Design Operations Manager Jobs in Salem, WI (NOW HIRING)

Location: On-site / Hybrid (SF Bay Area)

Position Type: Full-Time, Contract to start

About the Role & Client

Our client is a premier luxury lifestyle brand and design authority in the home furnishings marketplace. Offering dominant assortments across a growing number of categories—including furniture, lighting, textiles, bathware, decor, outdoor, and garden—their business is fully integrated across multiple distribution channels, including flagship retail galleries, seasonal catalogs, and digital e-commerce platforms.

Position Summary

We are seeking a Senior Designer, Design Operations on behalf of our client. This hybrid role seamlessly blends hands-on print design execution with creative operations, workflow optimization, and project leadership.

The ideal candidate is an elevated, detail-obsessed designer who thrives at the intersection of luxury print design and operational execution. You will contribute directly to core print deliverables—including seasonal catalogs, print advertising, PR collateral, and brand identity initiatives—while managing direct reports, establishing standard workflows, writing creative briefs, delegating projects, and tracking project progress in collaboration with a Junior Project Manager.

Key Responsibilities

Hands-On Creative Execution

• Print & Brand Design: Lead hands-on creative execution across print platforms and physical brand collateral, including seasonal catalogs, magazine advertising, PR collateral, and print marketing materials.
• Brand Consistency & Quality Control: Implement and evolve brand standards across all collateral. Review creative assets created across internal teams to ensure strict adherence to luxury visual standards and visual hierarchy.
• Concept & Layout Development: Translate business objectives into compelling visual concepts and present fresh layout ideas to Creative Directors and senior leadership.

Design Operations & Project Leadership

• Creative Briefing & Scope Definition: Partner with creative leadership and stakeholders to develop, write, and refine clear creative briefs, establish project requirements, and define deliverables.
• Project Tracking & Delegation: Oversee project progress, track timelines, and delegate design projects to team members as needed. Collaborate with a Junior Project Manager who will assist with daily project management logistics and execution tracking.
• Workflow & Process Optimization: Develop, refine, and maintain creative workflows, project tracking tools, and operational systems that increase efficiency and consistency across the team.
• Process Alignment: Identify operational bottlenecks, eliminate roadblocks, and introduce structured ways of working across design, production, and cross-functional teams.

Team Guidance, Support & Leadership

• Team Management & Leadership: Directly manage, guide, and lead a small team of 1–2 designers. Oversee workload distribution, provide constructive feedback, and foster their professional development.
• Cross-Functional Alignment: Work closely with merchants, product development, art directors, copywriters, project managers, and production staff to bring creative initiatives to life.
• Mentorship & Culture: Support team growth by delegating assignments, fostering a collaborative environment, sharing best practices, and mentoring design team members.

Qualifications & Requirements

• Experience: 5–7+ years of professional design experience within luxury retail, editorial, print publishing, branding, direct marketing, or a high-end agency environment, including direct supervisory or team leadership experience.
• Portfolio: Portfolio demonstrating mastery of print layout, grid systems, visual hierarchy, typography, color theory, and editorial design for catalogs or publication collateral.
• Technical Mastery: Advanced proficiency in Adobe Creative Suite (InDesign, Photoshop, Illustrator), macOS, and project management tools. Solid understanding of print production and prepress workflows.
• Operations & Leadership Skills: Proven track record of leading and managing designers, overseeing complex design projects, writing creative briefs, delegating tasks, building workflows, and managing priorities in a fast-paced creative environment.
• Communication & Collaboration: Articulate verbal and written communication skills with the ability to express a clear creative point of view and align diverse stakeholders.
• Education: Bachelor’s degree in Graphic Design, Visual Communications, or a related field.

Key Attributes for Success

• High Attention to Detail: An uncompromising eye for taste, detail, layout precision, and luxury brand aesthetics.
• Agility & Resilience: Flexibility to navigate changing priorities and thrive under tight deadlines.
• Self-Starter Mindset: Highly proactive with the autonomy to drive initiatives forward independently, lead team members, and delegate effectively.