Designer

ABOUT THE ROLE:

The Designer will play a key role in shaping compelling, strategic visual storytelling across brand, print, and digital platforms. This role supports and elevates the creative function at Open Book by contributing to projects from concept through completion. You are a strong visual communicator with a maker mindset—someone who thrives in ambiguity, asks good questions, and can translate stories, strategies, and ideas into creative visual solutions. You bring thoughtful design instincts, a collaborative spirit, and a commitment to creating work that is both beautiful and purposeful.

This role is a great fit for someone who loves design that tells a story—someone who can shape systems, sketch out starting points, and bring precision to final deliverables. You’ll be working on a variety of creative projects—from developing brands and designing websites to crafting storybooks, printed pieces, and campaigns—always in close collaboration with writers, designers, developers, and project leads. You’ll also help create clear, compelling connections across deliverables to ensure the story holds together across every touchpoint. This role reports to the Art Director + Project Lead.

JOB RESPONSIBILITIES:

Consult with Clients

• Participate in client work sessions and review meetings to present concepts, gather insights and feedback, and translate them into design solutions that directly address client goals.
• Help clients imagine the future state of their visual identity by bringing initial ideas to life through initial concepts, story treatments, or storyboards.
• Translate client needs and stories into thoughtful visual concepts.
• Translate client feedback into clear action items and share concise summaries after meetings to align next steps.
• Communicate clearly and collaboratively with clients and team members throughout a project.
• Educate clients on design rationale, helping them see how each visual choice supports their strategic objectives.

Demonstrate Technical Mastery

• Stay ahead of evolving design tools and workflows to recommend new approaches for design execution and creative production.
• Apply strong typographic skills to create designs that are both visually compelling and easy to read, using hierarchy, scale, and alignment to guide the viewer’s experience.
• Work fluently in Adobe Creative Suite.
• Experience with Webflow website-building platform and/or animation is a strong advantage.
• Possess working knowledge of HTML and CSS to collaborate effectively with developers, ensure design integrity across digital platforms, and troubleshoot basic implementation issues.
• Show a comprehensive understanding of both print production and interactive digital experiences.

Create and Collaborate

• Contribute ideas and visual direction in concepting sessions.Integrate visual design with written content to clearly communicate story concepts, ensuring that messaging and visuals work together to convey a unified narrative.
• Create visual continuity and strategic connection between different deliverables (e.g., how a brand story flows from a proposal to a website to a printed piece).
• Explore and experiment with varied visual approaches to help discover the best expression of an idea before locking in direction.
• Translate abstract ideas or thematic narratives into concrete design systems.
• Collaborate across disciplines (writers, designers, developers, motion design) to ensure cohesion in storytelling.
• Conceptualize and craft distinctive logos and icon systems—from initial sketches through final vector artwork—that capture a brand’s story and scale seamlessly across all applications.
• Adapt design style to suit a range of client brands and audiences.

Ensure Deliverable Quality

• Manage timelines and deliverables to meet expectations around quality, accuracy, and execution.
• Pay close attention to detail throughout the production process.
• Perform detailed QA checks on final deliverables (e.g., test site builds, print proofs) to ensure excellence and technical integrity.
• Balance multiple priorities with flexibility and consistency.

Client Satisfaction

• Show up as a proactive and thoughtful creative partner.
• Respond to feedback with curiosity, clarity, and care.
• Contribute to work that delights clients and serves their mission.

REQUIRED SKILLS & QUALIFICATIONS:

• 3+ years of experience in creative or communications roles, with proven experience leading creative work
• Track record for solving communications problems and making ideas come to life
• Portfolio that demonstrates creativity, concept development, and strategic design thinking
• Strong design instincts and ability to build from concept to execution
• A self-starter who thrives in ambiguity and brings energy, curiosity, and follow-through
• Motivated by team collaboration and shared ownership of creative outcomes
• Enjoyment of dynamic and fast-paced environments
• Fluent in Adobe Creative Suite and industry trends
• Ability to manage multiple deliverables and meet deadlines and budgets
• Resilience and the ability to give and accept constructive feedback
• Growth mindset