LEAD DESIGNER

Responsibilities

• Direct and mentor the creative team and provide support, training, and leadership.
• Engage with sales management and sales teams to provide creative visual design solutions for customers.
• Collaborate with editorial, events, and marketing departments to manage print and digital products and timelines.
• Maintain a ‘customer-comes-first’ environment with a proactive commitment to internal and external customer service.
• Preserve confidentiality of all advertising and unpublished materials.
• Establish and maintain procedures for department organization and quality.
• Coordinate production and advertising deadlines for products.
• Direct the creation of ads and preflight customer-supplied ads for print and digital publications.
• Create high-quality graphics and visually engaging publications for designated printers or digital platforms.
• Create engaging logos and materials to support the publication’s events department.
• Maintain a working knowledge of offset web press and sheet-fed press processes.
• Design social media content and keep websites up-to-date with appropriate graphics and art support.
• Ensure maximum effectiveness of the creative services budget.
• Assist with technology recommendations, troubleshoot, and evaluate solutions.
• Mentor graphic designers on product and process improvements while encouraging individual growth.
• Assist in the annual budgeting process.
• Actively lead and participate in the Great Game of Business.
• Execute or delegate miscellaneous job-related duties.

Qualifications

Behavior: Behaves as a professional creative leader who acts consistent with the company’s vision, mission, core values, and culture. Shows enthusiasm for the business and industry. Is dependable, approachable, and resourceful while being a good communicator. Able to work calmly under pressure while outputting high-quality work. Maintains strong communication skills when interacting with all levels of employee-owners.

Skills

• Able to operate Macintosh computers with Adobe Creative Cloud software (including InDesign, Photoshop, Illustrator, and Acrobat).
• Skilled at visual composition, creating original designs, and modifying existing raster and vector graphics.
• Understands Macintosh computers and graphic design software to support the department.
• Coordinates priorities and is attentive to details while setting and adhering to deadlines.
• Able to troubleshoot ad-related issues and train creative and sales teams on best practices.
• Knowledge of Google programs (Gmail, Google Meet, Google Sheets, Google Docs).
• Knowledge of PowerPoint.

Requirements

• Associate or Bachelor's degree in graphic design or related field.
• Minimum three years of experience in ad design and publication layout (print and website).