3M · 2 months ago
Brand Design Principal
US, Minnesota, Maplewood
Full-time
Onsite
Senior Level, Lead/Staff
$165K/yr - $201K/yr
7+ years exp3M is a global leader in innovation and technology, seeking a Brand Design Principal to lead the design strategy for one of their iconic brands. This role involves setting brand design standards, integrating consumer insights, and ensuring creative excellence across customer experiences.
AutomotiveCleaning ProductsConsultingElectronicsEnterprise SoftwareManufacturing
No H1B
U.S. Citizen Only
Responsibilities
Define and lead long-term brand design strategy, including visual brand identity, brand architecture, design principles, and multi-touchpoint experience frameworks
Establish and oversee brand governance, standards, and toolkits; ensure adherence across internal teams and external partners
Serve as brand steward—owning and evolving the brand system to support new product innovations, portfolio extensions, and entry into new categories
Drive design strategy integration into business planning, category roadmaps, and go-to-market activities
Provide global support and partnership with regional/country teams; adapt brand programs to local market needs and cultural nuances. Build scalable design systems and toolkits that enable effective localization while maintaining brand integrity
Explore future trends in industry, technology, socio-economic and demographic shifts to inform strategy for growth
Own the design budget for assigned brand(s) or portfolios; forecast annually and manage monthly tracking to the Design Operating Plan (OP)
Open and manage purchase orders (POs), calibrate spend vs. OP, and ensure fiscal discipline and transparency
Balance internal and external resourcing; scope and negotiate agency SOWs; manage vendor performance
Cultivates trusted, long-term partnerships with external agencies—translating business objectives and consumer insight into inspiring, tightly framed briefs; setting clear creative guardrails; and leading incisive reviews that elevate the work while honoring brand intent
Champion consumer centricity; translate ethnographic research, segmentation, and behavioral insights into actionable design strategies
Partner with Insights teams to frame hypotheses, define learning plans, and validate concepts through qualitative/quantitative methods
Establish metrics/KPIs for brand experience performance and tie design outcomes to business results
Elevate creative craft and design intent across all touchpoints—packaging, product, digital, retail, and marketing communications. Ensure creative intent is executed consistently beyond packaging across e-commerce, retail, and digital environments
Guide and partner with CX on creative execution for campaigns, photoshoots, commercials, photography, and styling—ensuring brand coherence and quality
Maintain a high level of design expertise; push boundaries through thought leadership, trend scanning, and prototyping
Champion the end-to-end experience—from strategy and concept through commercialization and post-launch optimization
Partner with Marketing, R&D, Brand Communications, and Sales to align design goals to business goals across complex portfolios
Mentor and coach designers; lead critiques that elevate quality and consistency
Model a culture of curiosity, collaboration, and consumer empathy; inspire teams with a big heart for brand strategy and craft
Qualification
Required
Bachelor's degree or higher (completed and verified prior to start)
Seven (7) years professional experience in brand design across multiple touchpoints (e.g., packaging, product, digital, retail, communications) in a private, public, government or military environment
Preferred
Bachelor's degree or higher in Design, Visual Communication, Brand Strategy, Experience Design, or related field
10–15+ years of experience in brand/experience design with demonstrated leadership of global programs and complex portfolios
Proven success establishing and governing visual identity systems and multi-touchpoint brand experiences
Strong financial acumen: budget ownership, PO management, vendor SOWs, and monthly OP reconciliation
Expertise in consumer research translation (ethnography, segmentation) into design strategy and commercialization
Demonstrated ability to lead agencies and cross-functional teams; excellent communication, storytelling, and influence skills
Experience in CPG, durable goods, or related industries; familiarity with design operations systems (e.g., SAP/Ariba for POs is a plus)
Portfolio showcasing strategic brand systems and high-quality execution across packaging, digital, and communications
Benefits
Medical
Dental & Vision
Health Savings Accounts
Health Care & Dependent Care Flexible Spending Accounts
Disability Benefits
Life Insurance
Voluntary Benefits
Paid Absences
Retirement Benefits
Company
3M is a global company that applies science to life, offering products and solutions across various industries.
10001+ employees
Funding
Current Stage
Public CompanyTotal Funding
$5MKey Investors
US Department of Energy
2024-03-13Grant· $5M
1978-01-13IPO
Leadership Team
William Brown
Chief Executive Officer
John Banovetz
Senior Vice President for Innovation and Stewardship and Chief Technology Officer
Recent News
GlobeNewswire
2026-01-05
2025-12-19
Company data provided by crunchbase