ZipRecruiter

Log In

1

Design Manager Jobs in Bellingham, WA (NOW HIRING)

Era Contracing, LLC

Be Seen First

CAD/BIM Design Specialist

Ferndale, WA · On-site

$25 - $29/hr

We are seeking a dependable and motivated CAD/BIM Design Specialist to support our Design ... Ability to manage multiple projects and deadlines simultaneously * Excellent written and verbal ...

ShelfGenie

Sales and Design Consultant

Bellingham, WA · On-site

Selling tools and support - 3D design software, CRM system, and demo kit * An amazing team that you can ALWAYS turn to for support ShelfGenie of Seattle just won the 2023 Best in the PNW Gold Award ...

next page

Showing results 1-20

All JobsDesign JobsDesign Manager JobsDesign Manager Jobs in Bellingham, WA

Design Manager information

See Bellingham, WA salary details

$43.7K

$119K

$209.4K

How much do design manager jobs pay per year?

As of Jul 26, 2026, the average yearly pay for design manager in Bellingham, WA is $119,002.00, according to ZipRecruiter salary data. Most workers in this role earn between $86,800.00 and $149,700.00 per year, depending on experience, location, and employer.

What Does a Design Manager in Construction Do?

A design manager oversees a design team during a project and typically works in the construction and architecture industries. As a design manager, you may work for specialty companies that contract out to construction firms on a per-project basis. Or, you may spend your career working as an in-house design manager for a construction company or architect firm. Regardless of the location of your job as a design manager, your duties revolve around supervising the design of a building project and include adhering to legislation and codes, eliminating safety and financial risks, and advising clients during development.

How does a Design Manager typically balance creative vision with project deadlines and client expectations?

A Design Manager is responsible for guiding their team's creative direction while ensuring projects are delivered on time and within budget. This often means carefully prioritizing tasks, setting clear milestones, and communicating regularly with clients and stakeholders to manage expectations. They serve as a bridge between creative teams and project managers, helping to resolve conflicts and maintain a productive workflow. By fostering open collaboration and providing constructive feedback, Design Managers help ensure both the creative vision and practical project requirements are met.

What are Design Managers?

Design Managers are professionals responsible for overseeing the design process within a project or organization. They coordinate and lead design teams, ensure design objectives align with business goals, and manage timelines, budgets, and resources. Design Managers often act as a bridge between creative teams and other departments, facilitating communication and ensuring that the final product meets both aesthetic and functional requirements. Their role can span across industries such as architecture, graphic design, product design, and digital media.

What is the difference between Design Manager vs Graphic Designer?

AspectDesign ManagerGraphic Designer
Required CredentialsBachelor's degree in design, management experienceBachelor's degree in graphic design or related field
Work EnvironmentLeads design teams, oversees projectsCreates visual content, works independently or in teams
Industry UsageUsed in corporate, agency, and studio settingsCommon in advertising, publishing, branding

The main difference between a Design Manager and a Graphic Designer lies in their responsibilities and scope. Design Managers oversee design teams and strategic project planning, while Graphic Designers focus on creating visual content. Both roles require relevant design credentials, but Design Managers also need leadership experience. Understanding these distinctions helps in choosing the right career path or job search focus.

What are the key skills and qualifications needed to thrive as a Design Manager, and why are they important?

To thrive as a Design Manager, you need a strong background in design principles, project management, and leadership, typically supported by a degree in design or a related field and several years of design experience. Familiarity with design software such as Adobe Creative Suite, Figma, and project management tools like Asana or Trello is essential. Exceptional communication, team leadership, and problem-solving skills help distinguish top performers in this role. These skills and qualities are crucial for effectively leading creative teams, delivering high-quality design outcomes, and meeting client or organizational goals.
More about Design Manager jobs
What are the most commonly searched types of Design jobs in Bellingham, WA? The most popular types of Design jobs in Bellingham, WA are:
What are popular job titles related to Design Manager jobs in Bellingham, WA? For Design Manager jobs in Bellingham, WA, the most frequently searched job titles are:
What job categories do people searching Design Manager jobs in Bellingham, WA look for? The top searched job categories for Design Manager jobs in Bellingham, WA are:
What cities near Bellingham, WA are hiring for Design Manager jobs? Cities near Bellingham, WA with the most Design Manager job openings:
Design Manager jobs near you
Infographic showing various Design Manager job openings in Bellingham, WA as of July 2026, with employment types broken down into 82% Full Time, 15% Part Time, and 3% Contract. Highlights an 85% Physical, 4% Hybrid, and 11% Remote job distribution, with an average salary of $119,002 per year, or $57.2 per hour.
Senior Design Engineer

Senior Design Engineer

Herrera Environmental Consultants, Inc.

Bellingham, WA • On-site

$152K - $191K/yr

Full-time

Medical, Dental, Vision, Life, Retirement, PTO

Posted 14 days ago

Job description

We are Herrera
Envision yourself at a growing, employee-owned company that inspires and empowers you to deliver your best performance while making a difference in the world.
We are Herrera, a science, planning, and design consulting firm dedicated to working with clients to develop holistic solutions that provide social and environmental benefit. We protect the environment every day by providing a diverse range of consulting services to cities, counties, state and federal agencies, Tribes, non-profits, and private clients throughout Washington, Oregon, California, Montana, Wyoming, Alaska, and western Canada.
For over 40 years, Herrera has cultivated a collaborative, caring, and values-driven culture that empowers our employee-owners to achieve excellence while ensuring we have fun along the way. By providing our employee-owners with the autonomy to pursue their professional interests and through encouraging them to grow, we benefit from high employee-owner retention that contributes to our longstanding partnerships with clients.
Our Values
  • Treat everyone with respect and dignity, always.
  • Insist on integrity, objectivity, and social and environmental ethics in our work.
  • Act as stewards of the environment upon which we depend.
  • Research and outreach, learn and teach.
  • Employee owners, employee leaders.
Your Opportunity
Herrera seeks an engineer with 15 or more years of professional experience, leadership, and expertise in designing projects in natural environments. You will participate in establishing and implementing strategic initiatives and work as part of integrated planning and design teams with ecologists, landscape architects, engineers, and scientists to develop multi-disciplinary projects in sensitive ecological settings. You will lead or support a variety of restoration, mitigation, flood risk reduction, infrastructure protection, and stormwater management for public and private clients throughout the Western United States. You will also provide guidance and mentorship to teams and individuals.
Typical types of projects this position may support or lead include:
  • River and stream habitat restoration and enhancement and bank stabilization design
  • Developing plans, specifications, and cost estimate packages for civil engineering projects
  • Fish passage improvements
  • Coastal engineering and habitat restoration design
  • Planning and design for green infrastructure and nature-based solutions
  • Flood management planning and design
Minimum Qualifications
Education, Experience, & Licensure/Certifications
  • 15 years of professional experience in the development of design and construction documents for multidisciplinary civil engineering projects in sensitive ecological settings
  • Bachelor's degree in civil or environmental engineering
  • A current professional engineer (PE) license in Washington or Oregon, or ability to readily obtain one within six months
  • Experience leading teams in the development of civil engineering designs including the preparation of calculations, technical reports, plans, specifications, and cost estimates, and other design documents
  • Experience preparing proposals and developing scopes of work and budgets for civil engineering design projects
  • Experience identifying, evaluating, and responding to Requests for Proposals and other business development opportunities
Knowledge, Skills, & Abilities
  • Familiarity with public agency capital project delivery processes
  • Ability to multi-task and work with a fast-paced team of interdisciplinary staff working on several concurrent projects in a variety of jurisdictions
  • Excellent communication (verbal and written) and interpersonal skills
  • Strong decision-making skills
  • A current driver's license
Preferred Qualifications
  • Master's degree in civil engineering or environmental engineering
  • Experience as a project manager and the client's primary point of contact with the proven ability to effectively manage and motivate multiple project teams
  • Experience developing and executing on a strategic business development plan
  • Experience with fish passage analysis and the hydraulic design of roadway culverts and bridges
  • Experience providing construction oversight and providing design services during construction
  • Experience with hydrologic analysis and modeling techniques
  • Experience with civil engineering design for surface water management projects including grading, drainage, temporary erosion control and water management, and integration with environmental critical areas requirements and landscape architecture design elements
  • Environmental permit application experience in Western states (e.g., state and federal permits for in-water work, local agency permits for grading, erosion control, etc.)
  • Proficiency with Bluebeam, AutoCAD, and/or Civil 3D
  • Experience with field data collection and equipment
Other specific training and professional organization affiliations should be noted in the applicant's resume and/or cover letter.We are proud to support our employee-owners by offering the following compensation and benefits:
  • This position is salaried and exempt from overtime; the annual salary range is $152,100 - $191,600
  • Flexible hybrid work culture
  • Medical/prescription drug/dental/vision insurance for employees and dependents; employees covered at no cost on base plan with buy-up options available; company contribution for dependents
  • Section 125 flexible benefits plans - healthcare and dependent care
  • Company-paid life insurance for employees; option to purchase additional life insurance for employees and dependents at employees' expense
  • Company-paid long term disability insurance for employees; option to purchase short-term disability insurance at employees' expense
  • Employee Assistance Program (EAP)
  • Employee Stock Ownership Plan (ESOP) - we are 100% employee owned!
  • 401(k) retirement plan
  • Paid vacation, accrued bi-weekly, equivalent to 20 days per year for a 40 hour/week employee and prorated for employees working 24-39 hours/week
  • Paid sick leave, accrued bi-weekly, equivalent to 10 days per year for a 40-hour/week employee and prorated for employees working 24-39 hours per week
  • Flexible paid holidays (10)
  • Paid volunteer time (8 hours annually)
  • Company-paid annual membership dues for one professional organization
  • Professional development / continuing education allowance
  • Discretionary annual bonus
  • Transit benefit

To learn more, please visit our website at:www.herrerainc.com
We Are Committed to Equal Opportunity, Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion
At Herrera, we celebrate our differences as much as our similarities. We know the best outcomes come from interdisciplinary, diverse, and inclusive teams. Our values are ever-present in the people, culture, and work we do, they are not just a few sentences on our website. We treat people with respect and act with integrity and objectivity. Our employment decisions are based on knowledge, skills, and abilities, and have nothing to do with your race, color, gender, age, religion, national origin, disability, sexual orientation, medical history, reproductive health decisions, political ideology, veteran status, or physical appearance. As an equal opportunity and affirmative action employer, we encourage women, minorities, veterans, disabled veterans, and individuals with disabilities to apply for our open positions. We are also a member of E-Verify. To learn more about E-Verify, read the E-Verify Notice and the Right to Work Notice.

Apply