Creative Associate, Design

GENERAL STATEMENT OF DUTIES:

This position is a member of an integrated Marketing and Communication division that leads promotional and internal communication initiatives for both Augsburg University and Luther Seminary. This person will work with staff who may be employees of either Augsburg or Luther Seminary. Consults with campus partners to identify graphic design needs, audiences, and objectives, and to evaluate current publications for effectiveness and recommend alternatives when appropriate. Conceptualizes, researches, creates, presents, and makes adjustments to graphic designs for print and online use. Leads and serves on collaborative creative teams including colleagues in Marketing and Communication and across the institutions. Communicates brand standards to departments to ensure consistency in branding initiatives and materials. Maintains design quality standards. Creates, monitors, and adheres to project production schedules. Reviews printer proofs, performs press approvals, and monitors production of printed materials to completion, resolving any attendant problems.

PRIMARY RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Identifies and executes communications strategies for marketing the institutions and assigned academic and administrative departments to external audiences, including the general public, alumni and prospective students and donors. 
• Creates original artistic concepts and graphic elements for projects including but not limited to a wide variety of admissions/enrollment and Institutional Advancement/Seminary Relations marketing materials including direct mail, advertising, and the institutions' websites. 
• Conceptualizes, researches, creates, presents, and makes adjustments to graphic designs for publicity and marketing materials including printed publications, electronic publications, websites, other electronic media (video, html email), advertising, direct mail, and collateral materials, integrating design across mediums when necessary. 
• Consults with partners at both institutions to identify graphic design needs, audiences, and objectives, and to evaluate current publications for effectiveness and recommend alternatives when appropriate. Designs projects for academic and administrative units of the institutions. Maintains brand consistency across various communication platforms, both print and online. 
• Leads and serves on creative teams comprising graphic designers, web specialists, videographers, photographers, copywriters, and editors. Works collaboratively with colleagues within Marketing Communication and across both institutions. 
• Supports and participates in branding projects brought forward by Marketing Communication, the university, and the seminary. Contributes expertise and judgment to relevant campus committees and task forces. 
• Works closely with the Marketing Communication team to ensure that strategic marketing materials are creatively executed and consistent with each institution's brand identity. Maintains design quality standards for the Marketing Communication team. 
• Maintains productive, collaborative relationships with campus partners. Communicates brand standards to campus departments to ensure consistency in marketing materials and branding initiatives. 
• Creates, monitors, and adheres to project production schedules; communicates routinely and thoroughly with colleagues and manager about work progress. 
• Provides art direction at assigned photo and video shoots. 
• Makes copy corrections, writes technical specifications, reviews printer proofs, performs press approvals, and monitors production of printed materials to completion, resolving any attendant problems. 
• Supervises student designers, teaches software and industry standards, communicates Marketing Communication guidelines.

MINIMUM:

• Bachelor's degree in design, communication, or a related field is required. 
• Minimum of three years relevant experience required.

PREFERRED:

• Advanced skills in Adobe Photoshop, Illustrator, Acrobat Pro, and InDesign required. 
• Experience with Adobe Digital Publishing Suite, Premier Pro, and After Effects is preferred. 
• Advanced knowledge of design and branding principles. 
• Creative, assertive, and self-motivated. 
• Ability to prioritize in a fast-paced environment with superb attention to detail. 
• Knowledge of requirements in commercial printing. 
• Excellent interpersonal skills and strong verbal and written communication skills required. 
• Ability to work effectively in a diverse work environment. 
• Ability to be attentive to details, be accurate, be precise. 
• Ability to lead/teach and mentor others in a team environment. 
• Ability to show initiative and work independently with little supervision. 
• Ability to reason/analyze. 
• Ability to maintain confidentiality; demonstrate patience and understanding. 
• Ability to handle frequent interruptions. 
• Advanced organizational skills and ability to set priorities, meet deadlines, and manage multiple projects is required. 
• Knowledge of WordPress required, CSS skills preferred.