Design Manager
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Key skills for this role
About the Role
Seeking a Design Manager to oversee studio traffic, design output, and project delivery at a sport and entertainment agency in Dubai. Requires 4+ years of design and studio management experience with strong Adobe Creative Suite skills.
Key Skills for This Role
Responsibilities
- Own the studio traffic system managing intake, prioritization, and scheduling of all creative briefs
- Maintain a clear overview of all active projects, deadlines, and resource allocation
- Work with account and marketing teams to brief in work accurately
- Anticipate capacity pressures and flag resource conflicts early
- Manage freelance and supplier relationships to flex studio capacity
- Produce design work across a range of formats social content, campaign assets, event branding, presentation design, OOH, print and digital
- Review and quality check all creative output before it leaves the studio
- Maintain brand consistency across all client accounts
- Manage preparation and trafficking of final artwork files for print, digital, and environmental use
- Oversee version control and file management across the studio
- Track all jobs from brief through to final delivery, proactively managing timelines
- Produce clear status reports and delivery schedules as required
Requirements
- 4+ years of experience in a design or studio management role
- Solid design skills with proficiency in Adobe Creative Suite: Illustrator, Photoshop, InDesign
- Proven experience managing studio traffic and creative project delivery in a fast paced agency environment
- Strong organizational skills with a methodical approach to managing multiple projects
- Experience overseeing artwork preparation and file management for print, digital, and large format production
- Excellent communication skills
- Experience working with or managing freelance designers and external suppliers
- Strong interest in the sports and entertainment industry
- Familiarity with project management tools such as Monday.com or Asana (desirable)
- Motion graphics or video editing capability: After Effects, Premiere Pro (desirable)
Full Job Posting
About The Role
- The Design Manager is a central operational and creative role within M+C Saatchi Sport & Entertainment Middle East.
- Responsible for ensuring the studio runs efficiently, design output meets quality standards, and every project is delivered on time and to brief.
- Reports to the Art Director and Senior Client Director, sitting at the intersection of creative production and project management.
- Requires both design capability and operational discipline.
Key Responsibilities
- Own the studio traffic system managing intake, prioritization, and scheduling of all creative briefs.
- Maintain a clear and up to date overview of all active projects, deadlines, and resource allocation.
- Work with account and marketing teams to brief in work accurately.
- Anticipate capacity pressures and flag resource conflicts early.
- Manage freelance and supplier relationships to flex studio capacity during peak periods.
- Produce design work across a range of formats social content, campaign assets, event branding, presentation design, OOH, print and digital.
- Review and quality check all creative output before it leaves the studio.
- Maintain brand consistency across all client accounts.
- Manage preparation and trafficking of final artwork files for print, digital, and environmental use.
- Oversee version control and file management across the studio.
- Track all jobs from brief through to final delivery, proactively managing timelines.
- Produce clear status reports and delivery schedules as required.
About You Essential
- 4+ years of experience in a design or studio management role.
- Solid design skills with proficiency in Adobe Creative Suite: Illustrator, Photoshop, InDesign.
- Proven experience managing studio traffic and creative project delivery in a fast paced agency environment.
- Strong organizational skills with a methodical approach to managing multiple projects.
- Experience overseeing artwork preparation and file management for print, digital, and large format production.
- Excellent communication skills.
- Experience working with or managing freelance designers, external suppliers, and production partners.
- Strong interest in the sports and entertainment industry.
- Experience in a sport, events, or entertainment marketing environment.
Desirable
- Familiarity with project management tools such as Monday.com, Asana, or equivalent.
- Motion graphics or video editing capability: After Effects, Premiere Pro.
- Experience working with government entities, rights holders, or major event organisers in the GCC region.
- Understanding of the UAE and wider Middle East market.
About M+C Saatchi Group
- M+C Saatchi Group is a creative federation of companies who navigate, create, and lead meaningful change for clients.
- Headquartered in London, with circa 2,500 employees globally across 23 countries.
- Operations span UK, Europe, Middle East & Africa, Asia and Australia.
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