Creative Development Lead

POSITION SUMMARY: You will strengthen the creative capabilities of the Art & Design department by providing advanced design consultation, technical expertise, creative guidance, and support across a wide range of products and initiatives. Serve as a resource for design reviews, creative problem-solving, technical guidance, product support, and the application of creative standards and best practices. Through consultation, knowledge sharing, creative development, and continuous improvement efforts, you will help strengthen creative quality, develop talent, and support the effective implementation of product direction. Grounded in a spirit of stewardship and service, you will help create learning experiences that support educators and advance the mission of Christian education.

Vision: We want Christian education to be a transformational guide in the lives of students as they grow in their faith and knowledge of our Savior, Jesus Christ.

Mission: We produce transformational products and services for Christian educators.

Brand Promise: We empower educators to prepare students to live in light of eternity.

About the Team: The Art & Design team supports the mission of BJU Press by creating visually engaging, high-quality educational materials and providing the operational and technical services that support those materials throughout development, production, and distribution. Core functions of the department include creative direction, concept development, design and production, illustration, creative resource support, file and asset management, and technical preparation for print and digital delivery. Through creativity, collaboration, stewardship, and technical excellence, the team helps create effective learning experiences that support educators and advance the mission of Christian education.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Provide advanced design consultation and creative guidance across products, design teams, and initiatives
• Conduct design reviews, concept reviews, and other creative evaluations to strengthen quality, consistency, and effectiveness
• Assist with complex design challenges, difficult creative decisions, and escalated creative concerns
• Serve as a department resource for design best practices, visual communication, user experience, and creative problem solving
• Help design teams apply established creative standards, design principles, and product direction consistently across products
• Provide technical expertise and guidance related to design processes, production standards, print requirements, and design implementation
• Assist with file troubleshooting, print issue investigation, and other complex technical or production-related challenges
• Support product updates, reprints, design revisions, and other initiatives requiring advanced creative expertise
• Identify opportunities to improve creative processes, strengthen design quality, and increase the effectiveness of creative workflows
• Contribute to the development, documentation, and refinement of creative standards, best practices, and supporting resources
• Support the growth of creative talent through mentoring, portfolio reviews, skill assessments, constructive feedback, and knowledge sharing
• Help identify and develop emerging creative leaders within the department
• Partner with training and department leadership efforts by contributing subject matter expertise, development opportunities, and creative learning resources
• Promote a culture of collaboration, stewardship, continuous improvement, and creative excellence throughout the department
• Help ensure creative work effectively supports educators, engages students, and advances the mission of Christian education

SKILLS AND ATTRIBUTES NEEDED TO SUCCEED IN THIS ROLE:

• Advanced design expertise with the ability to evaluate creative work, identify opportunities for improvement, and provide practical guidance across a variety of products and disciplines
• Strong creative judgment and problem-solving skills with the ability to navigate complex design, production, and implementation challenges
• Ability to balance creativity, usability, educational effectiveness, and production realities when evaluating solutions
• Excellent communication skills with the ability to provide clear, constructive feedback that supports both quality outcomes and professional growth
• Skilled at building trust and credibility through expertise, collaboration, service, and a willingness to support others
• Ability to explain complex creative, technical, and production concepts in ways that are accessible and actionable
• Strong consultation and coaching skills with the ability to help others develop creative judgment, design skills, and confidence in decision-making
• Commitment to continuous learning, creative excellence, and the ongoing improvement of processes, standards, and practices
• Ability to identify patterns, recurring challenges, and opportunities for improvement across products, teams, and workflows
• Strong attention to detail while maintaining awareness of broader product goals, quality expectations, and user needs
• Ability to work effectively across teams and disciplines while fostering collaboration and shared ownership of outcomes
• Commitment to stewardship, service, and the mission of Christian education
• Ability to integrate biblical worldview thinking into creative guidance, decision-making, and professional development

REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS:

• Master's degree with 6+ years of experience across multiple creative disciplines, OR Bachelor's degree with 8+ years of experience across creative disciplines, OR 10+ years of equivalent experience across creative disciplines
• Demonstrated expertise in graphic design, visual communication, user experience, educational publishing, or related creative disciplines
• Significant experience providing design consultation, creative direction, or expert feedback across multiple products, teams, or initiatives
• Strong understanding of design principles, visual communication, storytelling, user experience, and educational product development
• Experience evaluating creative work and providing actionable feedback that strengthens quality, consistency, and effectiveness
• Demonstrated ability to solve complex design, production, and implementation challenges using sound judgment and creative problem-solving skills
• Experience applying and reinforcing creative standards, best practices, and quality expectations across design teams or products
• Strong understanding of print production, design workflows, production standards, and publishing processes
• Experience mentoring, developing, or supporting the growth of creative professionals through coaching, feedback, training, or knowledge sharing
• Demonstrated ability to influence outcomes through expertise, collaboration, and relationship-building rather than direct authority
• Experience identifying opportunities to improve creative processes, workflows, standards, or team effectiveness
• Demonstrated alignment with the mission of BJU Press and commitment to integrating a biblical worldview into creative work, professional development, and decision-making

An applicant for a position in the Bob Jones University group - Bob Jones University, Bob Jones Academy or BJU Press - must be a born-again Christian who has a personal relationship with Jesus Christ. Each applicant must agree with and affirm the Bob Jones University creed, mission (see https://www.bju.edu/about/creed-mission.php) and core biblical doctrines regarding areas such as the Bible, the triune God, man and salvation, etc. Employees are expected to maintain a conservative lifestyle and support the group’s positions on issues such as beverage alcohol and addictive substances, creation, marriage and human sexuality and the sanctity of life, etc., (https://www.bju.edu/about/positions.php). Employees are to be active members of a local Bible-believing church which holds orthodox theology. Whether in the classroom, online, through student activities, or through the preparation of educational materials for Christian schools and homeschool families, applicants must be committed to providing students an excellent, world-class education from a biblical worldview that prepares them for a lifetime of service for Jesus Christ.