Graphic and Web Designer

Posted Sep 17

We are excited to engage a Graphic and Web Designer who will be responsible for providing design support and guidance on both externally facing products as well as key internally facing communications. The successful candidate is a mid-level creative who can maintain a clean, high-quality, unified brand and style across all Thousand Currents’ products and materials. Reporting to the Director of Communications, the designer should be an out-of-the-box creative who can simultaneously design print and digital products, manage visual web content, and effectively project manage to ensure that all collaborators are equipped to leverage our brand for maximum impact. We are looking for a highly motivated and responsible team player who is self-driven, pays attention to detail, can consistently develop creative ideas, and produce quality work in a virtual and global environment. The designer should have an understanding of, or commitment to, Thousand Currents mission, vision, and values.

Essential Functions:

1. Provide graphic design products for external and internal communications in line with Thousand Currents’ brand guidelines. 40%

  • Serve as an internal design expert by collaborating with teams in brainstorming, conceptualizing, and creating innovative designs for organizational programs and initiatives.
  • Create and maintain all graphic design files including print, digital/web, social media by updating and adding to existing templates.
  • Manage design cycles from rough draft to revision(s) to final products that have been customized and tested across all mediums.
  • Maintain a roster of Global South-based creatives who can be key resources in producing culturally inclusive products.
  • Along with the Communications Team, manage visual consistency and brand integrity across all organizational portfolios, initiatives, and products.
  • Stay current on creative, marketing, and digital trends and techniques, and identify opportunities to lean into experimentation.

2. Manage visual web content production in WordPress. 30%

  • Create visually engaging campaign landing pages.
  • Curate and edit photos, videos, and graphics.
  • Maintain site upkeep, such as homepage and other template updates.
  • Coordinate with third-party developers and IT team when troubleshooting website issues.
  • Monitor online traffic and make suggestions to optimize website performance and CMS.
  • Create support documents and production processes as needed.

3. Project manage design cycles with cross-collaborative input. 20%

  • Provide operational support by managing and tracking projects in Asana.
  • Ensure seamless organization of photo and film collateral in digital asset management system.
  • Manage budgets and timelines to ensure that all deliverables are completed on time and within budget.
  • As a key member of the Communications team, contribute to brainstorming, developing, and executing new ideas as well as providing backup coverage for other team members.
  • Along with Director of Communications, support launch and development of forthcoming Artist(s) in Residence program.
  • Perform other related duties as assigned.

4. Participate in organization-wide learning, cross-program partnership and administrative efficiency: 10%

  • Along with all other staff, this position contributes to Thousand Currents’ culture of teamwork and continuous learning and does what it takes to ensure that Thousand Currents staff collaborate and support each other within and across programs and excel in an environment where every member takes care of their own basic administrative needs. This includes but is not limited to:
  • Showing up fully for learning and planning activities, including staff meetings, retreats, trainings, planning, and strategy sessions;
  • Pitching in when needed for organization-wide activities, such as the Thousand Currents Academy, annual events, fundraising drives, partner visits etc.;
  • Supervising and project management of relevant volunteers and interns, and ensuring that they have a positive learning experience at Thousand Currents; and
  • Managing your own regular administration, including timely submission of receipts, reimbursement requests, scheduling, travel planning, filing HR paperwork etc.

Note: Thousand Currents is committed to responding flexibly to changing circumstances and priorities which means that the expectations of every position are dynamic. This description reflects the assignment of essential functions, but does not proscribe or restrict the tasks that may be assigned

KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, AND ABILITIES:

  • Artistic Sensibility: Creativity and ability to create current, timely, aesthetically pleasing, and invitational designs are essential; candidates must have knowledge of and experience in applying design principles and design elements.
  • Proficiency in Adobe Creative Suite, Canva, and Figma.
  • Experience upholding organizational brand identity and guidelines.
  • Demonstrated ability to use technology and user-centered design.
  • Awareness of and commitment to best practices for creating accessible design products.
  • Excellent communication skills, particularly writing, editing, and synthesizing complex information;
  • Commitment to Thousand Currents’ vision; proven strategic planning experience; outstanding critical thinking skills, and the flexibility to change course as needed;
  • Ability to work collaboratively, independently, proactively, creatively, and respectfully in a virtual team environment with multiple constituencies and audiences;
  • Strong judgment and discretion in dealing with sensitive information;
  • Ability to participate in team and staff meetings that may occur during early morning or later evening hours, depending on local time zone;
  • Proficiency in written and spoken English is required and proficiency in additional language(s), in particular Spanish and/or Portuguese and/or French and/or Arabic, is an asset;
  • Proficiency in, or willingness to learn, MS Office, Salesforce, Egnyte, Slack and Asana;

EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE:

  • Strong graphic design portfolio demonstrating creative problem-solving for digital, event, and publication materials. Additional experience with or interest in illustration, video and audio editing, photography, or animation is a plus.
  • Minimum five years’ design experience in either communications, marketing, branding, or storytelling.
  • Track record of operational effectiveness including project management, timelines, invoicing, and database management.

PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS: The physical demands of this position are light with the expectation that the staff person can exert up to 20 lbs. of force occasionally, and/or up to 10 lbs. of force frequently, and/or a negligible amount of force constantly to move objects. Light work usually requires walking or standing to a significant degree. Physical demands are in excess of those of sedentary work. The position requires frequent computer use at a workstation.

As Thousand Currents staff work in a number of locations and come together for meetings on occasion, all staff must be able to travel by car and plane to meetings at locations nationally and internationally. Availability to travel and maintenance of a valid passport is required. National or international travel represents approximately 30% of the time for this position.

Thousand Currents will make reasonable accommodations in compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990. This job description and its physical requirements will be reviewed periodically as duties and responsibilities change with business necessity. Essential and marginal job functions are subject to modification.

EQUAL EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITY: Thousand Currents is an equal opportunity employer. We strongly encourage and seek applications from women, people of color, and bilingual and bicultural individuals, as well as members of the lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender communities. Applicants shall not be discriminated against because of race, religion, sex, national origin, ethnicity, age, disability, political affiliation, sexual orientation, gender identity, color, marital status, or medical condition including acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS) and AIDS-related conditions. SALARY: USD $92,150

HOW TO APPLY: Please submit a cover letter and portfolio to jobs@thousandcurrents.org with Graphic and Web Designer in the subject line. Position will remain open until filled.