Senior Manager, Graphic Designer

📍 Job Overview

Job Title: Senior Manager, Graphic Designer

Company: The Coca-Cola Company

Location: Atlanta, GA, United States

Job Type: FULL_TIME

Category: Graphic Design / Creative Operations

Date Posted: May 20, 2026

Experience Level: 2-5 years

Remote Status: Hybrid (3 days in-office)

🚀 Role Summary

• This hybrid role blends strategic design thinking with a strong focus on integrating emerging tech and AI/automation into design workflows, aiming to establish new operational efficiencies.

• Responsible for designing, adapting, and executing packaging, shopper marketing, and Out-of-Home (OOH) creative projects, ensuring alignment with established brand standards and system-wide application.

• Acts as a trusted internal partner, translating business and marketing needs into scalable, visually compelling designs that resonate across the brand portfolio.

• A key objective is to elevate Coca-Cola's design capabilities through the thoughtful adoption and strategic use of AI-powered design tools within production and asset creation processes.

📝 Enhancement Note: While the title is "Senior Manager, Graphic Designer," the responsibilities and experience level (2-5 years) suggest a senior individual contributor role focused on production and tactical design execution, rather than a traditional management role overseeing a team. The emphasis on automation and AI integration points towards a "Creative Operations" or "Design Operations" component within a broader creative function.

📈 Primary Responsibilities

• Design, adapt, and meticulously maintain packaging, shopper marketing, and OOH creative assets for a diverse range of brands, formats, and global markets, ensuring production readiness.

• Apply a comprehensive design system approach to all projects, ensuring creative solutions are scalable and consistent across new product introductions, multiple brands, and various package form factors.

• Guarantee all final design files are press-ready, technically accurate, and fully compliant with brand standards, dielines, substrate specifications, and printer requirements.

• Collaborate closely with internal requestors, including Brand, Creative, Innovation, and Print Quality Management teams, to gather project requirements, manage iterative revisions, and ensure timely delivery of final assets.

• Effectively manage multiple concurrent projects in a high-volume, fast-paced production environment, maintaining exceptional levels of detail, organization, and accuracy.

• Actively introduce, test, and incorporate new AI-powered design and production tools into existing workflows as they become available internally, focusing on efficiency gains.

• Explore and propose AI solutions that support brand world asset creation beyond packaging, including tools for automated layout adaptation, versioning, quality control, and overall production efficiency, without compromising brand integrity.

• Partner with internal teams to evolve and refine scalable, repeatable packaging adaptation workflows, leveraging new technologies to streamline processes.

• Maintain a continuous learning mindset, staying curious and proactive about emerging tools and technologies that can enhance speed, efficiency, and creative output within the design function.

• Build and nurture strong, collaborative working relationships with a broad and diverse group of internal stakeholders across various departments.

• Communicate design concepts, project status, and technical specifications clearly, positively, and professionally, balancing creative problem-solving with practical, executable solutions.

• Contribute a proactive, solutions-oriented mindset, flexibility, and a collaborative spirit to fast-paced, high-volume production environments.

📝 Enhancement Note: The responsibilities clearly indicate a hybrid role focusing on both hands-on design production and proactive exploration/implementation of design technology and automation. The emphasis on "design system approach" and "scalability" highlights the operational and efficiency aspects crucial for a large CPG company.

🎓 Skills & Qualifications

Education: Bachelor’s degree in Graphic Design, or Industrial Design with professional graphic design experience.

Experience: 2–5 years of professional experience in graphic design, with a significant emphasis on brand building, packaging development, and print production.

Required Skills:

• Expert-level proficiency in Adobe Illustrator, Photoshop, and InDesign; strong working knowledge of other programs within the Adobe Creative Suite.

• Demonstrated experience preparing complex files for high-volume commercial print, including meticulous color management and direct collaboration with printers.

• Proven ability to work effectively in a fast-paced, high-volume production environment with numerous stakeholders and competing priorities.

• Strong attention to detail, exceptional organizational skills, and a commitment to thorough follow-through on all assigned tasks.

• Proven willingness and aptitude to continuously learn, adapt, and evolve skills as new AI tools, technologies, and workflows are introduced and implemented internally.

• Solid understanding of design system principles and their application in maintaining brand consistency across diverse assets and platforms.

Preferred Skills:

• Experience with 3D modeling, rendering, or animation software (e.g., Cinema 4D, Blender) for packaging visualization or concept exploration.

• Familiarity with AI-powered 3D modeling or visualization tools.

• Experience with managing creative briefs and translating them into effective design execution.

• Understanding of shopper marketing principles and their application in point-of-purchase (POP) design.

• Exposure to or experience with UI/UX design principles to inform visual hierarchy and user interaction in digital contexts.

📝 Enhancement Note: The "2-5 years" experience level, combined with "Expert-level proficiency" in core Adobe tools, suggests the candidate should be highly skilled technically but may not yet have extensive strategic leadership experience, aligning with a senior individual contributor role rather than a people management position. The explicit requirement for AI adoption and learning is a critical differentiator.

📊 Process & Systems Portfolio Requirements

Portfolio Essentials:

• A robust portfolio showcasing a strong foundation in brand building and extensive experience in packaging design and print production across multiple brands and formats.

• Demonstrations of ability to adapt designs across various package types, dieline complexities, and substrate requirements, highlighting technical execution.

• Examples of work that exhibit a keen eye for detail, production accuracy, and understanding of print specifications and color management.

• Case studies or project examples that illustrate how design systems were applied to ensure consistency and scalability across different brand touchpoints.

Process Documentation:

• Examples of how design files were meticulously prepared for print, including detailed explanations of color correction, trapping, and output settings.

• Documentation or case studies that highlight the candidate's approach to managing multiple projects simultaneously, showcasing organizational and time management strategies.

• Evidence of familiarity with or contributions to the refinement of design workflows, particularly those involving asset adaptation, versioning, or quality control checks.

• Any experience or insights into building or utilizing design templates or systems to streamline repetitive design tasks.

📝 Enhancement Note: Given the role's emphasis on production and AI integration, the portfolio should strongly emphasize technical execution, efficiency, and adaptability. Candidates should be prepared to discuss how they've optimized workflows or can envision doing so with new tools.

💵 Compensation & Benefits

Salary Range: $139,600 - $157,900 USD per year.

Benefits:

• Comprehensive medical insurance coverage.

• Access to financial benefits packages, which may include retirement plans, investment options, and other financial wellness programs.

• Participation in an annual incentive program, with a reference value of 15% of base pay, reflecting target performance.

• Additional benefits dependent on the specific position, as per Coca-Cola's standard offerings for full-time employees.

Working Hours: The role is based on a standard 40-hour work week, with an expectation of 3 days per week in the Atlanta office (typically Tuesdays-Thursdays) for collaborative work and team engagement.

📝 Enhancement Note: The provided salary range is competitive for a Senior Graphic Designer role with significant production and emerging technology responsibilities in a major metropolitan area like Atlanta. The annual incentive indicates a performance-driven culture.

🎯 Team & Company Context

🏢 Company Culture

Industry: Food & Beverage, Consumer Packaged Goods (CPG). The Coca-Cola Company operates within a highly competitive global market, emphasizing brand strength, innovation, and efficient product delivery. This context requires design operations to be agile, responsive, and adhere to rigorous brand standards.

Company Size: Large enterprise (thousands of employees globally). This implies established processes, a complex organizational structure, and significant resources, but also a need for individual contributors to navigate and influence within a large system.

Founded: 1886. With a long history, Coca-Cola possesses a rich brand heritage and deep-rooted brand guidelines that are critical for any design role. This legacy is balanced with a forward-looking approach to innovation and technology adoption.

Team Structure:

• The role is part of a creative or design function, likely within a broader marketing or brand department.

• It will involve close collaboration with brand managers, creative directors, innovation teams, and potentially external agencies or print vendors.

Methodology:

• Data Analysis & Insights: While not a direct data analysis role, the candidate must interpret creative briefs, brand guidelines, and production specifications, which are forms of data. Understanding market trends and consumer preferences indirectly informs design adaptation.

• Workflow Planning & Optimization: A significant aspect of the role is optimizing existing workflows and exploring new ones, particularly through AI and automation, to improve efficiency and output quality.

• Automation & Efficiency Practices: Proactive adoption of AI tools to automate repetitive tasks, speed up asset adaptation, and enhance production accuracy is a core, forward-looking practice for this position.

Company Website: https://www.coca-colacompany.com/

📝 Enhancement Note: The company's emphasis on "Purpose and Growth Culture," "curious, empowered, inclusive and agile," and "continuous learning" should be reflected in how candidates present themselves and their experiences. The scale of Coca-Cola means that process optimization and brand consistency are paramount.

📈 Career & Growth Analysis

Operations Career Level: This is a Senior Individual Contributor role. It signifies a high level of technical expertise and practical experience in graphic design production, particularly within the CPG/packaging domain. The "Manager" title in this context likely refers to the scope of responsibility and strategic input on design processes rather than direct people management.

Reporting Structure: The role reports into a creative leadership function, likely a Creative Director or a Design Operations Lead. Collaboration is primarily cross-functional with Brand, Marketing, Innovation, and Print Quality Management teams.

Operations Impact: The role directly impacts brand equity and go-to-market efficiency by ensuring consistent, high-quality visual assets for packaging, shopper marketing, and OOH. By integrating AI and automation, it contributes to significant cost savings, faster speed-to-market, and enhanced creative output for a global brand portfolio.

Growth Opportunities:

• Specialization: Deepen expertise in AI-driven design tools, 3D visualization, or specific packaging formats.

• Process Improvement Leadership: Evolve into a role focused purely on design operations, workflow automation, and technology integration for the creative department.

• Cross-Functional Influence: Expand influence across different brand teams or marketing functions, becoming a go-to expert for complex design production challenges and innovative solutions.

• Creative Strategy Contribution: With demonstrated success, gain opportunities to contribute more to the strategic creative direction and design system development.

📝 Enhancement Note: The growth path here is less about climbing a traditional management ladder and more about becoming a specialist in a critical, evolving area – the intersection of design production, brand integrity, and technological innovation.

🌐 Work Environment

Office Type: Hybrid work model, requiring 3 days per week in the Atlanta, GA office. This indicates a collaborative environment where in-person interaction is valued for brainstorming, team building, and complex problem-solving.

Office Location(s): Atlanta, Georgia, United States. This location is a major hub for Coca-Cola, suggesting a well-equipped corporate office environment.

Workspace Context:

• Collaborative Environment: Expect a dynamic office setting with opportunities for spontaneous discussions, team meetings, and cross-functional collaboration, particularly with brand and marketing teams.

• Operations Tools & Technology: Access to industry-standard design software (Adobe Creative Suite), potentially new AI design tools being piloted, and other corporate communication and project management platforms.

• Team Interaction: Regular interaction with a diverse group of internal stakeholders, fostering a culture of shared problem-solving and continuous improvement in design execution.

Work Schedule: Standard 40-hour work week, with the expectation of hybrid attendance. Flexibility may exist within the 40 hours, but dedicated in-office collaboration days (Tuesday-Thursday) are a key requirement, ensuring alignment with team and project needs.

📝 Enhancement Note: The hybrid model is crucial. Candidates should be prepared to articulate how they manage productivity and collaboration effectively in both remote and in-office settings, especially concerning production-critical tasks.

📄 Application & Portfolio Review Process

Interview Process:

• Initial Screening: HR or Recruiter call to assess basic qualifications, experience, and cultural fit.

• Hiring Manager Interview: In-depth discussion with the hiring manager to evaluate technical skills, problem-solving abilities, and understanding of design production and AI integration.

• Portfolio Review: A dedicated session where the candidate presents their portfolio, showcasing specific projects, design process, and production capabilities. This is a critical stage to demonstrate expertise and how they've handled complex projects.

• Cross-Functional/Team Interview: May involve meeting with key stakeholders (e.g., Brand Manager, Print Quality Lead) to assess collaboration style, communication skills, and ability to integrate into the broader team.

• Final Interview/Offer: Potential final discussion with senior leadership or HR for offer extension.

Portfolio Review Tips:

• Highlight Production Excellence: Showcase examples of packaging design with meticulous attention to detail, dieline adherence, and print-readiness. Clearly articulate the production challenges and how they were overcome.

• Demonstrate AI/Automation Thinking: Include any projects where efficiency was a key goal, or discuss hypothetical scenarios where AI could have improved the process. Be prepared to talk about your curiosity and willingness to experiment with new technologies.

• Showcase Design System Application: Present projects where you applied or adapted to a design system, illustrating your understanding of brand consistency and scalability.

• Tell a Story: For each project, explain the brief, your role, the challenges, your creative/technical solution, and the outcome, emphasizing efficiency and accuracy. Quantify impact where possible (e.g., time saved, error reduction).

• Prepare for Technical Questions: Be ready to deep-dive into your Adobe Creative Suite expertise, specific print production techniques, and your understanding of color management.

Challenge Preparation:

• Design Adaptation Challenge: You might be asked to adapt a given design across different formats or substrates, or to propose how an AI tool could automate a specific adaptation task. Focus on process and rationale.

• Workflow Optimization Scenario: A hypothetical scenario where a design process is inefficient, and you're asked to propose solutions, incorporating AI or automation.

• Problem-Solving Question: A scenario involving a print error or a brand guideline conflict, asking how you would resolve it.

📝 Enhancement Note: The portfolio review is paramount. Candidates should curate their work to specifically address the core responsibilities of production design, brand consistency, and their forward-thinking approach to AI integration.

🛠 Tools & Technology Stack

Primary Tools:

• Adobe Creative Suite: Expert-level proficiency required in Adobe Illustrator, Photoshop, and InDesign. This is the foundational toolkit for all design and production tasks.

• AI-Powered Design Tools: Actively being introduced and explored internally. Candidates should demonstrate curiosity and a willingness to learn and apply these tools for tasks like asset adaptation, versioning, quality control, and potentially basic image generation or manipulation. Specific tools may vary but the application of AI for efficiency is key.

• 3D Design/Animation Software (Nice to Have): Cinema 4D, Blender, or similar platforms for visualization and concept exploration.

Analytics & Reporting:

CRM & Automation:

• Not directly applicable to this role's core functions, but proficiency with project management or task management tools within a corporate environment is assumed. The focus on AI is within the design workflow, not necessarily enterprise CRM automation.

📝 Enhancement Note: The emphasis here is on the Adobe Creative Suite as the core requirement, with a strong emphasis on the application and adoption of new AI design tools being a key differentiator.

👥 Team Culture & Values

Operations Values:

• Curiosity: A strong drive to explore and learn about new technologies, especially AI, and how they can enhance design processes.

• Empowerment: Taking ownership of projects, proactively seeking solutions, and contributing ideas for process improvement.

• Inclusivity: Working collaboratively with diverse teams, respecting different perspectives, and ensuring designs are inclusive and accessible where applicable.

• Agility: Adapting quickly to changing project demands, new technologies, and evolving brand needs in a fast-paced environment.

• Detail-Oriented Rigor: A commitment to accuracy, precision, and adherence to brand standards and technical specifications in all design output.

Collaboration Style:

• Cross-functional Integration: Seamlessly working with Brand, Marketing, Innovation, and Print Quality teams to achieve shared project goals.

• Proactive Communication: Clear, positive, and professional communication, providing updates, seeking clarification, and offering solutions.

• Feedback Exchange: Openness to receiving and providing constructive feedback on designs and processes to foster continuous improvement.

• Solutions-Oriented Partnership: Approaching challenges as opportunities to collaborate and find the best practical and creative solutions.

📝 Enhancement Note: Candidates should align their responses and portfolio examples with these stated values, emphasizing how they embody curiosity, agility, and a collaborative spirit in their design work.

⚡ Challenges & Growth Opportunities

Challenges:

• Balancing Brand Integrity with AI Innovation: Effectively integrating AI tools without compromising the established, iconic brand standards and visual identity of Coca-Cola.

• High-Volume, Fast-Paced Production: Managing a demanding workload with tight deadlines while maintaining exceptional quality and accuracy across numerous brands and SKUs.

• Navigating Complex Stakeholder Needs: Effectively translating diverse and sometimes conflicting requirements from multiple internal departments into cohesive design solutions.

• Continuous Learning Curve: Staying abreast of rapidly evolving AI technologies and integrating them into production workflows requires ongoing learning and adaptation.

Learning & Development Opportunities:

• AI Design Tool Mastery: Become an expert user and advocate for new AI tools within the creative department, potentially leading workshops or training sessions.

• Advanced Packaging Production Techniques: Deepen knowledge of specialized printing processes, substrates, and finishing techniques relevant to CPG packaging.

• Design System Expansion: Contribute to the evolution and application of Coca-Cola's design systems across an expanding portfolio.

• Cross-Functional Project Leadership: Gain experience leading design aspects of complex projects involving multiple departments and innovative product launches.

📝 Enhancement Note: Candidates should demonstrate an awareness of these challenges and frame their experiences as opportunities to develop skills and contribute to solutions.

💡 Interview Preparation

Strategy Questions:

• "Describe a time you had to adapt a design across multiple brands or package formats. What was your process, and how did you ensure consistency?" (Focus on design systems, technical execution, and problem-solving.)

• "How do you approach learning and integrating new technologies, like AI tools, into your existing design workflow?" (Highlight curiosity, proactive learning, and experimentation.)

Company & Culture Questions:

• "What do you know about Coca-Cola's brand and its visual identity? How would you ensure your work maintains that iconic status while embracing new technologies?" (Demonstrate research and understanding of brand stewardship.)

• "Our culture values curiosity, empowerment, inclusivity, and agility. Can you provide an example of how you've demonstrated one or more of these values in a previous role?" (Prepare specific behavioral examples.)

Portfolio Presentation Strategy:

• Structure for Impact: Organize your portfolio by project type (e.g., Packaging, OOH, AI exploration) or by skill demonstration (e.g., Production Excellence, Design Systems, Tech Integration).

• Quantify Your Impact: Wherever possible, use metrics to describe your contributions – e.g., "Reduced adaptation time by X% by implementing Y technique," or "Managed X projects simultaneously, delivering Y% on time."

• Tell the "Why" and "How": For each project, clearly articulate the business challenge, your specific role and process, the creative/technical solution, and the outcome. For production pieces, detail the technical considerations.

• Emphasize AI/Automation Readiness: If you have projects that involved process optimization or efficiency gains, highlight them. Be prepared to discuss your interest and hypothetical applications of AI in design.

• Practice Your Narrative: Rehearse presenting your work concisely, engagingly, and ensuring you hit the key points for each project, especially regarding technical execution and adaptability.

📝 Enhancement Note: Interview preparation should focus on demonstrating not just design skill but also a proactive, adaptable, and process-oriented mindset, with a clear enthusiasm for leveraging technology.

📌 Application Steps

To apply for this Senior Manager, Graphic Designer position:

• Submit your application through the provided careers portal link.

• Customize Your Resume: Tailor your resume to highlight keywords from the job description, focusing on "packaging design," "print production," "Adobe Creative Suite," "AI-powered design tools," "design systems," and "workflow optimization." Quantify achievements with numbers where possible.

• Curate Your Portfolio: Select your strongest, most relevant projects that showcase your expertise in packaging and production design. Be prepared to discuss your process, technical execution, and any experience or interest in automation and AI. Ensure it's easily accessible (e.g., PDF, personal website).

• Prepare Your Narrative: Practice articulating your experience and passion for design, production, and technology integration. Be ready to answer behavioral questions using the STAR method (Situation, Task, Action, Result).

• Research The Coca-Cola Company: Familiarize yourself with their brands, purpose, growth culture, and recent initiatives. Understand how design supports their global business objectives.

⚠️ Important Notice: This enhanced job description includes AI-generated insights and operations industry-standard assumptions. All details should be verified directly with The Coca-Cola Company hiring organization before making application decisions.