Graphic Design Manager

Job Description

Position Title: Manager, Graphic Design
Primary Location: Kalamazoo, MI
Reports to: Senior Manager, Graphic Design
Summary: The Manager, Graphic Design manages the creative execution for one or more brands and/or product groupings within a brand, from project initiation through asset delivery. In this role, you lead the creative development and execution of the brand’s guidelines and all related marketing materials, the visual assets management and the quality control, as well as the project coordination. The Manager, Graphic Design manages a team of designers, production specialists and project coordinators, and is responsible for attracting, developing and retaining creative design talents, internal and/or external resources. The Manager, Graphic Design partners with marketing and industrial design teams and domain peers to build a creative center of excellence within Newell Brands.
Responsibilities:
• Works collaboratively with brand and channel teams to understand the marketing projects and campaigns.
• Evaluates the content contained in all creative briefs as submitted, ensuring content and information of the brief is validated at the proper level of the brand and/or channel teams prior to project activation in the creative design team.
• Assigns appropriate designer/design team to execute against the request.
• Guides translation of the strategy and needs assessment information into visual execution plans.
• Brings to life the visual articulation (style and tone) of the strategy.
• Adheres to the established brand visual identity and related creative directions, ensuring consistency with brand positioning.
• Develops the brand style guide together with the creative design team, including logo, product branding, typography, packaging, photography, video, e-business and activation materials.
• Participates in brainstorming sessions with creative design peers as needed to generate creative ideas.
• Presents creative concepts with rationale to project teams.
• Collaborates with Production Specialist to find best solution for optimal print results.
• Manages day-to-day activities of agencies and related vendor relationships, holds agency partners accountable to program goals
• Effectively managing multiple resources to deliver a broad range of projects within a segment
Qualifications:
• University degree or college diploma in graphic design, art or related field. Bachelor degree preferred.
• 8+ years of experience in a creative/graphic design position.
• Experience in the creative development and related executions for a brand.
• Experience in leading projects from concept to completion.
• Highly detail-oriented.
• Passionate about design and knowledgeable about the industry, trends, and marketplace.
• Exceptional written, verbal and visual communication skills.
• Excellent presentation skills.
• Pragmatic with excellent problem solving and decision-making skills. • Strong interpersonal skills with ability to:
– Demonstrate passion for a brand and infuse other people with that passion.
– Drive consensus, foster creative collaboration.
– lead meetings and brainstorming sessions.
– Work directly with both internal and external partners in a fast-paced, high-volume environment.
• Strong time management skills. Demonstrates a high degree of flexibility within tight deadlines.
• Strong business acumen.
• Communication Design: Capable of assisting the development of multiple graphic solutions. Understands the process of divergent ideation and convergent filtering to support these solutions.
• Typography and Letterforms: Understands and applies foundational principles of typographic form and structure in support of cohesive design proposals. Ability to select and use fonts effectively based on the application. Capable of connecting successful typographic with desired brand outcomes. Must be able of demonstrating typographic fit within platform thinking.
• Digital Tools: Proficient in core graphic design programming, i.e. Adobe Creative Suite. Leverages digital tools to visualize and evolve concepts to approved designs. Working knowledge of asset formats, qualities and appropriate applications of each. Capable of creating production ready files of final designs.
• Design Architecture: Develops frameworks for information as part of design process. Supports story/message through design architecture. Establishes visual hierarchies to define different types of content.
• Narrative Sketching: Ability to develop multiple visual concepts for initial design exploration that includes a wide variety of cross functional inputs. Adept at basic storytelling and visual translation of story into cohesive graphic strategy. Understands how to design information based on need.
• Art Direction: Functional with all basic graphic design principles, color, typography, grids, Conversant in design elements and best practices.
• Color Theory: Capability of recommending color families based of brand intent. Capability of developing graphic solutions leveraging color as a primary component. Applies color appropriately within existing color systems. Capable of reading color issues and knowing how to appropriately adjust.
• Visual Interaction: Communicates effectively with visuals and type. Employs production techniques and materials to create impactful designs. Understands production and designs for best results.
• Fundamentals of Illustration: A deep understanding for illustrative mediums and how they are developed.
A knowledge of prominent illustrators and how their work has influenced business.
• Package Design: Designs for impact in competitive environment. Working knowledge of materials and properties to achieve desired results. Collaborates effectively with packaging production experts
for optimal outcomes.#LI-CN1
Newell Brands (NASDAQ: NWL) is a leading global consumer goods company with a strong portfolio of well-known brands, including Paper Mate, Sharpie, Dymo, EXPO, Parker, Elmers, Coleman, Marmot, Oster, Sunbeam, FoodSaver, Mr. Coffee, Graco, Baby Jogger, NUK, Calphalon, Rubbermaid, Contigo, First Alert, and Yankee Candle. For hundreds of millions of consumers, Newell Brands makes life better every day, where they live, learn, work and play. Newell Brands and its subsidiaries are Equal OpportunityEmployers and comply with applicable employment laws. EOE/M/F/Vet/Disabled are encouraged to apply.