Head of Design in Los Angeles, California at ZEALOT

ZEALOT creates trailer, TV, print and digital campaigns for film, television and streaming. Our Design team supports work across the agency, from early concepts through motion graphics, production and final delivery.
We are looking for a Head of Design to lead the people, operations, creative standards and financial performance of that team, while building a stronger client facing Design business.The RoleHead of Design leads the Design department. The team includes the Design Creative Director, graphics producers, a graphics production manager, graphics coordinator and artists across design, art direction, production work and finishing. The Head of Design reports to the SVP, Digital and Design and sits on ZEALOT’s senior management team.

This is a department leadership role with responsibility for delivering excellent work to Theatrical, Television and Digital, making sound staffing and investment decisions, and creating new revenue through design specific work and direct client relationships. The Head of Design sets the department plan with the SVP and CFO, and has authority to deploy resources within its approved budget.Responsibilities and DutiesCreative and Production Leadership

• Set the creative and operational direction for Design, including motion graphics, visual identity, production and finishing. Support the Creative Director in leading the work and developing the artists.
• Oversee quality and delivery across trailers, spots, streaming, social and other campaign formats, while ensuring briefs, schedules and budgets are realistic.
• Partner with Theatrical, Television and Digital leaders from scoping through delivery, with clear expectations for handoffs, revisions, approvals and technical specifications.

People and Department Operations

• Lead, recruit and retain the department’s creative and production talent. Own team structure, staffing plans, performance reviews, development, promotions and succession planning in partnership with HR.
• Allocate staff, freelance and production resources within the approved department plan and budget. Identify additional investment needs early and bring forward recommendations with costs and expected benefits.
• Assess capacity before major commitments are made. When a brief cannot be delivered responsibly, work with the relevant leader to adjust scope, timing or staffing and escalate unresolved conflicts promptly.
• Improve workflows, onboarding, training, file management and finishing standards across the department and its partner teams. Build a sustainable workload and a culture of accountability and mentorship.

Financial Management

• Administer the Graphics and Design budget with Finance and the SVP, including headcount, freelance spend, equipment and other operating costs.
• Own departmental forecasts and review utilization, capacity, project economics and performance regularly. Reduce avoidable waste, overservicing and downtime without compromising quality or the team’s health.
• Partner with producers and account leads on estimates, pricing, scopes and change orders so Design work is properly funded and its contribution is visible.

Clients and Business Growth

• Develop new Design services and revenue streams alongside the work the department already delivers for ZEALOT’s core divisions.
• Build relationships with prospective and existing clients, contribute to pitches, and help originate design specific projects. Lead those engagements from proposal and staffing through creative delivery and financial close.
• Build and manage the production and creative team needed to serve direct Design clients. Coordinate client ownership and revenue reporting with other departments.

Company Leadership

• Represent Design on the Senior Management team, bringing its financial performance, staffing needs, ideas and constraints into company decisions.
• Agree measurable annual priorities with the SVP and Finance, including service quality, team capacity, financial performance and new business growth. Report on progress and recommend changes when conditions shift.
• Work across departments to resolve recurring process problems and help ZEALOT present a coordinated experience to clients.

What We’re Looking For

• Substantial experience leading creative and production teams in entertainment marketing, a trailer house, post production or a related agency environment.
• Strong creative judgment and a deep understanding of motion graphics, design, editorial collaboration, finishing and delivery for entertainment campaigns.
• Experience with budgets, forecasting, staffing, estimates and project profitability, alongside the judgment to invest in talent and capability.
• A record of developing people, building client trust and identifying opportunities that grow a creative business.
• Clear communication, decisive leadership and the ability to collaborate across teams with different priorities.

The OpportunityThis role has the scope to shape Design as a creative department and a business. The Head of Design will have a voice in senior management, responsibility for an agreed budget and staffing plan, and the ability to develop new client work with the support of ZEALOT’s creative, production and business leadership.

Reports to: SVP, Digital and Design
Location: Los Angeles
Schedule: Regular business hours are Monday to Friday, 10:00am to 7:00pm PT, with three days a week in the office. Some projects require work outside those hours.
Compensation: Target salary range is $140,000 to $170,000, with flexibility based on the candidate’s experience, skill set, and overall fit for the role.