Design Manager Jobs in Virginia
Design Manager jobs in Virginia are consistently active, with demand concentrated in technology, government contracting, defense, and professional services sectors, ranging from entry-level design leads to senior creative directors overseeing enterprise product lines. The largest hiring markets are Northern Virginia, Richmond, and Virginia Beach, where established employers like Booz Allen Hamilton, Leidos, and Capital One have maintained significant design and product teams. The most sought-after specialties include UX and product design management, brand and creative direction, and design systems leadership. Find a role that fits below and apply directly.
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Summary
The Manager, Instructional Design leads the design and development of SHRM’s learning products and experiences, ensuring they advance SHRM’s mission to elevate the HR profession, HR professionals, and the human in business. This role manages and develops instructional design talent, establishes standards and priorities for the team, and ensures the consistent delivery of high-quality, innovative learning solutions.
Using instructional design methodologies, adult learning principles, and emerging learning technologies, the Manager, Instructional Design oversees the development of synchronous, asynchronous, virtual, in-person, and hybrid learning experiences for SHRM’s workforce and external audiences across career levels.
Responsibilities
- Lead, coach, and develop a team of instructional design professionals, setting clear expectations, priorities, and performance standards.
- Oversee the analysis, design, development, and continuous improvement of SHRM learning products and experiences.
- Establish instructional design standards, methodologies, and quality expectations to ensure consistency and effectiveness across learning products.
- Manage team capacity, project assignments, timelines, and competing priorities to ensure successful and timely and on-budget delivery.
- Provide direction and quality assurance on complex or high-profile learning initiatives.
- Build and maintain productive relationships with Subject Matter Experts (SMEs) and business stakeholders.
- Develop and oversee a scalable network of external partners, vendors, and subject matter experts to expand delivery capacity, improve efficiency, and support the quality and growth of professional development offerings.
- Partner cross-functionally to identify learning needs, translate business requirements into effective solutions, and support enterprise initiatives and SHRM events.
- Ensure learning products and tools meet WCAG 2.2 Level AA accessibility standards.
- Oversee regular reviews and audits of SHRM learning programs to identify opportunities for updates, redesign, and improvement.
- Evaluate emerging instructional design, Talent & Development, AI, and learning technology trends and determines where new approaches should be incorporated into SHRM’s learning strategy.
- Use learner feedback, performance data, and business outcomes to assess effectiveness and continuously improve learning solutions.
Education
- Bachelor’s degree in Instructional Systems Design, Learning & Development, Education, or a related field preferred or relevant experience in lieu of degree.
- Master’s degree in Instructional Systems Design, Learning Technology, or a related discipline preferred.
- Seven (7) or more years of progressive instructional design or learning and development experience.
- Demonstrated experience leading, coaching, or managing instructional design or learning professionals.
- Experience managing multiple learning initiatives, resources, and competing priorities.
- Knowledge of or experience within the HR profession preferred.
- Proficiency with Microsoft Office, Adobe Creative Cloud, Articulate 360, and related learning technologies.
- Instructional design or learning technology certification preferred.
- SHRM-CP or SHRM-SCP preferred.
- Strong people leadership, coaching, and performance management capabilities.
- Ability to translate business priorities and learning needs into scalable learning solutions.
- Strong knowledge of instructional design methodologies and adult learning principles.
- Demonstrated project and portfolio management skills.
- Strong judgment with the ability to prioritize work, allocate resources, and manage competing demands.
- Ability to influence and collaborate effectively with SMEs, leaders, and cross-functional partners.
- Strong written, verbal, and presentation skills.
- Strong attention to detail while maintaining a broader strategic and business perspective.
- Knowledge of emerging learning technologies, including AI-enabled approaches to learning design and development. Ability to effectively leverage artificial intelligence (AI) tools and technologies to streamline workflows, enhance productivity, and improve overall work quality.
This position operates in a typical office environment (which includes a home office setting) and requires the ability to perform essential job functions with or without reasonable accommodation. Physical requirements may include:
- Prolonged periods of sitting at a desk and working on a computer.
- Frequent use of hands and fingers for typing, handling documents, and using office equipment.
- Occasional standing, walking, bending, and reaching.
- Ability to lift and carry up to 30 pounds as needed.
- Clear verbal and written communication skills for effective interaction with colleagues and stakeholders.
Hybrid Schedule (3 Days In-Office/2 Days Remote)
This position follows a hybrid work schedule, with Tuesday through Thursday in office and Monday and Friday remote. Employees must be available during standard business hours, with core hours beginning between 8:00–9:00 a.m. and concluding between 5:00–6:00 p.m. local time.
Travel: Occasional 0 – 10%
#LI
The hiring range for this position is $105,000 to $130,000 per year. This range is an estimate, and the actual salary may vary based on the candidate's experience, skills, and qualifications. SHRM offers a competitive and comprehensive total rewards package. The benefits for this position include professional growth and development, health, dental, vision, well-being, health savings, flexible spending, retirement, open leave, and annual discretionary bonus and incentives.
Our employment practices are in accordance with the laws that prohibit discrimination against qualified individuals on the basis of race, religion, color, gender, age, national origin, physical or mental disability, genetic information, veteran’s status, marital status, gender identity and expression, sexual orientation, or any other status protected by applicable law.
SHRM is an equal opportunity employer (Minority/Female/Disabled/Veteran).
We do not sponsor applicants for work visas.
See All 87 Design Manager Jobs in Virginia
Find roles in Virginia that match your experience and apply in just a few clicks.
Find Design Manager JobsDesign Manager Jobs by City in Virginia
Where Virginia roles are concentrated, by current openings.
Design Manager Job Market in Virginia
A snapshot from current Virginia openings, updated as new roles post.
Who's Hiring
- Amazon13

- Capital One7

- AECOM5

- Information Technology Senior Management Forum5
- Jacobs4

Top Industries Hiring
- Construction & Real Estate
- Technology & Software
- Consulting & Professional Services
- Retail
- Manufacturing
What Virginia Employers Look For
The qualifications that appear most often in design manager jobs across Virginia.
- Bachelor's degree in graphic design, UX, product design, or a related visual discipline
- Five or more years of design experience including at least two in a leadership or management role
- Demonstrated portfolio showing end-to-end design projects and team leadership outcomes
- Proficiency with industry tools such as Figma, Adobe Creative Suite, or Sketch
- Experience collaborating with product, engineering, and marketing teams in an Agile environment
- Strong communication skills for presenting design rationale to senior stakeholders and executives
Design Manager Jobs in Virginia: Frequently Asked Questions
How do you become a design manager in Virginia?
Becoming a design manager in Virginia typically starts with a bachelor's degree in design, visual communication, or a related field, followed by several years working as an individual contributor in UX, product, or graphic design. Virginia does not require a state-issued license to work as a design manager. Advancement comes through building a strong portfolio, gaining cross-functional leadership experience, and demonstrating the ability to manage designers and ship products in complex environments like government contracting or enterprise technology.
How much do design managers make in Virginia?
Design managers in Virginia earn a median of about $101,150 a year, based on May 2025 Bureau of Labor Statistics wage data, ranging from around $64,010 for the lowest 10% to over $165,010 for the top 10%. Pay rises with experience, specialty, and employer.
Which companies hire design managers in Virginia?
Employers hiring design managers in Virginia right now include Amazon, Capital One, and AECOM, based on current listings on Migrate Mate as of September 2026. Virginia's concentration of government contractors, defense technology firms, and financial services companies means design manager roles here often blend digital product leadership with security-conscious or regulated-industry experience.
Which Virginia cities have the most design manager jobs?
Arlington, McLean, and Richmond are the Virginia cities with the most design manager openings. Northern Virginia dominates because of its dense cluster of federal agencies, defense contractors, and technology firms, while Richmond draws demand from financial services, healthcare, and consumer brand employers, and Virginia Beach reflects hiring tied to military and regional commercial organizations.
Are there remote design manager jobs in Virginia?
Yes, and more than many fields. About 63% of design manager openings tied to Virginia are remote or hybrid as of September 2026, reflecting the desk-based and collaborative-software-driven nature of most design management work. Strategic and systems-level responsibilities such as design critique, roadmap planning, and stakeholder alignment are the functions most commonly performed fully remotely.
How can I get hired as a design manager in Virginia with little or no experience?
The most realistic entry path is moving into a lead designer role first rather than applying to management positions directly. Large Virginia employers such as government contractors and financial services firms often hire associate or senior designers who take on informal team coordination before a formal management title follows. Building a portfolio that shows project ownership, building proficiency with tools like Figma, and pursuing professional development through recognized programs such as those offered at Virginia Tech or George Mason's design programs can strengthen a candidate's profile considerably.
Where can I find and apply to design manager jobs in Virginia?
You can find and apply to design manager jobs in Virginia on Migrate Mate, which lists current Virginia openings from employers actively hiring. Find roles that match your experience and apply directly to the ones that fit.
See All 87 Design Manager Jobs in Virginia
Find roles in Virginia that match your experience and apply in just a few clicks.
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