The Role
The Design Director at Grizzly leads design teams, manages projects from conception to delivery, and collaborates with clients and internal stakeholders to ensure high-quality, innovative design solutions.
Summary Generated by Built In
Reports To: Creative Director
Position Summary:
Design Directors at Grizzly are dynamic agency leaders who develop conceptual ideas and deliver expert craft across multiple teams and projects. They champion creative problem-solving, lead and contribute to creative work on cross-disciplinary projects, and elevate agency culture and experience. They make strategic decisions, provide feedback to the delivery team, and work closely with clients to ensure that every deliverable meets the brief and exceeds expectations. They own their work, seek input and collaboration, and communicate proactively and effectively.
Candidates for this role should have extensive experience in design concept and art direction, identity and campaign creative direction, and designing identity and campaign systems. Design Directors at Grizzly learn our clients’ business with depth, often working through complex product and business challenges, and translating the human/consumer benefit into simple, smart ideas. The role requires the ability to confidently interact with and present their work to clients and internal stakeholders. Must have experience with B2B and/or technology brands. This role requires proficiency with Adobe Design tools and experience with designing, collaborating, and prototyping in Figma.
Lead & Grow:
- Manage and mentor Designers, Art Directors, Animators, and others, fostering a culture of creativity, collaboration, and courage
- Encourage fearless creativity through experimentation, failure, and continuous learning.
- As a senior leader, collaborate with cross-functional teams (strategy, accounts, etc) to solve challenges and remove roadblocks.
- Actively participate in the recruitment process, interviewing and vetting new team members, evaluating their work quality, values alignment, and alignment with role expectations.
- Lead with our values, be empathetic and accessible, and champion inclusivity and belonging.
- Foster a collaborative and innovative team environment.
Own & Manage:
- Manage the design process from conception to execution.
- Own design concepts, craft, and delivery from onboarding to delivery across all of your projects.
- Commit to working the process and when the process isn’t working, contributing to improving it.
- Hold the team accountable to performance expectations, agency values, and client delivery.
- Give clear and candid feedback often, and make hard decisions when necessary.
- Ensure all projects are delivered on time, on budget, and to the highest standards of quality.
Champion & Contribute:
- Oversee and contribute to work that is strategically smart, differentiated, and best-in-class.
- Push yourself, our team, partners, and clients to achieve effective, award-worthy work.
- Contribute to agency brand and marketing efforts, including positioning the agency’s offering, supporting internal culture initiatives.
- Contribute to agency content development, share work and perspectives on digital channels, and contribute to the recruitment of new talent.
- Occasionally represent Grizzly at public events, awards, and industry activities, maintaining a strong presence and reputation in the industry.
- Be a champion of our creative work and promote our best both internally and externally to increase awareness and shift perception of our brand and capabilities.
Collaborate & Communicate:
- Develop strong relationships with existing clients and work actively with other agency leads to keep clients engaged, happy, and retained.
- Support new business efforts with creative development, pitch presentations, and oversight/resourcing of the creative team to meet pitch expectations.
- Stay ahead of industry trends and advocate for user-centric approaches.
- Collaborate with clients to understand their needs and translate them into effective design solutions.
- Present and sell design concepts and receive/answer feedback from clients with intention.
What You'll Bring:
- 7+ years experience leading a design work.
- A portfolio demonstrating high proficiency in delivering best-in-class design concepts and systems.
- A curious student of emerging technologies that in turn applies and drives innovation in your work.
- Comfortable in being uncomfortable and thoughtful about taking risks.
- A knack for collaborating with writers, designers, producers, account leads, clients, and business owners to understand what a project needs at any given moment.
Work Requirements:
- Southern California or Atlanta based work preferred, but remote will be considered.
- Flexibility with schedule to meet client commitments.
- Domestic and international travel may be required.
Disclaimer:
The above job description is meant to describe the general nature and level of work being performed. It is not an exhaustive list of all responsibilities, duties and skills required for the position. Employees will be required to follow any other job-related instructions and to perform other job-related duties requested by their supervisor in compliance with Federal and State Laws.
All job requirements are subject to possible modification to reasonably accommodate individuals with disabilities. Some requirements may exclude individuals who pose a direct threat or significant risk to the health and safety of themselves or other employees.
Requirements are representative of minimum levels of knowledge, skills and/or abilities. To perform this job successfully, the employee must possess the abilities or aptitudes to perform each duty proficiently. Continued employment remains on an “at-will” basis.
Top Skills
Adobe Design Tools
Figma
Am I A Good Fit?
Get Personalized Job Insights.
Our AI-powered fit analysis compares your resume with a job listing so you know if your skills & experience align.
Success! Refresh the page to see how your skills align with this role.
The Company
What We Do
Grizzly is an independent creative agency. We guide brands onward™ to challenge convention and impact culture. We work at the convergence of branding and advertising — blending strategy, design, and storytelling to build deeper connections between brands and people.
We partner with those who are out to shape the future. The trailblazers. The visionaries. The courageous. The ones who believe in a better world and are hell-bent on building it. The Adventurous Brands™ securing the future of work, powering the way we communicate, and discovering science that’s changing life as we know it. We put creativity to work for business because we believe the most innovative brands have the power to affect just about anything. They challenge convention, impact culture, and forge connections. We help them navigate an increasingly complex and challenging world. This is how we guide brands onward.
