Strategic Creative Leader — Brand & Design

Southland Industries

Virginia (MN)

On-site

USD 118,000 - 144,000

Full time

8 days ago

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Benefits offered by this job

401(k) match

Health insurance

Annual bonus

Life insurance

Disability insurance

FSAs

Parental leave

Paid holidays

Training & licenses

Wellness benefits

Job summary

Southland Industries is seeking a Creative Leader to drive strategic brand opportunities, lead a design team, and partner with Marketing to deliver high‑impact campaigns. You will balance hands‑on execution with people leadership, guiding Senior Designers and Designers toward excellent craft and consistent brand experiences.

You will mentor the team, shape creative strategy, manage workloads with the PM team, and ensure messaging and visuals stay on brand across channels.

Qualifications

BA in Visual Communication, Design or related field.
9+ years work/design experience.
2+ years management experience.
Advanced working knowledge of Microsoft suite.
Advanced working knowledge of Adobe Creative Suite.
Agency experience is desirable.
Experience working with brand standards is desirable.
Experience working across various mediums (i.e. social, print, digital, video) is desirable.
Experience working with project management software is desirable (i.e. Workfront, Asana, Monday).

Responsibilities

Provide creative oversight across projects and campaign initiatives by shaping creative strategy, translating business objectives into compelling solutions, and directing the development of high-quality work that aligns with brand standards, audience needs, and organizational goals.
Lead, coach, and develop a team of Senior Designers and Designers, fostering high performance, professional growth, accountability, and engagement while building a collaborative and inclusive team culture.
Serve as a player‑coach by personally executing high-priority creative initiatives while providing creative direction, mentorship, and constructive feedback that elevates the strategic thinking, craftsmanship, and effectiveness of team deliverables.
Build and maintain strategic partnerships with Marketing and business leaders, developing a deep understanding of business priorities and proactively identifying creative opportunities that support organizational goals and strengthen brand reputation.
Manage team workload, priorities, and resource allocation in coordination with Project Management team, overseeing project intake, planning, and assignment of work to ensure efficient operations, effective utilization of team resources, and successful delivery of priorities.
Champion the integrity of marketing and brand, ensuring consistency of messaging, visual identity, and customer experience across channels and touchpoints.
Evaluate the effectiveness of creative deliverables using campaign performance, audience insights, and stakeholder feedback, applying learnings to strengthen future work.
Monitor industry trends, audience expectations, and emerging creative practices, applying relevant insights to strengthen the organization's brand presence and creative output.