Creative Services Manager

Job Description

Job Description

Job Title : Creative Services Manager
Reports to : Marketing Director
Classification : Full-Time, Exempt
Salary Range : $55,000–$60,000 annually
Benefits : Competitive benefits package, including health insurance, paid time off, and retirement plan options

Position Summary

The Creative Services Manager is responsible for managing the creative development, production workflow, and timely execution of marketing materials for The Sarasota Ballet. This position supports print, digital, social, email, advertising, institutional communications, and special projects.

Reporting to the Marketing Director, this role serves as a key creative and project management partner, helping keep projects organized, deadlines on track, stakeholders informed, and creative work moving efficiently from concept through final delivery.

The ideal candidate is a highly organized creative professional with strong design judgment, excellent communication skills, and the ability to manage multiple projects in a fast-paced performing arts environment. This person should be comfortable producing hands-on design work while also managing the systems, schedules, and approvals that keep projects on time, on brand, and aligned with organizational priorities.

Essential Responsibilities

• Lead and execute graphic design projects for marketing campaigns, institutional initiatives, education programs, community engagement programs, donor and patron communications, special events, and other organizational needs.
• Manage creative workflow, including project intake, timelines, creative briefs, internal deadlines, stakeholder review, revisions, approvals, final file preparation, and delivery.
• Partner with the Marketing Director to keep projects moving, identify upcoming deadlines, anticipate bottlenecks, and support department planning.
• Maintain and uphold The Sarasota Ballet’s visual identity and brand standards across print, digital, social, email, web, signage, advertising, and other communication channels.
• Design marketing materials including advertisements, brochures, postcards, posters, invitations, programs, signage, digital graphics, social media assets, email graphics, web graphics, presentations, and other campaign collateral.
• Coordinate with internal departments to gather project information, clarify goals, establish timelines, manage feedback, and ensure final materials meet strategic, budgetary, and brand expectations.
• Support print and digital advertising plans, including asset creation, specifications, deadlines, approvals, trafficking, and final material submissions.
• Manage production schedules for recurring marketing materials, including programs, direct mail, advertising, event collateral, donor communications, education materials, and seasonal projects.
• Coordinate with external vendors, including printers, photographers, videographers, media partners, advertising representatives, freelance designers, and other creative or production partners.
• Prepare production-ready files for print and digital use, ensuring accuracy, correct specifications, quality control, and timely delivery.
• Provide proofreading and quality-control support to ensure materials are accurate, on brand, and appropriate for each audience, platform, and communication objective.
• Assist with public relations and communications needs as assigned, including preparing media assets, press materials, image files, and supporting materials for performances, events, and announcements.
• Support the Marketing Director with production calendars, project tracking systems, vendor research, invoice tracking, budget reconciliation support, and other marketing operations needs.
• Collaborate with colleagues across departments in a professional, service-oriented manner, helping translate internal needs into clear, effective, and visually compelling communications.
• Perform other appropriate job-related duties as assigned by the Marketing Director and/or Company Leadership.

Required Qualifications

• Minimum of seven years of professional graphic design, creative services, marketing production, or related experience.
• Strong portfolio demonstrating excellent design judgment, brand consistency, typography, layout, visual storytelling, and campaign execution across print and digital platforms.
• Advanced proficiency in Adobe Creative Suite, including InDesign, Photoshop, Illustrator, and Acrobat.
• Demonstrated experience managing creative projects, production schedules, deadlines, internal approvals, and multiple stakeholders.
• Strong understanding of print production, digital file preparation, vendor specifications, and quality control.
• Experience creating marketing materials across multiple channels, including print, digital, social media, email, web, advertising, and event collateral.
• Excellent organizational skills, with the ability to manage multiple priorities, maintain timelines, and keep projects moving in a deadline-driven environment.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to gather information, clarify direction, communicate deadlines, and manage feedback professionally.
• Strong proofreading skills and attention to detail.
• Ability to work independently while collaborating closely with a small marketing team and colleagues across the organization.
• Professional demeanor, sound judgment, discretion, and a solutions-oriented approach.

Preferred Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in graphic design, marketing, communications, visual arts, arts administration, or a related field.
• Experience working in the performing arts, nonprofit arts, cultural sector, entertainment, or live events.
• Experience with email marketing platforms, website content management systems, and social media content creation.
• Experience working with photographers, videographers, printers, advertising vendors, freelance creatives, and other external partners.
• Experience developing or managing creative briefs, production calendars, and project management systems.
• Familiarity with Sarasota’s arts and cultural community is a plus.

Key Attributes

The successful candidate will be creative, organized, proactive, collaborative, and calm under pressure. They will bring strong visual instincts and practical production discipline, with the ability to balance hands-on creative execution and project management.

This role helps the Marketing Department stay ahead of deadlines while maintaining the high aesthetic standards expected of The Sarasota Ballet.