Design Manager

Welcome to Warner Bros. Discovery... the stuff dreams are made of.

Who We Are...

When we say, "the stuff dreams are made of," we're not just referring to the world of wizards, dragons and superheroes, or even to the wonders of Planet Earth. Behind WBD's vast portfolio of iconic content and beloved brands, are the storytellers bringing our characters to life, the creators bringing them to your living rooms and the dreamers creating what's next...

From brilliant creatives, to technology trailblazers, across the globe, WBD offers career defining opportunities, thoughtfully curated benefits, and the tools to explore and grow into your best selves. Here you are supported, here you are celebrated, here you can thrive.

Your New Role...

We are seeking a visionary Design Manager to join our top-tier global creative team at WBDGCP. This role is ideal for a passionate people leader who thrives on mentoring, inspiring, and empowering others. If you believe in lifting your team up and celebrating their success above your own, we want to hear from you.

As a strategic and hands-on creative, you will define and drive the overarching creative strategy for style guides across our robust franchise portfolio. You'll lead the end-to-end development of these guides-both in-house and through external agencies-ensuring they are trend-forward, globally relevant, and deeply aligned with brand storytelling. These guides are not just creative assets. They are revenue-driving tools that shape how our brands show up in the world.

We're looking for someone who is:

• A natural coach and mentor, with a proven track record of building high-performing, collaborative teams.
• An exceptionally creative strategist, with deep expertise in trend analysis, illustration, graphic design, character art, color theory, and typography.
• A results-oriented project leader, capable of delivering a full lineup of style guides on time and within budget, while maintaining the highest creative standards.

You'll manage cross-functional relationships, guide creative development, and ensure our assets inspire licensees and elevate our brands globally. A passion for our DC, animation, and theatrical properties is essential, as is the ability to translate brand DNA into compelling, fashion-based creative work.

Your Role Accountabilities...

• Leads, mentors, and inspires a team of designers, fostering a culture of creativity, collaboration, and continuous growth
• Develops and executes the creative strategy for style guides across multiple franchises, ensuring alignment with brand positioning and storytelling
• Oversees the full lifecycle of style guide development-from concept through delivery-managing internal teams and external agencies
• Ensures all creative output is trend-forward, globally relevant, and tailored to inspire licensees and drive commercial success
• Collaborates cross-functionally with franchise, product, retail, and marketing teams to ensure creative consistency and strategic alignment
• Manages timelines, budgets, and resources to deliver high-quality creative assets on schedule and within scope
• Champions innovation and elevates the visual identity of our brands through compelling, fashion-based creative work
• Performs other related duties as assigned

Qualifications & Experience...

WORK EXPERIENCE

• 8+ years of experience in design, creative direction, and brand development, with a strong portfolio of commercially successful work.

Education, Professional Training, Technical Training or Certification

• BA, BFA or 2 years technical college in a design discipline preferred
• Work and life experience demonstrated across a robust portfolio of strong story-telling creative is required

Knowledge/Skills

• Proven success in managing and developing creative teams, with a focus on mentorship, collaboration, and team empowerment
• Strategic thinker and compelling storyteller, with the ability to translate brand DNA into innovative, revenue-driving creative assets
• Expert-level skills in illustration, graphic design, character art, typography, and color theory
• Demonstrated experience in developing style guides or brand toolkits that inspire global licensees and drive business results
• Exceptional organizational and project management abilities, with a track record of delivering complex creative projects on time and within budget
• Excellent communication and presentation skills, with the ability to clearly articulate creative vision and influence stakeholders at all levels
• Advanced proficiency in Adobe Creative Suite (Illustrator, Photoshop); working knowledge of Microsoft Office (Word, Excel), PowerPoint/Keynote, and Adobe Dimensions
• Familiarity with licensing business models and global brand management; direct experience is a strong plus
• Deep passion for entertainment, fashion, and pop culture, especially DC, animation, and theatrical properties
• Strong awareness of global design, fashion, and cultural trends, with the ability to translate insights into forward-thinking creative work
• Demonstrated ability to deliver high-impact creative work under pressure, navigate complex stakeholder review and approval processes, and build strong, collaborative relationships-while championing diversity, inclusion, and a culture of respect throughout the creative journey

Management has the right to add or change duties and job requirements at any time.

How We Get Things Done...

This last bit is probably the most important! Here at WBD, our guiding principles are the core values by which we operate and are central to how we get things done. You can find them at www.wbd.com/guiding-principles/ along with some insights from the team on what they mean and how they show up in their day to day. We hope they resonate with you and look forward to discussing them during your interview.

Championing Inclusion at WBD
Warner Bros. Discovery embraces the opportunity to build a workforce that reflects a wide array of perspectives, backgrounds and experiences. Being an equal opportunity employer means that we take seriously our responsibility to consider qualified candidates on the basis of merit, without regard to race, color, religion, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, age, mental or physical disability, and genetic information, marital status, citizenship status, military status, protected veteran status or any other category protected by law.

If you're a qualified candidate with a disability and you require adjustments or accommodations during the job application and/or recruitment process, please visit our accessibility page for instructions to submit your request.

In compliance with local law, we are disclosing the compensation, or a range thereof, for roles in locations where legally required. Actual salaries will vary based on several factors, including but not limited to external market data, internal equity, location, skill set, experience, and/or performance. Base pay is just one component of Warner Bros. Discovery's total compensation package for employees. Pay Range: $82,670.00 - $153,530.00 salary per year. Other rewards may include annual bonuses, short- and long-term incentives, and program-specific awards. In addition, Warner Bros. Discovery provides a variety of benefits to employees, including health insurance coverage, an employee wellness program, life and disability insurance, a retirement savings plan, paid holidays and sick time and vacation.

If you're a qualified candidate with an arrest or conviction record, please know that your application will be considered in accordance with the Los Angeles County Fair Chance Ordinance for Employers and the California Fair Chance Act.

Client-provided location(s): Burbank, CA

Job ID: Discovery-WAMEGLOBALR000097562EXTERNALENGLOBAL

Employment Type: OTHER

Posted: 2025-08-29T19:49:43