Creative Services Manager

Hy-Vee•Des Moines, IA

2d•Hybrid

About The Position

The Creative Services Manager shapes and executes creative strategy across Hy-Vee marketing initiatives, combining hands-on design and art direction with team leadership, project oversight, and collaboration with internal teams and external partners. The role translates business objectives into compelling creative and guides projects from concept through execution across digital, in-store, print, photography, and video. It also applies AI tools to improve creative quality and efficiency while maintaining accuracy and brand consistency. The position partners with the Director, Creative Services and other teams to develop creative strategies, campaign concepts, and visual direction. It leads assigned projects from brief through delivery, mentors creative contributors, helps prioritize work and resources, and provides art direction to external partners. The role supports brand standards, reviews creative for quality and accuracy, and helps plan estimates and resources; it has no direct budget authority. The position reports to the Director, Creative Services and has assigned creative team members as direct reports. This is a hybrid role with a five-day workweek: three days in the Grimes, Iowa office and two days working from home. Work involves frequent deadline pressure and management of multiple projects and priorities, primarily using a Mac computer and specified design, productivity, project-management, AI, and workflow tools, with occasional on-set photography work. Employment is contingent upon successful completion of a pre-employment drug screen.

Requirements

Commitment to the Hy-Vee mission and willingness to promote the company's values.
Strong creative judgment and ability to connect business goals, audience needs, and brand strategy to effective design and messaging.
Expertise in Adobe Creative Cloud, including InDesign, Illustrator, and Photoshop, and proficiency with Figma.
Strong knowledge of typography, layout, color, production requirements, and design systems across print and digital formats; expertise in image editing, manipulation, and color correction.
Ability to lead and develop creative teams while remaining hands-on with design.
Strong organizational and problem-solving skills; ability to prioritize projects, make decisions, and adapt to changing deadlines.
Strong interpersonal, written, and verbal communication skills; ability to present creative recommendations and collaborate across teams and with external partners.
Proficiency with Microsoft 365 and project-management tools such as Monday.com; strong file and asset management practices.
Hands-on proficiency with AI tools such as ChatGPT, Claude, and Adobe Firefly for idea development, image generation, and enhancement, including prompting, refinement, and quality review.
Four-year degree with an emphasis in graphic design, visual communications, or a related field preferred by the posting; the degree is not stated as mandatory.
Minimum of 7 years of progressive experience in graphic design, art direction, or creative services, including project leadership and mentoring creative team members.
Experience developing integrated campaigns and collaborating with internal stakeholders and external creative partners.
Portfolio demonstrating strong conceptual thinking, design execution, and creative direction across multiple channels.

Nice To Haves

Workflow automation experience.
Digital UI/UX design experience, including customer journey mapping and creating intuitive web and app experiences.
Basic animation, motion design, and video production knowledge.
Agency or design firm experience.
Four-year degree emphasizing graphic design, visual communications, or a related field.

Responsibilities

Conceptualize and design marketing assets for campaigns, retail promotions, and enterprise initiatives across in-store signage, digital advertising, email, and landing pages.
Partner with the Director, Creative Services to develop creative strategies, campaign concepts, and visual direction supporting business objectives and customer needs.
Lead assigned creative projects from brief through final delivery, including concepts, presentations, and cohesive cross-channel executions.
Guide and mentor designers and other creative contributors through actionable feedback.
Work with creative operations and project managers to prioritize work, balance resources, and identify risks to timelines or quality.
Collaborate with copywriters and marketing partners to align messaging and visual storytelling.
Partner with digital and UX teams to ensure web and app creative supports usability, customer needs, and brand consistency.
Help maintain brand standards and design systems across channels and customer touchpoints.
Provide art direction to agencies, photographers, production partners, and other external collaborators.
Help direct photography through concepts, shot lists, styling, and on-set direction; review final assets for quality and intended use.
Review creative against approved strategy, brand standards, messaging, accuracy, and production specifications; coordinate revisions before approval and production.
Stay current with design trends, emerging technologies, and AI tools; apply and share best practices for image generation, enhancement, and concept development while maintaining product accuracy, brand standards, and compliance with company guidelines.
Support project estimates and resource planning with the Director, Creative Services and appropriate teams; the role has no direct budget authority.
Maintain strict confidentiality of campaign plans, pricing, product launches, business initiatives, and personnel information.
Report to work on time and work the expected number of hours.
Perform other job-related duties and special projects as required.