ZipRecruiter

Log In

1

Graphic Design Manager Jobs in California (NOW HIRING)

Smosh

Director of Graphic Design

Los Angeles, CA · On-site

This role balances hands-on design work with creative direction and team management. You'll guide a ... Strong Management & Team Development Skills - Empower a small graphic team through clear ...

Smosh

Director of Graphic Design

Los Angeles, CA

This role balances hands-on design work with creative direction and team management. You'll guide a ... Strong Management & Team Development Skills - Empower a small graphic team through clear ...

SAMYANG AMERICA INC

Director, Graphic Design

Brea, CA · On-site

The Director, Graphic Design leads the company's overall graphic design vision and execution across ... Ensure appropriate version control and management of design assets. * Establish quality-control ...

Legacy Staffing

Graphic Design Assistant

Bakersfield, CA · On-site

$20 - $23/hr

Monday - Friday Pay: $20-23/hour About the Role We are seeking a reliable and detail-oriented individual to support our client's sign and graphics production team. This role combines general labor ...

Jobsbridge

Graphic Designer

San Diego, CA · On-site

... design or administrative duties as may be assigned by manager REQUIREMENTS: AA/BA n Graphic Design or related field preferred Minimum of 2 years of design experience in graphics-related field Must ...

BioPhase Solutions

CA

$32 - $45/hr

Creatively design new visual website and marketing campaign concepts and final artwork for websites ... Self-starter with excellent self-leadership and management skills. Please send resumes to idan ...

previous pagenext page

Showing results 21-40

All JobsGraphic Design JobsGraphic Design Manager JobsGraphic Design Manager Jobs in California

Graphic Design Manager information

See California salary details

$33.1K

$71.2K

$108.6K

How much do graphic design manager jobs pay per year?

As of Sep 1, 2026, the average yearly pay for graphic design manager in California is $71,166.00, according to ZipRecruiter salary data. Most workers in this role earn between $60,700.00 and $79,900.00 per year, depending on experience, location, and employer.

What is a graphic design manager?

A graphic design manager is responsible for overseeing a team of graphic artists and designers and interacting with clients regarding projects. In this role, your job duties include ensuring the visual design work is continued as scheduled, providing guidance to junior designers, and utilizing their creative talent to further the design of a project. You also have a hands-on role in creating various forms of visual communication such as web page graphics, ads, brochures, and logos. The qualifications for this career include a bachelor's degree in art, graphic design, or a related field. To succeed in this role, you need strong leadership, communication, and creative skills. You also need prior experience working as an artist or a graphic designer on projects.

What does a graphic design manager do?

A Graphic Design Manager oversees a team of graphic designers, ensuring that all visual materials align with a company's brand and goals. They are responsible for planning, assigning, and reviewing design projects, as well as providing creative direction and feedback. Additionally, they collaborate with marketing, product, and other departments to deliver cohesive visual content, manage project timelines, and maintain quality standards. Their role often includes mentoring designers and helping to develop creative strategies for campaigns.

What are the key skills and qualifications needed to thrive as a graphic design manager, and why are they important?

To thrive as a Graphic Design Manager, you need strong visual design skills, leadership abilities, and experience with branding, typically supported by a degree in graphic design or a related field. Proficiency in industry-standard tools such as Adobe Creative Suite, project management software, and sometimes knowledge of web design platforms is essential. Outstanding communication, creative direction, and team collaboration skills help you inspire and manage creative teams effectively. These skills are crucial for delivering high-quality design projects, meeting client expectations, and driving team performance in a competitive creative environment.

What are the main challenges a graphic design manager faces when leading a creative team?

Graphic Design Managers often encounter the challenge of balancing creative vision with client or company objectives, ensuring that the team's work aligns with brand guidelines and project goals. They must also manage varying skill levels and personalities within the team, fostering collaboration while encouraging individual creativity. Additionally, handling tight deadlines and adapting to shifting project priorities require strong organizational and communication skills. Building a positive, productive environment where feedback is constructive and designers feel empowered is key to overcoming these challenges.

What is the difference between Graphic Design Manager vs Graphic Designer?

AspectGraphic Design ManagerGraphic Designer
CredentialsBachelor's degree in Graphic Design, Visual Arts, or related field; experience in design and leadershipBachelor's degree or certification in Graphic Design or related area
Work EnvironmentLeads design teams, collaborates with clients, oversees projectsCreates visual content, works on design projects individually or in teams
Industry UsageUsed in marketing, advertising, corporate brandingUsed across various industries for creating visual assets

The main difference is that a Graphic Design Manager oversees design teams and manages projects, while a Graphic Designer focuses on creating visual content. The manager role involves leadership and strategic planning, whereas the designer role emphasizes hands-on design work.

Is a graphic design manager a stressful job?

A graphic design manager often faces stress related to tight deadlines, managing multiple projects, and coordinating team members. The role requires strong organizational skills and the ability to handle client feedback, which can contribute to work pressure, especially during busy periods or project revisions.
More about Graphic Design Manager jobs

What are the most commonly searched types of Graphic Design jobs in California?

The most popular types of Graphic Design jobs in California are:

What are popular job titles related to Graphic Design Manager jobs in California?

For Graphic Design Manager jobs in California, the most frequently searched job titles are:

What job categories do people searching Graphic Design Manager jobs in California look for?

The top searched job categories for Graphic Design Manager jobs in California are:

What cities in California are hiring for Graphic Design Manager jobs?

Cities in California with the most Graphic Design Manager job openings:

Graphic Design Manager jobs near you
Infographic showing various Graphic Design Manager job openings in California as of August 2026, with employment types broken down into 85% Full Time, 14% Part Time, and 1% Contract. Highlights an 87% Physical, 2% Hybrid, and 11% Remote job distribution, with an average salary of $71,166 per year, or $34.2 per hour.

Director of Graphic Design

Smosh

Los Angeles, CA • On-site

Other

Re-posted 27 days ago

Job description

Overview: Smosh is seeking a highly skilled, organized, and creatively fearless Design Director to lead the look, feel, and overall visual identity of the Smosh brand across all channels: Smosh, Smosh Pit, Smosh Games, Smosh Cast, and Smosh ALike. This role balances hands-on design work with creative direction and team management. You’ll guide a small but mighty design team, oversee everything from thumbnail production to live show branding, and collaborate directly with the executive team to ensure the Smosh universe continues to look as good as it is funny.

This position reports directly to the Senior Director of Marketing.

Core Competencies

  • Creative Vision & Innovation – Set and maintain high visual, comedic and cohesive design choices that elevate the Smosh brand across platforms.
  • Strong Management & Team Development Skills – Empower a small graphic team through clear communication, collaboration and fostering growth and skill development.
  • Lead by Doing – Balance leadership with practical design work, stepping into Illustrator, Photoshop, or motion tools when necessary.
  • Collaborative Instinct – Works closely with producers, directors, social, marketing, and post-production teams to ensure visual consistency and impact across all platforms.
  • Strategic Vision – Develops creative direction for major events, channel rebrands, and long-term brand initiatives while aligning design output with business goals.
  • Cross Functional Leadership – Partners effectively with Production, Marketing, Social, Membership, Live Events, and Commercial teams to align creative output with audience and business goals.

Responsibilities

  • Lead & Own Design Creation
    • Branded Materials – Lead creation of pitch decks, marketing assets, and internal presentations that reflect Smosh’s unique identity.
    • Merch Design Initiatives – Support the merchandise designer
      on product design for smosh.com merchandise by overseeing workload and development, and stepping in to execute design work when necessary.
    • Creative Concepts – Design and direct concepts for tentpole events, live shows, and channel rebrands, including Smosh Games, Smosh Pit, and SmoshCast.
  • Maintain and Evolve Visual Identity – Ensure consistent brand representation across YouTube channels, live shows, merch, and social content.
  • Participate in Production Planning – Attend production kickoff and pre-production meetings to proactively identify graphic, branding, thumbnail, and social asset needs before production begins.
  • Present and Pitch Creative– Provide clear rationale for design decisions to executives while remaining open to collaboration and comedy-driven input
  • Direct & Support the Design Department  
    • Manage Senior Graphic Designer, Graphic Designer, and Senior Motion Graphics Designer, ensuring alignment with team goals and brand vision.
    • Conduct performance reviews, provide mentorship, and encourage ongoing skill development.
    • Manage Projects and Workflow.  Prioritize, delegate, and oversee all incoming graphic requests while maintaining project timelines.
    • Step in to complete design tasks when workload or deadlines demand hands-on support.
  • Develop Design Systems & Workflows  – Create scalable templates, toolkits and workflows that improves consistency, efficiency and collaboration across cross functional teams
  • Oversee Motion Graphics and VFX – Partner with post-production to fulfill motion graphic requests or delegate to the motion team.
  • Collaborate Across Teams – Partner with producers, directors, social, and marketing teams to maintain visual consistency and meet project objectives.
  • Oversee and Approve Thumbnails – Lead thumbnail strategy across all channels, partnering with Social and Marketing to optimize packaging, audience engagement, creative testing, and performance.
  • Maintain Graphics Library – Ensure all assets are organized and accessible across departments.