Design Manager

Job Title: Design Manager - AI Graphics & Visual Design

Location: Mumbai (Onsite role)

Role Purpose:

The Design Manager - AI Graphics & Visual Design will lead the creation and evolution of AI-enabled visual design capabilities across BCCL's brands, advertiser solutions, editorial initiatives, events, and emerging business opportunities.

This role combines strong visual design expertise with practical application of AI tools and workflows to accelerate creative production, improve design scalability, and enhance creative effectiveness across formats and channels.

Reporting to the Head - AI Creative, the role will establish modern design systems, enable faster creative turnaround, and ensure all visual output maintains high standards of originality, design quality, brand consistency, and audience relevance.

The role will work closely with Brand, Editorial, Response, Times Experiences, and Product & Technology teams to build an AI-assisted creative ecosystem that strengthens design efficiency while preserving creative judgment and storytelling quality.

Key Responsibilities:

1. AI-Enabled Visual Design & Creative Execution

• Lead end-to-end development of visual creatives across digital, print, social, branded content, events, editorial formats, presentations, and marketing assets.
• Convert business and communication briefs into visually compelling concepts and scalable creative outputs.
• Use AI-assisted design tools to improve speed, iteration cycles, and creative experimentation while maintaining strong design standards.
• Create distinctive visual identities and design approaches aligned with brand objectives and audience expectations.

2. Design Systems & Workflow Innovation

• Build scalable AI-supported design workflows across image creation, adaptation, enhancement, layout development, asset optimization, and content localization.
• Identify opportunities to automate repetitive production activities and improve efficiency without compromising quality.
• Develop reusable creative infrastructure including templates, brand kits, prompt frameworks, visual guidelines, and asset libraries.
• Establish processes that support high-volume content creation and rapid multi-format deployment.

3. Multi-Platform Design Adaptation

• Ensure creative assets are optimized across print, digital, mobile, social, event, and advertiser ecosystems.
• Drive consistent visual language and brand identity across all consumer and commercial touchpoints.
• Enable modular adaptation for regional, multilingual, campaign extension, and platform-specific requirements.
• Maintain platform relevance and audience-centric creative execution.

4. Cross-Functional Collaboration

• Partner with Brand, Editorial, Marketing, Commercial, Events, and Product teams to deliver effective visual communication solutions.
• Translate business goals into impactful visual storytelling and design outcomes.
• Collaborate with technology teams to improve AI design capability, workflow integration, and operational effectiveness.

5. Creative Governance & Quality

• Define visual standards and review mechanisms for AI-assisted design output.
• Conduct design reviews covering layout, typography, usability, storytelling, and brand alignment.
• Ensure responsible usage of AI-generated assets with adherence to copyright, ethical, and brand safety standards.
• Balance automation with human creative oversight to preserve originality and strategic intent.

6. Innovation & Capability Building

• Track emerging trends across AI design, generative media, creative automation, and digital storytelling.
• Pilot new formats, tools, and visual approaches that improve engagement and creative efficiency.
• Support capability development through knowledge-sharing sessions, demos, and internal enablement programs.
• Document and institutionalize best practices across creative workflows.

Experience & Qualifications:

• 7-10 years of experience in visual design, graphic design, digital creative, branded content, integrated communications, or creative studio environments.
• Strong portfolio demonstrating excellence across branding, campaigns, digital content, and visual storytelling.
• Proven experience delivering creative solutions in fast-paced, multi-stakeholder environments.
• Hands-on experience with AI-enabled design tools and workflows including image generation, visual enhancement, layout creation, content adaptation, and automated asset production.
• Experience designing across social, digital, print, events, presentations, and integrated campaigns.
• Ability to combine strong creative judgment with scalable, technology-enabled execution.
• Experience in media, digital content, advertising, agency, or content-led organizations preferred.
• Bachelor's or Master's degree in Design, Visual Communication, Fine Arts, Digital Media, Advertising, or related disciplines preferred.
• Certifications or demonstrated capability in AI design, generative tools, motion design, or creative automation are advantageous.
• Portfolio quality, creative thinking, and execution capability will carry greater weight than academic credentials.

Desired Competencies

• Strong visual design capability with expertise in composition, typography, layout, storytelling, and brand expression.
• Practical understanding of AI-assisted design workflows and creative production tools.
• Ability to build scalable creative systems and improve production efficiency.
• Strong understanding of audience behavior and platform-specific design requirements.
• Commercial awareness with the ability to align creative output to business objectives.
• Excellent stakeholder management and collaboration skills.
• Curiosity, experimentation mindset, and adaptability to emerging technologies.
• Strong quality orientation with attention to consistency, originality, and creative impact.