The Association for association professionals in Chicagoland
Posted: 24-Apr-26
Location: Chicago, Illinois
Type: Full Time
Salary: $75,000 - $85,000
Categories:
Additional Information:
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 organizatio
- Displays a high level of accountability, taking responsibility for individual actions and the impact on theorganizati Views oneself as a reflection of the organization by following through on commitments and accepting ownership.
- Performs additional related duties as required or assigned.
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.
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.
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.
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.
