The design manager, or industrial design manager, or commercial design manager, or senior manager, is the creative director of the product-designers and draftsmen working to develop or improve products.

Design managers often hire the other designers, then oversees their work. The design manager works with the client and the other members of a design firm to understand completely the client’s needs and budget. They then develop a schedule and puts the right team or teams together to complete the project on time. The manager also advises the teams all along the way, to make sure that they stay on track with the client’s specifications.

A design manager usually works in the same product-design firms as the designers. However, some prefer to work in companies on one kind of product, whether it is a car company, a toy company, or a manufacturing company that produces better and better machine parts.
Average Salary:

$104,000.

Average Hours (per week):

A typical work week for a manager is usually more than 40 hours.
Union:

No.
Certifications:

CAD certification as well as project management certification is a good idea. Also, managers must remain current in areas of product design, consumer trends, and software. They must also stay current with any issues affect the particular industry they are working in.
Training Period:

Beyond the bachelor’s degree or master’s degree that the industrial designer requires, seven years at least are required in a specialized area of design to be a design manager. Besides people management abilities, the job requires project management, and a strong business sense.
Strongest Market(s):

Design and engineering firms needing managers are all over the country. Big manufacturing firms also need managers. The prestigious product design firms are in California, New York, and Boston. Design managers who prefer to work in one industry can go to anywhere that there is a factory with designers.
Entry Level Salary:

$77,000. This is the typical salary for a beginning design manager or a commercial/industrial designer with a few years of experience.
Top Salary:

$136,000.
Job Growth Forecast:
Just as with industrial designers, the ten-year forecast for job growth for design managers and senior designers is 7 percent. Of particular interest is the steady growth, beyond seven percent in the high-tech field.

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