Description

Position Overview:
The Manager, Graphic Design leads the development, execution, and governance of the Chicago Dental Society’s visual identity across all marketing, publication, digital, event, and revenue-generating initiatives.

This role ensures brand consistency, creative excellence, and production precision while managing creative workflow, vendor coordination, and large-scale event design execution. The Manager partners cross-functionally to support marketing campaigns, sponsorship visibility, and the Midwinter Meeting experience at scale.

This position serves as both a hands-on designer and a creative operations leader.

Key Responsibilities:
Brand Governance & Visual Leadership

•      Serve as primary steward of CDS visual identity and brand standards.
•      Maintain and evolve brand guidelines.
•      Ensure visual consistency across marketing, digital, publications, and environmental design.
•      Review and approve all creative output before release.

Campaign & Growth Support

•    Collaborate with Marketing to develop cohesive campaign creative tied to social, communications, registration, membership growth, and engagement.
•    Partner with Business Development to execute sponsor-branded assets and revenue-generating materials.
•    Develop scalable design systems and templates to support ongoing marketing initiatives.

 Publications Leadership

• Lead layout and production design for the CDS Review and related publications.
• Oversee advertising integration and sponsored content design.
• Ensure print-ready and digital-ready production quality.
• Manage editorial production timelines in partnership with Marketing leadership. 

Midwinter Meeting & Environmental Design

• In partnership with Marketing and Meetings & Events, direct creative design for Exhibit Hall signage, wayfinding, experiential activations, lounges, sponsorship signage, and branded environments.
• Coordinate closely with general service contractors and print vendors.
• Oversee large-format production specs and proof approvals.
• Ensure event creative elevates attendee and exhibitor experience.

 Creative Operations & Workflow Management

• Manage creative intake process and prioritize competing deadlines.
• Establish efficient systems for asset management and file organization.
• Maintain organized template libraries and brand assets.
• Improve workflow processes to handle growing design volume. 

Vendor & Production Management

• Coordinate with printers, signage vendors, and production partners.
• Ensure technical file accuracy and production standards.
• Manage external freelance designers or contractors as needed.

 Cross-Team Collaboration:

•  Work closely with marketing, events, membership, business development, and leadership teams to align creative strategy with organizational priorities.
•  Serve as a key point of contact for graphic design needs.

Organizational Responsibilities

• Foster a culture of innovation and continuous improvement within the marketing team.
• Leads in a manner that is consistent with the association’s culture statement and emphasizes themission, vision, and values of the organization.
• Displays a high level of accountability, taking responsibility for individual actions and the impact on theorganization. Views oneself as a reflection of the organization by following through on commitments and accepting ownership.
• Performs additional related duties as required or assigned.

What makes the CDS the place for you?

• A meaningful mission.
• A positive work culture.
• Belong to a collaborative team.
• Great employee benefits. Full-time employees are eligible for a comprehensive package of benefits, including medical, dental, vision, life, and disability insurance benefits. We also offer a generous 401(k) match, paid vacation and sick time, paid holidays, and other benefits.
• Hybrid work schedule. Employees are based in our Chicago office and are allowed to work remotely 2 days per week.

Requirements

Required Qualifications and Skills:

• Bachelor’s degree in Graphic Design or related field.
• 5–8 years of professional design experience.
• Design portfolio available upon request.
• Demonstrated experience managing brand systems and high-volume creative production.
• Strong background in print production, large-format event signage, and publication layout.
• Advanced proficiency in Adobe Creative Suite (InDesign, Illustrator, Photoshop).
• Ability to work effectively in collaboration with various internal teams and work independently.
• Computer proficiency in Microsoft Suite of Products.
• Ability to interface with staff, BODs, and external relationships in a professional manner.
• Experience working in association, event, or publication environments preferred but not required.

Success Indicators

•      This role is successful when:
  • Brand consistency is visible across all platforms.
  • Midwinter creative execution feels elevated and seamless.
  • Sponsorship assets are delivered on time and at high quality.
  • Publication design is polished and efficient.
  • Marketing campaign creative scales without chaos.
  • Creative workflow reduces bottlenecks instead of creating them. 

Physical Demands /Environment
Nature of work requires an ability to operate standard business office equipment. Requires ability to communicate verbally and in writing in an exchange of information; collect, compile, and prepare work documents; set-up and maintain work files. Use of the computer, with repetitive motion, is approximately 90 %.  Majority of work is performed in a general office environment. Occasional local travel may be required.