Associate Manager, Design Services

Be essential at Cars Commerce

At Cars Commerce, we’re fanatical about simplifying everything about car buying and selling. We do right by our customers and consumers to better connect the industry with simplified and tierless technology to enhance, measure and drive local automotive retail. Whether through our No.1 most recognized marketplace, Cars.com, our industry-leading digital experience, Dealer Inspire, our trade and appraisal technology, AccuTrade, our reputation-based digital wholesale auction marketplace, Dealerclub, or our new Cars Commerce Media Network, Cars Commerce is essential for success in the automotive industry.

No one ever travels alone here: at its core, Cars Commerce is collaboration. In fact, it’s built into the very fabric of our shared values. We like to say we Rise Together – putting people at the center of what we do, from consumer to customer to community. Life at Cars Commerce makes it easy when we share the ethos to be Open to All, encouraging open-minded communication because we know diverse thinking yields better outcomes. But critical to our success is Caring to Challengeand Taking Ownership, fueling a competitive spirit in a respectful environment where we think about tomorrow but act today. At our foundation, we have integrity, Doing the Right Thing, even when it’s hard. It’s our shared commitment to these values that makes Cars Commerce a place where growth becomes not only possible, but downright unavoidable.

But don’t take our word for it. As a U.S. News & World Report Best Company to Work For in 2024, we're obsessive about the employee experience. We are among the top 20% being declared “Best” of our industry based on six critical factors that are important to employee wellbeing, like quality of pay, benefits, work life balance and more.

Dealer Inspire’s Graphic and Website Design Teams deliver leading creative solutions for our website clients, encompassing both their website and all their digital marketing assets. We are looking for an Associate Manager, Design Services who is a creative problem solver, a curious learner, an effective communicator, a strong collaborator, and an empathetic people leader with a keen eye for design and detail. The Associate Manager, Design Services is responsible for leading our team of Graphic and Website Designers to create designs for our clients’ websites and digital marketing assets. The Associate Manager will manage the execution and output of the design team, streamline processes, act as a point of escalation, and monitor throughput and service level agreements. Additionally, they will lead the team to handle inbound requests, client interactions, and manage projects to support the company’s asset and website production goals.

• Lead creative teams supporting Dealer Inspire and Cars.com clients’ marketing and advertising needs.

• Ensure the on-time delivery of high-quality creative assets and proactively prepare the organization for future needs.

• Identify and drive process improvement opportunities for the team and the broader organization.

• Assist in recruiting new creative talent and lead the onboarding of new team members.

• Support professional development, creative skill development, and professional competency growth among team members.

• Create and assign projects to designers.

• Ensure team adherence to, documentation of, and improvement of business processes, including compliance requirements.

• Lead designers, delegate tasks, oversee and coach the creative process, and ensure on-time deliverables.

• Oversee graphic and website design work to help develop designer skills.

• Identify gaps and issues, taking ownership of developing and implementing durable solutions.

• Serve as a resource for Managed Services Marketing Coordinators, Specialists, and leaders to create an optimal client experience while optimizing company resources.

• Track and manage team member performance, leveraging reporting, data, and stakeholder feedback.

• Collaborate closely with the Website Design creative team to identify opportunities for improved creative and business processes.

• Innovate new features for clients, create efficiencies, identify gaps, and assure quality.

• Collaborate with other company leaders and colleagues across the business to identify and implement strategies and solutions that drive results for the company.

• Assist in tactical decision-making, design review, and alignment towards a shared design and creative language.

• Foster an environment of collaboration among design teams, aligning design and user experience vision for both consumers and dealer clients.

REQUIRED SKILLS AND EXPERIENCE:

• Advanced understanding of fundamentals of technical and creative graphic and web design.

• Management skills, with proven experience mentoring or managing other designers.

• Attention to detail and an eye for design.

• Demonstrated ability to meet tight deadlines and adapt to changing priorities.

• Fast learner with an interest in new and evolving technologies.

• Desire to be part of a collaborative design environment.

• Outstanding written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to present work to executives and large groups.

PREFERRED SKILLS OR EXPERIENCE:

• Master-level skill in Photoshop, Illustrator, Adobe XD/Sketch/Figma.

• Advanced knowledge of OEM program guidelines and standards.

• Experience in the Automotive digital marketing industry.

• Prior experience leading a large team of designers.

EDUCATION:

• Bachelor’s Degree in Art or Design-related field preferred.

#LI-EJ #LI-Remote

Salary Range

$90,500.00-110,850.00

Our Comprehensive Benefits Package includes:

• Medical, Dental & Vision Healthcare Plans
• New Hire Stipend for Home Office Set-Up
• Generous PTO
• Refuel - a service based recognition program where employees receive additional paid time away to learn grow and reset
• Paid Holidays, Floating Holiday, Volunteer Day, Recharge Day

Learn more about our Benefits, Perks, & Culture on our LinkedIn Life Pages!

We are an equal opportunity employer and value diversity at our company. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, color, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, age, marital status, veteran status, or disability status. California Applicants: Click here to review our California Privacy Policy for Applicants. For current employees, please click here to review our California Privacy Policy for Employees.