Creative Team Leader

Position Overview:

Zan Associates is in search of a full-time, hands-on Creative Team Leader with skills and experience in graphic design, 2D motion graphics, animation, illustrations, video editing and digital/social media assets. This person would provide creative assets to support engagement activities that empower communities to have a voice during the planning, designing and building phases for public infrastructure projects. Public infrastructure projects include places where people walk, bike, roll, take transit and drive; and places where people gather like parks, community and recreation centers.

In addition to producing creative assets, you will manage our Creative Team and be responsible for:

• Collaborating with our project managers and staff to create, edit and produce visual and digital material layouts, graphics and animations for presentations, print materials and online communications for our clients and the public, and marketing materials for our company.
• Directing, reviewing and editing Creative Team deliverables and providing feedback to team members.
• Producing the design layout and custom graphics for new business proposals and evolving Zan’s marketing materials including our website and print materials.

This position also holds a seat on the operations management team with roles and responsibilities including advising and supporting the overall company direction and day-to-day operation processes.

About the position:

You will manage our Creative Team to create and produce original visualizations and graphic designs for print, web, video, presentations, and social media by working with our project delivery teams. The Creative Team and your products will be used in print and digital materials, presentations, or as promotional material. You will use independent judgment and creativity along with oversight and work direction from project managers. You will be a Team Leader and a member of the “Team Leader” group and report to the Operations Manager.

Specific tasks associated with this role include:

• Supervise the Creative Team and proactively manage the team’s workload 
• Review Creative Team’s deliverables and provide quality assurance and quality control 
• Be the creative team liaison with project managers and project delivery staff to manage, balance andprioritize creative requests 
• Advise project managers and clients on project brand and design strategies 
• Design and produce creative graphics, illustrations and infographics for digital and print 
• Design and produce animated shorts/2D motion graphics 
• Conceptualize and produce short simple videos 
• Maintain Zan’s creative asset library 
• Oversee and/or manage digital communications platforms (social media, engagement websites, etc.) 
• Oversee and/or build websites using Wix and/or Squarespace. 
• Support company business development including designing proposal and marketing materials 
• Stay up to date with relevant technology creative software advances and recommend needed upgrades 
• Support company strategic visioning process and implementation 
• Some evening or weekend hours may be required

The abilities and experience we are looking for:

The ideal person would have the following skills, experiences, and education:

• Aligns with Zan’s core values:
• We are passionate about the work
• We’re resourceful
• We get the job done
• We are experts and are professionally opinionated
• We believe in excellence and innovation
• We’re fun to work with
• We care about and support our staff

Degree in graphic design, animated graphic design and/or video production; and at least five (5) years or more of experience or equivalent work history.

Experience managing staff; in addition to the 5+ years of experience working in the visualization and graphic design field, 3+ years managing staff; preference for experience with team management.

Skilled and experienced in creatively using visual design, animation or video to communicate concepts/stories, across different platforms. Has strong editing, layout and visualization skills.

Proficient in Adobe Creative Cloud (Adobe Acrobat DC Pro, InDesign, After Effects, Premiere Pro, Illustrator, and Photoshop).

Possess a “creative eye” with the ability to review and critique the creative work of others.

Ability to stay organized and manage creative requests among multiple staff.

Familiar with ADA web accessibility requirements including WCAG and Section 508. Experience developing and maintaining websites (Wix, SquareSpace, WordPress, etc.)

Self-motivated, organized, detail oriented, can work independently and on multiple creative design projects at a time, knows how to prioritize tasks based on established deadlines.

Enjoys collaborating with a team and is confident in communicating creative ideas and receiving team input/feedback.

Experience supporting diversity, equity and inclusion principles is a plus

Proficiency in multiple languages is a plus

Experience working for a consulting firm or a job where you need to track and report the hours you work to specific projects or clients is a plus

Interest in career advancement

Salary Range:

$95,172 - $118,450 depending on qualifications.

Position Location:

Downtown Minneapolis. We offer a flexible work environment