Executive Director of Graphic Design

University of Kentucky – Marketing and Brand Strategy | Lexington, KY | Full-time | $95,826-162,947/year

About the Role

The University of Kentucky is seeking an Executive Director of Graphic Design to lead enterprise-wide graphic design services within the Division of Marketing & Strategic Communication. This leadership role guides the creative vision, operations, and delivery of graphic design services across the university, ensuring design work is strategically aligned, visually consistent, and reflective of the university's mission and brand. The Executive Director will collaborate with teams embedded throughout colleges, administrative units, UK HealthCare, and Athletics.

Responsibilities

• Establish and lead the university's graphic design strategy and visual standards
• Serve as the senior authority for design quality, brand integrity, and creative execution
• Provide direction and final review for high-profile and strategically important projects
• Lead, mentor, and develop a distributed team of approximately 30 designers
• Oversee project intake, workflow management, prioritization, and resource allocation
• Manage design service operations, performance metrics, budgeting, and process improvements
• Partner with campus leaders to align creative initiatives with institutional priorities
• Promote enterprise-wide consistency through governance, standards, and best practices

Requirements

• Bachelor's degree
• 8 years of related experience in graphic design leadership, brand management, and creative direction
• Strong leadership and talent development skills
• Experience managing creative teams and large-scale design operations
• Ability to balance strategic vision with operational execution
• Strong project management, communication, and stakeholder engagement skills
• Experience implementing processes that improve efficiency, quality, and service delivery

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience leading creative teams, design operations, or major creative initiatives within a complex organization
• Demonstrated ability to establish and uphold brand standards, provide creative direction, evaluate design quality, and guide the work of other creative professionals
• Experience managing multiple priorities, clients, or stakeholder groups simultaneously
• Experience in higher education, healthcare, athletics, nonprofit, agency, corporate, governmental, or similarly complex environments

Skills & Knowledge

• Strong graphic design knowledge and visual communication skills
• Ability to provide creative direction and evaluate design quality
• Brand stewardship and visual identity management
• Leadership, coaching, and development of creative professionals
• Strategic thinking and sound decision-making
• Project prioritization and workflow management
• Strong communication and relationship-building skills
• Experience managing multiple priorities in a complex environment
• Knowledge of accessibility, usability, and contemporary design best practices

Benefits

This role offers meaningful impact by shaping how the university presents itself to audiences across Kentucky and beyond. Additional benefits include:

• Executive leadership opportunity to influence brand strategy and creative direction at an enterprise level
• Creative influence through high-visibility projects across academics, healthcare, athletics, and administration
• Collaborative environment with communicators, marketers, designers, and university leaders
• UK's exceptional benefits package

Schedule

• Monday-Friday, 8:00am-5:00pm, with flexibility for additional evening, weekend, or holiday hours as needed

Pay

$95,826-162,947/year