Job title: Creative Design Manager in San Diego, CA at The Honest Kitchen, Inc.
Company: The Honest Kitchen, Inc.
Job description: Creative Design ManagerCOMPANY SUMMARY (“Who are we?”)We are The Honest Kitchen. We’re a team of pet-obsessed foodies who put our heart and soul into our work, making a line of human-grade whole foods, treats, and supplements for dogs and cats. We’re a rapidly growing business that is a proud B Corp, (which is a legal corporate structure that allows us to operate and make decisions based upon a triple bottom line, factoring in social and environmental impacts right alongside our prioritization of long-term financial sustainability!). We were also named one of Outside Magazine’s Best Places to Work for 6 straight years and certified as a Great Place to Work!We strive for an inclusive work culture that supports a diverse array of skills, experiences, and perspectives our employees bring to the table. For us, differences are a source of strength. We celebrate strong performance and ethical processes, and we work hard every day to nurture an inclusive culture where all employees can innovate and thrive. Here, you will not only build your career, but you will also uncover new experiences and collaborate with passionate colleagues.The Honest Kitchen values a diverse workforce. Everyone, including women, people of color, people with disabilities, and members of the LGBTQIA+ community are strongly encouraged to apply. The Honest Kitchen believes that an equitable and inclusive work environment and a diverse, empowered team are key to achieving our mission. We’re looking for candidates who can expand our business culture by bringing their whole, authentic selves to work. We strive to provide all qualified candidates with an equitable and accessible recruitment process.POSITION SUMMARY (What are we looking for?)We have a very exciting full-time position as our internal Creative Design Manager reporting directly to the CMO. In this role you will lead the development and execution of design strategies that elevate the brand and drive marketing success. This role oversees all aspects of the creative process, managing internal and external design resources while ensuring the delivery of high-quality visual content across all platforms. The Creative Design Manager collaborates with cross-functional teams to create cohesive, compelling designs aligned with brand objectives and marketing goals. This position combines creative vision, project management, and leadership to establish a consistent and impactful brand identity across all touchpoints.In this position you will spend roughly half of your time developing creative assets yourself and the other half of your time managing projects internally and providing creative direction to our external partners. If you have both creativity and strong organizational skills – then this is a role for you!ESSENTIAL DUTIES & RESPONSIBILITIES
Expected salary:
Location: San Diego, CA
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Company: The Honest Kitchen, Inc.
Job description: Creative Design ManagerCOMPANY SUMMARY (“Who are we?”)We are The Honest Kitchen. We’re a team of pet-obsessed foodies who put our heart and soul into our work, making a line of human-grade whole foods, treats, and supplements for dogs and cats. We’re a rapidly growing business that is a proud B Corp, (which is a legal corporate structure that allows us to operate and make decisions based upon a triple bottom line, factoring in social and environmental impacts right alongside our prioritization of long-term financial sustainability!). We were also named one of Outside Magazine’s Best Places to Work for 6 straight years and certified as a Great Place to Work!We strive for an inclusive work culture that supports a diverse array of skills, experiences, and perspectives our employees bring to the table. For us, differences are a source of strength. We celebrate strong performance and ethical processes, and we work hard every day to nurture an inclusive culture where all employees can innovate and thrive. Here, you will not only build your career, but you will also uncover new experiences and collaborate with passionate colleagues.The Honest Kitchen values a diverse workforce. Everyone, including women, people of color, people with disabilities, and members of the LGBTQIA+ community are strongly encouraged to apply. The Honest Kitchen believes that an equitable and inclusive work environment and a diverse, empowered team are key to achieving our mission. We’re looking for candidates who can expand our business culture by bringing their whole, authentic selves to work. We strive to provide all qualified candidates with an equitable and accessible recruitment process.POSITION SUMMARY (What are we looking for?)We have a very exciting full-time position as our internal Creative Design Manager reporting directly to the CMO. In this role you will lead the development and execution of design strategies that elevate the brand and drive marketing success. This role oversees all aspects of the creative process, managing internal and external design resources while ensuring the delivery of high-quality visual content across all platforms. The Creative Design Manager collaborates with cross-functional teams to create cohesive, compelling designs aligned with brand objectives and marketing goals. This position combines creative vision, project management, and leadership to establish a consistent and impactful brand identity across all touchpoints.In this position you will spend roughly half of your time developing creative assets yourself and the other half of your time managing projects internally and providing creative direction to our external partners. If you have both creativity and strong organizational skills – then this is a role for you!ESSENTIAL DUTIES & RESPONSIBILITIES
- Creative Leadership and Strategy:
- Develop and oversee creative strategies that align with brand objectives and market trends.
- Lead ideation sessions, offering innovative design solutions for campaigns, packaging, retail, digital, and experiential marketing initiatives.
- Establish and maintain a long-term vision for the brand's creative identity, ensuring a cohesive look and feel across all platforms.
- Drive the creation and evolution of brand guidelines to ensure consistency across all design materials.
- Design Project Management:
- Manage the end-to-end creative process for marketing collateral, including packaging, digital assets, retail materials, events, and internal initiatives.
- Oversee timelines, budgets, and deliverables for multiple concurrent projects, ensuring deadlines are met without compromising quality.
- Act as the primary liaison between internal teams (e.g., marketing, regulatory, product, revenue, procurement) and external vendors/agencies/freelancers for creative projects.
- Help create new product marketing and launch materials by collaborating with marketing and revenue teams to create sell-in materials, POP, messaging, and launch assets.
- Oversee all aspects of packaging design management—from developing briefs with cross-functional partners to coordinating internal reviews, managing external packaging designers, and working with print vendors to execute and proof final artwork. Responsible for maintaining timelines and ensuring quality and accuracy at every step.
- Team Leadership:
- Build and maintain a network of freelance designers, illustrators, and production agencies to support fluctuating workloads.
- Provide art direction and constructive feedback to external partners to achieve brand consistency and high-quality output.
- Creative Execution:
- Lead the design and production of marketing communication materials, including sell sheets, digital and print ads, emails, social media assets, and event collateral.
- Drive packaging design efforts, managing external agencies, regulatory/product approvals, and print production processes.
- Support the creation of visually engaging presentations and internal marketing materials.
- Own and maintain ongoing brand photography needs, working closely with photographers and marketing team to align on creative direction, ensure a consistent visual style, and build a library of fresh, on-brand content.
- Brand Stewardship:
- Serve as the brand's creative gatekeeper, ensuring all designs adhere to brand standards and reflect the brand's core values and identity.
- Proactively identify opportunities to evolve and elevate the brand's visual presence, staying ahead of industry trends and consumer preferences.
- Collaborate with marketing and revenue teams to deliver designs that resonate with target audiences and drive engagement.
- Demonstrated ability to lead and inspire cross-functional teams, providing clear direction and actionable feedback.
- Exceptional organizational skills, with experience managing timelines and shifting priorities.
- Strong verbal and written communication skills for collaborating across teams and presenting creative concepts.
- Up-to-date knowledge of design trends, tools, and best practices.
- Passionate about animals and committed to promoting their health and well-being through compelling design.
- BA in Graphic Design, Marketing, or a related field.
- Minimum of 5 years of professional design experience, including leadership or management roles.
- Expert knowledge of Adobe Creative Suite (Illustrator, InDesign, Photoshop). Experience with additional tools (e.g., Figma, Canva, or motion graphics software) is a plus.
- Experience with project management software (e.g., Asana, Smartsheets).
- This role can be performed in an office or remote environment.
- Must be able to remain in a stationary position 50% or more of the time.
- Must be able to operate a computer and other office machinery.
- Must be able to communicate information effectively across teams.
- Must be able to observe details at close range.
- Time Off: We offer a highly competitive time-off schedule, including unlimited vacation and additional sick leave, in addition to a generous company-paid holiday schedule.
- Benefits: Various health insurance plans with generous employer contributions to premiums. We also offer vision, dental, short-term disability, long-term disability, accident, critical illness, an employee assistance program, and an FSA/HSA.
- Financial wellness: Enjoy perks like a company 401K with an employer match.
- Mission-Driven: Employees can take up to 40 hours of volunteer time per year, and we offer donation matching to non-profit organizations of your choice.
- Pet Friendly: Pet-friendly offices, Zoom calls, discounts on pet insurance, and of course, free pet food!
- Collaborative Team: We offer a fun, team-oriented work environment where you feel like you are making a difference every day.
Expected salary:
Location: San Diego, CA
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