Director Creative Operations Jobs in Illinois (NOW HIRING)

Are you ready to grow your marketing career? Empire Today® is looking for a Creative Operations Manager to join our Marketing team.The Creative Operations Manager serves as a senior creative contributor and operational partner to the Creative Director, supporting the planning, coordination, production, and execution of company-wide creative initiatives.

We offer:

• Paid time off and holiday pay.
• Wellness program.
• Professional development & career advancement opportunities.
• Lots of perks.

Compensation Information:
$90,000 - $105,000 annually

Responsibilities:

• Design and produce high-quality creative assets across print, digital, web, video, social media, email, sales enablement, presentations, and omni-channel marketing initiatives.
• Lead projects from concept through final execution while ensuring alignment with brand standards, creative direction, and business objectives.
• Create illustrations, product visualizations, promotional materials, event graphics, presentations, logos, icons, and campaign assets.
• Maintain excellence in typography, composition, color theory, visual storytelling, and overall design execution.
• Support and enforce brand governance and creative consistency across all customer touchpoints and brands.
• Manage incoming creative requests and assist in prioritizing workload across the creative team.
• Coordinate project timelines, production schedules, resource allocation, and project deliverables.
• Support continuous improvement of creative workflows, project intake processes, asset management systems, and operational efficiencies.
• Assist the Creative Director with department planning, prioritization, and execution of creative initiatives.
• Support all aspects of photo and video productions.
• Perform advanced photo editing, retouching, color correction, compositing, motion graphics, and post-production editing.
• Oversee file preparation, quality assurance, production specifications, preflight reviews, and delivery requirements for print and digital channels.
• Explore, evaluate, and implement emerging creative technologies.
• Contribute to campaign ideation, creative strategy discussions, brainstorming sessions, and marketing initiatives.
• Identify opportunities to improve creative quality, workflow efficiency, production effectiveness, and overall business impact.
• Manage multiple projects simultaneously in a fast-paced environment while meeting deadlines and maintaining high-quality output.

Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s degree in Graphic Design, Visual Communications, Marketing, Fine Arts, or related field; or equivalent combination of education and experience.
• Minimum of 8 years’ professional experience in graphic design, creative services, agency, or in-house marketing environments.
• Advanced proficiency in Adobe Creative Cloud including Photoshop, Illustrator, InDesign, Lightroom, Premiere Pro, and After Effects.
• Advanced proficiency in Figma and other collaborative design tools.
• Strong knowledge of print production processes, digital marketing, branding, and creative operations.
• Experience with photo and video production workflows, post-production editing, and content creation.
• Strong illustration, visual storytelling, and creative problem-solving abilities.
• Experience managing creative projects, production schedules, and cross-functional teams.
• Exceptional communication, organization, presentation, and stakeholder management skills.
• Strong understanding of file formats, production requirements, and platform specifications.
• Experience utilizing project management systems and workflow tools.
• Knowledge of AI-powered creative tools and emerging design technologies.
• Ability to manage multiple priorities while maintaining attention to detail and design quality.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office and ability to work across Mac and PC environments.

Why Empire Today?

We empower our employees to strive for their unique goals.Within such an inclusive company with unlimited growth opportunities, how far you go is up to you.

We take care of our people.We start investing in you from day one. The perks and benefits we offer help you live well, both at work and at home.

We have an unmatched company culture. We’ve won multiple awards for employee and customer satisfaction, and we believe it all comes down to our culture of teamwork, creativity, and growth.

We’re one of the nation’s most recognizable brands.You’ll enjoy the stability that comes with a national company and a sense of pride when you’re a part of our team.