Elena Saharova

Elena Saharova

Head of Design | Product & Brand Strategy Leader
Remote, Serbia, Belgrade.

About

Highly accomplished Head of Design and strategic leader with over a decade of experience driving innovative product and brand design initiatives across diverse industries. Proven ability to build and scale high-performing design teams, integrate new processes, and deliver impactful solutions that enhance user experience, brand visibility, and business growth. Adept at conceptual design, user research, and leveraging data-driven insights to inform strategic design decisions.

Work

Звук
|

Art Director

Moscow, Moscow, Russian Federation

Summary

Led conceptual design and strategic initiatives for product and communication, overseeing a large design team and integrating new processes to drive innovation.

Highlights

Spearheaded conceptual design (R&D, design-driven approach) for a team of 10-40 product and communication designers, establishing vision and strategic direction.

Orchestrated the successful hiring of key design talent and developed a comprehensive competency matrix, enhancing team capabilities and organizational structure.

Implemented strategic forecasting and utilized semiotic field analysis to guide product representation, ensuring design alignment with market trends and brand identity.

Integrated new, streamlined processes within the design team, significantly improving efficiency and collaboration across product and communication functions.

Qfinds
|

Head of Design

London, England, UK

Summary

Directed design operations and strategy, leading a team of designers to build brand identity, redesign products, and implement user-centric functionalities.

Highlights

Led a team of 3 in-house designers and managed external outsourcing, overseeing comprehensive brand building and communication strategies.

Successfully managed the redesign of core products and established a scalable design system, improving consistency and efficiency across platforms.

Planned and optimized the operations of the design department, setting clear goals that aligned with overall business objectives and increased productivity.

Implemented new competitive and unique functionalities, driven by in-depth desk research and user interviews, enhancing user experience and market differentiation.

Anytype
|

Product Designer

Berlin, Berlin, Germany

Summary

Developed innovative visual languages and product functionalities, including an object-oriented graph implementation, to enhance user experience and product capabilities.

Highlights

Created a cohesive new visual language for the company's website and promotional materials, significantly enhancing brand consistency and appeal.

Developed and integrated new product functionality, including an object-oriented graph, dramatically improving product capabilities and user interaction.

&US Agency
|

Design Director

Florida, Florida, US

Summary

Directed design concepts and managed project execution for agency clients, overseeing outsourced teams and ensuring high-quality creative output.

Highlights

Developed compelling design concepts for diverse agency clients, driving successful brand and marketing initiatives.

Managed outsourced design teams and brand agencies, ensuring efficient project delivery and adherence to timelines.

Streamlined task setting and work time planning processes, optimizing project workflows outside the core design process.

Provided architectural supervision and rigorous review of projects, elevating the overall quality and execution level of design deliverables.

WayRay
|

Web Design Lead

Moscow, Moscow, Russian Federation

Summary

Led web design initiatives, overseeing content creation and visual representation for the company's website and major events like CES.

Highlights

Directed the comprehensive development of the company's website, coordinating tasks for CG-artists, 3D, web, graphic designers, and photographers.

Orchestrated visual representation and positioning for CES, contributing to the successful presentation of the company at the event.

Innova Distribution
|

Art Director

Moscow, Moscow, Russian Federation

Summary

Drove brand promotion, site development, and user experience analysis for new games on the Russian market.

Highlights

Successfully promoted new games on the Russian market, contributing to increased market penetration and brand visibility.

Led the development of multiple promotional sites with a dedicated design team, enhancing online presence and user engagement.

Contributed to the creation of concepts for event marketing and promotional products, effectively supporting PR campaigns.

Conducted comprehensive user experience analysis in collaboration with the product team, informing design improvements and feature prioritization.

Vigbo
|

Product Design Lead

Minsk, Minsk Region, Belarus

Summary

Led product design and development for a new site management system, enhancing control features and user account functionality.

Highlights

Directed the development of a new site management system, improving overall platform functionality and user control.

Spearheaded the introduction of new widgets into the control system, enhancing user customization and operational efficiency.

Designed and analyzed a new client's personal account interface, optimizing user experience and accessibility.

Implemented new templates across the platform, expanding design options and user flexibility for content creation.

CB OTKRITIE (CJSC)
|

Creative Director

Moscow, Moscow, Russian Federation

Summary

Directed creative concept development and strategic communication, collaborating with internal teams and agencies to launch new web and mobile services.

Highlights

Developed and successfully defended new creative concepts, aligning design vision with corporate strategy and brand guidelines.

Collaborated effectively with a cross-functional team of designers and senior management, ensuring cohesive creative execution.

Partnered with external agencies on communication strategy, enhancing brand messaging and market reach.

Approved new promotional products and contributed to the creation of new web and mobile services, expanding the company's digital offerings.

IKRA
|

Interactive Art Director

Moscow, Moscow, Russian Federation

Summary

Led interactive art direction, contributing to innovative digital experiences and user engagement.

Highlights

Directed interactive art projects, enhancing digital engagement and user experiences through creative solutions.

Digital October Central
|

Lead UX Designer

Moscow, Moscow, Russian Federation

Summary

Designed and prototyped user experiences for Smart-TV and tablet applications, defining UI concepts and task statements for rendering.

Highlights

Created comprehensive wireframes and prototype applications for Smart-TV and adaptive tablet interfaces, improving usability.

Developed detailed UI concepts and defined precise task statements for the UI group, ensuring complete project rendering and design fidelity.

Communication Academy Wordshop
|

Art Director

Moscow, Moscow, Russian Federation

Summary

Provided art direction expertise at a communication academy, shaping creative education and mentorship.

Highlights

Delivered art direction guidance and mentorship within a leading communication academy, fostering creative talent development.

Volunteer

Nochlezhka
|

Volunteer Designer

Saint-Petersburg, Leningrad Oblast, Russian Federation

Summary

Contributed design expertise to support non-profit initiatives for social welfare.

Highlights

Provided volunteer design services to support Nochlezhka's social programs.

Greenpeace
|

Volunteer

Moscow, Moscow, Russian Federation

Summary

Supported environmental initiatives through volunteer work.

Highlights

Actively participated in Greenpeace campaigns and initiatives, contributing to environmental protection efforts.

Education

Controforma
Helsinki, Uusimaa, Finland

Course

Service Design

Moscow Coding School
Moscow, Moscow, Russian Federation

Course

HTML/CSS Development

Awards

MadBand Feature

Awarded By

Mindsparkle Mag

Featured for 'MadBand' project on Mindsparkle Mag.

Judge on G8 Fest

Awarded By

G8 Fest

Served as one of the Greateight Judges on G8 Fest, evaluating design excellence.

Featured on Behance

Awarded By

Behance

Featured 40 times on Behance platform between 2014 and 2022, showcasing extensive portfolio recognition.

Selected for Editorial Board of Almanac

Awarded By

APD Awards

Selected for the Editorial Board of Almanac by APD Awards in both 2019 and 2021.

Awwwards

Awarded By

Awwwards

Received 3 Awwwards recognitions for outstanding digital design.

CSS Awards Showcase Featured

Awarded By

CSS Awards

Featured twice in the CSS Awards Showcase for exceptional design.

CSS Lite Featured of the Day

Awarded By

CSS Lite

Recognized twice as 'Featured of the Day' by CSS Lite.

Asia-Pacific Design Yearbook No.17

Awarded By

Sandu Publishing Co.

Featured in the Asia-Pacific Design Yearbook No.17.

Project of the Year

Awarded By

Readymag

Awarded Project of the Year by Readymag for outstanding creative work.

Russia Creativity Rating on AKAP

Awarded By

AKAP

Entered the top 20 in 2020 for the digital category in the Russia Creativity Rating.

Site of the Day

Awarded By

Mindsparkle Mag

Recognized as 'Site of the Day' by Mindsparkle Mag.

Long List

Awarded By

G8

Included in the G8 Long List for notable creative achievements.

Best Broker App

Awarded By

Investfunds Awards

Recognized for design contribution to the 'Best Broker App' by Investfunds Awards.

Asia-Pacific Design Yearbook No.15

Awarded By

Sandu Publishing Co.

Featured in the Asia-Pacific Design Yearbook No.15.

Site of the Day

Awarded By

CSS Winners

Awarded 'Site of the Day' by CSS Winners.

Winner

Awarded By

FinNext

Winner of the FinNext award for innovative financial design.

Publications

Hot Right Now - A Contemporary Landscape for Digital Thinkers: Vol.4

Published by

Awwwards Book

Summary

Contributed to Awwwards' survey and featured in their publication 'Hot Right Now', sharing insights on digital design.

Interview: An Opportunity to Create Something Beautiful

Published by

Viola Chip

Summary

Featured in an interview discussing the creative process and opportunities in design.

Interactive Design for Screen

Published by

Sandu Publishing Co., Ltd. of Guangzhou

Summary

Published work on interactive design for screen in a reputable design publication.

Excellent Branding Identity 2

Published by

Hightone Publishing Ltd. of Guangzhou

Summary

Featured in 'Excellent Branding Identity 2' showcasing exemplary branding work.

Book Touch Branding 3

Published by

Artpower International Publish Co., Ltd. of Hong Kong

Summary

Published work on branding in 'Book Touch Branding 3'.

Skills

Design Leadership

Art Direction, Team Management, Competency Matrix Development, Strategic Planning, Forecasting, Process Integration.

Product Design

UX/UI Design, Design Systems, Product Functionality Development, Object-Oriented Graph Implementation, Wireframing, Prototyping, User Experience Analysis.

Brand Strategy & Communication

Brand Building, Visual Language Development, Promotional Materials, Marketing Campaigns, Creative Concepts, PR Collaboration.

Research & Insights

Conceptual Design (R&D), Design-Driven Approach, Semiotic Field Analysis, Desk Research, User Interviews.

Project Management

Task Setting, Work Time Planning, Architectural Supervision, Project Review, Workflow Optimization.

Digital Design

Web Design, Graphic Design, CG Art Direction, 3D Design, Photography Direction, Interactive Design, HTML/CSS.

Projects

60 Portraits at Kulturhuset Theater

Summary

A project involving the stylization of 60 portraits of the theater troupe of the Kulturhuset Theater in Stockholm.

Lectures on Visual Design (MAD)

Summary

Delivered lectures on Visual Design at the British Higher School in Moscow.

Course of Digital Design Lab

Summary

Taught a course at Soft Culture in Moscow.

The Chayka Shop

Summary

Development of a personal beauty brand.