The University Relations division at the University of Denver speaks with a unified, authentic and resonant voice to strategically advance the university’s brand with four goals in mind:

- To promote and protect DU’s reputation
- To inspire students to enroll and engage
- To increase inclusion
- To strengthen the University

The University Relations (UR) team aims to strengthen DU’s strategic position locally, regionally and nationally through data-driven and authentic storytelling across multiple channels with focused support on the university’s value drivers: academics and research; enrollment and admissions, athletics and advancement. Whether through public or media relations, digital strategies, social media, print, podcast, issues or crisis management, community relations or thought leadership and training, UR drives results through narratives that involve words, pictures and design. With true understanding of and connection with our diverse audiences, we aim to foster collaborative problem solving, creativity and innovation. Position Summary The Director of Creative and Design Services is the central owner of DU’s creative services function and the day-to-day authority for visual identity execution and creative standards across the enterprise. The Director leads a central creative team—including design, multimedia, photography and production—and the systems, operations and resources that bring the DU brand to life and scale it for university-wide use. This role translates institutional brand strategy into consistent, high-quality creative execution and serves as the primary operational partner for campus units seeking creative support and brand guidance.

The Director owns creative operations end to end: the visual identity system and its toolkits and templates; the brand asset library / digital asset management (DAM) platform; creative intake and quality control; and the operational and visual review of licensing, merchandise and product placement. The Director maintains and coaches campus partners on brand standards, resolving the majority of day-to-day questions directly while escalating politically or reputationally sensitive matters, policy and risk decisions, and enterprise brand exceptions. The Director supports environmental branding and wayfinding, contributing shared execution under division-led strategy.

The role combines team leadership, creative direction, operational rigor and stakeholder consultation, and is responsible for the continuous improvement of the systems and processes that make creative delivery efficient, consistent and effective for the University.

The Director operationally owns and implements the University’s marketing and brand policy and creative and visual-identity standards, under the authority and oversight of the Chief Marketing and Brand Officer.

Essential Functions

Team Leadership & Talent Development

- Lead, supervise, and develop the central creative services team, including design, multimedia, photography, and production artist staff.
- Oversee hiring, performance management, workload balancing, and coaching across the team.
- Guide and cultivate a cross-campus community of creatives.
- Serve as back-up to supervised staff to ensure continuity of service.

Brand Stewardship & Creative Standards
- Serve as the day-to-day authority for DU’s brand visual identity system and creative standards.
- Maintain and enhance brand standards, toolkits, and templates.
- Conduct brand compliance reviews across university creative work.
- Provide creative consultation and coaching to campus partners, resolving the majority of day-to-day questions directly while escalating politically or reputationally sensitive matters, policy and risk decisions, and enterprise brand exceptions.

Creative Direction & Quality Control
- Provide creative direction and quality control across the central body of creative work, including flagship print and digital publications, campaigns, and university assets.
- Serve as the initial reviewer of the team’s creative work.
- Present and defend creative work to internal and external constituents.

Creative Operations & Process Improvement
- Own creative operations end to end and drive continuous creative process improvement.
- Manage creative intake and quality-control processes.
- Maintain and refine team workflows within the division-wide project management ecosystem.

Cross-Campus Brand Support & Partnership
- Serve as a primary creative services point of contact for campus partners and stakeholders, representing creative staff, clarifying service intake,



and building collaborative working relationships across units.
- Support the operational and visual review of DU’s brand licensing, merchandise, and product placement to protect brand consistency and visibility.
- Support environmental branding, wayfinding, and experiential/branded-experience initiatives through shared creative execution as needed.

Brand Asset Management (DAM) & Shared Resources
- Own and maintain the brand asset library / digital asset management (DAM) system, templates, and shared creative resources.
- Ensure high-quality design, photography, videography, and templates are available to the broader campus marketing community.

Vendor Management & Industry Knowledge
- Manage contracted vendors and agencies to advance UR’s creative mission.
- Stay abreast of production resources, pricing, technology, and higher-education creative trends.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

- Depth of technical and practical knowledge of design and branding—brand, advertising and editorial design fundamentals—and the ability to orchestrate a results-driven, service-oriented, cross-functional creative team in a collaborative, transparent and flexible environment.
- Demonstrated mastery of the Adobe Creative Suite and similar software, and UX/UI best practices.
- Working knowledge of photography and videography production (pre- and post-) and best practices.
- Knowledge of brand management and stewardship, including developing and maintaining identity standards, toolkits, templates, and digital asset management systems.
- Strong understanding of grid, layout, typography and color, and experience ensuring design meets accessibility/ADA standards.
- Proven ability to build, improve and document creative operations—intake, workflow, quality control and production processes—in a fast-paced, deadline-driven environment.
- Superior presentation skills with the ability to persuade through a variety of mediums and earn the respect of a wide range of stakeholders.
- Ability to condense complex information into clear direction and to lead teams calmly and in an organized way across multiple parallel projects.
- Track record of collaborating and communicating effectively with multiple stakeholders and integrating divergent points of view.
- High level of integrity and trustworthiness; a team player willing to pitch in outside usual responsibilities without ego.
- Commitment to inclusion, collaboration, and cultural sensitivity, with a passion for equitable practices.
- Evidence of effective communication in visual, verbal and written formats.

Required Qualifications

- Bachelor’s degree in Graphic Design, Visual Design, Fine Arts, Communications or a related commercial arts field, plus five (5) years of experience in graphic design and/or related creative work, which includes three (3) years of supervisory experience; OR eleven (10) years of experience in graphic design and/or related creative work, which includes three (3) years of supervisory experience; OR any equivalent combination of education and/or experience from which comparable knowledge, skills and abilities have been achieved.
- Experience directing, designing and delivering complex creative campaigns across media that include photography and information graphics.
- Experience leading projects and creative executions in a variety of mediums.
- Experience working with outside vendors and production management.
- Experience with accessibility and ensuring design meets ADA standards.
- Evidence of effective communication in visual, verbal and written formats, and proven experience generating positive results and outcomes through work.

Preferred Qualifications

- Masters degree.
- Experience in a higher education setting or other large, complex organization.
- Experience contributing to brand efforts from conception through implementation.
- Experience owning or administering a brand asset library / digital asset management (DAM) system.
- Experience providing art direction during pre-production, production and post-production to videographers and photographers.
- Experience with digital design best practices and UX/UI design for customer journeys.
- Experience developing and managing contractor/agency deliverables to established deadlines and quality standards,



including managing non-traditional personnel such as student employees and contractors.
- Experience working in the Wrike project management system.
- Project management certification.

Working Environment

- The successful incumbent must live or be willing to relocate to the Denver metro area. In accordance with the University’s flexible work policy, this position is eligible to be considered for a hybrid work schedule, typically with 3 days per week in office and 2 days per week remotely. Further details regarding this plan will be determined with the hiring manager and are dependent on the division and team specific needs.
- Some travel as well as occasional weekend or after-hours work will be required to fulfill duties, especially related to on-campus event support.
- Activities are primarily performed in an environmentally-controlled office setting subject to extended periods of sitting, keyboarding and manipulating a computer mouse (70%); frequently required to move for varying lengths of time and travel moderate distances to perform work (30%).
- Regular activities require ability to quickly change priorities which may include and/or are subject to resolution of conflicts.

Physical Activities

- Ability to work in front of a computer for extended periods of time.
- Occasionally required to move about the office/campus.

Work Schedule Monday - Friday, 8:00 a.m. - 4:30 p.m.

Application Deadline For consideration, please submit your application materials by 4:00 p.m. (MST) September 17, 2026.

Special Instructions

Candidates must apply online through jobs.du.edu to be considered. Only applications submitted online will be accepted.

Salary Grade Number:

The salary grade for the position is 13.

Salary Rate:

The salary rate for this position is $110,000.

The University of Denver has provided a compensation range that represents its good faith estimate of what the University may pay for the position at the time of posting. The University may ultimately pay more or less than the posted compensation range. The salary offered to the selected candidate will be determined based on factors such as the qualifications of the selected candidate, departmental budget availability, internal salary equity considerations, and available market information, but not based on a candidate’s sex or any other protected status.

Benefits:

The University of Denver offers excellent perks, including medical, dental, retirement, paid time off, tuition benefit and ECO pass. The University of Denver is a private institution that empowers students who want to make a difference. Learn more about the University of Denver.

Please include the following documents with your application:

- Resume
- Cover Letter The University of Denver is an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex (including sex stereotypes, sex characteristics, sexual orientation, gender identity, and gender expression), marital, family, or parental status, pregnancy or related conditions, national origin, disability, or status as a protected veteran. The University of Denver does not discriminate and prohibits discrimination on the basis of race, color, national origin, ancestry, age, religion, creed, disability, sex (including sex stereotypes, sex characteristics, sexual orientation, gender identity, and gender expression), marital family, and parental status, pregnancy, genetic information, military enlistment, or veteran status, and any other class of individuals protected from discrimination under federal, state, or local law, regulation, or ordinance in any of the University’s educational programs and activities, and in the employment (including application for employment) and admissions (including application for admission) context, as required by Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972; the Americans with Disabilities Act; Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973; Title VI and VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964; the Age Discrimination Act of 1975; the Age Discrimination in Employment Act of 1967; the Equal Pay Act; the Colorado Equal Pay for Equal Work Act; the Colorado Protecting Opportunities and Worker's Rights ("POWR") Act; and any other federal, state, and local laws, regulations, or ordinances that prohibit discrimination, harassment, and/or retaliation. For more information, please see the University of Denver's Non‑Discrimination‑Statement.

All offers of employment are based upon satisfactory completion of a criminal history and National Sex Offender Registry background check.

📌 Director of Creative and Design Services (Quinte West)
🏢 University of Denver
📍 Quinte West