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Head Of Exterior Design

Cruise

Cruise

Design
Worcestershire, UK
Posted on Aug 1, 2025

Description

***Please note, you must submit a Portfolio to be considered for this position – See Instructions Below***

Description Details:

Are you a highly creative design individual who is interested in being part of one of the most exciting design studios in the world? Based in Leamington Spa, England where the fusion of Art, Design and Technology come together, General Motors Europe has an exciting opportunity for the right designer interested in stretching the boundaries of Exterior Design across multiple brand studios.

In this role, you are part of a larger connected global design team working on leading, world class products in automotive design.

Your role is to see the future - researching, designing and creating proposals that demonstrate innovative exterior ideas and concepts from inception to implementation for automotive and mobility application. Understanding brand and strategy as the filter, you generate world exterior design concepts for automotive products in both 2D and 3D proposals. You must have exceptional visualization skills and can communicate your ideas to an audience. You have no problem refining ideas as you receive feedback. Leading and working as part of a team you interface with multiple creative and non-creative stakeholders including suppliers to execute ideas and deliver world class products.

You have a passion for design, innovation and are highly creative as demonstrated in your portfolio. With a Bachelor’s Degree you have a major in Design (Automotive Design, Industrial Design, Product Design, Graphic Design or Architecture). You have a minimum 10 years of experience in automotive design, including managing and mentoring junior designers during this time.

You’re driven and eager to propel your career forward. A self-starter, your sophisticated communication skills will enable you to effortlessly build relationships. Comfortable in dealing with potential changes in direction based on what designs catch fire, you thrive in a team environment and display a strong ability to manage multiple tasks and deadlines.

Take your next step in joining a world-class design studio at General Motors.

The Head Of Exterior Designr is a significant position in this European Design operation. This chosen individual will create fresh, innovative designs for multiple General Motors Branded vehicles by inspiring and leading the exterior design team.

They will report directly to the Executive Design Director and work closely with them to realize the vision and aims of the operation.

This role also includes complete responsibility of exterior design and working closely with the interior design counterpart to ensure product visions that are fully cohesive and collaborative.

The individual should have experience in creating automotive exteriors. They should also be aware of new relevant technologies such as autonomous driving.

They will coordinate the work of other design personnel to achieve design goals, and follow design process from the sketch form to the final release clay model. Work duties involve a considerable amount of perception, design taste, judgment and creativity as well as a definite degree of skill, accuracy, and coordination. They will need to provide insight and recommendations to supervisors and leadership while possessing willingness and acumen to act upon general guidance.

Responsibilities

  • Develop a design vision with the senior team and communicates to the organization.
  • Plan, and realize all design properties
  • Develops two and three-dimensional mock-ups of proposed design solutions
  • Works with studio engineers, modelers, other designers, and service and fabrication personnel in the development of new ideas in both two and three-dimensional form
  • Makes presentations of new thoughts and designs, both orally and visually
  • Frequent contact with cross functional partners outside the work group
  • Experience working with Premium brands is a plus
  • Have a proven ability as an inspiring team member
  • Strong organizational and communication skills

Basic Required

  • Ability to communicate new ideas
  • An inspiring, creative thinker and complex problem solver that finds and pursues answers to complex challenges and has a strong vision
  • An effective team player, actively mentors, develops and supports team members.
  • Good understanding of form
  • Good drawing skills
  • Demonstrated creative proficiency
  • Demonstrated proficiency utilizing electronic tools to communicate 2-D ideations
  • Oral and written communications skills
  • Relatively high level of analytical ability where problems are complex
  • Demonstrated ability to work independently with others
  • Competent interpersonal skills and the aptitude to work effectively with others
  • Knowledge of computer and ability to effectively use as it pertains to engineering
  • Bachelor degree with a major in transportation design, industrial design, or a related field
  • Strong IT skills, particularly with Design related systems, including ALIAS, VRED, PHOTOSHOP

Onsite - This role is categorized as onsite. This means the successful candidate is expected to report to the design studio on a full-time basis.

GM WILL PROVIDE IMMIGRATION-RELATED SPONSORSHIP FOR THIS ROLE.


PORTFOLIO SUBMISSION INSTRUCTIONS

To be considered for this position, you will need to submit a portfolio in addition to your resume and profile. You may include a link to your online portfolio in your resume OR if your portfolio is not available online, please follow the instructions below to upload your portfolio as a separate attachment as you did with the resume.

1. Save your portfolio as a pdf document
2. Name your portfolio your LAST NAME, FIRST NAME. Example: Candidate name is John Smith. Portfolio pdf file name is: Smith, John.pdf
3. Upload as an attachment - you may have to condense the file.


DISCLAIMER: The Works included in your Career Portfolio must not be subject to any non-disclosure and/or confidentiality agreement. If the Works in your Career Portfolio are owned by your current or former employer, or by any other Third Party, there must be an express written consent from the Owner allowing the Works to be included in your Career Portfolio for sharing with General Motors (“GM”). By sharing your Career Portfolio, you grant to GM the right to quote, paraphrase, reproduce, distribute, or otherwise use all or any portion of the Career Portfolio for purposes of making a hiring determination. By sharing your Career Portfolio, you also agree to release and discharge GM, and its licensees, successors, and assigns, from any and all claims, demands, or causes of action that you may have regarding any use of the Career Portfolio, including (but not limited to) any claims based on the right to privacy, the right to publicity, copyright, libel, defamation, or any other rights.

ABOUT LEAMINGTON SPA LOCATION:

Royal Leamington Spa is a charming town in Warwickshire surrounded by beautiful countryside, award-winning parks, and great transport links to the cities of Birmingham and London. Although relatively small, it has excellent shopping, great restaurants and bars and a lively nightlife.

The town, which is often referred to as ‘Silicon Spa,’ has become a hub for car design and games development in the thriving billion-pound industries, allowing us to attract the best and most brilliant minds in the industry.

A recent survey by Rightmove has found that Royal Leamington Spa is the happiest place to live on the UK, and the Times lists Leamington as the third best place for families to live in the UK.

Additional Description

About GM

Our vision is a world with Zero Crashes, Zero Emissions and Zero Congestion and we embrace the responsibility to lead the change that will make our world better, safer and more equitable for all.

Why Join Us

We believe we all must make a choice every day – individually and collectively – to drive meaningful change through our words, our deeds and our culture. Every day, we want every employee to feel they belong to one General Motors team.

Total Rewards | Benefits Overview

From day one, we're looking out for your well-being–at work and at home–so you can focus on realizing your ambitions. Learn how GM supports a rewarding career that rewards you personally by visiting Total Rewards resources.

Non-Discrimination and Equal Employment Opportunities (U.S.)

General Motors is committed to being a workplace that is not only free of unlawful discrimination, but one that genuinely fosters inclusion and belonging. We strongly believe that providing an inclusive workplace creates an environment in which our employees can thrive and develop better products for our customers.

All employment decisions are made on a non-discriminatory basis without regard to sex, race, color, national origin, citizenship status, religion, age, disability, pregnancy or maternity status, sexual orientation, gender identity, status as a veteran or protected veteran, or any other similarly protected status in accordance with federal, state and local laws.

We encourage interested candidates to review the key responsibilities and qualifications for each role and apply for any positions that match their skills and capabilities. Applicants in the recruitment process may be required, where applicable, to successfully complete a role-related assessment(s) and/or a pre-employment screening prior to beginning employment. To learn more, visit How we Hire.

Accommodations

General Motors offers opportunities to all job seekers including individuals with disabilities. If you need a reasonable accommodation to assist with your job search or application for employment, email us Careers.Accommodations@GM.com or call us at 800-865-7580. In your email, please include a description of the specific accommodation you are requesting as well as the job title and requisition number of the position for which you are applying.