Creative Manager

The Pond Guy Inc.•Armada, MI

3d•Hybrid

About The Position

We’re looking for a creative powerhouse who blends strong design expertise with a passion for growth, collaboration, and elevating others. This role is 50% hands-on design and 50% leadership, so an exceptional eye for detail and a strong creative point of view are essential. You’ll partner directly with the Marketing Director and collaborate across departments to bring ideas to life through digital and print materials.

Requirements

5+ years of experience in a professional design department, supported by a BFA or related degree
2+ years of experience in a leadership position within a design department; or equivalent project management experience
Versatile creative thinker with strong capabilities in digital and print design, branding, packaging, typography, catalog production, and retail graphics
Expert-level proficiency in Adobe Creative Suite (current CS) and confident working in a Mac environment
Sharp attention to detail with exceptional proofreading and editing accuracy
Highly organized and efficient, able to manage multiple projects, prioritize effectively by managing capacity for the team to achieve aggressive deadlines
Experience utilizing project/task management software such as Asana
Confident communicator and presenter who collaborates well with teams, provides and receives feedback constructively, and can advocate for strong design decisions
Resourceful problem-solver who delivers creative solutions within tight parameters or budget constraints
Proactive, self-driven, and genuinely passionate about design, consistently bringing energy, initiative, and pride to the work
Comfortable working with external vendors and printers, ensuring high-quality production across all deliverables
manual dexterity for typing, sitting at a desk, and looking at a computer screen for long periods of time
portions of the position may require physical activity, including lifting 25-35 pounds, standing for long periods of time, and traveling to outdoor locations working with various weather conditions
available to work between the hours of 7 a.m. and 6 p.m., Monday – Friday, with the occasional evening or Saturday for projects that must be done outside of regular business hours
Hybrid employees must meet all standards of The Pond Guy’s telecommuting policy, including required internet speeds and an appropriate home workspace, and they must live within a reasonable distance to commute to onsite activities.

Responsibilities

Responsible for overseeing all creative projects from concept and design to production, including, but not limited to, print, digital, videography, photography, illustration, and copywriting
Lead creative team project management, priorities, coordination, and delegation
Contribute as a hands-on designer, actively delivering high-quality design work alongside managing the team
Create/Develop/Maintain brand manual and ensure consistency by working with marketing team and upper management to build and maintain brand integrity throughout all digital/printed material, as well as vehicle graphics and tradeshow displays
Perform frontline review on all design work, safeguarding clarity, accuracy, and brand integrity while contributing thoughtful, constructive design critique to elevate overall creative quality
Develop and sustain a collaborative, high-performing design culture by conducting regular one-on-ones and annual/quarterly performance reviews while overseeing recruitment and training as needed
Remain open and receptive to design critique while confidently representing your own and your team’s work, advocating for strong design decisions
Conduct vendor management by working with printers from bidding to the final product; Press checks and travel may be required
Ensure management of digital assets is completed through file organization and/or DAM software