Principal Creative Designer

What We're Looking For

At HNTB, you can create a career that is meaningful to you while building communities that matter to all of us. For more than a century, we have been delivering solutions for some of the largest, most complex infrastructure projects across the country. With our historic growth, it is an exciting time to join our team of employee-owners.

The Principal Creative Designer is a senior level, strategic individual contributor who blends creative leadership with advanced design execution, multimedia production and technical artistry. This role supports both HNTB’s Advisory Services and the Mid Atlantic Division, contributing to high visibility pursuits, projects and thought leadership efforts.

The position translates complex technical, financial and strategic concepts into compelling visual, digital and experiential content that advances client understanding and business outcomes. Operating at the intersection of strategy, storytelling, design, multimedia and technology, this role does not include direct people management responsibilities.

What You'll Do:

• Creates print and digital materials for proposals, presentations and PR and internal communications.
• Undertakes complex projects requiring specialized design or industry knowledge, including leading creative direction and design for print and digital materials for proposals, presentations or other marketing-related efforts.
• Recommends new approaches and participates in the development, implementation and maintenance of policies and procedures to produce continual improvements. 
• May participate in strategic war rooms, presentation rehearsals, and graphics meetings of lower-level staff in order to provide guidance and support creative vision
• Responsible for final graphics review and approval.
• Develops and advises on technical consistency within graphic discipline across processes and projects. Ensures same standard and practices are being applied.
• Supervises the quality of
• Provides direction to resolve technical issues as requested.
• Provides technical expertise and advice to project leadership.
• Mentors lower-level designers. Regularly shares and discusses work with creative staff.
• Creates and conducts trainings for Marketing staff.
• Performs other duties as assigned.

What You'll Need:

• Associates Degree in Art, Graphic Design or related field and 9 years of relevant experience, or
• In lieu of education 11 years of relevant experience

Technical Requirements (Creative, Design & Technology Execution):

• Conceptualize, design and produce high‑quality visual communication assets including proposals, executive presentations, infographics, digital publications, interactive media and web‑based experiences.
• Lead hands‑on design execution for highly complex or high‑profile efforts requiring advanced technical skill, subject‑matter understanding and refined visual judgment.
• Develop and deliver multimedia content, such as motion graphics, animation, video, interactive experiences and digital presentations in support of pursuits, client engagements and thought leadership.
• Capture, edit and manage digital photography and videography, applying strong artistic judgment related to composition, lighting and narrative impact.
• Provide technical expertise related to advanced production techniques, including 3D visualization, real‑time engines, scripting, asset management and interactive technologies, as needed.
• Research, evaluate and apply emerging creative tools, platforms and workflows to enhance storytelling, client engagement and production efficiency.
• Develop, adapt or oversee tools, scripts, workflows and production pipelines that support scalability while maintaining artistic intent and technical feasibility.
• Serve as a senior reviewer for creative quality, technical accuracy and visual consistency across deliverables.

Advisory Services Responsibilities:

The role serves as a senior creative partner to HNTB’s Advisory Services, supporting nationally significant, advisory‑led pursuits and engagements through executive‑level storytelling and visual strategy.

• Provide senior‑level creative leadership and visual strategy for pursuits, projects and initiatives supporting the Advisory Services Group.
• Partner closely with Advisory Services leadership and pursuit teams to translate advisory offerings—such as alternative delivery, public-private partnerships (P3) and innovative delivery, program and commercial strategy, funding and financing, federal strategy and executive advisory services—into clear, compelling visual narratives and client‑facing materials.
• Support Advisory pursuits and engagements by developing high‑impact proposals, executive presentations, briefing materials and digital content tailored to C‑suite, executive and public‑sector decision‑makers.
• Collaborate with national Advisory Services practitioners and regional teams to communicate complex financial, commercial, policy and technical concepts through visual storytelling, data visualization and multimedia content.
• Participate in strategic planning sessions, pursuit war rooms, discovery workshops, rehearsals and client interviews to advise on creative approach, technology use and delivery methods—particularly for large, complex or nationally significant advisory‑led programs.
• Act as a subject matter expert and trusted advisor to Advisory Services leadership on creative strategy, visual communication and technical solutions.

Mid-Atlantic Division Responsibilities:

The role supports the Mid‑Atlantic Division by elevating pursuit competitiveness, visual quality and storytelling consistency across a diverse, multi‑state geography.

• Provide senior‑level creative leadership and visual strategy for large. complex pursuits and projects supporting the Mid‑Atlantic Division, aligned with business objectives, client goals and HNTB brand standards.
• Partner with regional marketing, pursuit and project teams to shape messaging, storytelling and presentation strategies across print, digital, interactive and experiential platforms.
• Support regional pursuits and client engagements by producing high‑quality proposals, presentations, graphics and multimedia assets for transportation, infrastructure and technically complex programs.
• Participate in pursuit war rooms, rehearsals, interviews and strategic work sessions to advise on creative direction, technology application and delivery methods.
• Collaborate with internal teams and external production partners to deliver creative and multimedia content that meets schedule, budget and quality expectations.
• Promote consistent creative and technical standards across regional work, supporting quality, efficiency and alignment with firmwide practices.
• Share knowledge through informal coaching, reviews, and occasional training to elevate creative and technical capabilities across teams, without direct supervisory responsibility

What We Prefer:

• Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in a related creative, technical or design field.
• at least 12-15 years of relevant experience (preferred, not required)
• Experience supporting transportation infrastructure architecture and engineering (A/E) or other complex technical environments.
• Demonstrated expertise in senior‑level creative design, visual storytelling and multimedia production across print and digital platforms.
• Proficiency with industry‑standard creative, design and multimedia tools, with the ability to evaluate and adopt emerging technologies.
• Strong ability to translate complex technical or strategic information into clear, compelling visual and digital content.
• Advanced experience with motion graphics, 3D visualization, real‑time engines, scripting, interactive technologies or advanced production workflows.
• Experience supporting high‑profile pursuits, client presentations or advisory‑focused initiatives at a strategic level.

PLEASE INCLUDE DIGITAL PORTFOLIO WITH RESUME/APPLICATION.

Additional Information

Click here for benefits information: HNTB Total Rewards

Click here to learn more about Equal Opportunity Employer/Disability/Veteran

Visa sponsorship is not available for this position.

#NF #MarketingSalesCommunications #LI-NF

.

Locations:

Arlington, VA (Alexandria), Washington, DC

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

The approximate pay range for Washington, DC is $110,390.23 - $172,661.65. Please note that the pay range provided is a good faith estimate for the position at the time of posting. Actual compensation will be dependent on factors, including but not limited to, the individual’s qualifications, experience, knowledge, skills, and abilities as well as physical work location within the state.

.

.

.

The approximate nation wide pay range for this position is $95,991.51 - $187,675.71. Please note that the pay range provided is a good faith estimate for the position at the time of posting. Actual compensation will be dependent on factors, including but not limited to, the individual’s qualifications, experience, knowledge, skills, and abilities as well as physical work location within the state.

.

NOTICE TO THIRD-PARTY AGENCIES:

HNTB does not accept unsolicited resumes from recruiters or agencies.  Any staffing/employment agency, person or entity that submits an unsolicited resume to this site does so with the understanding that the applicant's resume will become the property of HNTB.  HNTB will have the right to hire that applicant at its discretion and without any fee owed to the submitting staffing/employment agency, person or entity. Staffing/employment agencies who have fee agreements with HNTB must submit applicants to the designated HNTB recruiter to be eligible for placement fees.