Brand Design Lead

We are seeking a talented, versatile Brand Design Lead to join our team, contributing to a wide range of projects that support and elevate the 3M Corporate Brand. The ideal candidate will bring a mix of creative expertise, technical skills, and client-facing experience to help execute impactful marketing and branding initiatives while maintaining and evolving our brand standards.

In this role, you will work with cross-functional teams in the Public Affairs and Corporate groups and will be responsible for the development of a wide variety of brand-elevating graphic and marketing assets for the 3M Corporate Brand. You will leverage your ability to turn problems into powerful and engaging creative solutions and integrate graphic design in the development and execution of brand guidelines.

This role will be a key player in a dedicated team of creative professionals that work with internal cross-functional teams and external agency partners to ensure our creative supports our overall brand strategy and objectives. Importantly, this role will combine leadership and guidance with hands-on design work to shape 3M Brand experiences that captivate and engage a variety of internal and external audiences

The Impact You’ll Make in this Role

• Developing and executing creative strategies that align with 3M brand vision and objectives, ensuring consistency across all marketing channels. 
• Engaging directly in design projects as an individual contributor to meet project deadlines and maintain high-quality standards. 
• Leading or coordinating complex projects/programs in support of organizational plans and 3M’s reputation and brand strategy. 
• Designing, shaping, and executing marketing assets across diverse channels, including print ads, display banners, digital visuals, presentations, corporate reports, events, and in-person brand experiences. 
• Ensuring consistency with company brand standards while exploring creative ways to enhance how the brand is brought to life across all touchpoints. 
• Collaborating on branding initiatives, ensuring visual and message consistency across all platforms and formats. 
• Working closely with internal teams (our “clients”) to understand briefs, present concepts, and execute projects effectively. 
• Facilitating creative project kick-offs with clear briefing and implementing brainstorming sessions with the team. 
• Providing direction, guidance, training, and instruction to other 3Mers on design-related issues and competencies. 
• Elevating the quality of design and conceptual work to advance our branded content used in multiple channels. 
• Providing strategic, innovative, and design thinking-led solutions that facilitate fresh, compelling creative concepts delivering business objectives. 
• Overseeing, designing, and developing content and assets both in-house and through agency partners. 
• Coordinating product and campaign launch strategies cross-functionally, collaborating with digital, marketing, and other departments to ensure cohesive execution. 
• Helping to foster a culture of creativity and innovation within the team, encouraging new ideas and continuous improvement. 
• Managing visual design project budgets, resources, and coordinating with staff photographers, designers and copy-writers.

Your Skills and Expertise:

To set you up for success in this role from day one, 3M requires (at a minimum) the following qualifications:

• Bachelor’s degree in graphic design, visual communications, or design strategy (completed and verified prior to start) 
• Seven (7) years of graphic design experience in a design agency, advertising agency, or in-house creative studio, including work on internal and external brand and marketing activations in a private, public, government or military environment

Additional qualifications that could help you succeed even further in this role include:

• Strong design acumen, brand savvy, and copy-writing experience 
• Willingness to perform and direct, with excellent visual design, layout, typography, and color skills; experience providing art direction for photo and video productions 
• Outstanding leadership, communication, collaboration, interpersonal skills, and the ability to manage client discussions and presentations independently 
• Excellent analytical, creative, strategic, and problem-solving skills; effective organizational and self-direction skills 
• Ability to work well under pressure, manage multiple projects and timelines, adapt to changing priorities, and work cross-functionally 
• Proficient in Adobe Creative Suite (Illustrator and Photoshop), MS PowerPoint, and Figma; strong portfolio demonstrating expertise across various media channels 
• Demonstrated team player with strong storytelling and presentation skills, motivated to build internal excitement and alignment 
• Proven ability to balance creative design with practical needs; portfolio showcasing versatility across presentation, print, digital, and event design; production art knowledge and experience; maintains a high level of current design, brand, and creative communications knowledge