How to hire a graphic design manager

How to hire a graphic design manager, step by step

Here's a step-by-step graphic design manager hiring guide:

• Step 1: Identify your hiring needs
• Step 2: Create an ideal candidate profile
• Step 3: Make a budget
• Step 4: Write a graphic design manager job description
• Step 5: Post your job
• Step 6: Interview candidates
• Step 7: Send a job offer and onboard your new graphic design manager
• Step 8: Go through the hiring process checklist

What does a graphic design manager do?

Post a graphic design manager job for free, promote it for a fee

Post free

1. Identify your hiring needs

   The graphic design manager hiring process starts by determining what type of worker you actually need. Certain roles might require a full-time employee, whereas part-time workers or contractors can do others.

   Determine employee vs contractor status

   Is the person you're thinking of hiring a US citizen or green card holder?

   Yes

   No

   Hiring the perfect graphic design manager also involves considering the ideal background you'd like them to have. Depending on what industry or field they have experience in, they'll bring different skills to the job. It's also important to consider what levels of seniority and education the job requires and what kind of salary such a candidate would likely demand.

   This list presents graphic design manager salaries for various positions.

   Type of Graphic Design Manager	Description	Hourly rate
   Graphic Design Manager	Graphic designers create visual concepts, using computer software or by hand, to communicate ideas that inspire, inform, and captivate consumers. They develop the overall layout and production design for various applications such as advertisements, brochures, magazines, and corporate reports.	$23-43
   Art Director	An art director's duty will vary depending on the line of industry involved. However, most of the responsibilities will revolve in taking charge of the artistic direction and decisions in a project or campaign... Show more	$27-64
   Designer/Art Director	An art director collaborates with the design and art staff for books, public relations firms, advertising agencies, or newspaper publishers. Art directors create designs and layouts that embody the organization and send the message they want the audience to get... Show more	$28-75

   Show more

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • Graphic Design
   • Project Management
   • Customer Service
   • Adobe Photoshop
   • Adobe Creative Suite
   • Brochures
   • PowerPoint
   • Print Collateral
   • Product Photography
   • Flyers
   • Adobe Illustrator
   • Creative Direction
   • Website Design
   • Art Direction

   Check all skills

   Responsibilities:

   • Train employees how to utilize CMS to manage Psych.org content by assigning department web liaisons in web management tasks
   • Create ads, manage copywriting, respond to customer inquiries, generate brand unity, establish clear company identity.
   • Operate and maintain CNC machinery to increase shop productivity.
   • Use HTML and image editors as needed to maintain product catalog.
   • Operate computer and thermal wax printer to create heat transferable patterns.
   • Identify and implement SEO and SEM tactics that deliver quality measurable results.

   More graphic design manager duties

3. Make a budget

   Including a salary range in your graphic design manager job description is one of the best ways to attract top talent. A graphic design manager can vary based on:

   • Location. For example, graphic design managers' average salary in south dakota is 45% less than in new york.
   • Seniority. Entry-level graphic design managers 46% less than senior-level graphic design managers.
   • Certifications. A graphic design manager with certifications usually earns a higher salary.
   • Company. Working for an established firm or a new start-up company can make a big difference in a graphic design manager's salary.

   Average graphic design manager salary

   $66,975yearly

   $32.20 hourly rate

   ---

   Entry-level graphic design manager salary

   $49,000 yearly salary

   Updated December 19, 2025

   Average graphic design manager salary by state

   Rank	State	Avg. salary	Hourly rate
   1	California	$86,317	$42
   2	New York	$81,980	$39
   3	District of Columbia	$81,770	$39
   4	Washington	$77,895	$37
   5	Massachusetts	$74,718	$36
   6	New Jersey	$73,626	$35
   7	Virginia	$71,532	$34
   8	Oregon	$69,184	$33
   9	Illinois	$66,880	$32
   10	Connecticut	$65,571	$32
   11	Pennsylvania	$65,324	$31
   12	North Carolina	$62,714	$30
   13	Arizona	$62,200	$30
   14	Texas	$59,693	$29
   15	Tennessee	$59,082	$28
   16	Georgia	$58,199	$28
   17	Missouri	$56,553	$27
   18	Florida	$53,562	$26
   19	New Mexico	$53,037	$26

   Average graphic design manager salary by company

   Company

   Rank	Company	Average salary	Hourly rate	Job openings
   1	Meta	$125,606	$60.39	308
   2	Citi	$105,810	$50.87	1
   3	Chewy	$94,597	$45.48
   4	The Children's Place	$81,439	$39.15
   5	Gap Inc.	$80,284	$38.60
   6	The Walt Disney Company	$79,952	$38.44	21
   7	Russell Investments	$75,560	$36.33
   8	Bloomingdale's	$74,574	$35.85
   9	Medical Billing	$73,663	$35.41
   10	ABC Imaging	$70,217	$33.76
   11	FP1 Strategies	$69,735	$33.53
   12	Arcserve	$69,108	$33.23
   13	Cognizant	$68,785	$33.07	2
   14	Globus Medical	$68,189	$32.78	5
   15	Bodden Partners	$68,029	$32.71
   16	DLR Group	$67,090	$32.25	5
   17	University of Washington	$65,581	$31.53
   18	Victorious	$64,975	$31.24
   19	Gls Corp	$64,926	$31.21
   20	Lemon Perfect	$64,926	$31.21

4. Writing a graphic design manager job description

   A good graphic design manager job description should include a few things:

   • Summary of the role
   • List of responsibilities
   • Required skills and experience

   Including a salary range and the first name of the hiring manager is also appreciated by candidates. Here's an example of a graphic design manager job description:

   Graphic design manager job description example

   Russell Investments is seeking an experienced visual communicator to provide graphic design and messaging support for sales presentations and pitches. This is an energizing and rewarding role where you will get to see your design contributions pay off - you will have a direct impact on the greater success of the firm.
   
   The individual we are seeking for this role will have experience providing design and messaging support to Institutional marketing groups by producing collateral for sales, events, and live presentations. See details below for more information about this exciting opportunity.
   Your Role:
   Create the most compelling, business-winning sales presentation materials possible, under tight deadlines and with the guidance of demanding stakeholders. Work directly with U.S. institutional sales and marketing leadership to design best-in-class sales pitches and presentation materials, including RFP responses, PowerPoint decks, printed finals presentation materials, and digital experiences. Customize materials to align with the industries and brands of the targeted prospects. Ensure messaging and visuals are on-point and aligned with corporate strategies, messaging hierarchies, and brand. Collaborate with global colleagues to ensure materials are leverageable across geographies. Support the graphic design needs of the U.S. institutional investing business, through visual communication. This could include designing presentation slides for in-person or on-screen presentations, designing printed materials for in-person meetings, designing materials for in-person and virtual events, and other needs. Provide ad hoc graphic design and messaging support for the broader marketing team. Support the graphic design needs of global marketing. This is intentionally a lower priority aspect of the position, but being an integrated part of the broader team and supporting global needs will be an occasional part of this role. Projects could include creating design elements for web, video, social, or other corporate design needs.
   
   Preferred Knowledge, Skill & Ability:
   Team Work and Collaboration At least 5 years of experience with graphic design, particularly in the context of business-winning presentation materials. Experience with Adobe Creative Suite, InDesign, Photoshop, Illustrator, and Microsoft Suite Asset management industry experience, and a solid understanding of investment management globally, with a particularly keen understanding of institutional and investing issues (preferred) Solid knowledge of financial markets across asset classes (preferred) Familiarity with digital and social media publishing best practices, including online articles, blogs, and SEO 5 years of experience supporting and collaborating with demanding senior sales colleagues Ability to work a flexible schedule to meet demanding, last-minute deadlines.
   
   Equal Employment Opportunity
   
   Russell Investments is committed to providing equal employment opportunities for all associates and employment applicants regardless of race, religion, ancestry, creed, color, gender (including gender identity which refers to a person's actual or perceived sex, and includes self-image, appearance, behavior or expression, whether or not different from that traditionally associated with a person's biological sex), age, national origin, citizenship status, disability, medical condition, military status, veteran status, marital status, sexual orientation, past or present unemployment status , or any other characteristic protected by law.

   Copy this example

   

5. Post your job

   There are various strategies that you can use to find the right graphic design manager for your business:

   • Consider promoting from within or recruiting from your existing workforce.
   • Ask for referrals from friends, family members, and current employees.
   • Attend job fairs at local colleges to find candidates who meet your education requirements.
   • Use social media platforms like LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter to reach potential job candidates.

   Post your job online:

   • Post your graphic design manager job on Zippia to find and recruit graphic design manager candidates who meet your exact specifications.
   • Use field-specific websites.
   • Post a job on free websites.

6. Interview candidates

   To successfully recruit graphic design managers, your first interview needs to engage with candidates to learn about their interest in the role and experience in the field. You can go into more detail about the company, the role, and the responsibilities during follow-up interviews.

   Remember to include a few questions that allow candidates to expand on their strengths in their own words. Asking about their unique skills might reveal things you'd miss otherwise. At this point, good candidates can move on to the technical interview.

   The right interview questions can help you assess a candidate's hard skills, behavioral intelligence, and soft skills.

7. Send a job offer and onboard your new graphic design manager

   Once you've decided on a perfect graphic design manager candidate, it's time to write an offer letter. In addition to salary, it should include benefits and perks available to the employee. Qualified candidates may be considered for other positions, so make sure your offer is competitive. Candidates may wish to negotiate. Once you've settled on the details, formalize your agreement with a contract.

   It's also important to follow up with applicants who do not get the job with an email letting them know that the position is filled.

   Once that's done, you can draft an onboarding schedule for the new graphic design manager. Human Resources should complete Employee Action Forms and ensure that onboarding paperwork is completed, including I-9s, benefits enrollment, federal and state tax forms, etc. They should also ensure that new employee files are created for internal recordkeeping.

8. Go through the hiring process checklist

   • Determine employee type (full-time, part-time, contractor, etc.)
   • Submit a job requisition form to the HR department
   • Define job responsibilities and requirements
   • Establish budget and timeline
   • Determine hiring decision makers for the role
   • Write job description
   • Post job on job boards, company website, etc.
   • Promote the job internally
   • Process applications through applicant tracking system
   • Review resumes and cover letters
   • Shortlist candidates for screening
   • Hold phone/virtual interview screening with first round of candidates
   • Conduct in-person interviews with top candidates from first round
   • Score candidates based on weighted criteria (e.g., experience, education, background, cultural fit, skill set, etc.)
   • Conduct background checks on top candidates
   • Check references of top candidates
   • Consult with HR and hiring decision makers on job offer specifics
   • Extend offer to top candidate(s)
   • Receive formal job offer acceptance and signed employment contract
   • Inform other candidates that the position has been filled
   • Set and communicate onboarding schedule to new hire(s)
   • Complete new hire paperwork (i9, benefits enrollment, tax forms, etc.)

   Sign up to download full list

   Sign up

How much does it cost to hire a graphic design manager?