What does a head designer do?
The Head Designer is the overall command over the creative team's design and the entire company. The heads of the organization look toward the head designer to provide insights into the artistic path the company will take to achieve a unique brand in the market. The head designer is highly-creative, good in management, and can articulate abstract ideas clearly and relay them to company administrators, customers, and clients. A head designer's responsibilities are to handle the creative team, train each member, and provide guidance in every part of the designing process.
Head designer responsibilities
Here are examples of responsibilities from real head designer resumes:
- Help manage e-commerce website with adding new product to the site and uploading of website banners, and photography.
- Create HTML files and CSS style sheets for integration with JavaScript.
- Create interface mock-ups out of HTML, CSS, and JavaScript for integration into the broader, web-base application.
- Sketch, design artwork, develop tech packs and communicate overseas to assure the understanding of the details of garment.
- Provide production level UI design tweaks need for development.
- Produce video cassette labels, brochures, newsletters and advertisements.
- Head of design team, cad artists, and all interns.
- Design unique print materials, including advertisements, brochures and logo designs.
- Design and merchandise knits for men's and women's knits assortments.
- Work closely with junior designer, sales team, and cad artists to develop new lines.
- Create, sketch and bring to life hair designs for the actors that fit the characters and their backgrounds.
- Promote, design, update online media (website, purchase site, facebook, twitter, g+).
- Design numerous textiles each month: yarn-dyed woven and knit patterns/prints for shirts and knits always considering the online distribution channels.
- Work directly with overseas prototyping and production.
- Create promotional posters for various radio sponsor events.
Head designer skills and personality traits
We calculated that 12% of Head Designers are proficient in Product Design, UI, and Sketch. They’re also known for soft skills such as Analytical skills, Time-management skills, and Artistic ability.
We break down the percentage of Head Designers that have these skills listed on their resume here:
- Product Design, 12%
Worked with in-house design team and outside design firms to oversee product design for mobile and Web-based products.
- UI, 9%
Performed page design testing to validate user interface design of developed applications against UI Specifications and Navigational diagrams.
- Sketch, 9%
Sketch, designed artwork, developed tech packs and communicate overseas to assure the understanding of the details of garment.
- User Experience, 8%
Designed user experience and guided definition of new interaction guidelines for mobile and responsive framework.
- Product Development, 6%
Report directly to President of the company with accountability for all product development from initial concept to line duplication.
- Lead Design, 5%
Lead designer for sustainable active accessories, mostly gym bags with elements made by local and worldwide artisans.
Most head designers use their skills in "product design," "ui," and "sketch" to do their jobs. You can find more detail on essential head designer responsibilities here:
Analytical skills. To carry out their duties, the most important skill for a head designer to have is analytical skills. Their role and responsibilities require that "graphic designers must be able to perceive their work from their consumers’ point of view to ensure that the designs convey the client’s message." Head designers often use analytical skills in their day-to-day job, as shown by this real resume: "researched color and style, in charge of making analysis and communicating to product development team. "
Time-management skills. Many head designer duties rely on time-management skills. "graphic designers often work simultaneously on multiple projects, each with a different deadline.," so a head designer will need this skill often in their role. This resume example is just one of many ways head designer responsibilities rely on time-management skills: "worked closely with sales, design, sample room and production staff to meet deadlines. "
Artistic ability. head designers are also known for artistic ability, which are critical to their duties. You can see how this skill relates to head designer responsibilities, because "graphic designers must be able to create designs that are artistically interesting and appealing to clients and consumers." A head designer resume example shows how artistic ability is used in the workplace: "created numerous artistic & creative brand/logo designs for small to medium size companies. "
Communication skills. For certain head designer responsibilities to be completed, the job requires competence in "communication skills." The day-to-day duties of a head designer rely on this skill, as "graphic designers must communicate with clients, customers, and other designers to ensure that their designs accurately and effectively convey information." For example, this snippet was taken directly from a resume about how this skill applies to what head designers do: "restructure the design/ development/ production process to accommodate three separate apparel divisions strategize marketing roll out plan and social media communications. "
Computer skills. A commonly-found skill in head designer job descriptions, "computer skills" is essential to what head designers do. Head designer responsibilities rely on this skill because "most graphic designers use specialized graphic design software to prepare their designs." You can also see how head designer duties rely on computer skills in this resume example: "provide computer aided design, 3d printing, and lost-wax casting. "
Creativity. Lastly, "creativity" is an important element of what a head designer does. Head designer responsibilities require this skill because "graphic designers must be able to think of new approaches to communicating ideas to consumers." This resume example highlights how head designer duties rely on this skill: "tasked with creative application of patentable ideas to the breadth of product line. "
The three companies that hire the most head designers are:
- U.S. Bank16 head designers jobs
- Amazon8 head designers jobs
- Citi5 head designers jobs
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Compare different head designers
Head designer vs. Graphic designer, marketing
A graphic designer of marketing specializes in developing creative imagery as part of a company's marketing efforts. Their responsibilities typically revolve around coordinating with the marketing team to share insights and strategies, conceptualizing designs in adherence to objectives and deadlines, and preparing presentations. One may also subject designs into various revisions and edits as needed. Furthermore, as a graphic designer, it is also essential to keep abreast of the latest trends and have an understanding of the target audience.
These skill sets are where the common ground ends though. The responsibilities of a head designer are more likely to require skills like "product design," "ui," "user experience," and "product development." On the other hand, a job as a graphic designer, marketing requires skills like "adobe creative suite," "brochures," "blog posts," and "flyers." As you can see, what employees do in each career varies considerably.
Graphic designers, marketing tend to make the most money working in the technology industry, where they earn an average salary of $52,640. In contrast, head designers make the biggest average salary, $108,083, in the hospitality industry.The education levels that graphic designers, marketing earn slightly differ from head designers. In particular, graphic designers, marketing are 5.0% less likely to graduate with a Master's Degree than a head designer. Additionally, they're 1.0% less likely to earn a Doctoral Degree.Head designer vs. Graphic designer/production
A Graphics Designer in production is the person in charge of designing and interpreting ideas pointed out by the client or the company. The graphics designer must use market standard applications and techniques to produce attention-grabbing designs intended to market a product, service, or company. Graphic designers are an integral part of a company's digital marketing, especially over the internet. The graphic designer must have a good eye for style, typesetting, and the use of colors.
Each career also uses different skills, according to real head designer resumes. While head designer responsibilities can utilize skills like "product design," "ui," "user experience," and "product development," graphic designer/productions use skills like "art direction," "adobe indesign," "signage," and "adobe creative suite."
Graphic designer/productions may earn a lower salary than head designers, but graphic designer/productions earn the most pay in the technology industry with an average salary of $59,531. On the other hand, head designers receive higher pay in the hospitality industry, where they earn an average salary of $108,083.In general, graphic designer/productions achieve lower levels of education than head designers. They're 6.1% less likely to obtain a Master's Degree while being 1.0% less likely to earn a Doctoral Degree.What technology do you think will become more important and prevalent for head designers in the next 3-5 years?
Abby Guido
Assistant Professor, Tyler School of Art and Architecture, Temple University
Head designer vs. Graphic designer internship
In a graphic design internship, one of the primary responsibilities is to accomplish tasks while under the supervision of more experienced colleagues. An aspiring graphic designer may use this opportunity to observe and participate in designing for various industries, handle different clients, participate in creative meetings, and learn strategies from experts. Furthermore, there may also be technical tasks involving research and analysis, gathering materials, coordinating with vendors, and producing reports and other necessary documentation. They may also be responsible for maintaining a database and responding to calls and inquires.
There are many key differences between these two careers, including some of the skills required to perform responsibilities within each role. For example, a head designer is likely to be skilled in "product design," "ui," "user experience," and "product development," while a typical graphic designer internship is skilled in "graphic design intern," "blog posts," "adobe creative suite," and "photography."
Graphic designer interns make a very good living in the professional industry with an average annual salary of $41,614. On the other hand, head designers are paid the highest salary in the hospitality industry, with average annual pay of $108,083.graphic designer interns typically earn lower educational levels compared to head designers. Specifically, they're 6.8% less likely to graduate with a Master's Degree, and 1.0% less likely to earn a Doctoral Degree.Head designer vs. User experience designer
A User Experience (UX) designer is an individual who measures and optimizes applications to improve the experience of end-users. His/Her or her duties and responsibilities include considering a design's human-computer interaction element, defining interaction models, and working with creative directors and designers. The key skills for UX designers include strong mathematical and problem-solving skills and excellent information technology and programming skills. Having a bachelor's degree in a design or computing-related subject is an advantage to qualify for the UX designer position.
Types of head designer
Updated January 8, 2025
