading advanced or concept-led exterior design projects.
• Experience working closely with cross-functional technical teams on complex vehicle programs.
• Proven ability to translate strategic intent into highly resolved design proposals.
• Leadership experience within a design studio or advanced design environment.

Personal Attributes
• Highly creative and visually sophisticated.
• Proactive, confident, and solution-oriented.
• Able to balance originality with practicality.
• Strong sense of design leadership and accountability.
• Passionate about innovation, brand building, and design excellence.
What We'll Do for You
We offer a wide – ranging benefits package, which includes:
  • Structured career development framework
  • 25 days’ holiday, plus bank holiday. Annual buy & sell up to five days
  • Enhanced company pension scheme
  • Discretionary annual bonus award
  • Private medical insurance and health cash plan
  • Life assurance benefit
  • Ability to apply for a sabbatical of up to one year after only two years’ service
  • Benefits you can adapt to your lifestyle, such as discounted shopping
  • Generous parental leave policies
  • A range of wellbeing initiatives, such as employee assistance programme and free financial & mortgage advice
Who Are We?
No restraints. No limitations. We don’t simply push boundaries. We completely rethink them. McLaren Automotive exists to create breath-taking performance road cars.

It takes a community to do what we do. A diverse group of people with many areas of expertise, united by their passion to deliver visionary products and set new benchmarks. 

McLaren Automotive commits to equal opportunity for all. Diversity, Equality and Inclusion is at the heart of our impact, it drives our innovation and enables us to truly create something special. Join us on our journey. 

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