Director of Creative Services
2 days ago
Council Bluffs
Job Description DEPARTMENT: Creative Services LOCATION: American Games (504 34th Avenue Council Bluffs, IA) SCHEDULE: Monday - Friday PAY RANGE: Salary What You'll Do This position is a full-time permanent position in a manufacturing environment which produces charitable and lottery gaming products, including pull-tab tickets (break-open tickets), bingo paper and bingo dabbers. The Creative Services Director is responsible for overseeing and directing all functions related to art production, game design, layout, and pre-press film output in support of charitable, lottery, and custom gaming products. This position ensures that all creative deliverables meet printing standards, production capabilities, and state regulatory requirements. The Director leads a diverse team of artists, designers, and game builders, providing strategic and creative direction to drive innovation, maintain brand integrity, and ensure the timely delivery of high-quality products. This role also manages departmental scheduling, workflow, and continuous improvement initiatives to optimize performance, quality, and efficiency throughout the creative process-from initial concept to final press approval. Additional Duties and Responsibilities Include: • Lead the concept-to-production design process for print-based gaming products, ensuring exceptional visual quality and manufacturability., • Collaborate with artists, game builders, and sales teams to create engaging and compliant game designs that align with customer and market needs., • Oversee the use of internal game development systems to manage accuracy and efficiency., • Partner with the sales team to develop and validate payout structures and ensure compliance consistency., • Ensure all creative work meets printing guidelines, production timelines, and regulatory standards., • Direct and approve all creative concepts, artwork, and layouts prior to release for pre-press., • Present creative concepts, game proposals, and visual strategies to lotteries, clients, and internal leadership., • Provide mentorship, performance oversight, and professional development for a creative team of approximately 20 employees., • Manage multiple concurrent projects, establishing priorities and reallocating resources as needed to meet tight deadlines., • Collaborate with prepress, press operators, and production staff to ensure technical compatibility and production quality., • Implement and monitor quality control procedures to minimize errors, waste, and rework., • Oversee state submission accuracy and proofing, ensuring timely delivery of all required documentation., • Lead departmental process improvement initiatives to enhance efficiency, communication, and creative output., • Stay current with industry trends, printing technologies, and design software advancements to maintain innovation and competitiveness., • Support corporate branding and marketing efforts by developing new design concepts, proposals, and promotional materials., • Manage and maintain the creative network and data systems, ensuring file organization, security, and version control., • Bachelor's degree in Graphic Design, Fine Arts, Visual Communications, or related field or equivalent experience., • 7-10 years of progressive experience in graphic design, print production, or game development-preferably within a lottery, gaming, or high-volume printing environment., • 5+ years of supervisory experience managing creative teams in a production or manufacturing setting., • Demonstrated expert-level design and prepress knowledge, including color management, layout design, and print specifications., • Proven experience overseeing concept development, pre-press workflows, and quality assurance for complex print projects., • Advanced proficiency in Adobe Creative Suite (Illustrator, Photoshop, InDesign) and other relevant production tools., • Strong leadership, communication, and presentation skills, with the ability to work effectively with executives, clients, and technical staff., • Excellent organizational and project management skills, with the ability to manage multiple priorities in a fast-paced environment., • Familiarity with state gaming regulations, lottery submissions, and compliance documentation preferred., • Keen attention to detail. Competitive Salary | Competitive Medical, Dental, Vision, and Life Insurance Benefits | Employee Assistance Program | Tuition Reimbursement | Generous Paid Time Off | 401k with Company Match | Profit Sharing | Unlimited Referral Bonus Earning Potential | And More! We appreciate all applicants; however, only the most qualified candidates will be contacted for interviews. Ensuring the safety of our employees and compliance with industry regulations is our top priority. Therefore, our company enforces a zero-tolerance policy regarding substance abuse and criminal activity. All job offers are contingent upon passing a rigorous background check and drug screen. Failure to meet these requirements will result in disqualification from the hiring process. Pollard Games, Inc. dba American Games and International Gamco provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment and prohibits discrimination and harassment of any type without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, national origin, disability status, genetics, protected veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state or local laws. Our Company is committed to fostering a respectful and inclusive workplace where everyone feels welcomed, valued and accepted. We aim to create a culture that respects and values each employee's differences. We believe that a respectful workplace is also one where a diverse group of employees can be successful, develop and build meaningful careers. We believe that embracing diversity of thought, perspectives and experiences fosters innovation and allows us to deliver better insights and solutions for our partners and is key to our continued growth and success.