Manager – Creative Services

JOB SUMMARY

The Manager - Creative Services - is a hands-on leader responsible for the McCallum Theatre’s visual identity and the execution of its institutional rebranding. This role bridges the gap between strategy and creative production, overseeing a team of designers to deliver high-volume marketing campaigns on time and within budget.

The ideal candidate is a seasoned practitioner who can balance high-level art direction with daily design tasks, vendor negotiation, and cross-departmental project management.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

1. Rebranding & Brand Management

• Rebrand Project Lead: Serve as the primary lead for the Theatre’s rebranding; develop and implement a modernized visual identity.
• Creative Direction: Set the visual tone for all institutional branding, marketing campaigns, and donor-facing materials.
• Brand Stewardship: Establish and enforce brand guidelines to ensure consistency across all departments and platforms.

2. Design & Production

• Lead Designer: Personally conceptualize and execute design projects, including season brochures, major fundraising gala collateral, and marquee performance branding.
• Multi-Platform Content: Produce professional-grade assets across print (posters, programs, signage) and digital (social media graphics, email campaigns, web assets).
• Efficient Execution: Balance high-concept artistry with the ability to work fast, producing "rapid-response" graphics for in-house, Development, Education and ticket sales.

3. Team Management & Work Allocation

• Supervision: Lead and mentor the internal design team, freelance designers, and interns.
• Workflow Management: Use Smartsheet to allocate tasks, manage workloads, and ensure the team meets all deadlines.
• Quality Control: Review all creative output from the team to ensure it meets the new institutional brand standards.

4. Project Management & Collaboration

• Department Liaison: Act as the creative point of contact for Marketing, Development, Education, and Executive Leadership.
• Priority Coordination: Manage the creative production calendar, navigating the conflicting priorities of multiple departments with diplomatic but firm project management.
• Traffic Control: Track dozens of concurrent projects from initial intake through final internal approval and delivery.

5. Vendor Negotiation & Production Oversight

• Vendor Management: Source and negotiate with print and production vendors to secure competitive pricing and high-quality results.
• Technical Production: Prepare complex, print-ready files and oversee the proofing process for large scale projects like the season brochure.
• Budget Management: Manage the production budget and reconcile all print-related expenses with the Finance department.

SKILLS & QUALIFICATIONS

· Bachelor’s degree in graphic design, Marketing, Communications, or related field, or

· Minimum 5 years of professional design and creative project management experience; experience in the performing arts, nonprofit, or agency sector strongly preferred

· Advanced proficiency in Adobe Creative Suite (InDesign, Illustrator, Photoshop)

· Proficient in Canva for creating on-brand graphics, templates, and collaborative content across teams

· Experience designing and executing email marketing campaigns using platforms such as Prospect2, Constant Contact or Mailchimp; familiarity with segmentation, A/B testing, and performance tracking

· Exceptional design portfolio demonstrating mastery in layout, branding, and visual storytelling

· Deep knowledge of print production and pre-press standards

· Experience managing print production budgets and reconciling vendor invoices in coordination with finance and development teams

· Ability to manage multiple projects simultaneously and work under tight deadlines

· Strong interpersonal skills and the ability to communicate clearly with cross-functional teams, vendors, and executive leadership

· Experience developing campaigns that support marketing, education and development goals

· Familiarity with social media platforms, email marketing tools, and web asset creation

· Passion for the performing arts and commitment to the mission of McCallum Theatre or similar arts organizations

TOOLS & PLATFORMS

• Smartsheet – for project timelines, approval workflows, and cross-departmental coordination
• Adobe Creative Cloud (InDesign, Illustrator, Photoshop) – advanced proficiency in professional print and digital design
• Canva Pro – skilled in brand-aligned, templated design for rapid asset creation and team collaboration
• Prospect2 – for designing, scheduling, and analyzing targeted email marketing campaigns
• Microsoft Office Suite – for internal communications, presentations, and project documentation
• Google Workspace (Docs, Sheets, Drive) – for collaborative content planning and file transfer with McCallum Theatre’s education department
• Dropbox – for organized file management and sharing creative assets
• SmugMug – for managing the Theatre’s photography library and sourcing imagery for campaigns
• Print Vendor Portals & Proofing Systems – comfortable coordinating file delivery, print specs, and pre-press approvals
• WordPress – website content management

90-Day Review

This position is subject to a 90-day review to assess performance and position fit.

Physical Demands

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Must possess strength, stamina, and mobility to perform light to medium physical work; vision to read printed materials and a computer screen and hearing and speech to communicate in person and over the telephone or radio. Finger dexterity is needed to access, enter, and retrieve data using a computer, keyboard, tools and equipment. Incumbents in this classification sit, bend, stoop and reach. Ability to lift 10 pounds is necessary for moving materials when necessary. Candidates must possess the ability to lift, carry, push, and pull materials with assistance and/or the use of proper equipment.

N=Never Not present F=Frequently: Occurs 1/3-2/3 of time

O=Occasionally: Occurs 1/3 of time C=Constantly: Occurs 2/3 or more

Physical Demands

This position requires the ability to perform the following physical activities:

• Sitting: F
• Walking: O
• Climbing and balancing: N
• Stooping and twisting: O
• Kneeling: O
• Squatting: O
• Crawling: N
• Pushing and pulling: O
• Reaching: O
• Gripping: N
• Keyboarding: C
• Pinching: N
• Neck rotation and extension: O

Lifting and Carrying Requirements

The employee must be able to lift and/or carry:

• Up to 10 pounds: F
• 11–25 pounds: N
• 26–50 pounds: N
• 51–75 pounds: N
• 75–100 pounds: N
• Over 100 pounds: N

Environmental Conditions

The position may involve exposure to the following conditions:

• Uneven ground: NO
• Excessive noise: NO
• Extreme temperatures: NO
• Working at heights: NO
• Noise exposure exceeding 90 dBA during an 8-hour workday: NO

Physical Demands Definitions

Physical Demands Specific physical activities required to perform a job as defined in the position description.

Essential Functions Fundamental job duties of the position as defined by the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).

Specific Physical Demands

Sitting Remaining in a seated position.

Standing Remaining on one’s feet in an upright position at workstation without moving about. Not type of surface

Walking Moving about on one’s feet. Note type of surface/irregularities

Climbing Ascending or descending ladders, stairs, scaffolding, ramps, etc., using feet and legs, or hands and arms. Note in terms of steepness, height, surface type.

Balancing Maintaining body equilibrium to prevent falling.

Stooping Bending downward and forward by bending spine at the waist, re requiring full use of lower extremities and back muscles.

Twisting Includes lateral rotation of the trunk and spine.

Kneeling Bending legs at knees to come to rest on knee or knees.

Squatting Bending body downward and forward by bending spine at the waist, requiring full use of the lower extremities and back muscles.

Crawling Moving about on hands and knees or hands and feet. Note surface type, distance,

Push/Pull Exerting force upon an object so that the object moves away or toward the force.

Reaching Extending hand(s) and arm(s) in any direction, such as overhead, below waist, forward or lateral.

Gripping Seizing, holding, grasping, turning, or otherwise working with hands. Fingers involved only to extent that they are an extension of hand, Includes dimple or forceful grasping.

Pinching Picking, pinching or otherwise working primarily with fingers rather than the whole hand.

Keyboard Repetitive finger motion to press keys.

Neck Rotation Forward flexion, extension or lateral rotation of the head and neck.

Foot Use Repetitive or prolonged movement of the foot and ankle.

Visual Acuity Near-Visual acuity with clarity at 20 inches or less

Far-Visual acuity with clarity at 20 feet or more

Lifting Raising or lowering an object from one level to another-includes upward pulling.

Carrying Transporting an object, usually holding in the hands/arms or on shoulders.

Noise Exposure to noise levels greater than 90 dbe per eight *8) hour workday) as per OSHA requirements.

WORK ENVIRONMENT

This position operates within a professional, non-profit performing arts theatre and its surrounding exterior grounds. The work environment includes indoor spaces such as the theatre, lobby, backstage areas, and occasionally outdoor spaces like the facility grounds. The role requires flexibility to work during theatre events, including evenings, weekends, and holidays, as necessary.

WORK AUTHORIZATION/SECURITY CLEARANCE

Proof of eligibility to work in the United States
Criminal, Civil background check will be performed

An equal opportunity employer/Drug Free Workplace

AAP/EEO Statement

McCallum Theatre provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment and prohibits discrimination and harassment of any type without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, national origin, disability status, genetics, protected veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state, or local laws. This policy applies to all terms and conditions of employment, including recruiting, hiring, placement, promotion, termination, layoff, recall, transfer, leaves of absence, compensation, and training.

ABOUT THE MCCALLUM THEATRE

Located in Palm Desert, California, the McCallum Theatre is a renowned non-profit performing arts theater dedicated to enriching the cultural life of the community through a diverse program of world-class entertainment, arts education, and community engagement. Our mission is to provide a world-class platform for artists while enhancing cultural experiences for our patrons and supporting our local community. To learn more, visit www.McCallumTheatre.org.

Palm Desert, California

The City of Palm Desert was incorporated in 1973 and today numbers more than 50,000 year-round residents. It is centrally located in the heart of the Coachella Valley in southeastern Riverside County. Known as the educational, cultural, and retail center of the desert communities, it is only 125 miles east of Los Angeles and 15 miles east of Palm Springs. The key industries are hospitality, tourism, service, and retail.

A major center of growth in the Palm Springs area, Palm Desert is a popular retreat for "snowbirds" from colder climates (the Eastern and Northern United States, and Canada), who swell its population by an estimated 31,000 each winter. Recently, Palm Desert has seen an increase in residents becoming "full-timers", mainly from the coasts and urban centers of California, who have come for affordable yet high-valued home prices.

TO APPLY

Please submit a resume and brief cover letter to Human Resources at hr@mccallum-theatre.org with the subject line: Manager Creative Services – [Your Name].

Pay: $80,000.00 - $90,000.00 per year

Benefits:

• 401(k)
• 401(k) matching
• Dental insurance
• Health insurance
• Life insurance
• Paid time off
• Vision insurance

Work Location: In person

Salary : $80,000 - $90,000