Graphic Designer

The University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee is seeking a talented and collaborative part-time Graphic Designer to join our in-house marketing team. The Graphic Designer plays a crucial role in the creation and execution of visually compelling designs for both university-wide and unit marketing campaigns. This hybrid position involves developing high-quality print and digital materials that align with the university's brand standards and strategic goals.

Under the direction of the Creative Manager, the Graphic Designer consults with the Chief Marketing Officer, faculty/staff, and other key stakeholders to determine their need for visual materials as part of university, department, or program marketing plans. The Graphic Designer interprets and transforms information to meet project goals and researches designs, and executes all phases of production for both print and electronic media.

In addition to design responsibilities, this position provides art direction for university photo sessions. The Graphic Designer partners with the Creative Manager and campus photographers to plan and execute photoshoots that support university marketing objectives, ensuring images are on-brand, strategic, and high-quality.

The materials created by the Graphic Designer support the university, its activities, and programs, including but not limited to student recruitment/retention, research, and public service/outreach. The incumbent must be a creative thinker with strong technical skills, attention to detail, and the ability to manage multiple projects simultaneously.

This is a 0.50 FTE position. Successful applicants must be available to work 4-5 days per week. This position is expected to work 20 hours per week.  

Job Responsibilities:

Design and Development

• Create and produce visually appealing designs for a variety of print and digital materials, including brochures, posters, flyers, social media graphics, email templates, website visuals, and digital advertisements.

• Collaborate with the marketing team to conceptualize and execute designs that effectively communicate the university’s message and support its branding initiatives.

• Develop and maintain templates and design systems to ensure consistency across all marketing materials.

Collaboration and Coordination

• Work closely with university departments and programs to understand their specific needs and create tailored marketing materials.

• Coordinate with printers, vendors, and other external partners to ensure the quality and timely delivery of printed materials.

• Serve as art director for university photo sessions, working with photographers and stakeholders to plan and produce photos that meet campaign goals and branding standards.

Brand Management

• Ensure all designs adhere to the university's brand guidelines and contribute to a cohesive visual identity.

• Stay up-to-date with design trends and recommend adjustments to the university's branding and design strategies as necessary.

Project Management

• Manage multiple design projects simultaneously, prioritizing tasks and meeting deadlines.

• Communicate project timelines and progress with stakeholders, ensuring all projects are completed on time and within scope.

• Assist with management of and customer support for campus resources such as our email marketing system (Emma), stock image library (Adobe Stock), and design template library (Adobe Express).  

Key Job Responsibilities:

• Applies creative expertise within established brand and style guidelines

• Analyzes and identifies cost effective options to meet project requirements

• Answers questions and provides information and problem resolution options to clients and stakeholders

• Creates, designs, and produces artwork per project specifications through various mediums

• Works collaboratively with other creative professionals, engages in and responds to creative feedback, manages project workflow and timing, maintains files, and follows established work unit processes

• Schedules logistics, secures resources, organizes, and monitors art production projects adhering to established timelines and expectations

Required Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s degree in Graphic Design, Visual Communication, or a related field
• Two years of professional design experience

Preferred Qualifications:

• Demonstrated proficiency with Adobe Creative Cloud (especially InDesign, Illustrator, and Photoshop)
• Demonstrated success in preparing print-ready files and working with vendors on production
• Demonstrated success in designing accessible, inclusive, and responsive digital materials, such as marketing emails and digital display ads
• Demonstrated success in providing art direction for photo sessions
• Demonstrated understanding of branding and visual identity systems
• Strong attention to detail and ability to manage multiple projects under tight deadlines
• Strong collaboration and communication skills, including experience working with clients or stakeholders to translate needs into effective visual design
• Demonstrated success in using Emma (or a similar email marketing system)
• Demonstrated success in using Adobe Express (or similar online design tools) to create templates for use by non-designers
• Knowledge of HTML and CSS

Compensation:

$28.85 - $31.74