Associate Creative Director

Join an in-house creative team at Case Western Reserve University where you will help turn institutional strategy and brand vision into high-quality creative work across print, digital, environmental, and social channels. This onsite role is built for someone who enjoys both leadership and craft, overseeing design project flow, mentoring creative talent, and helping maintain a consistent visual identity and production-ready technical quality.

Work model: Cleveland, OH (onsite). Hybrid work may be available up to two remote days per week at the department’s discretion, after orientation approval and completion of the remote work checklist certification form.

Compensation: USD 80,454 - 110,357 per year, based on qualifications, experience, department budgets, and industry data.

Responsibilities

• Provide brand stewardship and manage the creative workflow, including supervising and mentoring the art director and graphic designers, delivering timely constructive creative feedback, and ensuring work aligns with the university’s visual tone, brand standards, and quality expectations set by the executive creative director (35%).
• Review project scopes and assign creative resources based on department objectives, individual strengths, and team workload balance (35%).
• Ensure technical design quality and compliance with print and digital specifications, including preparation and setup, color and prepress requirements, and accessibility standards so deliverables are production ready (20%).
• Act as a design-technical advisor to project managers, offering design specification guidance and troubleshooting for issues they cannot resolve independently (20%).
• Lead and develop creative staff through coaching and evaluation, fostering an inclusive culture of creative excellence and collaboration, and setting performance goals and professional development paths (15%).
• Contribute hands-on to high-priority and complex projects, serving as a senior creative resource and setting a strong example of craft and quality (15%).
• Troubleshoot creative roadblocks by stepping in to execute when timing, workload, or complexity requires, including attending walkthroughs, creative scouts, and site visits for creative assessment and professional judgment (10%).
• Support on-site photoshoots, assign freelance photography, and complete photo editing and archiving within digital asset management systems to keep the visual library comprehensive, current, and easy to navigate (5%).
• Stay current on emerging design trends, tools, and techniques and share updates with the design team (<1%).
• Perform other duties as assigned (<1%).

Requirements

• Proven ability to supervise, mentor, and develop graphic designers, providing timely constructive feedback and professional assessment while keeping projects on schedule.
• Strong organizational and leadership-oriented skills to manage team execution and large-scale projects simultaneously, with consistent quality control and time management.
• Mastery of visual design principles, including typography, color theory, and composition, with advanced proficiency in Adobe Creative Suite (Photoshop, Illustrator, InDesign, After Effects) and other industry-standard tools.
• Deep understanding of brand strategy and storytelling, with ability to uphold and evolve brand standards in alignment with university priorities and audience needs.
• Experience using content management systems such as Asana or Monday.
• Ability to independently develop and execute compelling print and digital projects including brochures, magazines, digital ads, animations, social media graphics, and marketing campaigns while adhering to strict brand guidelines.
• Strong command of design technical standards, print and digital specifications, file preparation and setup, color and prepress requirements, and accessibility (WCAG/ADA), including advising others.
• Strong creative judgment to provide hands-on art direction and brand quality control while balancing visual innovation with strategic communication goals.
• Experience maintaining self-service creative solutions, including digital asset management systems and templated tools and platforms for campus-wide use.
• Ability to collaborate as a peer with the Production Manager and project managers across the design-and-production workflow.
• Ability to plan and assign photoshoots, match creative assignments to designer skills and project needs, and art direct multitiered photoshoots, including recognizing various photographic lighting styles.
• Ability to develop printer and vendor bid specifications, assess proposals for quality and price, and provide recommendations to the Executive Creative Director.
• Sound judgment balancing creative ambition with institutional goals, timelines, and resources, using logical, rational decision-making with available information.
• Strong interpersonal and communication skills, including giving and receiving constructive feedback to support a collaborative, growth-oriented culture.
• Self-motivated, detail-oriented, adaptable, and able to thrive in a fast-paced, high-volume, deadline-driven environment with consistent attendance.
• Extreme attention to detail and commitment to quality assurance and brand integrity.
• Willingness to learn and work with artificial intelligence (AI) tools and technologies.
• Ability to support, educate, and advocate for all students aligned with the university’s mission and messaging, in adherence to the staff policy on conflict of commitment and interest.
• Ability to meet consistent attendance and interact face to face with colleagues, supervisors, and customers.
• Candidates MUST submit a portfolio of work with the application.

Benefits

• Excellent healthcare
• Retirement plans
• Tuition assistance
• Paid time off
• Winter recess
• Comprehensive benefits package

Additional Information

Supervisory responsibilities: Direct supervision of the art director and three designers.

Working conditions: General office environment with a hybrid work option available after the orientation period is complete; repetitive motion using a computer, mouse, and keyboard.

Education: Bachelor’s degree in a relevant discipline.

Minimum experience: 8 years.

Technologies: Adobe Creative Suite, Photoshop, Illustrator, InDesign, After Effects, Asana, Monday, digital asset management systems, WCAG, ADA, artificial intelligence (AI).