Green Circle Growers is hiring: Creative Brand Manager in Oberlin

POSITION OVERVIEW:

Our marketing department’s vision is to be viewed as a premier marketing resource and example within the floral and greenhouse industries setting the standard for creativity and innovation. The on-site Marketing Creative Brand Manager will play a pivotal role in strengthening and enhancing the work on a wide variety of projects that strengthen and enhance Green Circle Growers' brands by overseeing and executing a diverse range of creative projects. This role is responsible for the creative direction and visual strategy of all brand initiatives, including brand development, sales enablement materials, social media content, website design and functionality, packaging, in-store signage, product collateral, insights and trend boards, tradeshow concepts, and internal communications as needed. Successful candidates will excel at driving design thinking from ideation through concept development, refinement, and execution. They must demonstrate strong communication skills, confidently articulating creative ideas and strategies to design leadership, marketing colleagues, and external partners.

ROLE OVERVIEW:

• Lead and mentor the Creative Team, including graphic designers and photographer, fostering a collaborative and innovative environment
• Collaborate with the Senior Marketing Communications manager to oversee the visual direction and creative strategy for all house brands, ensuring consistency across all platforms and channels
• Partner with internal and external stakeholders, including the Content Team, Sales, and Product Development, to deliver effective, on-brand creative solutions
• Manage the production of high-quality creative assets, including digital, print, packaging, and multimedia materials, to engage and inspire consumers, retail partners, and internal customers
• Serve as the primary point of contact for cross-functional collaboration on print materials, ensuring alignment between creative, marketing, product development, and sales teams to maintain brand integrity and execution efficiency.
• Oversee the organization, accessibility, and accountability of all digital and print assets, implementing best practices for asset management, version control, and distribution.
• Liaise with internal teams and external vendors to facilitate project workflows, ensuring seamless communication, adherence to deadlines, and alignment on creative deliverables.

JOB DUTIES:

Team Leadership & Development

• Direct the Creative Team in delivering outstanding design and collateral that aligns with marketing goals and brand standards
• Train and mentor team members in design skills, work processes, and brand guidelines
• Assign and resource plan for multiple projects from concept to completion under the guidance of the Senior Marketing Manager
• Develop the Creative Team ensuring performance expectations, career development opportunities, and ongoing feedback to foster a high-performing and engaged team.

Creative Strategy & Execution

• Develop and implement visually compelling brand identities, including logos, icons, charts, and infographics
• Collaborate with the Content Team to establish and direct the visual tone, mood, and direction for branded digital and social media assets
• Ideate and assist in pre-production, attend shoots, and review final assets for quality and brand alignment.
• Design offline marketing materials, including product packaging, promotional collateral, and POP displays, while staying updated on packaging trends and technologies
• Manage the design, content, and functionality of the company’s websites, ensuring a seamless user experience

Cross-Functional Collaboration

• Partner with Marketing Insights to gather and develop consumer analysis to inform new product development and enhance brand value
• Partner cross-functional teams to ensure creative deliverables align with business objectives, proactively identifying opportunities for brand enhancement and innovation.
• Assist in developing process documents, tools, and training materials for internal and external stakeholders
• Act as the central liaison for print material projects, ensuring that requirements from various departments are gathered, streamlined, and effectively translated into high-quality creative outputs.
• Work with purchasing, print vendors, and production teams to ensure optimal execution of packaging and collateral, meeting budget, quality, and timeline expectations.
• Work with external vendors, freelancers, and agencies to support creative initiatives, as needed

Brand Management & Market Research

• Establish and maintain brand guidelines to ensure cohesive and recognizable brand identities
• Monitor marketing trends, competitive research, and consumer insights to identify opportunities for enhancing brand relevance
• Develop consumer profiles and leverage marketplace data to understand behavioral drivers and motivations

Administrative & Miscellaneous

• Maintain and oversee a structured digital asset management (DAM) system, ensuring all creative files are properly cataloged, versioned, and accessible to internal stakeholders.
• Manage, organize, and catalog visual assets and collateral to maintain accessibility and efficiency
• Oversee promotional activities, including designing swag and event collateral, and monitoring inventory
• Assist with packaging development and managing relationships with purchasing
• Layout internal presentations for meetings and events and create customizable templates for proposals and presentations
• All other duties as assigned

QUALIFICATIONS & Education requirements:

• Bachelor’s degree in Graphic Design or a related field or equivalent experience
• 5+ years of experience in Graphic Design
• 5+ years of experience with Adobe Creative Suite
• Experience in team leadership or people management is a plus.
• Portfolio that demonstrates high quality, content focused design work, especially for branded projects and packaging design within retail space
• Advanced knowledge in design software like Photoshop, Illustrator, and InDesign, as well as experience in PowerPoint and Excel a plus
• Ability to take and follow direction, while also initiating and driving ideas and improvements
• Ability to work in a creative, fast-paced environment
• Advanced use of typography, color theory, design, and layout, requiring little oversight
• Advanced knowledge of the printing process, including on-demand, 4-color process, press work, and digital production
• Ability to maintain vendor and in-house client relations, with proper documentation of projects and efficient archives of art files
• Knowledge and experience with brand identity application in graphics
• Flexibility to adapt to changing priorities
• Creative and innovative thinker
• Strong project and time management skills
• Work cooperatively and effectively with others to set goals, resolve problems, and make decisions that enhance organizational effectiveness
• Complete work in a timely manner; be present and punctual; arrive prepared for work; devote energy to do the best job possible; keep commitments
• Establish and maintain positive working relationships with others, both internally and externally, to achieve the goals of the organization
• Provide exceptional service to partners and requestors, through collaboration, listening, problem-solving skills, and follow through

PHYSICAL Environment & Requirements:

• Climate controlled office or home office environment
• Continuously requires vision, hearing, twisting, and talking
• Frequently requires sitting, standing, fine dexterity, and handling
• Occasionally requires walking, climbing stairs, lifting (up to 20lbs), carrying, reaching, kneeling, pushing/pulling, bending, and crouching
• Rarely requires climbing