The Design Manager leads the Design team, with direct supervision of two designers and a design producer. They also oversee vendors and contractors. This position reports to the Director of Content Strategy in the Communications Department.

This role can be based out of San Francisco, CA, Los Angeles, CA (preferred) or Remote. Earthjustice staff are working two days a week in the office. After six months, the Executive Leadership Team will evaluate whether to adjust our hybrid work plan.

Responsibilities

Design Leadership and Strategy (60%)

• Leads the graphic design program, overseeing design expression, and evolution of the organization’s brand in print, digital, and display productions; establishes goals, strategies, and metrics for the design program.
• Leads art direction and concept development on major projects, including campaign storytelling initiatives for Public Affairs Communications; digital and print collateral for Creative and Digital; advertising for Marketing; concept designs for donor initiatives, events, and capital campaigns for Development; institutional materials for Operations, Internal Communications, and DEI.
• leads efforts to develop visual brand guides, templates, and collaboration tools for the organization.
• Leads discussions, workshops, and reviews in branding and visual design best practices as it applies to ethics, tone, treatment, and more.
• Provides design guidance and support to Design team on concepting and final drafts for brand and advocacy campaigns.
• Applies systems thinking to optimize staffing, workflows, and processes to meet the organization’s design needs and make space for creativity.
• Build cohesion across the Creative Content team by providing leadership, collaboration, and team building to group efforts.
• Steps in on occasion to directly produce design work.

Management (40%)

• Supervises the Design team including two mid- to senior-level graphic designers and a Design Producer.
• Assigns design team members to projects and manages project stakeholders.
• Manages vendors and contractors, including the negotiation of contracts and payments.
• Leads regular team and individual meetings, holds team-building events, and promotes welcoming work environment by modeling inclusive behavior.
• Conducts ongoing supervisory duties, including performance reviews, budget management, and timecard approvals.
• Recruits and hires qualified candidates who match position requirements and the work culture.
• Develops staff by identifying and encouraging training and professional development opportunities; acts as a coach and mentor.
• Promotes change in terms of the expected benefits, as well as removing or lowering the impact of potential obstacles.
• Sets clear team direction that aligns with Earthjustice strategy, mission, and vision.
• Provides staff with consistent performance feedback – both positive and constructive – and acts as a coach and mentor.
• Creates a learning culture, by encouraging debriefing after completion of significant stages of projects.
• Ensures that any direct reports who have supervisory responsibility are properly executing those functions.
• Creates a respectful and inclusive work environment for team and models respectful and inclusive behavior.
• Resolves interpersonal conflict among team members and brings in outside facilitators as needed.
• Promptly addresses micro-aggressions and other concerns brought to their attention.
• Communicates regularly with existing employees and encourages staff to raise concerns and to provide ongoing feedback.
• Creates or identifies strategic opportunities for team building and individual and overall staff engagement with one another to strengthen teamwork, interaction, and collaboration.
• Values and uses individual differences and talents to improve employee satisfaction and the quality of collective work.
• Celebrates successes and helps team members to understand and manage setbacks.