Creative Graphic Design Manager

The Opportunity

Reporting to the Regional Lead and Communications and Branding Regional Lead, Africa, Middle East, Pakistan (AMEP), SJ Group, this dynamic, role will be responsible for the brand management and graphics production needs for the SJ Group's AMEP-based business as the firm brings together its global portfolio of best-in-class brands to deliver integrated solutions to clients and partners across the region and beyond.

This role is a blend of creative strategy ownership with production delivery that requires a rolling up your sleeves approach to executing production work, managing workflow, and balancing priorities and deliverables while working towards your collective long-term goals. The ideal candidate for this role is a savvy leader with excellent project management, stakeholder management and interpersonal skills. While managing the day-to-day requirements of the role, you are also invested in supporting the firm's stakeholders including managing their expectations through communication, consultation, and collaboration.

Our strategic Brand + Communications team brings together the combined expertise of our global brand, marketing, and communications community to promote the SJ Group's world-leading expertise across a portfolio of specialist brands who deliver real world impact and innovative solutions for the built environment.

We focus on the creative and strategic use of marketing to strengthen client relationships, understand the needs of our global community, align strategies to grow our business, and respond to our industry's most pressing issues and opportunities.

We are looking for a talented and enthusiastic creative leader who will work with SJ's AMEP-based business leaders and global Brand + Communications team to support the delivery of creative assets to support our integrated brand, marketing and communications activities across the region.

The successful candidate will have a depth of experience in the region and a proven track record in leading the development of brand and creative deliverables are on brand, culturally contextual and resonant with target audiences, clients, and stakeholders.

We are searching for someone who is entrepreneurial, resourceful, and comfortable with being a Brand and Communications pioneer, calm and organized in the face of multiple and competing priorities. You are interested joining a fast-paced and highly matrixed, global organization targeting exponential growth within the next few years, supported by a world-class team of marketeers, communications professionals, and brand specialists focused on delivering creative and impactful solutions.

Key Responsibilities

Primary responsibilities of this role include:

Creative + Graphic Design Production Management Oversee, manage and execute creative + graphics workflow in the production of a range of assets and collateral in support of the SJ Group's brand, marketing and business development activities, including but not limited to publications, award submissions, custom presentations for BD pursuits, web pages, social media campaigns, brochures, proposals and RFPs, internal presentations and reports, email campaigns, sponsorships and events.

Internal Brand identity Align brand assets with SJ Group and member company brand identities. You will work across multiple brand portfolios in the region, each with their own distinct identities and visual language. You will ensure alignment and consistency across each brand and service line while also creating a visual relationship with the SJ Group parent brand in all regional collateral.

Project photography Plan and coordinate photography for major projects including budgeting, sourcing & liaising with photographers, and working closely with the project design team to develop the creative brief.

Videography & Motion Graphics Develop and manage video and motion graphics content.

Web / Digital / HTML + CSS Lead design development for a variety of assets across the firm's digital properties including but not limited to website, social media, e-newsletters, and email marketing campaigns.

Billable brand and experience graphic design Occasionally support billable brand and experience design project opportunities, including one or more of branding + visual identity, signage + wayfinding, experiential graphic design, or digital experience design.

Participate in regional & global M&BD team meetings & other initiatives as required.

Being a hand on deck Excel within a lean team environment and support tasks and assignments that may fall outside the scope of Creative + Graphic Design as directed by the Studio Managing Principal. A dynamic M&BD environment requires all team members to be available to support and/or lead important tasks on short notice that contribute to overall team and firm success, even if they may fall outside the normal, day-to-day job description.

Position Requirements

As a successful candidate you possess the following knowledge, experience, and skillset:

Minimum 5 7 years in a senior, in-house graphic design role

Flexibility to work across different time zones

Must have advanced proficiency in the Adobe Creative Cloud suite of programs and creating design layouts with Adobe InDesign (latest version)

Advanced knowledge of printing production processes

Knowledge of HTML, CSS, and video editing software is an asset (Adobe After Effects, Adobe Premiere Pro, Final Cut Pro)

Experience in the planning, architecture, interior design, or related industry considered an asset

Financial literacy ability to develop and manage budgets

Experiencing managing external agencies, photographers, and other third-party vendors

MAC operating system literacy considered an asset

Proficiency in WordPress considered an asset

Concept-driven

Stakeholder management and interpersonal skills ability to navigate different personalities, calmly and effectively managing expectations and communicating in a timely fashion

Client relationship and presentation skills and experience

Has a keen understanding of graphic design principles including typography, colour theory, proportion, scale and printing process

Task- and deadline-oriented ability to balance and execute the day-to-day, sleeves up production-based studio work with longer term, strategic creative programs and initiatives

Highly organized ability to manage multiple, competing and sometimes changing deadlines