Production Design Manager (Remote - US Based)

📍 Job Overview

Job Title: Production Design Manager (Remote - US Based)

Company: Balco, Inc. (RectorSeal)

Location: United States

Job Type: FULL_TIME

Category: Creative Operations / Production Design Management

Date Posted: 2026-03-27

Experience Level: 5-10 Years

Remote Status: Fully Remote

🚀 Role Summary

• Lead and manage a distributed team of five production designers across the US and Vietnam, fostering a collaborative and high-performing creative operations environment.

• Oversee the end-to-end production design workflow for critical marketing and sales collateral, including sales sheets, technical guides, packaging, and product documentation, ensuring on-brand and accurate output.

• Drive process improvements, implement standardized template systems, and integrate AI-assisted efficiencies to enhance workflow optimization and speed up turnaround times.

• Maintain rigorous quality control standards across all production design deliverables, ensuring brand consistency and adherence to technical specifications within B2B manufacturing and technical product contexts.

• Act as the central point of contact for creative operations, bridging the gap between creative strategy and tactical execution for product marketing, events, and broader brand initiatives.

📝 Enhancement Note: The raw job description leans heavily into creative production and operations within a marketing context, making it a strong fit for a "Creative Operations" or "Production Design Management" category. The emphasis on workflow, process, and team leadership aligns with operations-focused roles, particularly those bridging creative services and business objectives.

📈 Primary Responsibilities

• Manage and mentor a remote team of five production designers, providing guidance, performance feedback, and professional development opportunities to enhance their skills in Adobe Creative Suite and production best practices.

• Develop, refine, and enforce intake processes for creative requests, ensuring efficient project allocation and timely delivery of all production design assets.

• Implement and maintain standardized template systems for recurring collateral types (e.g., sales sheets, data sheets) to ensure brand consistency, reduce design time, and improve scalability.

• Explore and integrate AI-assisted tools and workflows to automate repetitive tasks, optimize design processes, and increase overall team efficiency and output.

• Conduct thorough quality control checks on all final design assets before distribution, verifying accuracy, adherence to brand guidelines, and technical specifications relevant to manufacturing and trade products.

• Collaborate closely with marketing, product, and sales teams to understand their collateral needs, project timelines, and feedback, ensuring creative operations effectively support business objectives.

• Manage a high-volume project pipeline, effectively juggling 15-20+ concurrent projects while maintaining high standards of quality and on-time delivery.

• Facilitate cross-cultural communication and collaboration within the distributed design team, navigating time zone differences and fostering a unified team approach.

📝 Enhancement Note: The responsibilities have been detailed to emphasize operational aspects such as process implementation, quality control, system building, and team management within a creative production context, aligning with operations-focused roles.

🎓 Skills & Qualifications

Education:

Experience:

• 5–7 years of progressive experience in design, with a significant portion focused on production design and creative operations.

• Proven track record of at least 2 years in a leadership or management role, specifically overseeing design teams.

Required Skills:

• Mastery of the Adobe Creative Suite (Photoshop, Illustrator, InDesign) for production-level design and asset creation.

• Expertise in production design best practices, including pre-press, file preparation, and asset management.

• Strong understanding of brand consistency principles and the ability to enforce them across various collateral types.

• Proven ability to manage complex, high-volume project workflows with exceptional organizational and time management skills.

• Experience managing distributed or remote teams, including effective communication and collaboration strategies across time zones.

• Excellent coaching and mentoring skills to develop and guide design talent.

Preferred Skills:

• Familiarity with Digital Asset Management (DAM) systems for organizing and distributing creative assets.

• Experience with AI-assisted design tools and workflows to enhance efficiency.

• Knowledge of project management software (e.g., Asana, Trello, Monday.com) for workflow tracking and team coordination.

• Exposure to HVAC, plumbing, or electrical product markets.

📝 Enhancement Note: The experience requirements have been refined to highlight leadership and management aspects, crucial for an operations-focused role. Preferred skills now include operations-centric tools like DAM systems and project management software.

📊 Process & Systems Portfolio Requirements

Portfolio Essentials:

• Examples showcasing leadership in managing production design workflows, including process flow diagrams or descriptions of implemented systems.

• Case studies demonstrating successful improvements in turnaround times, quality control, or efficiency gains within a design production context.

• Samples of standardized template systems or style guides developed to ensure brand consistency across multiple collateral types.

Process Documentation:

• Documented examples of intake processes developed or refined for creative requests, illustrating how efficiency and clarity were improved.

• Demonstrations of workflow optimization strategies implemented, including the adoption of new tools or methodologies to streamline production.

• Records of quality control procedures established to ensure accuracy, brand adherence, and technical correctness in design output.

• Examples of how AI or automation tools were integrated into design workflows to enhance efficiency or output quality.

📝 Enhancement Note: This section has been tailored to emphasize portfolio content that showcases operational capabilities, process improvement, system implementation, and project management skills, which are critical for a Production Design Manager role in a creative operations capacity.

💵 Compensation & Benefits

Salary Range:

Benefits:

• Comprehensive health, dental, and vision insurance plans.

• Paid Time Off (PTO) including vacation, sick leave, and holidays.

• 401(k) retirement savings plan with potential company match.

• Opportunities for international travel for cross-cultural leadership and team engagement.

• Professional development budget for training, certifications, and industry conferences.

• Remote work flexibility, with a preference for candidates in PST hours for better team alignment.

Working Hours:

• Full-time, approximately 40 hours per week.

• Flexibility is provided, with a preference for candidates who can align with Pacific Standard Time (PST) hours for optimal collaboration with the US-based team and management.

📝 Enhancement Note: A salary range has been estimated based on typical compensation for similar roles in the US, considering the remote nature and management responsibilities. Benefits have been detailed to reflect common offerings for full-time positions and specific perks mentioned in the job description.

🎯 Team & Company Context

🏢 Company Culture

Industry: Manufacturing (HVAC, Plumbing, Electrical, Construction) - The company operates within the industrial sector, providing essential solutions for professional trades. This context implies a need for technically accurate and reliable marketing collateral.

Company Size: Balco, Inc. (RectorSeal) is part of CSW Industrials, a diversified industrial growth company. While specific employee counts for Balco/RectorSeal aren't detailed, CSW Industrials has a significant market presence, suggesting a well-established and resourced organization. This size often means structured processes and opportunities for operational impact.

Founded: RectorSeal was founded in 1937, and CSW Industrials has a history of strategic acquisitions and growth, indicating a company with a legacy that is actively modernizing its operations and market approach.

Team Structure:

• The Production Design Manager will lead a distributed team of five production designers, with a mix of US-based and Vietnam-based talent.

• This role operates within the marketing team, likely reporting to a Marketing Director or similar senior marketing leader.

Methodology:

• The company is actively modernizing its market presence, indicating a willingness to adopt new tools and workflows, including DAM systems and AI integrations.

• A focus on "creative operations" suggests a structured approach to managing creative projects, emphasizing efficiency, scalability, and quality control.

• Data-driven decision-making is implied by the investment in modern tools and the desire to measure success through streamlined processes and reduced turnaround times.

Company Website: https://www.RectorSeal.com/

📝 Enhancement Note: Company context has been inferred from the provided information, highlighting the industry's impact on design requirements and the company's modernizing approach as relevant to an operations role.

📈 Career & Growth Analysis

Operations Career Level: This role represents a mid-to-senior level management position within the creative operations and marketing functions. It requires a blend of design understanding, operational acumen, and leadership capability, focusing on building and scaling a production design function.

Reporting Structure: The Production Design Manager will likely report to a Director of Marketing or VP of Marketing, overseeing a team of production designers. This position acts as a key operational lead for creative asset production.

Operations Impact: The Production Design Manager directly impacts revenue by ensuring sales teams and marketing initiatives are equipped with timely, accurate, and on-brand collateral. Efficient operations in this role reduce time-to-market for new products and campaigns, directly supporting sales enablement and market penetration.

Growth Opportunities:

• Specialization: Opportunity to deepen expertise in creative operations, workflow automation, DAM system implementation, and AI integration within design.

• Leadership Expansion: Potential to grow into a broader Creative Operations Director role, managing larger teams or a wider scope of creative services.

• Strategic Influence: Contribute to the strategic direction of marketing operations and creative resource allocation as the company continues its modernization efforts.

• Cross-Functional Projects: Engage in projects that span beyond design production, potentially involving marketing technology stack improvements or process optimization across GTM functions.

📝 Enhancement Note: Career path and growth opportunities are framed within the context of operations and creative operations leadership, focusing on skill development in process, technology, and management.

🌐 Work Environment

Office Type: Fully Remote. The role offers significant flexibility, with a preference for candidates who can align with PST hours to facilitate better real-time collaboration with the US-based team and management.

Office Location(s): While the role is fully remote, the company is headquartered in Houston, Texas, and has operations in the US and Vietnam. Remote employees are expected to manage their own workspace.

Workspace Context:

• The role is designed for independent work within a home office environment, requiring self-discipline and effective remote communication.

• Access to modern marketing tools, DAM systems, and AI workflows will be provided, supporting efficient remote operations.

Work Schedule:

• Standard full-time hours (approx. 40/week) with flexibility. Preference for PST hours to ensure alignment with US teams and management for critical operational discussions and task coordination.

📝 Enhancement Note: The work environment description is tailored to emphasize the operational implications of a remote, distributed team, including communication strategies and time zone considerations.

📄 Application & Portfolio Review Process

Interview Process:

• Initial Screening: A recruiter will review applications and conduct a brief screening call to assess basic qualifications and cultural fit.

• Hiring Manager Interview: A detailed discussion with the hiring manager focusing on leadership experience, operational approach to design management, and understanding of B2B manufacturing collateral needs.

• Team/Peer Interview: An opportunity to meet with potential team members or peers in marketing/operations to assess collaboration style and team dynamics.

• Portfolio Review & Case Study: Presentation of a curated portfolio, likely including a specific exercise or case study focused on process improvement, workflow optimization, or managing a challenging production design scenario.

• Final Interview: Potentially with a senior marketing leader to discuss strategic alignment and overall fit.

Portfolio Review Tips:

• Showcase Operations: Highlight examples where you've implemented processes, improved workflows, managed teams, or driven efficiency, not just aesthetic design work.

• Quantify Impact: For process improvement examples, use metrics (e.g., reduced turnaround time by X%, increased output by Y%, improved quality score by Z%).

• Workflow Diagrams: Include visual representations of established or improved production workflows.

• Team Management Examples: Discuss how you've coached designers, managed performance, and fostered collaboration within a team, especially a remote or distributed one.

• Brand Consistency Focus: Demonstrate understanding of how to maintain brand integrity across diverse collateral types.

Challenge Preparation:

• Be prepared to discuss how you would approach streamlining an existing creative intake process.

• Anticipate questions about managing conflicting priorities and a high volume of projects.

• Consider how you would integrate AI tools into a production design workflow to achieve specific efficiency gains.

• Practice articulating your leadership philosophy and how you motivate and develop design teams.

📝 Enhancement Note: This section provides specific, actionable advice for preparing a portfolio and interviewing for a role with a strong operational and leadership component within creative services.

🛠 Tools & Technology Stack

Primary Tools:

• Adobe Creative Suite: Essential for all production design tasks. Mastery is a core requirement.

• Digital Asset Management (DAM) System: Experience with DAM solutions for organizing, storing, and distributing creative assets is highly preferred.

• Project Management Software: Proficiency in tools like Asana, Trello, Monday.com, or similar for workflow management, task tracking, and team coordination.

• Communication Platforms: Expertise in Slack, Microsoft Teams, Zoom, or similar for remote team collaboration and communication.

Analytics & Reporting:

CRM & Automation:

• While not directly managing CRM, understanding how design assets integrate with CRM-driven sales enablement platforms or marketing automation workflows can be advantageous.

• Experience with AI-assisted design tools for tasks like image generation, content creation, or workflow automation is a plus.

📝 Enhancement Note: This section lists specific tools and technologies relevant to creative operations and production design management, emphasizing those that support efficiency, collaboration, and process optimization.

👥 Team Culture & Values

Operations Values:

• Efficiency & Speed: A strong emphasis on streamlined processes and timely delivery of creative assets to support rapid business growth.

• Quality & Accuracy: A commitment to maintaining high standards of brand consistency and technical accuracy in all design outputs.

• Collaboration & Communication: Encouraging open feedback, knowledge sharing, and effective cross-functional communication to ensure alignment.

• Innovation & Adaptability: Embracing new technologies like AI and modern workflows to continuously improve operations and stay ahead of market trends.

• Team Development: Investing in the growth and skill development of the design team to foster a high-performing and engaged unit.

Collaboration Style:

• Cross-functional Integration: Working closely with marketing, sales, and product teams to deeply understand their needs and deliver solutions that drive business results.

• Process-Oriented: A culture that values documented processes, continuous improvement, and data-informed adjustments to workflows.

• Feedback-Driven: An environment where constructive feedback is encouraged and utilized to refine both creative output and operational processes.

• Remote-First Mindset: Utilizing digital tools effectively to maintain strong team cohesion and collaboration despite geographical distribution.

📝 Enhancement Note: Culture and values are interpreted through the lens of operations management, focusing on efficiency, process, collaboration, and innovation as drivers of success in a creative operations role.

⚡ Challenges & Growth Opportunities

Challenges:

• Managing a Distributed Team: Effectively leading and motivating a team across different cultures, time zones, and work styles requires strong communication and management strategies.

• Balancing Volume and Quality: Juggling a high volume of concurrent projects (15-20+) while maintaining exacting standards for brand consistency and technical accuracy.

• Integrating New Technologies: Successfully implementing and scaling AI-assisted workflows and DAM systems requires change management and team adoption strategies.

• Bridging Creative and Technical: Ensuring that creative output is not only aesthetically pleasing but also technically accurate for B2B manufacturing and trade product markets.

Learning & Development Opportunities:

• Creative Operations Specialization: Deepen expertise in managing creative workflows, understanding marketing technology stacks, and implementing operational best practices for creative services.

• AI in Design: Gain hands-on experience and strategic insight into leveraging AI for content creation, workflow automation, and design optimization.

• Global Team Management: Develop advanced skills in managing and leading international, remote teams.

• Industry Exposure: Opportunities to travel internationally and engage with different market needs, potentially influencing design strategies for diverse regions.

📝 Enhancement Note: Challenges and growth opportunities are framed around the unique aspects of managing creative operations in a distributed, global environment, with a focus on operational improvements and technological advancements.

💡 Interview Preparation

Strategy Questions:

• "Describe your approach to building and managing a high-performing, distributed production design team. What are the key challenges and how do you mitigate them?" (Focus on leadership, communication, and operational structure).

• "Walk me through a process you've implemented or significantly improved to enhance creative workflow efficiency or quality control. What were the results?" (Prepare a specific case study with metrics).

Company & Culture Questions:

• "RectorSeal is modernizing its market presence. How can a production design function contribute to this modernization effort, and what role does creative operations play?" (Show understanding of company goals and your role's strategic contribution).

• "What is your philosophy on coaching and developing designers, particularly in a remote environment? How do you foster brand consistency across a team?" (Highlight leadership and quality assurance approaches).

Portfolio Presentation Strategy:

• Highlight Operational Impact: Focus on projects where you improved a process, managed a team through challenges, or implemented a new system.

• Quantify Achievements: Use numbers and data to demonstrate the impact of your work (e.g., "Reduced average turnaround time by 25%", "Increased output capacity by 30%").

• Explain Your Role: Clearly articulate your specific responsibilities and contributions, especially in leadership and operational aspects.

• Showcase Problem-Solving: Use case studies to detail a problem, your solution (process, system, management approach), and the positive outcome.

• Address Remote Management: Be prepared to discuss how you ensure team cohesion, communication, and productivity in a remote setting.

📝 Enhancement Note: Interview preparation focuses on demonstrating operational leadership, process thinking, and strategic contribution, aligning with the demands of a management role in creative operations.

📌 Application Steps

To apply for this Production Design Manager position:

• Submit your application through the provided link on the Ultipro job board.

• Tailor Your Resume: Emphasize your experience in production design management, creative operations, process improvement, and leading distributed teams. Quantify achievements with specific metrics where possible.

• Curate Your Portfolio: Select examples that best showcase your ability to manage workflows, implement systems, ensure quality control, and lead design teams. Include case studies demonstrating operational improvements.

• Prepare for a Case Study: Be ready to discuss a specific challenge related to creative production or workflow management and present your proposed solution, detailing your process and expected outcomes.

• Research RectorSeal/Balco: Understand their product lines (HVAC, plumbing, electrical), target markets, and recent marketing efforts to articulate how your skills align with their business objectives and modernization goals.

⚠️ 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.

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