Graphic Design Specialist -- Gies College of Business

Graphic Design Specialist -- Gies College of Business

Office of Marketing & Communications

Introduction

The Office of Marketing and Communications at the University of Illinois’ Gies College of Business acts as an in-house marketing agency, partnering with and supporting units across the College. Our growing team of more than 20 professionals plays a pivotal role in promoting the College’s purpose to shape purposeful leaders through life-changing access to education, research, and innovation. Creativity, strategy, and collaboration are key to our team's success as we grow the reputation and brand of Gies Business, a Top 10 public business school with more than 9,000 residential and online students and 80,000 alumni across the world.

Job Summary

As a graphic design specialist, you will use your creativity and design expertise to further the Gies Business brand. Your primary responsibility will be to create high-quality print and digital pieces, campaigns, merchandise, and brand concepts that adhere to brand standards and engage audiences. You'll collaborate with cross-functional teams, including other designers, strategists, writers, digital marketers, photographers, videographers, and project managers, to bring projects to life and deliver successful outcomes.

Duties & Responsibilities

• Design/Creative Output
  - Produce design solutions for digital, print, merchandise, and environmental assets, including but not limited to social media, digital advertising, large- and small-scale signage, flyers, brochures, etc.
  - Create concepts for campaigns and other branding efforts.
  - Update existing assets to meet Gies Business brand guidelines.
  - Fully understand and be able to apply the Gies Business brand guidelines to new and existing assets.
  - Support team leads in photo selection, making adjustments to size or files as needed to fulfill project needs.
  - Basic understanding of photography and ability to work with photographers to capture images when necessary.
  - Coordinate and communicate with vendors to send materials to print.
  
   
• Team Communication/Collaboration
  - Collaborate closely with team members in a variety of roles to ensure products are creative and on brand.
  - Understand project requirements, target audiences, and desired outcomes.
  - Adhere to the team’s processes, including daily monitoring/updating the status of projects and timely communication.
  - Participate in brainstorming and other creative activities to develop strong ideas and solutions.
  - Monitor and seek inspiration from design trends.
  - Take direction and use feedback from team members to grow and improve.
  - Collaborate with project managers, photographers, and other designers to organize, catalog, and maintain all photos and design files, ensuring they are accessible to the MarCom team as well as freelance vendors.
  - Recruit, hire, and manage student employees as needed.
  - Work within and contribute to team project management systems.
  - Other communications and marketing duties as assigned.

Minimum Qualifications

- Bachelor’s degree in marketing, business administration, communications, public relations, or a closely related field.
- One (1) year (12 months) of professional work experience in marketing, public relations, communications, brand management, or a related professional area.
- Demonstrated experience producing high-quality, branded design materials.

Preferred Qualifications

- Experience in higher education.
- Experience with large-scale environmental branding.
- Experience with digital layout design.

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities

- Strong working knowledge of Adobe Creative Suite, preferably with advanced skills in Illustrator and InDesign. - Ability to articulate the strategy behind design choices. - Commitment to diversity and inclusion, with the ability to represent a diverse range of stakeholders through design work. - Excellent design and layout skills with a strong attention to detail and the ability to spot errors and inconsistencies. - Ability to problem solve and present multiple solutions, as well as package final designs and create production-ready files. - Demonstrated ability to prioritize, multitask, and work in a team environment as well as work independently. - A passion for education and a genuine interest in promoting the College’s mission. - Ability to work in a fast-paced, collaborative environment with designers, writers, videographers, and other marketing positions. - Ability to meet deadlines and manage projects. - Superb interpersonal and communication skills with the ability to foster positive relationships and facilitate collaboration.

Appointment Information

This is a 100% full-time Civil Service 5004 - Marketing Associate position, appointed on a 12-month basis.

The expected start date is as soon as possible after the search close date. Salary is competitive and commensurate with qualifications and experience, while also considering internal equity. The salary range for this position starts at $55,000. This position requires in-person work and is eligible for a hybrid schedule, with the ratio of weekly in-office and work-from-home days to be determined by the supervisor. Sponsorship for work authorization is not available for this position. A path for professional growth is embedded in this and every position in the Gies Office of Marketing and Communications. 

For more information about Gies Business, visit https://inside.giesbusiness.illinois.edu/work-at-gies.

For more information on Civil Service classifications, please visit the SUCSS web site at https://www.sucss.illinois.gov/pages/classspec/default.aspx.

Application Procedures & Deadline Information

Applications must be received by 6:00 pm (Central Time) on May 21, 2024. Apply for this position using the Apply Now button at the top or bottom of this posting. In order to be considered as a transfer candidate, you must apply for this position. Applications not submitted through https://jobs.illinois.edu will not be considered. If required by the position, transcripts or other documentation of credentials are to be provided no later than the first day of employment. For further information about this specific position, please contact rgoben@illinois.edu. For questions regarding the application process, please contact 217-333-2137.

The University of Illinois System is an equal opportunity employer, including but not limited to disability and/or veteran status, and complies with all applicable state and federal employment mandates. Please visit Required Employment Notices and Posters to view our non-discrimination statement and find additional information about required background checks, sexual harassment/misconduct disclosures, and employment eligibility review through E-Verify.

Applicants with disabilities are encouraged to apply and may request a reasonable accommodation under the Americans with Disabilities Act (2008) to complete the application and/or interview process. Requests may be submitted through the reasonable accommodations portal, or by contacting the Accessibility & Accommodations Division of the Office for Access and Equity at 217-333-0885, or by emailing accessibility@illinois.edu.