Kolar Design, located in the heart of downtown Cincinnati, is an award-winning strategic design firm specializing in bridging best-in-class interiors, brand experience, and spatial design - built on measurable insights that spark positive change.
We are seeking an Associate Creative Director (ACD) to play a pivotal role in advancing design excellence across our studio. In this position, you'll partner closely with the Design Director to guide creative vision, mentor Designers, and ensure our work reflects both innovation and quality. This role is ideal for a leader who thrives on developing talent, driving creativity, and applying strategic thinking that elevates design outcomes and delivers meaningful results for our client.
In this role, you are expected to embody our core values
- Be Transformative. We are innovators driving meaningful change in the way people build relationships with space and with one another. We lead with an open mind.
- Make Quality Personal. We are humans who create beautiful experiences for other humans. We engage with empathy.
- Be Curious and Dig Deeper. We are opportunity finders, bringing diverse perspectives to the table to learn together. We stay curious.
- Succeed as a Team. We are collectively inspired and individually motivated to bring results to life. We deliver on our commitments.
- Make a Positive Impact. We are connectors of ideas, influencers of our industry and contributors to our community. We drive positive change.
Objective & Responsibilities of the Role:
Creative Direction & Strategic Design Leadership
- Lead the creative development of branded interiors, wayfinding, signage, and experiential design projects, ensuring solutions align with client goals, brand strategy, and regulatory requirements.
- Provide strategic design direction and conceptual oversight across multiple simultaneous projects, maintaining consistency and quality of creative output.
- Partner with the executive creative director on advancing studio-wide initiatives, standards, processes, and tools that drive innovation and design excellence.
People Management and Designer Development:
- Directly manage Designers, overseeing their workload planning, performance feedback, and professional development.
- Conduct regular check-ins and formal reviews with Designers, aligning individual growth with project needs and firm objectives.
- Mentor Designers and provide daily support, while also informally guiding Intermediate and Senior Designers through design critiques, knowledge sharing, and fostering a collaborative culture.
Project Oversight & Quality Control:
- Oversee project execution from concept to implementation, balancing creative ambition with client objectives, budgets, timelines, and technical constraints.
- Review and approve design deliverables before client presentations, maintaining high standards of quality and alignment with project scope.
Client Engagement & Business Growth:
- Represent Kolar in client meetings, presentations, and workshops, clearly communicating design strategy and fostering trusted relationships.
- Help identify opportunities to expand services within existing accounts, supporting business development through proposals and strategic engagement.
- Participate in industry and community initiatives — conferences, panels, publications — to enhance the firm’s visibility and reputation.
Creative Innovation & Trend Leadership:
- Stay ahead of industry trends, emerging technologies, and innovative design practices, bringing fresh thinking to client solutions and internal initiatives.
- Champion the use of new tools, methodologies, and processes that improve quality, efficiency, and creative impact.
- Foster a culture of experimentation and forward-thinking within the design team.
Benefits (Begin on the 1st day of employment):
- Health, Vision, and Dental Insurance
- Short-Term Disability
- Life Insurance
- Eligible for 401(k) Plan and Match (Immediate Vesting)
- Computing Hardware and Software provided
- Free Parking
- Complimentary drinks and snacks