What does a senior designer do?
Senior designers are typically in charge of realizing design solutions that adhere to the business goals and marketing strategies of an organization. They should be comfortable managing graphics designers and making decisions. They must have extensive knowledge of styles, layout techniques, and graphic design while also managing projects and people effectively. Senior designers have a variety of duties, which include delegating tasks to junior designers, maintaining high-quality standards, and collaborating to improve digital creativity standards.
Senior designer responsibilities
Here are examples of responsibilities from real senior designer resumes:
- Identify, plan and lead brainstorming sessions for new blue-sky product opportunities across all boys' lines.
- Design all marketing collateral within those standards including flyers, ads, conference materials, brochures, and design mailed pieces.
- Implement HTML and CSS tags.
- Format designs and media for use in print and web applications; deliver production-ready graphics in HTML and CSS.
- Design and production of marketing materials, PowerPoint templates for pitch decks, event graphics, various collateral and HTML e-mails.
- Lead the team in brainstorming sessions and assist with market research and testing.
- Develop concept boards, sketch library, design artwork and select standards using trend and color services.
- Create branding, graphics and HTML for private resort clubs within the parameters of company's web-base product.
- Key responsibilities include technical writing, UX wire framing for web and mobile apps, and project road mapping.
- Support product messaging with creative art designs: promotional flyers, ads for catalog and instruction sheets for sales and engineering.
- Supervise other cad draftsman and establish workloads.
- Used AutoCad/Cadworx for modeling and isometric extraction.
- Demonstrate exceptional visualization, presentation and project management skills.
- Collaborate closely with developers, copywriters and UX designers.
- Develop electrical schematic of switching power supply from engineering sketch.
Senior designer skills and personality traits
We calculated that 15% of Senior Designers are proficient in Sketch, Graphic Design, and Human Centered Design. They’re also known for soft skills such as Communication skills, Time-management skills, and Analytical skills.
We break down the percentage of Senior Designers that have these skills listed on their resume here:
- Sketch, 15%
Developed electrical schematic of switching power supply from engineering sketch.
- Graphic Design, 5%
Experienced in working in a multidisciplinary background that includes environmental graphic design, signage and interior architecture.
- Human Centered Design, 4%
Created high fidelity prototypes using the practices of human centered design.
- User Experience, 4%
Redesigned existing user interfaces of mobile division applications, resulting in the increase of functionality and an overall satisfying user experience.
- UI, 4%
Translated business and customer requirements into functional UI that met business objectives.
- CAD, 4%
Coordinate architectural designs with the production of Cad generated drawings for the erection and fabrication of structural and miscellaneous members.
Most senior designers use their skills in "sketch," "graphic design," and "human centered design" to do their jobs. You can find more detail on essential senior designer responsibilities here:
Communication skills. To carry out their duties, the most important skill for a senior designer to have is communication skills. Their role and responsibilities require that "graphic designers must communicate with clients, customers, and other designers to ensure that their designs accurately and effectively convey information." Senior designers often use communication skills in their day-to-day job, as shown by this real resume: "created and modified complete drawing packages of telecommunication transmission equipment utilizing autocad 14 software. "
Time-management skills. Another soft skill that's essential for fulfilling senior designer duties is time-management skills. The role rewards competence in this skill because "graphic designers often work simultaneously on multiple projects, each with a different deadline." According to a senior designer resume, here's how senior designers can utilize time-management skills in their job responsibilities: "partner with the product development team and sales team to develop product in accordance with design deadlines. "
Analytical skills. senior designers are also known for analytical skills, which are critical to their duties. You can see how this skill relates to senior designer responsibilities, because "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." A senior designer resume example shows how analytical skills is used in the workplace: "review and analyze specification, sketches, engineering drawings, ideas and related design data to determine factors affecting component designs. "
Artistic ability. For certain senior designer responsibilities to be completed, the job requires competence in "artistic ability." The day-to-day duties of a senior designer rely on this skill, as "graphic designers must be able to create designs that are artistically interesting and appealing to clients and consumers." For example, this snippet was taken directly from a resume about how this skill applies to what senior designers do: "supervised the production of effective tv commercials, and coordinated the artistic direction of photo shoots. "
Computer skills. Another crucial skill for a senior designer to carry out their responsibilities is "computer skills." A big part of what senior designers relies on this skill, since "most graphic designers use specialized graphic design software to prepare their designs." How this skill relates to senior designer duties can be seen in an example from a senior designer resume snippet: "prepared company standards and completed company's first documented computerized autocad policies and procedures manual. "
Creativity. Lastly, "creativity" is an important element of what a senior designer does. Senior 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 senior designer duties rely on this skill: "utilized high end modeling and presentation software, including 3d studio max, autocad, and adobe creative suite programs. "
The three companies that hire the most senior designers are:
- Highmark89 senior designers jobs
- Southland Industries51 senior designers jobs
- Masco50 senior designers jobs
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Compare different senior designers
Senior designer vs. 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. They work with producers and directors of theatres, television, and movie productions to oversee set designs. Being an art director also includes critiquing people's work, working to reach deadlines while still following the budget allocated for a certain project, and (on occasion) disciplining designers who are slacking off on the job.
These skill sets are where the common ground ends though. The responsibilities of a senior designer are more likely to require skills like "human centered design," "cad," "xd," and "autocad." On the other hand, a job as a designer/art director requires skills like "photography," "creative concepts," "adobe photoshop," and "website design." As you can see, what employees do in each career varies considerably.
Designer/art directors really shine in the media industry with an average salary of $100,319. Comparatively, senior designers tend to make the most money in the media industry with an average salary of $105,282.designer/art directors tend to reach similar levels of education than senior designers. In fact, designer/art directors are 0.4% less likely to graduate with a Master's Degree and 0.2% more likely to have a Doctoral Degree.Senior 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.
Each career also uses different skills, according to real senior designer resumes. While senior designer responsibilities can utilize skills like "human centered design," "user experience," "ui," and "cad," graphic designers, marketing use skills like "adobe creative suite," "brochures," "blog posts," and "adobe photoshop."
On average, graphic designers, marketing earn a lower salary than senior designers. Some industries support higher salaries in each profession. Interestingly enough, graphic designers, marketing earn the most pay in the technology industry with an average salary of $52,640. Whereas senior designers have higher pay in the media industry, with an average salary of $105,282.Average education levels between the two professions vary. Graphic designers, marketing tend to reach similar levels of education than senior designers. In fact, they're 2.6% less likely to graduate with a Master's Degree and 0.2% less likely to earn a Doctoral Degree.What technology do you think will become more important and prevalent for senior designers in the next 3-5 years?
Michelle Lockwood
Associate Professor, Graphic Design Art, Mansfield University of Pennsylvania
Senior designer vs. Computer aided design designer
A computer-aided design (CAD) designer is responsible for creating plan outlines and project designs for a specific business need. A CAD designer utilizes various technologies and software applications to generate graphic illustrations. CAD designers must have strong knowledge of the technology designs, software management, engineering standards, and the construction industry fundamentals. CAD designers label their works with appropriate dimensions and specifications, performing necessary adjustments to meet the clients' needs. A CAD designer requires excellent critical-thinking and analytical skills to manage design structures and creative solutions.
The required skills of the two careers differ considerably. For example, senior designers are more likely to have skills like "graphic design," "human centered design," "user experience," and "ui." But a computer aided design designer is more likely to have skills like "auto cad," "revit," "design drawings," and "bim."
Computer aided design designers earn the best pay in the automotive industry, where they command an average salary of $79,713. Senior designers earn the highest pay from the media industry, with an average salary of $105,282.When it comes to education, computer aided design designers tend to earn similar degree levels compared to senior designers. In fact, they're 2.1% less likely to earn a Master's Degree, and 0.1% less likely to graduate with a Doctoral Degree.Senior designer vs. Lead graphic designer
A lead graphic designer is responsible for creating, designing, and updating the company's visual aspects. The lead graphic designer works closely with the branding department alongside the advertising and marketing team. It is essential for the lead graphic designer must be creative, willing to think outside the box, and brave to dare novel ideas. The lead graphic designer is also responsible for leading the creative department in accomplishing assigned tasks from management.
Even though a few skill sets overlap between senior designers and lead graphic designers, there are some differences that are important to note. For one, a senior designer might have more use for skills like "human centered design," "user experience," "ui," and "cad." Meanwhile, some responsibilities of lead graphic designers require skills like "adobe photoshop," "adobe creative suite," "motion graphics," and "brochures. "
The technology industry tends to pay the highest salaries for lead graphic designers, with average annual pay of $85,443. Comparatively, the highest senior designer annual salary comes from the media industry.lead graphic designers reach similar levels of education compared to senior designers, in general. The difference is that they're 2.6% more likely to earn a Master's Degree, and 0.1% less likely to graduate with a Doctoral Degree.Types of senior designer
Updated January 8, 2025
