Creative Design Manager

Creative Design Manager

Cottingham & Butler seeks an experienced Creative Design Manager to drive our visual direction and personally design our highest-impact brand initiatives. You'll combine hands-on design expertise with strategic leadership, taking ownership of major projects like our brand refresh while leading and mentoring our creative team. This role requires both exceptional design skills and business acumen – ideal for a creative leader ready to shape brand strategy and drive design excellence. This role is an in-office position based in our Dubuque, Iowa office.

Your Responsibilities

Design Leadership & Hands-On Execution

• Lead and personally execute our most critical creative initiatives, including comprehensive brand refresh and major marketing campaigns
• Demonstrate strong brand vision through designing and leading high-visibility materials across digital and print platforms
• Develop and refine brand guidelines while evolving our visual identity
• Oversee complex creative projects from concept through final production, ensuring exceptional quality standards

Team Leadership & Development

• Lead, mentor, and develop our design team members in their creative and professional growth
• Provide day-to-day creative direction and guidance to team members on their projects
• Foster collaborative team environment that encourages innovation and skill development
• Manage team workload and project assignments to optimize both individual growth and team productivity

Business Strategy & Decision Making

• Make strategic decisions about visual identity, brand positioning, and overall creative approach
• Collaborate with leadership to align creative vision with business objectives
• Translate business requirements and market needs into compelling creative solutions
• Evaluate creative performance and ROI to inform future strategic decisions

What We're Looking For

Professional Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Graphic Design, Visual Communications, or related field
• 5 years of progressive design experience with demonstrated leadership capabilities
• Portfolio showcasing both individual design excellence and strategic brand thinking
• Experience managing creative teams while maintaining hands-on design involvement

Core Competencies

• Strong visual design skills with keen eye for typography, color, and composition
• Strategic mindset with ability to translate business objectives into compelling creative solutions
• Excellent communication skills for presenting concepts to stakeholders and guiding team members
• Proven project management abilities with experience handling multiple complex initiatives
• Business acumen to understand market positioning and competitive landscape

Leadership Qualities

• Collaborative approach to creative development and team management
• Decisive problem-solving skills with ability to maintain creative integrity under pressure
• Natural mentor who enjoys developing others' creative and professional abilities
• Adaptability to balance strategic planning with hands-on execution as needed

Your Place in Our Organization

• Report to our Head of Marketing, with regular visibility to executive team
• Lead and mentor our in-house design talent while encouraging their growth
• Partner with Marketing Coordinators to amplify messaging and understand business needs

Rewards That Reflect Your Value

• Salary package flexible based on your experience and expertise
• PTO and paid holidays to recharge and inspire creativity
• Comprehensive benefits, including medical, dental, and vision insurance (most benefits starting Day 1)
• Financial security through 401(k) with company match and profit-sharing opportunities
• Peace of mind with company-paid short and long-term disability and life insurance
• Maternity and parental leave programs
• On-site dining options, fitness center, and childcare center for better work-life integration
• Subsidized parking to simplify your daily commute

If you are looking for an opportunity to shape the future direction of our creative capabilities, we want to meet you.

About Cottingham & Butler:

At Cottingham & Butler, we sell a promise to help our clients through life’s toughest moments. To deliver on that promise, we aim to hire, train, and grow the best professionals in the industry. We look for people with an insatiable desire to succeed, are committed to growing, and thrive on challenges. Our culture is guided by the theme of “better every day” constantly pushing ourselves to be better than yesterday – that’s who we are and what we believe in.

As an organization, we are tremendously optimistic about the future and have incredibly high expectations for our people and our performance. Our ability to grow as a company, fuels investments in new resources to better serve our clients and provide the amazing career opportunities our employees want and deserve. This is why we are a growth company and why we are committed to being better every day. 

Want to learn more? Follow us on www.CottinghamButler.com | LinkedIn | Facebook