Design Manager

📍 Job Overview

Job Title: Design Manager

Company: University of Texas at Austin

Location: UT MAIN CAMPUS, Austin, TX

Job Type: FULL_TIME

Category: Marketing & Design Operations, Creative Management

Date Posted: June 24, 2026

Experience Level: 5-10 years

Remote Status: On-site

🚀 Role Summary

• This role is critical for enhancing the visual communication strategy across a diverse portfolio of university operations, ensuring brand consistency and impactful design for various initiatives.

• The Design Manager will be responsible for translating strategic objectives into compelling visual assets, managing the end-to-end design process from concept to delivery.

• This position offers a unique opportunity to contribute to a renowned academic institution, impacting the experience of students, employees, and visitors through high-quality design.

• The role involves mentoring junior staff and collaborating with cross-functional teams to elevate the overall design output and marketing effectiveness of the Operational Services and Strategies (OSS) portfolio.

📝 Enhancement Note: While the role title is "Design Manager," its strategic alignment with an "Operational Services and Strategies (OSS) portfolio" and reporting to the VP of Operations suggests a strong connection to operational efficiency and stakeholder experience, making it a relevant role for those with a background in operations-focused marketing and design. The emphasis on brand stewardship and project lifecycle management indicates a need for strong process-oriented thinking.

📈 Primary Responsibilities

• Creative Strategy Development: Translate creative briefs and business objectives into impactful design concepts that align with UT Austin's brand identity and resonate with target audiences.

• Project Lifecycle Management: Oversee the entire design project lifecycle, from initial research and ideation through production, approvals, and final delivery of digital and print materials.

• Brand Identity Stewardship: Actively protect and champion the University’s brand guidelines, ensuring visual continuity and adherence across all communications and marketing materials within the OSS portfolio.

• Mentorship and Team Development: Provide guidance, constructive feedback, and mentorship to design interns and communicators, fostering skill development and elevating the overall quality of design work across the portfolio.

• Cross-Functional Collaboration: Partner effectively with peers in Communications, Marketing and Engagement, as well as other functional units and departments, to develop cohesive and effective materials supporting marketing and communication goals.

• Stakeholder Communication and Presentation: Confidently present design concepts, rationale, and project updates to leadership, internal stakeholders, and cross-functional teams, ensuring buy-in and alignment.

• High-Quality Production Execution: Produce polished and accurate digital and print deliverables suitable for diverse channels, ensuring all files are production-ready and meet technical specifications.

• Digital and Print Asset Creation: Develop a range of visual assets, including but not limited to, marketing collateral, presentations, web graphics, social media content, and informational materials.

📝 Enhancement Note: The responsibilities highlight a blend of creative leadership and project management, typical of design roles within larger organizations, particularly those with a need for consistent brand application across multiple departments. The emphasis on stakeholder presentation and cross-functional collaboration points to the need for strong communication and relationship-building skills, essential for operational success.

🎓 Skills & Qualifications

Education:

• Bachelor’s degree in Art, Design, Photography, Film/Video, or a closely related field.

• Relevant education and experience may be substituted as appropriate. Experience:

• 5-7 years of related professional experience in design, branding, print production, and digital production. Required Skills:

• Proficiency in Adobe Creative Suite: Expert-level skills in Adobe InDesign, Adobe Illustrator, and Adobe Photoshop are essential for creating and manipulating visual assets.

• Microsoft Office Suite Proficiency: Strong command of Microsoft Word, Excel, and PowerPoint for document creation, data organization, and presentation development.

• Digital and Social Media Fluency: Understanding of digital and social media platforms and their design requirements for effective content creation and distribution.

• Content Management Systems (CMS) Experience: Experience working with CMS platforms like Drupal and WordPress, or similar systems, for web content integration.

• Project Management Acumen: Ability to multitask effectively, manage multiple projects concurrently, and meet deadlines in a fast-paced environment.

• Communication Skills: Excellent verbal and written communication abilities for clear articulation of ideas and project details.

• Interpersonal and Organizational Skills: Strong interpersonal skills for effective collaboration and robust organizational skills for managing tasks and details.

Preferred Skills:

• Advanced Adobe Creative Suite: Experience with Adobe Premiere, Adobe After Effects, Adobe Audition, and Lightroom for video, animation, audio, and photo editing.

• Multimedia Production: Experience with videography, video editing, photography, and audio editing to support comprehensive content creation.

• Email Marketing Systems: Familiarity with email marketing platforms such as Emma and Mailchimp for designing and deploying email campaigns.

• Project Management Tools: Experience managing projects and tracking work using tools like Asana or similar platforms.

📝 Enhancement Note: The required skills emphasize core design competencies and familiarity with essential business tools. The preferred skills highlight a desire for a candidate with a broader multimedia skillset, suggesting the role may evolve to encompass more video, audio, and animation work, which is increasingly common in marketing and communications operations. Experience with project management tools is also a key indicator of the structured approach expected.

📊 Process & Systems Portfolio Requirements

Portfolio Essentials:

• Demonstrated Creative Strategy: Showcase projects where you translated creative briefs and business objectives into impactful design solutions, clearly articulating the strategic thinking behind your creative choices.

• Brand Stewardship Examples: Include work that exemplifies your ability to maintain brand consistency and adhere to established brand guidelines across a variety of projects and mediums.

• Project Lifecycle Management: Present case studies demonstrating your management of the design project lifecycle from ideation through execution, highlighting your organizational skills and ability to meet deadlines.

• Collaboration and Stakeholder Engagement: Provide examples of projects where you successfully collaborated with cross-functional teams and presented design concepts effectively to stakeholders, including leadership.

• Digital and Print Deliverables: Showcase a diverse range of high-quality digital and print assets, demonstrating proficiency in production-ready file preparation for various channels.

Process Documentation:

• Workflow Design and Optimization: Be prepared to discuss your process for managing design projects, including how you initiate, plan, execute, and review design work to ensure efficiency and quality.

• Brand Guideline Implementation: Demonstrate how you integrate and enforce brand guidelines within your design process, ensuring consistency across all outputs.

• Feedback and Iteration: Explain your approach to receiving and incorporating feedback from stakeholders and team members, and how you manage iterative design processes.

• File Management and Archiving: Discuss your methods for organizing and archiving design files to ensure accessibility and version control.

📝 Enhancement Note: For a Design Manager role, a portfolio is crucial. The emphasis should be on demonstrating strategic thinking, end-to-end project management, and brand adherence, rather than just aesthetic execution. Applicants should prepare to discuss their design processes and how they ensure quality and consistency, aligning with operational excellence.

💵 Compensation & Benefits

Salary Range:

• $85,000+ per year, depending on qualifications. Benefits:

• Comprehensive Health Coverage: Competitive health benefits with employee premiums covered at 100% and family premiums at 50%.

• Voluntary Insurance Options: Access to voluntary vision, dental, life, and disability insurance.

• Generous Paid Time Off: Ample paid vacation, sick time, and holidays.

• Retirement Plan: Participation in the Teachers Retirement System of Texas (TRS), a defined benefit plan, with employer matching funds.

• Additional Retirement Programs: Voluntary 403(b) Tax Sheltered Annuity and 457(b) Deferred Compensation programs.

• Flexible Spending Accounts: Options for medical and childcare expense accounts.

• Professional Development: Robust access to free training via LinkedIn Learning and opportunities for professional conference attendance.

• Tuition Assistance: Support for continuing education.

• Employee Discounts: Expansive discount programs, including athletic tickets.

• Campus Access: Free access to UT Austin libraries and museums with staff ID.

• Transportation: Free rides on UT Shuttle and Austin CapMetro buses with staff ID.

Working Hours:

• 40 hours per week.

• This is an on-site, full-time position at the UT main campus. Occasional work at other UT locations may be required.

📝 Enhancement Note: The salary range is a starting point, and the phrase "depending on qualifications" indicates flexibility. The benefits package is exceptionally comprehensive, reflecting a large, established institution like UT Austin. The specific details provided for each benefit are valuable for candidates assessing the overall compensation beyond base salary. The on-site requirement is clearly stated.

🎯 Team & Company Context

🏢 Company Culture

Industry: Higher Education & Public Services. The University of Texas at Austin is a world-renowned research university, and the Operational Services and Strategies (OSS) portfolio supports its vast infrastructure and strategic initiatives.

Company Size: Large (University system). UT Austin employs tens of thousands of staff and faculty, indicating a complex organizational structure with numerous departments and specialized teams.

Founded: 1883. With a long history, UT Austin possesses a strong institutional culture and established traditions, balanced with a forward-looking approach to research and education.

Team Structure:

• Reporting: The Design Manager reports to the Executive Director of Branding and Marketing within the Communications, Marketing and Engagement team.

• Portfolio Scope: This team supports the entire OSS portfolio, which comprises multiple distinct units including Campus Operations and Planning, Campus Services, Central HR, Discovery to Impact, Real Estate Planning and Strategy, Texas Institute for Electronics, and University Housing and Dining.

• Cross-Functional Collaboration: The role requires close collaboration with peers across the Communications, Marketing and Engagement team and with various functional units and departments within the OSS portfolio.

Methodology:

• Branding and Identity: Emphasis on protecting and championing the UT Austin brand identity, ensuring visual continuity and alignment across all communications.

• Goal-Driven Design: Focus on creating design solutions that are not only aesthetically pleasing but also strategically aligned with business objectives and designed to drive engagement.

• Process-Oriented Execution: Management of the design project lifecycle from ideation to final delivery, emphasizing accuracy, quality, and timely production.

• Mentorship and Skill Development: A culture that supports the growth of team members through guidance and feedback.

Company Website: https://www.utexas.edu/

📝 Enhancement Note: The organizational context highlights the scale and complexity of UT Austin. The OSS portfolio is broad, meaning the Design Manager will interact with a diverse set of operational units, requiring adaptability and a broad understanding of different communication needs. The emphasis on branding and strategic design suggests a mature marketing and communications function.

📈 Career & Growth Analysis

Operations Career Level: This position is a mid-to-senior level management role within the design and marketing operations function. It requires independent work, strategic thinking, and the ability to guide others.

Reporting Structure: The Design Manager reports to the Executive Director of Branding and Marketing, indicating a clear leadership path within the marketing and communications hierarchy. This structure suggests opportunities for exposure to higher-level strategic discussions and decision-making.

Operations Impact: The role directly impacts the perception and effectiveness of the Operational Services and Strategies (OSS) portfolio by ensuring clear, consistent, and compelling visual communication. High-quality design can enhance user experience, improve understanding of services, and bolster the reputation of operational units, indirectly contributing to the university's overall mission and operational efficiency.

Growth Opportunities:

• Leadership Advancement: Potential to grow into senior marketing or branding roles within the OSS portfolio or other departments at UT Austin, potentially managing larger teams or broader strategic initiatives.

• Skill Specialization: Opportunity to deepen expertise in specific design areas (e.g., multimedia, advanced digital design) through preferred qualifications and ongoing professional development.

• Cross-Departmental Exposure: Gain experience working with a wide array of operational units, broadening understanding of university operations and diverse communication challenges.

• Professional Development: Access to LinkedIn Learning, professional conferences, and tuition assistance provides avenues for continuous learning and skill enhancement in design, marketing, and management.

📝 Enhancement Note: The role offers a clear path for career progression within a large institution. The breadth of the OSS portfolio provides diverse project experience, making candidates more versatile. The emphasis on mentorship and professional development indicates a commitment to employee growth, which is attractive for long-term career development in operations-adjacent creative roles.

🌐 Work Environment

Office Type: On-site, full-time position at the UT Main Campus. This implies a traditional office environment within a university setting.

Office Location(s): UT MAIN CAMPUS, Austin, TX. Occasional work at other UT locations may be required, suggesting potential for travel within the university system.

Workspace Context:

• Collaborative Environment: The role involves working closely with peers in Communications, Marketing and Engagement, and various operational units, fostering a collaborative atmosphere.

• Resources and Technology: Access to industry-standard design software (Adobe Creative Suite) and potentially other university-provided technology and resources.

• Team Interaction: Opportunities for regular interaction with a dedicated marketing and communications team, as well as diverse stakeholders across operational departments.

Work Schedule:

• Standard 40-hour work week.

• The on-site nature of the role suggests a structured work schedule, but the dynamic environment of a university may involve occasional flexibility for project needs.

📝 Enhancement Note: The on-site requirement is a key factor for candidates. The Austin location offers a vibrant city environment. The collaborative nature of the role within a large university necessitates strong interpersonal skills and the ability to navigate a complex organizational structure.

📄 Application & Portfolio Review Process

Interview Process:

• Initial Screening: Likely involves a review of resume, letter of interest, and work samples by the hiring team.

• First Round Interviews: May include behavioral questions, discussions about past projects, and an assessment of communication and collaboration skills. This could be with the Executive Director of Branding and Marketing or other key team members.

• Portfolio Review Session: A critical step where candidates will present their work samples. Expect detailed questions about their creative process, strategic thinking, problem-solving approaches, and how they managed specific projects.

• Skills Assessment/Case Study: Candidates may be asked to complete a design challenge or case study, either before or during the interview process, to assess their practical skills in design, branding, and project execution.

• Final Interviews: Likely with senior leadership within OSS or Communications, focusing on strategic fit, leadership potential, and overall cultural alignment.

Portfolio Review Tips:

• Curate Strategically: Select 3-5 of your strongest projects that best demonstrate the required skills (creative strategy, brand stewardship, project management, digital/print execution). Tailor the selection to highlight relevant experience within higher education or large organizations if possible.

• Tell a Story: For each project, clearly articulate the problem, your role, the strategic approach, the creative solution, the process, and the measurable outcome or impact. Focus on the "why" behind your design decisions.

• Showcase Process: Include examples of your process, such as mood boards, sketches, wireframes, or iterations, to illustrate your problem-solving methodology.

• Highlight Brand Adherence: Emphasize how you incorporated and maintained brand guidelines, especially if working with established university branding.

• Quantify Impact: Where possible, use data or metrics to demonstrate the success of your designs (e.g., increased engagement, improved conversion rates, positive feedback).

• Prepare for Questions: Anticipate questions about your creative choices, how you handle difficult feedback, your project management approach, and how you collaborate with non-designers.

Challenge Preparation:

• Understand the UT Austin Brand: Familiarize yourself thoroughly with the University of Texas at Austin's brand guidelines and visual identity.

• Analyze Operational Communications: Review existing communications from UT Austin's operational units (if publicly available) to understand their current visual style and potential areas for improvement.

• Practice Presentation Skills: Prepare to present your portfolio and any case study responses clearly, concisely, and confidently. Practice articulating your design rationale and strategic thinking under pressure.

• Focus on Operational Context: Frame your responses and portfolio examples in the context of supporting operational goals, enhancing user experience, and driving organizational objectives.

📝 Enhancement Note: The application process emphasizes a thorough review of work samples and strategic thinking. Candidates must be prepared to not only showcase their design skills but also their ability to manage projects, collaborate effectively, and align their work with institutional goals. A strong portfolio that tells a compelling story is essential.

🛠 Tools & Technology Stack

Primary Tools:

• Adobe Creative Suite:

  • Adobe InDesign: Essential for layout, typography, and print production of marketing collateral, reports, and presentations.
  • Adobe Illustrator: Crucial for creating vector graphics, logos, icons, and complex illustrations.
  • Adobe Photoshop: Necessary for image editing, manipulation, and creating digital graphics for web and social media.

• Microsoft Office Suite:

  • PowerPoint: For creating presentations for stakeholders and leadership.
  • Word: For reports, documents, and text-heavy collateral.
  • Excel: For tracking project details, budgets, or basic data analysis.

Analytics & Reporting:

• While not explicitly listed as primary tools for the Design Manager, familiarity with how design impacts analytics is beneficial. This could include understanding metrics for web graphics, social media engagement, or email campaign performance.

• CMS Analytics: Experience with analytics dashboards within platforms like Drupal or WordPress would be advantageous.

CRM & Automation:

• Email Marketing Systems: Proficiency with platforms like Emma and Mailchimp (preferred skill) for designing and deploying email campaigns.

• Project Management Tools: Experience with tools like Asana (preferred skill) for tracking project timelines, tasks, and team progress.

• Content Management Systems (CMS): Experience with Drupal and WordPress (required skill) for integrating design assets into web content.

📝 Enhancement Note: Proficiency in the Adobe Creative Suite is non-negotiable. The preferred skills in multimedia editing (Premiere, After Effects) and project management tools (Asana) indicate a desire for a candidate who can handle a wide range of tasks and manage workflow efficiently. Familiarity with CMS and email marketing platforms is key for digital design execution.

👥 Team Culture & Values

Operations Values:

• Excellence in Service: A commitment to supporting the university's operational mission through high-quality, effective communications and design.

• Collaboration and Teamwork: Emphasis on working together across departments and functions to achieve common goals and deliver integrated solutions.

• Brand Integrity: A strong dedication to upholding and advancing the UT Austin brand through consistent and professional visual representation.

• Innovation and Adaptability: Willingness to explore new design approaches, technologies, and strategies to meet evolving communication needs.

• Data-Informed Creativity: While creative, decisions are often informed by an understanding of audience, objectives, and potential impact, aligning with a data-driven approach to operations.

Collaboration Style:

• Cross-Functional Integration: Proactively engage with various operational units to understand their needs and provide design solutions that support their objectives.

• Open Communication: Foster an environment where feedback is shared openly and constructively, both within the design team and with stakeholders.

• Process Improvement: Contribute to refining design workflows and collaboration processes to enhance efficiency and effectiveness.

• Shared Learning: Encourage knowledge sharing and best practice discussions within the team and across related departments.

📝 Enhancement Note: The culture likely values professionalism, a strong work ethic, and a commitment to the university's mission. Collaboration is key, given the broad portfolio, and a proactive approach to understanding and serving diverse operational needs would be highly valued.

⚡ Challenges & Growth Opportunities

Challenges:

• Balancing Diverse Stakeholder Needs: Managing design requests and expectations from multiple operational units, each with unique goals and priorities.

• Maintaining Brand Consistency: Ensuring adherence to UT Austin's brand guidelines across a wide range of materials and departments, especially amidst diverse operational functions.

• Evolving Digital Landscape: Keeping pace with rapid changes in digital design trends, social media platforms, and content delivery methods.

• Resource Management: Potentially managing design projects with varying levels of budget and resource availability across different operational units.

Learning & Development Opportunities:

• Advanced Design Software Training: Opportunities to deepen skills in video editing, animation, and other multimedia tools.

• Branding and Marketing Strategy: Exposure to higher-level marketing and branding strategy discussions within the OSS portfolio.

• Project Management Methodologies: Further development in project management techniques and tools for efficient workflow execution.

• Industry Conferences and Workshops: Potential to attend relevant design, marketing, or higher education conferences for professional growth and networking.

• Mentorship Programs: Opportunities to learn from senior leaders and potentially mentor junior designers.

📝 Enhancement Note: The challenges are typical for a design manager in a large, decentralized organization. The growth opportunities are substantial, leveraging the resources of a major university to foster continuous professional development.

💡 Interview Preparation

Strategy Questions:

• "Describe a time you translated a complex business objective into a compelling visual design strategy. What was your process, and what was the outcome?" (Focus on strategic thinking, process, and results.)

• "How do you ensure brand consistency across multiple projects and departments, especially when working with diverse stakeholders?" (Highlight your approach to brand stewardship and collaboration.)

• "Walk us through a challenging design project you managed from concept to completion. What were the key challenges, and how did you overcome them?" (Prepare a detailed case study emphasizing project management, problem-solving, and communication.) Company & Culture Questions:

• "What interests you about working for the University of Texas at Austin and specifically within the Operational Services and Strategies portfolio?" (Research the university's mission, values, and the specific scope of OSS.)

• "How would you approach mentoring junior designers or communicators on the team?" (Discuss your leadership style and experience in providing constructive feedback.)

• "How do you measure the success of your design work, and how do you communicate that impact to stakeholders?" (Focus on metrics relevant to design impact, such as engagement, clarity, or brand perception.) Portfolio Presentation Strategy:

• Structure Your Presentation: Begin with an overview of your career and highlight your most relevant skills. Then, present 2-3 key portfolio pieces, dedicating adequate time to each.

• Focus on Process and Strategy: For each project, emphasize the "why" and "how" – your strategic approach, the creative process, the challenges faced, and the solutions implemented.

• Quantify Results: Whenever possible, use data to demonstrate the effectiveness of your designs. If direct metrics are unavailable, discuss anticipated impact or qualitative feedback.

• Tailor to UT Austin: Frame your work as relevant to the university's mission and the specific needs of the OSS portfolio. Show you understand their context.

• Be Prepared for Q&A: Anticipate questions about your design choices, technical skills, collaboration style, and ability to manage projects and people.

📝 Enhancement Note: Interviewers will be looking for a blend of creative talent, strategic thinking, project management capability, and cultural fit. Demonstrating an understanding of the university environment and the operational context will be crucial.

📌 Application Steps

To apply for this Design Manager position:

• Submit your application through the provided Workday link.

• Portfolio Customization: Tailor your resume and cover letter to highlight your experience in brand management, project lifecycle management, and your proficiency with Adobe Creative Suite and other relevant tools.

• Resume Optimization: Ensure your resume clearly outlines your 5-7 years of experience, emphasizing achievements in design, production, and team collaboration. Use keywords from the job description.

• Portfolio Preparation: Select 3-5 of your strongest work samples that best showcase your strategic thinking, brand stewardship, and execution capabilities. Be ready to present these and discuss your process in detail.

• Company Research: Thoroughly research the University of Texas at Austin, its mission, values, and the specific operational units within the OSS portfolio to understand their communication needs and context.

⚠️ Important Notice: This enhanced job description includes AI-generated insights and operations industry-standard assumptions. While aiming for comprehensive detail, all information should be verified directly with the hiring organization, the University of Texas at Austin, before making application decisions.