Creative & Digital Design Specialist

Overview:

Responsible for planning and directly managing design and production of Gift of Hope’s branded digital and print marketing and communications. Provides hands-on creative development, design and art direction for distinct projects or as part of integrated marketing and communications initiatives. Manages web design and site updates that optimize user experience and visual impact. Collaborates with leadership, internal stakeholders and team members to produce high-impact marketing and communications across multiple media and platforms that are effective, integrated and aligned; advance Gift of Hope’s reputation and brand; and achieve strategic and business goals.

Responsibilities:

The following essential functions are the basic job duties that an employee must be able to perform, with or without reasonable accommodation.

• Support Gift of Hope’s mission, vision, and values; adhere to its policies and procedures in carrying out the responsibilities of this position.
• As primary steward of Gift of Hope brand application across all marketing and communications, provide hands-on creative design. Provide guidance, tools and templates for all leadership, staff, vendors and external partners using branded materials, applying brand and copyright elements, and using photography, imagery and other creative that represent Gift of Hope. Review and approve all materials, presentations and brand applications to ensure alignment with the standards and spirit of the Gift of Hope brand.
• Conceptualize, design and produce high-impact print and digital creative for multiple media and platforms for integrated marketing, campaigns, special events, activities and projects that drive and support strategic and business goals.
• Collaborate and work closely with teams across the organization to provide cost-effective, on-time solutions and deliverables as independent projects or part of broader campaigns, projects and plans. Build and sustain strong, effective relationships with depth and understanding to assess needs and determine creative direction and solutions within budget. Intake requests, and develop effective work plans and timelines for content and approvals. Communicate and coordinate responsibilities, and manage project workflow, information and deadlines across departments. Provide guidance, troubleshooting and support to ensure outcomes.
• Independently direct, manage and approve the work of external creative, print, digital and production vendors, including designers, photographers, videographers, web/digital developers, printers, mail houses, display companies, product vendors and others in producing deliverables that adhere to Gift of Hope brand and quality standards. Provide art/creative direction and necessary content and files, oversee development and proofs. Manage budget and internal expectations, review and communication with stakeholders.
• Develop and maintain web and digital platform design that optimizes user experience and visual impact. Produce web development-ready files, mock-ups, wireframes, and digital assets for developers. In close collaboration with Marketing & Communications team and external vendors, lead design of user-friendly visuals, ensure on-brand user interface (UI), and create and publish responsively designed pages on related platforms with intuitive design flows.
• Maintain primary responsibility for ongoing content and design updates to Gift of Hope’s websites, working closely with external vendors and coordinating with other Marketing & Communications team members developing content and managing specific pages and projects with dedicated web components.
• Manage and maintain photography, video and creative assets including libraries for approved/shared use by other Gift of Hope departments and staff.
• Maintain current knowledge of industry trends and stay up to date with professional and technical knowledge and best practices in design for effective marketing and communications including UI/UX, digital, email, print and direct mail.
• Independently manage special projects as assigned. 
• Assist other members of the Marketing & Communications team on communications initiatives as needed. 
• Other duties as assigned.

Education and Training Required:

The following identifies the minimum education and training required to perform the essential functions of the job.

• Bachelor’s degree in graphic design, marketing, communications, or a related field or equivalent work experience

Experience and Skills Required:

The following indicates the minimum skills and experience required to perform the essential functions of the job.

• 5 – 10 years’ experience in professional branding, creative design management, web/user interface (UI) design, digital/print design, email marketing, art and photography direction, and project management 
• Strong design/creative portfolio, demonstrating expert design across a wide range of digital and print mediums in a business marketing and communications environment 
• Demonstrated ability to independently and efficiently conceptualize and produce high-impact creative for branded marketing and communications 
• Strong experience and applied knowledge of brand identity and principles 
• Adept with multiple marketing, communications, and digital software, platforms and analytics; asset and content management: Wordpress or other content management systems (CMS); and application of brand and user experience/user interface (UI/UX) principles 
• Highly skilled in Adobe Creative suite 
• Strong skills in managing projects, budgets and vendor relationships 
• Strong critical thinking and ability to analyze, resolve problems and develop solutions 
• Ability to think strategically in program planning and development 
• Ability to build strong, collaborative relationships and work effectively with peers, teams, other departments, leadership and external partners to achieve organizational goals 
• Ability to communicate succinctly and persuasively in oral and written communications 
• Ability to represent Gift of Hope in a professional manner

Physical Demands:

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions of the job.

• Ability to function in a normal office environment 
• Ability to work outside of business hours, as needed 
• Ability to drive personal car to offsite locations