Graphic Design Manager
Four Seasons Heating, Air Conditioning, Plumbing, & Electric · Chicago, IL · 1 wk ago
Art & CreativeFull-time
Responsibilities
- Lead the day-to-day graphic design function, producing and overseeing visual assets for paid social, digital display, direct mail, print collateral, web, email, OTT, and internal communications.
- Manage, direct, and quality-check the work of multiple fractional creative specialists and contractors, ensuring all deliverables meet brand standards, creative briefs, and deadlines.
- Maintain and enforce brand consistency across all visual outputs, serving as the guardian of Four Seasons’ visual identity and design system.
- Collaborate closely with the Creative Director and broader marketing team to translate campaign strategies and creative concepts into polished, production-ready design assets.
- Manage the creative production calendar and design workflows, prioritizing and balancing multiple concurrent projects and competing deadlines across channels.
- Leverage AI-powered design tools (e.g., Adobe Firefly, Midjourney, Canva AI, or similar) to accelerate production timelines, generate concepts, and expand the team’s output capacity.
- Prepare final files for production and delivery across all media types, ensuring correct specs, formats, and quality for print vendors, media partners, and digital platforms.
- Cook up with external vendors, print houses, and production partners to ensure accurate and on-time delivery of physical and digital creative assets.
- Support TV commercial and video production with motion graphics, title cards, lower thirds, and other design elements as needed.
- Identify and implement process improvements to increase the efficiency, speed, and quality of the design production pipeline.
- Stay current on design trends, tools, and best practices, especially AI-driven creative technologies, to keep the team’s output fresh, competitive, and efficient.
- Contribute to internal communications and employer branding projects, including employee-facing campaigns and event materials.
Qualifications
- 7–12+ years of graphic design experience with at least 2 years in a management or team lead role; home services, trades, or high-volume consumer services experience is a strong plus.
- Strong portfolio demonstrating expertise across digital design, print production, and multimedia assets including social media, direct mail, web, and display advertising.
- Proven experience managing freelancers, fractional creatives, or contractors, including assigning work, providing feedback, and ensuring quality and on-time delivery.
- Demonstrated ability to manage multiple projects and competing deadlines simultaneously in a fast-paced, high-output environment without sacrificing quality.
- Strong proficiency with AI-powered design tools (e.g., Midjourney, Adobe Firefly, Canva AI, or similar) and experience integrating AI into day-to-day design workflows.
- Expert-level skills in Adobe Creative Suite (Photoshop, Illustrator, InDesign) and proficiency in Figma, Canva, or other modern design platforms.
- Strong understanding of print production processes, file preparation, color management, and vendor coordination.
- Experience with basic motion graphics or video editing (After Effects, Premiere Pro) is a plus.
- Excellent communication and collaboration skills; comfortable working cross-functionally with marketing, operations, and external partners.
- Self-starter mentality with a bias toward action; able to anticipate needs, flag issues early, and keep design projects moving forward without constant oversight.