Senior Graphic Designer

📍 Job Overview

Job Title: Senior Graphic Designer

Company: Holley Performance Brands

Location: Nashville, TN / Bowling Green, KY

Job Type: Full Time

Category: Marketing Operations / Creative Operations

Date Posted: May 11, 2026

Experience Level: 7+ Years Professional Experience

Remote Status: On-site

🚀 Role Summary

• Lead the conceptualization and execution of high-impact visual assets and creative campaigns for the American Performance division.

• Drive visual storytelling and brand consistency across multiple iconic automotive performance brands.

• Collaborate cross-functionally to translate marketing briefs into compelling visual narratives and production-ready assets.

• Leverage AI-enabled creative tools to enhance speed, workflow efficiency, and overall creative output.

• Support the development and evolution of brand visual identities and creative toolkits for various marketing channels.

📝 Enhancement Note: This role is positioned within the "American Performance Division" creative team, reporting to the Manager, Go-To-Market & Brand Operations. This indicates a strong GTM focus, requiring the designer to not only create visually appealing assets but also understand how they contribute to broader marketing strategies and campaign success. The emphasis on AI tools suggests a forward-thinking marketing organization prioritizing efficiency and innovation.

📈 Primary Responsibilities

• Creative Concept Development: Lead the ideation and development of high-impact campaign concepts for product launches, promotions, and brand initiatives, ensuring resonance with an enthusiast audience.

• Visual Storytelling & Direction: Translate marketing briefs into compelling visual narratives and define creative direction for projects, ensuring alignment with brand strategy and objectives.

• Hands-on Design Execution: Execute production-ready design work across various marketing channels, including brand guides, campaign key art, website assets, and digital marketing collateral.

• AI Tool Integration: Thoughtfully utilize AI and emerging creative tools to accelerate concepting, production, and workflow efficiency while maintaining design integrity and brand standards.

• Brand Consistency & Evolution: Ensure all creative outputs adhere to established brand guidelines, support the evolution of visual identities for iconic performance brands, and contribute to brand taxonomy improvements.

• Campaign & Channel Support: Create materials for diverse audiences (enthusiast-facing, retail, investor) and contribute to event and tradeshow creative concepts.

• Toolkit Generation: Support the creation of brand templates and asset toolkits for other content teams (social, email, blog, web merchandising).

• Creative Reviews & Feedback: Provide creative reviews and feedback to other team designers and content creators, maintaining attention to detail across all deliverables.

• Workflow Management: Utilize workflow management tools (e.g., Asana, Monday.com, Smartsheet) to manage multiple projects and priorities effectively in a fast-paced environment.

📝 Enhancement Note: The responsibility to "support evolution of current naming conventions, project codes, and taxonomy for improved tracking and efficiency" suggests this role will contribute to operationalizing the creative process. This includes not just the creative output but also the underlying systems that manage creative assets and projects, aligning with a broader marketing operations function.

🎓 Skills & Qualifications

Education:

Experience:

• 7+ years of professional graphic design experience.

• Experience working within an advertising agency environment is required.

• Experience in automotive, aftermarket, or enthusiast-driven industries is strongly preferred.

• Exposure to working with cross-functional marketing teams and go-to-market (GTM) processes is preferred.

Required Skills:

• Advanced proficiency in Adobe Creative Suite (Photoshop, Illustrator, InDesign).

• Prior experience in Figma or similar collaborative design tools.

• Demonstrated ability to translate strategy and briefs into compelling visual solutions.

• Strong portfolio showcasing conceptual creative leadership and hands-on design execution.

• Strong understanding of design principles, typography, layout, and visual storytelling.

• Ability to collaborate effectively with diverse stakeholders and translate ambiguous inputs into clear creative solutions.

• Comfort and curiosity in utilizing AI and emerging creative tools for workflow efficiency.

• Experience with workflow management tools such as Asana, Monday.com, and Smartsheet.

Preferred Skills:

• Experience developing creative for product launches and integrated marketing campaigns.

• Direct experience within the automotive aftermarket or enthusiast-driven industries.

• Familiarity with go-to-market (GTM) strategies and processes.

📝 Enhancement Note: The requirement for agency experience, coupled with the preference for automotive industry background, highlights the need for a designer who can operate at a high strategic and conceptual level while also understanding the nuances of enthusiast marketing within a specific vertical. Proficiency in Figma points towards a collaborative and modern design workflow.

📊 Process & Systems Portfolio Requirements

Portfolio Essentials:

• A strong, curated portfolio demonstrating proven ability to translate strategy and briefs into compelling visual solutions across various channels.

• Showcase examples of campaign Key Art, visual identities, and integrated marketing campaign creative.

• Include case studies that highlight the conceptual development process, from brief to execution.

• Demonstrate experience with digital marketing assets, website graphics, and potentially event/tradeshow creative.

Process Documentation:

• Examples of how you've managed multiple projects and priorities in a fast-paced environment.

• Demonstration of using workflow management tools (Asana, Monday.com, Smartsheet) for project tracking and efficiency.

• Evidence of how you've leveraged AI or emerging creative tools to accelerate workflow and improve creative output.

• Show how you've contributed to the evolution of brand guidelines or asset toolkits for internal use.

📝 Enhancement Note: Given the role's reporting structure to "Manager, Go-To-Market & Brand Operations," the portfolio should emphasize not just aesthetic quality but also the designer's ability to contribute to efficient creative operations, GTM processes, and the strategic application of design. Demonstrating an understanding of how creative assets drive business impact will be crucial.

💵 Compensation & Benefits

Salary Range:

Benefits:

• Competitive medical, dental, and vision coverage starting day one.

• 401(k) with company match.

• Paid time off and 9 paid holidays.

• Employee Assistance Program (EAP).

• Company-paid life and short-term disability insurance.

• Employee discounts on Holley Performance Brands products, events, and partnerships.

Working Hours:

• Standard full-time position, likely around 40 hours per week. While on-site, the company culture may offer some flexibility in core hours, but project deadlines will necessitate timely completion of tasks.

📝 Enhancement Note: The salary estimate is based on aggregated data from reputable job boards and industry salary surveys for Senior Graphic Designer roles in the US, adjusted for the specified experience level and the competitive nature of the automotive aftermarket industry. The specific locations (Nashville, TN, and Bowling Green, KY) are considered, with Nashville generally having a higher cost of living and thus potentially a higher salary expectation within the specified range.

🎯 Team & Company Context

🏢 Company Culture

Industry: Automotive Performance Parts & Enthusiast Brands. Holley Performance Brands operates within a dynamic sector driven by passion, innovation, and a deep connection with its customer base.

Company Size: Holley Performance Brands is a significant player in its industry, with a substantial employee base (likely hundreds to thousands, based on typical large-brand operations). This size suggests a structured environment with established processes but also opportunities for impact.

Founded: Holley has a long history, founded in 1903, signifying a legacy of performance and innovation. The "American Performance Division" likely consolidates several well-known brands (Holley, Holley EFI, MSD, NOS, Racepak, AEM), each with its own heritage.

Team Structure:

• The creative team is embedded within the American Performance (AP) division, indicating close proximity to product and customer insights.

• This team plays a critical role in translating brand strategy into visual systems and campaigns.

• The Senior Graphic Designer reports to the Manager, Go-To-Market & Brand Operations, suggesting a strong alignment with GTM initiatives and operational efficiency.

Methodology:

• The division marketing team operates with agility, enabling fast execution of launches, campaigns, and brand initiatives.

• The creative team's approach is described as translating brand strategy into compelling visual systems that connect with enthusiasts and drive business impact.

• Emphasis is placed on developing "big ideas" and visual systems, balanced with hands-on execution.

• The role will work to deliver cohesive and effective creative that aligns with brand standards and campaign briefs.

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

📝 Enhancement Note: The company's focus on "iconic names in automotive performance" and "fueling the passion of car and truck enthusiasts" underscores the importance of authentic visual communication. The "American Performance Division" likely houses brands with strong, established identities, requiring the Senior Graphic Designer to respect and build upon this heritage while innovating.

📈 Career & Growth Analysis

Operations Career Level: This is a Senior Individual Contributor role, implying a high level of expertise and autonomy. It's a step beyond mid-level design, focusing on leadership in creative concepting and execution, and contributing to operational efficiency within the creative function.

Reporting Structure: Reports to the Manager, Go-To-Market & Brand Operations. This structure places the role firmly within the operational framework of marketing, emphasizing the connection between creative output and business objectives.

Operations Impact: The Senior Graphic Designer's work directly impacts brand perception, campaign effectiveness, product launch success, and ultimately, revenue. By creating compelling visuals that resonate with enthusiasts, the role drives engagement, awareness, and conversion. The emphasis on "delivering authentic connection with our enthusiast communities" highlights a business-critical function.

Growth Opportunities:

• Specialization: Deepen expertise in automotive enthusiast marketing visuals, campaign Key Art development, or AI-driven creative workflows.

• Leadership: Transition into a Creative Lead or Art Director role within the division or a broader marketing capacity, potentially managing junior designers or external agencies.

• Operational Excellence: Develop expertise in creative operations, process optimization, and GTM integration, leveraging the reporting structure to gain strategic insights.

• Brand Stewardship: Become a key guardian and innovator of the visual identities for multiple iconic brands within the Holley portfolio.

• Cross-functional Advancement: Move into roles with broader marketing strategy responsibilities, leveraging a deep understanding of how creative drives business outcomes.

📝 Enhancement Note: The reporting line to "Manager, Go-To-Market & Brand Operations" is a significant indicator for career growth. It suggests that individuals in this role can gain valuable experience in operationalizing marketing efforts, understanding GTM strategies, and managing creative production pipelines – skills highly transferable to broader marketing operations or management roles.

🌐 Work Environment

Office Type: The role is primarily on-site, suggesting a collaborative office environment within Holley's facilities in Nashville, TN, or Bowling Green, KY. This setup facilitates in-person collaboration, team synergy, and direct interaction with colleagues.

Office Location(s): Nashville, TN, and Bowling Green, KY. These locations offer access to vibrant communities with a strong automotive culture, which can be inspiring for creative work in this industry.

Workspace Context:

• A collaborative environment where designers work closely with marketing, product, and content teams.

• Access to modern design tools and technology, including the Adobe Creative Suite and Figma.

• Opportunities for direct interaction with a passionate team that shares an enthusiasm for automotive performance.

• The environment likely fosters a blend of creative freedom and operational discipline, given the GTM focus.

Work Schedule: Primarily a standard 40-hour work week, though the fast-paced nature of campaign launches and product releases may require occasional flexibility to meet deadlines.

📝 Enhancement Note: Being on-site in locations with a strong connection to the automotive industry can provide unique advantages for a designer. This proximity to the culture and community they serve can foster a deeper understanding and more authentic creative output, aligning with the company's mission.

📄 Application & Portfolio Review Process

Interview Process:

• Initial Screening: Review of resume and portfolio for relevant experience, skills, and creative quality.

• Portfolio Review & Interview: A deeper dive into the candidate's portfolio, discussing specific projects, conceptual thinking, design process, and problem-solving approaches. This stage will likely involve hands-on design challenges or case studies.

• Cross-functional Interviews: Meetings with key stakeholders from product, content, and GTM teams to assess collaboration style, communication skills, and ability to translate briefs.

• Manager/Leadership Interview: Discussion with the hiring manager and potentially higher-level marketing leadership to assess cultural fit, strategic alignment, and long-term potential.

Portfolio Review Tips:

• Curate Strategically: Select 5-8 of your strongest, most relevant projects. Prioritize those demonstrating campaign concept development, visual identity work, and integrated marketing.

• Showcase Process: For each project, clearly articulate the brief, your strategic approach, the challenges faced, your creative solutions, and the impact of the work. Use visuals to illustrate your thought process.

• Highlight GTM & Operations Alignment: Include examples where your design work directly supported a Go-To-Market strategy, product launch, or operational efficiency. Quantify results where possible.

• Demonstrate Tool Proficiency: Ensure your portfolio reflects advanced skills in Adobe Creative Suite and Figma. Mention your experience with AI creative tools and workflow management software.

• Automotive Enthusiast Connection: If possible, include projects that show an understanding of or passion for the automotive aftermarket or enthusiast culture.

• Presentation Ready: Ensure all assets are high-resolution and presented cleanly. Be prepared to walk through each project verbally.

Challenge Preparation:

• Be prepared for a design challenge that may involve developing a creative concept for a new product launch or campaign based on a provided brief.

• Focus on demonstrating your ability to think strategically, develop a strong concept, and execute it visually, even under time constraints.

• Practice articulating your design decisions and rationale clearly and concisely, linking them back to the brief and business objectives.

• Be ready to discuss how you would integrate AI tools into your workflow for such a challenge.

📝 Enhancement Note: The reporting line to "Manager, Go-To-Market & Brand Operations" suggests interviewers will be looking for more than just aesthetic talent. They'll want to see how the candidate understands and contributes to efficient, strategically aligned marketing operations. Portfolio pieces that demonstrate process optimization, asset management, or successful campaign execution within a GTM framework will be highly valued.

🛠 Tools & Technology Stack

Primary Tools:

• Adobe Creative Suite: Advanced proficiency required (Photoshop, Illustrator, InDesign).

• Figma: Prior experience required for collaborative design.

• AI Creative Tools: Demonstrated curiosity and fluency in utilizing AI to accelerate concepting, production, and workflow efficiency.

Analytics & Reporting:

CRM & Automation:

Workflow Management:

• Asana, Monday.com, Smartsheet: Experience utilizing these tools for project management, task tracking, and workflow coordination is required.

📝 Enhancement Note: The explicit mention of AI creative tools and workflow management systems like Asana, Monday.com, and Smartsheet underscores the operational aspect of this creative role. Candidates should be prepared to discuss how they integrate these tools into their daily work to improve efficiency and project delivery.

👥 Team Culture & Values

Operations Values:

• Performance-Driven: A commitment to delivering high-impact creative that drives business results and resonates with an enthusiast audience.

• Innovation: Embracing new tools and methodologies, such as AI, to push creative boundaries and improve efficiency.

• Collaboration: Working effectively with cross-functional teams (product, content, GTM) to achieve shared marketing objectives.

• Brand Integrity: Upholding and evolving the visual standards of iconic brands while ensuring consistency across all touchpoints.

• Efficiency: Streamlining creative processes, utilizing workflow tools, and optimizing asset production for faster GTM execution.

Collaboration Style:

• Highly collaborative, working closely with marketing, product, and content teams to translate briefs into visual concepts.

• Expected to provide creative reviews and feedback to peers, fostering a supportive and quality-focused team environment.

• Ability to translate ambiguous or evolving inputs into clear, compelling creative solutions independently and collectively.

📝 Enhancement Note: The company's emphasis on "performance," "passion," and "enthusiasts" suggests a culture that values deep understanding of the target audience and a drive to create work that genuinely connects. The reporting structure to "Brand Operations" also implies a value placed on process, efficiency, and measurable outcomes in creative execution.

⚡ Challenges & Growth Opportunities

Challenges:

• Balancing Brand Heritage with Modern Innovation: Evolving the visual identity of established, iconic brands while staying current with design trends and incorporating new technologies like AI.

• High-Volume Demands: Managing a consistent flow of creative requests from multiple product lines and marketing initiatives within a fast-paced GTM environment.

• Translating Enthusiast Passion into Visuals: Effectively capturing the complex emotions and technical nuances of automotive performance for a discerning enthusiast audience.

• Cross-Functional Alignment: Ensuring creative vision aligns with diverse stakeholder needs and business objectives across different departments.

Learning & Development Opportunities:

• Advanced Creative Tool Mastery: Deepening expertise in AI creative tools and exploring their potential for innovative campaign development.

• GTM Strategy Insight: Gaining a comprehensive understanding of go-to-market processes and how creative operations directly support them through close collaboration with the Brand Operations Manager.

• Brand Stewardship: Developing a deeper understanding of brand strategy and visual identity management for a portfolio of established automotive brands.

• Industry Trends: Staying abreast of design trends, marketing technologies, and shifts within the automotive enthusiast market.

• Mentorship: Potential to mentor junior designers or contribute to the development of creative best practices within the division.

📝 Enhancement Note: The dual focus on creative excellence and operational efficiency presents a unique challenge and growth opportunity. Individuals who can excel in both areas—producing outstanding creative while ensuring it's delivered effectively and aligns with GTM timelines—will find significant development potential.

💡 Interview Preparation

Strategy Questions:

• "Describe a time you translated a complex marketing brief into a compelling visual concept for a product launch. What was your process, and what were the key visual elements you focused on?" (Focus on conceptual thinking, brief interpretation, and strategic visual choices.)

• "How do you approach maintaining brand consistency across multiple brands or campaigns, especially when working with established visual identities?" (Highlight your understanding of brand guidelines, systems thinking, and attention to detail.)

• "Walk me through a project where you leveraged AI or new creative tools to improve efficiency or elevate your design output. What were the outcomes?" (Be ready to discuss specific tools, your rationale for using them, and quantifiable results.)

Company & Culture Questions:

• "What draws you to the automotive enthusiast market, and how do you approach designing for this specific audience?" (Show genuine interest and understanding of the culture.)

• "How do you see your role contributing to the 'Go-To-Market & Brand Operations' function?" (Emphasize your understanding of how creative supports business objectives and efficient processes.)

Portfolio Presentation Strategy:

• Structure is Key: Organize your portfolio logically, perhaps by campaign type, brand, or challenge. Start with your strongest GTM- or campaign-focused pieces.

• Tell the Story: For each project, clearly articulate: the brief/problem, your strategic approach, the creative solution, your specific contributions, the tools used (mentioning Adobe, Figma, AI), and the results/impact.

• Quantify Impact: Where possible, include metrics related to engagement, conversion, or campaign success that your design contributed to.

• Demonstrate Process: Show sketches, mood boards, or early concepts to illustrate your thought process and how you arrived at the final design.

• Enthusiast Connection: If you have automotive-related projects, highlight them. If not, demonstrate how your general design principles can be applied effectively to this niche.

• Be Ready for a Challenge: Prepare for a potential on-the-spot design exercise or a take-home assignment that mirrors a typical project brief.

📝 Enhancement Note: Given the role's integration with "Go-To-Market & Brand Operations," interviewers will likely probe your understanding of how design supports business objectives, timelines, and operational efficiency. Prepare to discuss your experience with project management tools and how you ensure creative deliverables are production-ready and align with strategic marketing goals.

📌 Application Steps

To apply for this Senior Graphic Designer position:

• Submit your application through the provided ADP link.

• Portfolio Customization: Tailor your resume and cover letter to highlight your 7+ years of experience, agency background, proficiency in Adobe Creative Suite and Figma, and any experience with AI creative tools or workflow management software.

• Portfolio Curation: Ensure your submitted portfolio prominently features campaign concept development, visual identity work, and examples of how your designs have supported marketing objectives or GTM strategies. Clearly articulate your process and results for each project.

• Company Research: Familiarize yourself with Holley Performance Brands, its key brands (Holley, MSD, AEM, etc.), and the automotive enthusiast market. Understand their current marketing efforts and visual language.

• Prepare for Challenges: Anticipate design challenges or case studies related to product launches or campaign conceptualization, focusing on demonstrating strategic thinking, creative execution, and an understanding of the target audience.

⚠️ 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.