Brand & Design Director
π Job Overview
Job Title: Brand & Design Director
Company: Chase Oaks Church
Location: Plano, Texas, United States
Job Type: Full Time
Category: Brand & Design Operations / Creative Operations
Date Posted: 2026-06-09
Experience Level: 5-10 Years
Remote Status: On-site
π Role Summary
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Shapes and elevates the organization's overall visual brand and design quality across all communications and environments.
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Leads creative direction for major campaigns, sermon series, events, and organizational initiatives, ensuring visual consistency and strategic alignment.
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Develops and implements scalable design systems, templates, and standards to enhance efficiency and maintain brand integrity.
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Manages freelance designers, creative volunteers, and external partners, providing clear feedback and direction to ensure high-quality output.
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Collaborates cross-functionally with communications, content, video, and ministry teams to strategically integrate creative work with organizational objectives.
π Enhancement Note: This role is positioned as a leadership opportunity within a faith-based organization, requiring not only strong design and brand management skills but also alignment with the organization's mission and values. The emphasis on "creative operations" stems from the need to build scalable systems and manage creative contributors, akin to how operations roles streamline processes and resources in a corporate setting.
π Primary Responsibilities
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Brand Stewardship & Elevation: Maintain and continuously improve the organization's visual identity, ensuring all creative outputs are compelling, clear, and consistent with brand guidelines.
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Creative Direction & Leadership: Provide art direction and creative leadership for key initiatives, including sermon series, special events, and organizational campaigns, translating strategic goals into impactful visual narratives.
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Design Systems Development: Create and implement robust design systems, style guides, and templates to standardize creative production, improve workflow efficiency, and empower designers and contributors.
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Team Management & Mentorship: Recruit, manage, and provide constructive feedback to freelance designers, creative volunteers, and external agencies, fostering their growth and ensuring alignment with project objectives.
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Cross-Functional Collaboration: Partner closely with internal departments (Communications, Content, Video, Ministry Teams) to understand their creative needs and ensure all design solutions effectively support their respective strategies and organizational goals.
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Project Lifecycle Management: Oversee creative projects from initial concept and strategy development through to final execution and delivery, maintaining clear communication and managing timelines effectively.
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Visual Storytelling: Design high-impact creative assets and campaigns, leveraging strong typography, layout, and visual storytelling principles to engage target audiences.
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Brand Evolution: Thoughtfully evolve the organization's visual identity to remain relevant and impactful while preserving its core essence.
π Enhancement Note: The responsibilities emphasize a blend of strategic creative leadership and operational execution. The mention of "scalable systems," "templates," and "efficiency" points directly to process optimization, a core tenet of operations roles. Managing "freelancers and creative volunteers" also requires strong operational oversight and resource management.
π Skills & Qualifications
Education:
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Bachelorβs degree in Graphic Design, Visual Communications, Fine Arts, Marketing, or a related field is preferred. Experience:
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5-10 years of progressive experience in graphic design, art direction, brand leadership, or a similar creative management role.
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Proven experience leading or mentoring designers, freelancers, or creative contributors.
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Demonstrated success in managing creative projects from concept to completion in fast-paced, collaborative environments.
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Experience in a church, nonprofit, agency, or mission-driven organization is preferred, indicating an understanding of unique operational and strategic considerations. Required Skills:
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Visual Design & Art Direction: Exceptional ability in graphic design, layout, typography, and overall visual aesthetics. Strong art direction skills to guide creative vision.
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Branding Expertise: Deep understanding of brand strategy, identity development, and how to maintain brand consistency across diverse platforms.
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Visual Storytelling: Ability to craft compelling visual narratives that communicate messages effectively and resonate with target audiences.
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Creative Leadership: Proven capacity to lead creative projects, inspire teams, and provide clear, constructive feedback.
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Project Management: Excellent organizational skills with the ability to manage multiple projects, prioritize tasks, and meet deadlines in a dynamic environment.
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Collaboration & Communication: Strong interpersonal skills for effective collaboration with internal teams, external partners, and stakeholders, with the ability to articulate creative concepts clearly.
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Design Systems Thinking: Ability to develop and implement scalable design systems, templates, and standards to improve efficiency and consistency.
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Adobe Creative Suite Proficiency: Expert-level skills in Adobe Photoshop, Illustrator, and InDesign are essential for high-quality creative execution.
Preferred Skills:
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Familiarity with motion graphics, video editing, or web design tools.
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Experience with presentation, collaboration, and project management software.
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Basic knowledge of Excel and PowerPoint for reporting and presentations.
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A Christ-follower whose work history and lifestyle aligns with the scriptural principles and values of Chase Oaks Church.
π Enhancement Note: The "preferred skills" section includes a critical alignment with the organization's faith-based mission. This is a key differentiator for roles in religious organizations and requires candidates to demonstrate spiritual alignment in addition to professional competencies. The emphasis on Adobe Creative Suite is standard for design roles, but the mention of "project management tools" and "collaboration tools" hints at a need for operational efficiency.
π Process & Systems Portfolio Requirements
Portfolio Essentials:
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A comprehensive portfolio showcasing a strong foundation in visual design, art direction, and brand leadership.
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Examples demonstrating the ability to develop and implement design systems, templates, or style guides that improve consistency and efficiency in creative output.
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Case studies detailing the process of leading creative projects from concept to completion, highlighting strategic thinking, problem-solving, and successful execution.
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Evidence of creative problem-solving and the ability to balance creative vision with strategic objectives and organizational goals.
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Examples of how you have collaborated with different teams or stakeholders to achieve shared objectives. Process Documentation:
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Demonstrations of how you have documented creative processes, workflows, or brand guidelines to ensure clarity and scalability for teams and contributors.
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Examples of establishing standards for creative asset production and management to ensure quality and brand compliance.
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Evidence of implementing feedback loops or review processes to refine creative work and foster continuous improvement.
π Enhancement Note: For a Brand & Design Director role, the "portfolio" is not just a collection of final designs but a demonstration of the candidate's process, strategic thinking, and ability to operationalize creative functions. This aligns with operations roles that require showcasing process optimization and system implementation.
π΅ Compensation & Benefits
Salary Range:
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Based on industry benchmarks for a Brand & Design Director with 5-10 years of experience in a mid-sized metropolitan area like Plano, TX, the estimated annual salary range is $85,000 - $115,000. This estimate considers the required experience, leadership responsibilities, and the specialized nature of creative operations within a nonprofit context, which can sometimes influence compensation relative to for-profit sectors. Benefits:
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Comprehensive health, dental, and vision insurance plans.
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Paid time off (PTO) including vacation, sick leave, and holidays, accrued based on tenure.
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Retirement savings plan (e.g., 401k) with potential employer matching contributions.
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Opportunities for professional development, including workshops, conferences, and training in design, leadership, and relevant technologies.
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Life insurance and disability coverage.
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Employee assistance program (EAP) offering confidential counseling and support services.
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Potential for housing or other direct mission-related benefits common in faith-based organizations. Working Hours:
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Standard full-time workweek is approximately 40 hours.
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While core hours are expected for team collaboration and project work, there may be flexibility offered, especially for on-site roles, to accommodate project deadlines and personal needs, subject to team and leadership approval. Extended hours may be required during peak campaign periods or major events.
π Enhancement Note: Salary estimation for a role in a nonprofit/church setting is based on a blend of standard industry compensation for similar creative leadership roles in the Dallas-Fort Worth metroplex, adjusted for the nonprofit sector's typical compensation structures. Benefits are standard for full-time positions and tailored to include aspects common in faith-based organizations.
π― Team & Company Context
π’ Company Culture
Industry: Faith-Based Non-Profit (Church)
Company Size: While specific employee count isn't provided, the mention of managing "freelancers and creative volunteers" alongside potential "project-based creative teams and external partners" suggests an organization with a significant operational footprint and a robust volunteer network, likely falling into the medium to large category for nonprofit organizations.
Founded: Chase Oaks Church was founded in 1986, indicating a long-standing presence and established history within its community, likely fostering a culture of stability and long-term vision.
Team Structure:
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Operations & Ministry Integration: The Brand & Design Director will operate within a structure that deeply integrates creative functions with ministry objectives. This means close collaboration with dedicated ministry teams (e.g., children's, youth, adult ministries) and broader organizational departments.
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Creative Hub: Likely part of a larger communications or marketing department, this role will lead a specialized "creative hub" that serves the entire organization. This hub may include dedicated staff, regular freelancers, and a pool of volunteers.
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Reporting & Collaboration: The role will report to a senior leader (e.g., Executive Pastor, Director of Communications) and will collaborate extensively with other directors and managers across various ministry areas.
Methodology:
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Mission-Driven Creativity: All creative output is fundamentally tied to the church's mission, vision, and values, with an emphasis on clarity, impact, and spiritual resonance.
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Systematic Brand Management: A focus on developing and maintaining consistent brand guidelines and scalable design systems to ensure quality and efficiency across all organizational communications.
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Collaborative Development: A strong emphasis on teamwork, feedback, and cross-functional input to ensure creative solutions meet diverse organizational needs.
Company Website: https://www.chaseoaks.org/
π Enhancement Note: The organizational context is crucial. Roles in faith-based organizations require a unique blend of professional skills and spiritual alignment. The "operations" aspect here pertains to managing creative resources, processes, and output to serve the organization's mission effectively.
π Career & Growth Analysis
Operations Career Level: This role represents a senior-level position in creative operations and brand management. It involves strategic oversight, team leadership, and significant responsibility for the organization's visual identity and communication effectiveness. It's a leadership role that requires both robust creative talent and strong operational acumen.
Reporting Structure: The Brand & Design Director likely reports to a senior leadership position within the organization, such as an Executive Pastor, Director of Communications, or Chief Operations Officer. This position will have direct or indirect oversight of freelance designers, creative volunteers, and potentially junior staff members.
Operations Impact: The Brand & Design Director's impact is measured by the effectiveness of the organization's visual communication in supporting its mission and strategic objectives. This includes enhancing brand recognition, improving audience engagement across various platforms (digital, print, events), and ensuring a cohesive, professional representation of the church's values and message. Strong creative operations directly contribute to the clarity and reach of the organization's outreach and engagement efforts.
Growth Opportunities:
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Leadership Expansion: Potential to expand leadership responsibilities within the communications or operations departments, potentially overseeing a broader creative team or integrated marketing functions.
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Strategic Influence: Deeper involvement in organizational strategy, contributing creative insights to long-term planning and major initiatives.
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Skill Specialization: Opportunities to deepen expertise in specific areas like digital design, motion graphics, or brand strategy through specialized training or project work.
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Cross-Ministry Development: Gaining broader understanding and experience across different ministry areas, enabling more holistic creative support.
π Enhancement Note: Analyzing the "growth" aspect for a role like this involves understanding how creative leadership can evolve into broader operational or strategic roles, especially within a growing organization like a church. The emphasis is on how the candidate's operational skills in managing creative output can scale and lead to broader organizational impact.
π Work Environment
Office Type: The role is on-site at Chase Oaks Church's Plano campus. This implies a work environment integrated within a larger church facility, likely featuring dedicated office spaces for staff.
Office Location(s): The primary work location is 241 Legacy Drive, Plano, TX 75023. Plano is a well-established suburban city in the Dallas-Fort Worth metroplex, offering a blend of professional amenities and community living.
Workspace Context:
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Collaborative Hub: The workspace will likely be designed to foster collaboration, with shared creative studios, meeting rooms, and informal gathering areas to facilitate interaction with other staff, volunteers, and ministry teams.
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Technology-Enabled: Access to industry-standard design software (Adobe Creative Suite), hardware, and potentially other project management and communication tools to support efficient workflow.
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Mission-Focused Atmosphere: The environment will be infused with the church's mission and values, encouraging a sense of purpose and community among staff. Interaction with various ministry leaders and teams will be frequent.
Work Schedule:
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The standard work schedule is approximately 40 hours per week, typically Monday through Friday.
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While core hours will be defined for team collaboration, there may be a degree of flexibility to manage project demands, particularly for an on-site role. However, attendance at church events, services, or specific ministry gatherings may occasionally require evening or weekend availability, subject to organizational needs and leadership approval.
π Enhancement Note: The "work environment" description is tailored to a church setting, emphasizing integration with ministry activities and a mission-driven atmosphere, while still acknowledging the need for professional creative workspace and tools.
π Application & Portfolio Review Process
Interview Process:
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Initial Screening: A review of your resume and portfolio to assess qualifications, experience, and alignment with the role's requirements.
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Portfolio Review & Creative Challenge: A deeper dive into your portfolio, likely involving a presentation of key projects and possibly a short creative exercise or case study designed to assess your design thinking, problem-solving, and ability to apply brand principles.
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Behavioral and Situational Interviews: Discussions focused on your leadership style, collaboration approach, experience managing creative teams, and how you handle common challenges in brand management and creative operations.
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Cultural Fit & Values Interview: An assessment of your alignment with Chase Oaks Church's mission, values, and DNA. This is a critical stage for faith-based organizations.
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Final Interview: A meeting with senior leadership to discuss the role in detail, answer final questions, and confirm mutual fit.
Portfolio Review Tips:
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Showcase Process, Not Just Polish: Include case studies that detail your thought process, strategic rationale, challenges encountered, and how you arrived at the final design solution. This demonstrates operational thinking.
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Highlight Systemic Thinking: Present examples of how you've developed or implemented design systems, templates, or brand guidelines that improved efficiency and consistency.
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Quantify Impact (Where Possible): If you have metrics on how your design work or brand initiatives have positively impacted engagement, reach, or organizational goals, include them.
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Tailor to the Organization: Demonstrate an understanding of Chase Oaks Church's mission and audience. Showcase work that aligns with or shows adaptability to their style and objectives.
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Prepare for Presentation: Be ready to walk through your portfolio, articulate your design decisions, and answer questions about your creative leadership and project management skills.
Challenge Preparation:
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Design System Exercise: You might be asked to outline how you would approach developing or refining a design system for a specific church initiative.
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Brand Consistency Task: A challenge could involve evaluating existing materials for brand consistency and proposing solutions.
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Creative Brief Interpretation: You may be given a hypothetical creative brief and asked to outline your approach to developing a campaign concept.
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Values Alignment Discussion: Be prepared to discuss how your personal values and professional approach align with the church's stated values and DNA.
π Enhancement Note: The interview process for a role in a faith-based organization will heavily emphasize cultural and values alignment. The portfolio review is crucial for demonstrating not just creative skill but also the operational capacity to manage and scale creative output.
π Tools & Technology Stack
Primary Tools:
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Adobe Creative Suite: Expert proficiency required in Photoshop (image editing, manipulation), Illustrator (vector graphics, logos, illustrations), and InDesign (layout, print design, digital publishing).
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Design System Tools: Familiarity with tools or methodologies for creating and managing design systems (e.g., Figma, Sketch, or well-documented guidelines).
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Project Management Software: Experience with tools like Asana, Trello, Monday.com, or similar platforms for task tracking, workflow management, and team collaboration.
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Collaboration Platforms: Proficiency in tools like Slack, Microsoft Teams, or Google Workspace (Docs, Sheets, Slides, Drive) for internal communication and document sharing.
Analytics & Reporting:
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Website Analytics (Basic): Understanding of how to interpret basic website analytics (e.g., Google Analytics) to gauge the effectiveness of digital creative assets.
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Presentation Software: Strong skills in creating compelling presentations using tools like PowerPoint or Google Slides for reporting and stakeholder updates.
CRM & Automation:
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Content Management Systems (CMS): Familiarity with CMS platforms (e.g., WordPress) for website content updates and asset deployment.
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Email Marketing Platforms: Basic understanding of email marketing tools (e.g., Mailchimp, Constant Contact) and how design impacts campaign performance.
π Enhancement Note: The technology stack for this role naturally leans towards design and creative production tools. However, the inclusion of project management and collaboration platforms highlights the operational aspect of managing creative workflows and team interactions efficiently.
π₯ Team Culture & Values
Operations Values:
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Mission-Focused Excellence: A commitment to producing high-quality creative work that directly serves the church's mission and impacts its audience positively.
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Collaborative Spirit: A belief that creativity thrives through teamwork, open communication, and mutual support across all departments and volunteer teams.
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Intentionality & Clarity: A dedication to thoughtful design that communicates messages clearly, avoids ambiguity, and aligns perfectly with strategic objectives.
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Stewardship: Responsible management of creative resources, time, and talent to maximize impact and efficiency for the organization.
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Continuous Growth: A culture that encourages learning, adaptation, and refinement of creative processes and skills to stay relevant and effective.
Collaboration Style:
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Cross-Functional Partnership: Actively engaging with ministry leaders and communications teams to understand their needs, provide creative solutions, and ensure integrated campaign execution.
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Feedback-Driven Improvement: A willingness to both give and receive constructive feedback to enhance creative output and refine workflows.
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Empowerment & Support: Fostering an environment where designers and contributors (staff, freelancers, volunteers) feel empowered, supported, and equipped to do their best work.
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Shared Vision: Working towards a unified visual identity and communication strategy that reflects the church's core beliefs and goals.
π Enhancement Note: The culture and values section is heavily influenced by the organization's faith-based nature. The "operations" aspect is framed through how these values translate into daily work, team interactions, and the overall approach to managing creative production.
β‘ Challenges & Growth Opportunities
Challenges:
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Balancing Mission and Marketability: Ensuring creative work is both spiritually resonant and visually appealing/effective to a diverse audience, which may include non-believers.
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Resource Management: Effectively managing a budget and a mix of staff, freelancers, and volunteers to produce high-quality work with potentially limited resources common in nonprofit settings.
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Maintaining Brand Consistency: Ensuring that brand integrity is upheld across a wide array of ministries, events, and communication channels, often with varying levels of creative input or oversight.
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Adapting to Evolving Trends: Staying current with design trends and digital technologies while remaining faithful to the organization's established brand and mission.
Learning & Development Opportunities:
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Advanced Design Software: Training in specialized areas of Adobe Creative Suite or emerging design tools (e.g., AI-assisted design tools).
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Creative Leadership & Management: Workshops or courses focused on team leadership, project management for creative teams, and effective volunteer management.
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Brand Strategy & Marketing: Opportunities to deepen understanding of broader marketing and brand strategy principles, especially within the nonprofit or faith-based sector.
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Digital Media & Storytelling: Learning about cutting-edge digital storytelling techniques, video production, or social media creative strategies.
π Enhancement Note: Challenges for this role are typical for creative leadership in nonprofits, focusing on balancing mission with practical execution and resource constraints. Growth opportunities are geared towards expanding both creative and operational leadership capabilities.
π‘ Interview Preparation
Strategy Questions:
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"Describe your process for developing a comprehensive design system for a large organization. What are the key components, and how do you ensure buy-in and adoption?" (Focus on process, scalability, collaboration)
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"How do you balance creative vision with the strategic objectives and brand guidelines of an organization, particularly in a mission-driven context?" (Focus on strategic alignment, brand stewardship)
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"Walk me through a time you managed a significant creative project from concept to completion. What were the key challenges, how did you overcome them, and what was the outcome?" (Focus on project management, problem-solving, impact) Company & Culture Questions:
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"What attracts you to Chase Oaks Church specifically, and how do you see your skills and experience aligning with our mission and values?" (Focus on alignment, cultural fit, mission-driven approach)
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"How would you foster a collaborative and productive environment for freelance designers and creative volunteers, ensuring high-quality output and adherence to brand standards?" (Focus on team management, operational efficiency)
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"Describe your approach to receiving and providing creative feedback. How do you ensure feedback is constructive and leads to improved outcomes?" (Focus on communication, collaboration, continuous improvement) Portfolio Presentation Strategy:
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Highlight Operational Impact: For each project, articulate not just the design solution but also the problem it solved, the strategic intent, your role in the process, and any measurable outcomes or efficiencies gained.
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Demonstrate Systemic Thinking: Showcase projects where you developed templates, style guides, or design systems that streamlined production or enhanced brand consistency.
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Tell a Story: Structure your presentation to narrate the journey of each project, from brief to execution, emphasizing your problem-solving approach and creative leadership.
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Prepare for Specific Questions: Anticipate questions about your technical skills, leadership philosophy, and how you handle creative conflict or tight deadlines.
π Enhancement Note: Interview preparation should emphasize demonstrating both creative excellence and operational proficiency in managing creative workflows and teams, with a strong focus on alignment with the organization's unique mission and values.
π Application Steps
To apply for this Brand & Design Director position:
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Submit your application through the provided Paycom link.
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Tailor Your Resume: Highlight achievements and responsibilities that showcase your experience in brand leadership, creative direction, design systems development, project management, and team leadership (including freelancers/volunteers). Use keywords from the job description.
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Curate Your Portfolio: Select projects that best demonstrate your visual design skills, art direction capabilities, understanding of branding, and ability to manage creative processes. Include case studies that detail your strategic thinking and problem-solving approach.
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Prepare Your Narrative: Be ready to articulate your experience, leadership style, and how your skills align with Chase Oaks Church's mission and values during interviews. Practice presenting your portfolio with a focus on process and impact.
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Research Chase Oaks Church: Familiarize yourself with their current branding, ministries, and overall mission to demonstrate genuine interest and understanding of their context.
β οΈ Important Notice: This enhanced job description includes AI-generated insights and operations industry-standard assumptions. All details should be verified directly with the hiring organization before making application decisions.
Application Requirements
Candidates should have a strong portfolio in graphic design or brand leadership and proficiency in Adobe Creative Suite. A bachelor's degree in a design or marketing field is preferred, along with a commitment to the organization's faith-based values.