Design Manager Jobs in Michigan

Design Manager jobs in Michigan are active and competitive, concentrated in automotive product design, industrial and UX design, and brand identity work, with demand ranging from emerging design leads to senior creative directors overseeing cross-functional teams. Detroit, Grand Rapids, and Ann Arbor are the primary hiring metros, anchored by employers like Ford Motor Company, Steelcase, and General Motors, all of which maintain significant design operations in Michigan. The most sought-after specialties are automotive interior and exterior design, user experience design, and systems-level product design leadership. Find a role that fits below and apply directly.

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Overview

Open roles18
Top employerArcadis
Top cityDetroit, MI
Cities hiring12
Work type86% On-site
Top industryConsulting

Showing 5 of 18+ Design Manager jobs

American Electric Power
Customer Design Manager
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American Electric Power
Added 1d ago
Customer Design Manager
American Electric Power
Benton Harbor, Michigan
Business Operations
Executive Leadership & C-Suite
Project Management
$116k - $151k.5/yr
Bachelor's degree in mechanical engineering
10,000+

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Penske Truck Leasing
Network Design Manager
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Penske Truck Leasing
Added 2d ago
Network Design Manager
Penske Truck Leasing
Dearborn, Michigan
Business Analysis
Business Operations
Project Management
Bachelor's degree in business
10,000+

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Molex
Engineering Manager- Design for Reliability
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Molex
Added 2d ago
Engineering Manager- Design for Reliability
Molex
Rochester Hills, Michigan
Business Strategy
Product Management
Project Management
Bachelor's degree in mechanical engineering
10,000+

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Enstrom Helicopter
Design Manager - Job #1146
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Enstrom Helicopter
Added 6d ago
Design Manager - Job #1146
Enstrom Helicopter
Menominee, Michigan
Data Engineering
Project Management
Technical Program Management
$115k - $155k/yr
Bachelor's degree in mechanical engineering
51-200

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HIROTEC AMERICA, Inc.
Design Project Manager
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HIROTEC AMERICA, Inc.
Added 1w ago
Design Project Manager
HIROTEC AMERICA, Inc.
Auburn Hills, Michigan
Project & Program Management
Project Management
On-Site
Bachelor's

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See All 18 Design Manager Jobs in Michigan

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Design Manager Jobs by City in Michigan

Where Michigan roles are concentrated, by current openings.

Detroit
3 jobs
Novi
2 jobs
Lansing
2 jobs
Ann Arbor
2 jobs
Auburn Hills
2 jobs
Livonia
1 job
Dearborn
1 job
Menominee
1 job
Benton Harbor
1 job

Design Manager Job Market in Michigan

A snapshot from current Michigan openings, updated as new roles post.

Who's Hiring

Arcadis
Arcadis4 open roles
D|Fab
D|Fab1 open role
Molex
Molex1 open role

Top Industries Hiring

  • Consulting & Professional Services
  • Construction & Real Estate
  • Manufacturing

What Michigan Employers Look For

The qualifications that appear most often in design manager jobs across Michigan.

  • Bachelor's or master's degree in industrial design, graphic design, or a related design discipline
  • Proven leadership experience managing design teams and guiding creative direction end to end
  • Proficiency with industry-standard tools such as Adobe Creative Suite, Figma, or CATIA for automotive contexts
  • Demonstrated ability to translate business requirements into coherent design strategies and visual systems
  • Experience collaborating with engineering, marketing, or product teams in cross-functional Michigan environments
  • Portfolio showcasing completed design projects with measurable outcomes and clear creative decision-making

Design Manager Jobs in Michigan: Frequently Asked Questions

How do you become a design manager in Michigan?

Design managers in Michigan typically advance from senior individual-contributor roles in industrial, graphic, UX, or automotive design after building a portfolio of leadership experience on project teams. Michigan does not require a state-issued license for design management, so the path centers on a bachelor's or master's degree in a design discipline, followed by years of production-level work at employers in the automotive, furniture, or tech sectors before stepping into people management.

How much do design managers make in Michigan?

Design managers in Michigan earn a median of about $86,660 a year, based on May 2025 Bureau of Labor Statistics wage data, ranging from around $54,590 for the lowest 10% to over $166,880 for the top 10%. Pay rises with experience, specialty, and employer.

Which companies hire design managers in Michigan?

Employers hiring design managers in Michigan right now include Arcadis, D|Fab, and Molex, based on current listings on Migrate Mate as of September 2026. Michigan's deep concentration of automotive original equipment manufacturers and global office furniture companies means design manager roles here often carry both product and team leadership responsibilities uncommon in other states.

Which Michigan cities have the most design manager jobs?

Detroit, Novi, and Lansing have the most design manager openings in Michigan. Detroit and its suburbs drive volume through the headquarters and design studios of major automotive companies, while Grand Rapids draws consistent demand from the global furniture and workplace design industry anchored there, and Ann Arbor adds openings tied to its technology and university-adjacent employer base.

Are there remote design manager jobs in Michigan?

Yes, but they are less common than in purely digital fields, since design management in Michigan frequently involves overseeing physical prototyping, in-person critiques, and studio collaboration. About 14% of design manager openings tied to Michigan are remote or hybrid as of September 2026, with the remote share concentrated in UX, brand, and digital product design leadership roles rather than industrial or automotive design management.

How can I get hired as a design manager in Michigan with little or no experience?

The most realistic entry path is moving into a team-lead or design program coordinator role at a mid-size Michigan employer before pursuing a full management title. Companies like Steelcase and Ford have rotational design programs and associate-level openings that expose early-career designers to cross-functional projects and people oversight. Building a portfolio that shows design process ownership, not just finished deliverables, and pairing it with a UX or product design certification gives candidates a concrete edge when applying for a first management role.

Where can I find and apply to design manager jobs in Michigan?

You can find and apply to design manager jobs in Michigan on Migrate Mate, which lists current Michigan openings updated regularly. Find roles that fit your background and apply directly through each listing without detours.

See All 18 Design Manager Jobs in Michigan

Find roles in Michigan that match your experience and apply in just a few clicks.

Find Design Manager Jobs