Manager, Creative Design

Work Location Type: Hybrid  

Req Number  325763

About Grainger

W.W. Grainger, Inc., is a leading broad line distributor with operations primarily in North America, Japan and the United Kingdom. At Grainger, We Keep the World Working® by serving more than 4.5 million customers worldwide with products and solutions delivered through innovative technology and deep customer relationships. Known for its commitment to service and award-winning culture, the Company had 2024 revenue of $17.2 billion across its two business models. In the High-Touch Solutions segment, Grainger offers approximately 2 million maintenance, repair and operating (MRO) products and services, including technical support and inventory management. In the Endless Assortment segment, Zoro.com offers customers access to more than 14 million products, and MonotaRO.com offers more than 24 million products. For more information, visit www.grainger.com.  

Compensation

The anticipated base pay compensation range for this position is $101,300.00  to $168,900.00.

Rewards and Benefits

With benefits starting on day one, our programs provide choice and flexibility to meet team members' individual needs, including:

• Medical, dental, vision, and life insurance plans with coverage starting on day one of employment and 6 free sessions each year with a licensed therapist to support your emotional wellbeing.
• 18 paid time off (PTO) days annually for full-time employees (accrual prorated based on employment start date) and 6 company holidays per year.
• 6% company contribution to a 401(k) Retirement Savings Plan each pay period, no employee contribution required.
• Employee discounts, tuition reimbursement, student loan refinancing and free access to financial counseling, education, and tools.
• Maternity support programs, nursing benefits, and up to 14 weeks paid leave for birth parents and up to 4 weeks paid leave for non-birth parents.

For additional information and details regarding Grainger’s benefits, please click on the link below:

https://experience100.ehr.com/grainger/Home/Tools-Resources/Key-Resources/New-Hire

The pay range provided above is not a guarantee of compensation.  The range reflects the potential base pay for this role at the time of this posting based on the job grade for this position. Individual base pay compensation will depend, in part, on factors such as geographic work location and relevant experience and skills.   

The anticipated compensation range described above is subject to change and the compensation ultimately paid may be higher or lower than the range described above. 

Grainger reserves the right to amend, modify, or terminate its compensation and benefit programs in its sole discretion at any time, consistent with applicable law.

Position Details:

As Manager, Creative Design, you will lead a team of talented designers in developing visually compelling, brand-aligned creative across multi-channel campaigns. A hands-on leader, you bring deep expertise in visual design and brand expression, guiding concept development and execution across print and digital.

You will work closely with partners in Marketing to deliver an integrated and compelling customer experience. You are both a mentor and a maker, with the ability to inspire excellence and roll up your sleeves when needed.

This role reports to the Senior Manager, Creative Strategy.

This is a hybrid position that is based onsite in Lake Forest three days a week.

You Will:

• Lead and inspire a team of designers and front-end developers across brand and performance marketing channels.
• Set and uphold standards for design excellence, visual consistency, and brand alignment.
• Develop design strategies that align to brand goals and customer insights.
• Guide ideation and execution for multi-channel campaigns, including digital, social, print, and more.
• Provide hands-on design support during high-volume or high-priority initiatives.
• Partner closely with brand, content strategy, and production peers to ensure cohesive creative execution.
• Review and critique design work to ensure quality, clarity, and audience relevance.
• Champion a customer-first approach in all visual storytelling.
• Mentor team members through coaching, feedback, and developmental opportunities.
• Build scalable processes and workflows that support efficiency and creative excellence.
• Collaborate with internal and external stakeholders, including agency partners.

You Have:

• BA/BS/BFA in Graphic Design, Visual Communications, Marketing, or a related field (MA a plus)

• 7 - 10 years of professional experience in visual design with a strong portfolio demonstrating brand storytelling, campaign development, and multi-channel execution
• 2+ years of experience managing or mentoring creative teams
• Expertise in Adobe Creative Suite and understanding of design principles
• Strong understanding of integrated marketing principles, brand systems, and customer engagement through design
• Demonstrated success in a large, matrixed organization or creative agency, working with and creating scalable project management, AI, and other technologies.
• Proven ability to lead integrated creative direction that aligns visual design with messaging across channels
• Exceptional visual and conceptual communication skills
• Experience with performance-driven content, A/B testing, and creative optimization
• Comfort managing multiple priorities and navigating ambiguity

 We are committed to equal employment opportunity regardless of race, color, ancestry, religion, sex (including pregnancy), national origin, sexual orientation, age, citizenship, marital status, disability, gender identity or expression, protected veteran status or any other protected characteristic under federal, state, or local law. We are proud to be an equal opportunity workplace.

We are committed to fostering an inclusive, accessible work environment that includes both providing reasonable accommodations to individuals with disabilities during the application and hiring process as well as throughout the course of one’s employment, should you need a reasonable accommodation during the application and selection process, including, but not limited to use of our website, any part of the application, interview or hiring process, please advise us so that we can provide appropriate assistance.