Manager - Design Services

Requisition ID: 47419 

Organization

Vancouver is consistently ranked as one of the world’s most liveable and environmentally sustainable cities. Recognized among BC’s Top Employers and Canada’s Greenest Employers, the City of Vancouver is seeking colleagues who can help advance our core commitments to exceptional public service, sustainability, equity, and an outstanding quality of life for all residents.

With a strong commitment to being a City of Reconciliation, we invite you to join our dedicated team and become part of an innovative, inclusive, and engaging workplace. A career with the City of Vancouver and within the broader public service, offers meaningful work where you play a key role in ensuring equitable access to services, upholding ethical governance, and supporting the needs of citizens with integrity and dedication.

Main Purpose and Function 
The Manager, Design Services leads the City’s central graphic design function and provides creative leadership for visual communications across the organization. The role oversees a multidisciplinary team of design, photography and videography professionals responsible for delivering high-quality visual communications that contribute to how residents and stakeholders understand, navigate and engage with City programs, services and initiatives. 

This is a senior working management role requiring advanced design expertise and strong leadership. The Manager contributes directly to creative development and design production while also providing operational oversight and professional leadership for the City’s design services function. The role establishes service standards, supports workforce planning and staff development, manages performance and guides the development and application of graphic standards and visual communication practices across the organization. The Manager exercises independent judgment in setting priorities, providing creative direction, resolving complex operational issues and advising on sensitive visual communications matters. The role also supports the Associate Director in the developing and implementing graphic standards, visual guidelines, administrative policies and continuous improvement initiatives related to design services.

• Leads and participates directly in the development of graphic design and visual communications materials for City initiatives, programs, services and public engagement activities.
• Provides senior-level creative direction, design expertise and visual storytelling support for high-profile, sensitive or complex projects.
• Oversees the quality, accessibility, clarity and effectiveness of visual communications across a wide range of formats and channels.
• Leads the development, implementation and ongoing evolution of graphic standards, templates, style guides and visual systems that support consistency and usability across the organization. Ensures design approaches reflect accessibility requirements, inclusive communications practices and the City’s public service mandate. 
• Provides expert guidance on visual communication approaches for projects with significant public, organizational or political visibility. 

Collaboration and Advisory Services

• Provides professional advice and consultation to departments and project teams on graphic design and visual communication and appropriate use of City graphic standards.
• Works collaboratively with staff across a broad range of professional disciplines to support coordinated and effective visual communications outcomes.
• Helps navigate differing perspectives, operational requirements and creative approaches in a constructive and solutions-focused manner.
• Represents the design services function in cross-departmental initiatives, planning discussions and organizational projects.

Team leadership and Service Delivery

• Leads, mentors and supports a multidisciplinary creative services team, including graphic design, photography and videography roles.
• Provides leadership for the overall direction, quality and effectiveness of the design services function.
• Establishes service expectations, operational priorities and team objectives to support responsive and effective delivery of design services across the organization.
• Provides supervision, coaching, performance management and professional development support for staff.
• Fosters a collaborative, respectful and service-oriented team culture focused on creativity, accountability and continuous learning.
• Leads recruitment, onboarding, workforce planning and employee development activities for the team.
• Works with designated team lead roles responsible for coordinating production workflows, docket management and day-to-day work assignment processes.
• Supports effective project coordination, resource planning and workload management across the team.
• Exercises decision-making authority related to operational priorities, service delivery approaches and resource allocation.
• Engages and manages agency, contractor or specialist support to supplement team capacity or expertise. 

Governance and Continious Improvement

• Supports the Associate Director in developing and implementing policies, procedures and administrative frameworks related to graphic design and visual communications.
• Leads the implementation and ongoing stewardship of graphic standards and visual communication guidelines across the organization.
• Identifies opportunities to improve processes, tools and service delivery approaches.
• Monitors developments and best practices in graphic design, accessibility, visual communications and creative production.
• Provides strategic input into long-term planning related to creative services, visual communications and organizational communications capacity.
• Other duties/responsibilities as assigned

Minimum Qualification Requirements 
Education and Experience: 

• Degree in graphic design, visual communication or a related discipline, combined with 6 years experience in organizational communications within large, complex public or private sector environments, or an equivalent combination of education and experience.
• Experience leading the development and implementation of graphic standards, style guides or visual systems and supporting templates.
• Experience balancing strategic direction with hands-on production and operational responsibilities
• Experience providing operational leadership, managing staff performance and supporting service delivery in a collaborative production environment.
• Professional certification or membership in design-related professional association is considered an asset. 

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities: 

• Expert-level knowledge with industry-standard creative software, tools and production practices.
• Strong understanding of accessibility, inclusive communications and user-focused design principles.
• Advanced graphic design and visual storytelling capabilities, with a strong portfolio demonstrating conceptual thinking and execution across multiple platforms and media.
• Exceptional design judgment and creative problem-solving skills.
• Strong interpersonal, facilitation and relationship-management skills.
• Ability to work effectively across multidisciplinary environments and build consensus among varied stakeholders.
• Ability to communicate complex information clearly and effectively through visual design. 
  
• Ability to lead through collaboration, influence and professional credibility.
• Ability to lead or supervise creative teams and managing design service delivery functions.
• Strong political and organizational awareness within a public sector environment. 
  
• Strong supervisory, coaching and team leadership skills.
• Ability to exercise sound judgment and independent decision-making in managing operational priorities and sensitive issues.
• Excellent organizational, project management and client service skills to manage multiple priorities and deadlines in a fast-paced environment. 

Business Unit/Department : Office of the City Manager 

Affiliation: Exempt 

Employment Type: Regular Full Time 

Salary Information: Pay Grade 091: $117,909 to $147,377 per annum

Application Close: October 28, 2026

At the City of Vancouver, we are committed to recruiting a diverse workforce that represents the community we so proudly serve. Indigenous peoples, people of colour, 2SLGBTQ+ persons including all genders and persons with disabilities are encouraged to apply. Accommodations will be provided upon request during the selection process.   Learn more about our commitment to diversity and inclusion . 

The City of Vancouver acknowledges that it is situated on the unceded traditional territories of the xʷməθkʷəy̓əm (Musqueam Indian Band), Sḵwx̱wú7mesh Úxwumixw (Squamish Nation), and səlilwətaɬ (Tsleil-Waututh Nation). More about unceded traditional territories

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