Manager, Creative

Job Title

Manager, Creative

Agency

Texas A&M University

Department

Marketing & Communications

Proposed Minimum Salary

Commensurate

Job Location

College Station, Texas

Job Type

Staff

Job Description

Our Commitment

Texas A&M University is committed to enriching the learning and working environment for all visitors, students, faculty, and staff by promoting a culture that embraces inclusion, diversity, equity, and accountability.  Diverse perspectives, talents, and identities are vital to accomplishing our mission and living our core values .

Who We Are

The Division of Marketing & Communications tells the story of Texas A&M and promotes and protects the Texas A&M brand. We achieve our goals through:

• Messaging - We work with peers across campus to develop, distribute and assess messaging about Texas A&M's global impact in preparing future generations of leaders and improving lives through discovery and outreach.

• Branding - We maintain the University Brand Guidelines and provide tools and resources for our campus partners.

• Brand Oversight - We oversee licensing, trademark management and corporate business development relationships to maximize their commercial benefit to the university.

For more information, please visit us at https://marcomm.tamu.edu/

What We Want

The Creative Manager, under direction of the executive director, provides leadership and strategic direction for various branding, marketing and communications needs of the university. Performs expert-level graphic design, marketing, and consultation work. Provides oversight for content development for internal and external uses and mediums, including photography, social media and multimedia. Manages a team of graphic designers and work request system.   The selected candidate will subscribe to and support our commitment to Inclusion, Diversity, Equity and Accountability as stated above. If this job description sounds interesting to you, we invite you to apply to be considered for this opportunity.

What You Need to Know

Salary: Compensation will be commensurate to selected hire's experience.

Cover Letter/Resume: A cover letter and resume are strongly recommended. You may upload these documents on the application under CV/Resume.

Employees Supervised: All employees on the creative team

Required Education & Experience:

• Bachelor’s Degree in Graphics Design, Fine Arts, or equivalent combination of education and experience.

• Five years of related experience in graphic design, web development, print and electronic media, marketing or related design field.

Required Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:

• Ability to multi-task and work cooperatively with others.

• Expert skill level using Adobe Creative Suite, including Illustrator, Photoshop, InDesign, and AfterEffects.

• Expertise in project management software/processes.

• Knowledge of word processing, presentation, and spreadsheet type programs.

• Expert knowledge of design principles and website design principles.

• Expert knowledge of UI/UX principles.

• Ability to create print specifications, obtain print bids, prep files for printing, oversee proofing and production, and perform press checks.

 

Preferred Education & Experience:

• Bachelor’s Degree in a Design or Communications related field, including Communication, Design, Visualization, or Marketing.

• Six years' experience in design, including print and online media.

• Experience working in the marketing and communications field.

• Experience working within brand guides or standards.

• Experience creating animated video in AfterEffects or similar program.

• Expert knowledge of project management with experience using a project management tool.

• Experience building simple web elements in html/css, using WordPress templates, and building templates in email programs, such as Maestro or Emma.

Preferred Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:

• Expert knowledge of principles of Responsive Web Design, processes and wireframing.

• Expert understanding of visual strategy for social media.

• Excellent time management skills.

• Ability to lead and manage large design campaigns.

• Ability to manage/mentor junior members of team and work request system.

 

Responsibilities

• Creative Team Leadership and Supervision - Oversees the creative team in development and implementation of comprehensive, university-level, strategic communication programs. Manages all aspects of assigned projects, including concepts, timelines, budgets, communications, deadlines, and quality control. Proactively coordinates meetings when appropriate in order to keep projects on track and ahead of schedule. Maintains up-to-date knowledge of printing processes, vendors, purchasing and other resources. Serves as gate-keeper/quality control of professional design standards. In coordination with the executive director, provides feedback and direction in the iterative design processes as appropriate. 

• Project Management and Customer Service - Works closely with various vendors and other communications staff to ensure timeliness and quality of final products. Proactively coordinates project meetings and completes all tasks and projects on time or ahead of schedule. Utilizes the team's project management and work request system to manage projects, gather and report data. Ensures that working files as well as completed files are available in the appropriate cloud service. Reviews printing specifications and job costing data. Works with vendors. Evaluates and recommends equipment purchases. Develop relationships with customers and team members across the university. Respond to requests from customers in a timely and professional manner. Keep executive director and team informed on a regular basis about the status of a project.

• Brand Strategy, Direction and Oversight - Provides strategic direction and oversight of the design and development processes for integrated communication campaigns and marketing projects involving photography, graphic design, websites, social media, and other digital platforms, and printed materials. Researches and develops tools that aid in the development and design of graphic design projects. Collaborates with copywriter to provide creative direction for content development. Integrates and aligns print and electronic media to comply with style and branding guidelines. Demonstrates proficiency across Adobe CC and additional applications as appropriate. Represents the creative team when necessary, with presentations, design briefs and metrics. Performs other duties as assigned.

 

​Instructions to Applicants: Applications received by Texas A&M University must either have all job application data entered or a resume attached. Failure to provide all job application data or a complete resume could result in an invalid submission and a rejected application. We encourage all applicants to upload a resume or use a LinkedIn profile to pre-populate the online application.

 

All positions are security-sensitive. Applicants are subject to a criminal history investigation, and employment is contingent upon the institution’s verification of credentials and/or other information required by the institution’s procedures, including the completion of the criminal history check.

Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action/Veterans/Disability Employer committed to diversity.