Senior Graphic Designer

Posted May 9

Job Title: Senior Graphic Designer

Department: Communications

Location: Oakland, Washington D.C, or remote.

Reports To: Creative Manager

Supervises: N/A

Context: At the Sierra Club, we believe in the power of interdependence. Together, we remain committed to the fight for a healthy climate built on a foundation of environmental, racial, economic, and gender justice – a future where all people benefit from a healthy, thriving planet and a direct connection to nature. As the climate crisis and deeply entrenched systemic racism all fuel injustice, we will continue to fight for a bold, transformational agenda that recognizes the interconnectedness between our planet, our humanity, and our future. By recognizing that our destinies are tied, we continue to name that all things are fundamentally connected, and the overlap between ecology, race, gender, and representative government will move to either advance our collective humanity or to oppress it. Sierra Club has close to 800 staff across the country and a network of 64 local chapters that are led and fueled by thousands of volunteers. We are also proud to be a unionized employer, with three labor unions representing more than half of our employees.

Scope: The Senior Graphic Designer is responsible for creating, designing and maintaining the overall creative feel of the Sierra Club’s web assets and digital outreach materials. The Senior Graphic Designer participates in all front-end aspects of the Sierra Club’s Web properties across all campaigns and initiatives. The Designer serves as a primary design resource for the Communications team, providing graphic design, image processing, illustration, motion graphics, assistance with art direction, and related tasks. Works with the Digital team to design additional collateral for electronic distribution including social media, video, illustration and multimedia content, newsletters, email wrappers, blogs and publications and contributes to the design of print materials or other products as needed. Supports the production needs of the Club by preparing and transferring style frames and files Also serves as a staff photographer as needed.

Job activities include but are not limited to:

Design Leadership. Serves as the lead designer working with Web Programmers to create, develop, and maintain visually compelling web properties for the organization. Provides graphic design, illustration, art direction, and other related tasks for Club’s web properties, mobile applications, digital and video content. Consults on and implements all upcoming major visual changes to the organization’s web properties. Produces web pages to satisfy organizational needs, including illustrations, image processing, layout, and overall design. Solicits, recommends and provides direction to outside design studios, freelance designers and programmers as needed. Plans, designs, and oversees the implementation of non-editorial design for various properties on-and offline, including but not limited to the marketing and advertising part of the magazine.
Creative Development. Participates in and leads departmental and/or cross-functional projects related to website technology, content, promotion, or visibility. Plans, designs, and implements other web-based and digital creative collateral including social media content, mobile applications, newsletters, email wrappers, and publications. Provides short-form copywriting for web, digital and visual assets as needed. Serves as an in-house photographer as needed.
Systems and Processes. Works with Head of Creative Programming, Director of Brand and Strategic Communications and Creative Manager to develop and implement design standards and policies that govern the look and feel of the organization’s web sites on all supported platforms. Along with the Creative Manager, develops, manages and implements operational procedures to ensure integrity of the Club’s brand, campaign brands and overall web presence.
Supporting Staff and Volunteers. Provides technical design support to Club entities, staff, and volunteers. Oversees and participates in the training and ongoing education of staff and volunteers in the use and development of Web pages and sites, especially assistance with Web design and adherence to Club design policies. Educates these parties about successful use of cutting edge web and digital -design standards as a communications channel. Plans, develops, and implements design projects, working with Club staff and volunteers throughout the organization as appropriate. Creates designs for non web-based activist projects such as signs, posters, and other grassroots products.

Heavier seasonal workloads may occur as a result of project deadlines, staff absences and vacancies, and during peak activity periods. Occasional weekend and/or evening work required. Performs miscellaneous duties as directed.

The successful candidate must demonstrate the following skills, experience and competencies:

A combination of graphic design and technical web proficiencies. Demonstrated skills with design software concomitant with the Club’s current web requirements, including proficiency with Adobe Creative Suite and an understanding of Drupal as a CMS. Proven experience in web design, user interface and front end design for web products and mobile devices. Knowledge of JavaScript, HTML, CSS, Drupal and other web technologies.
Strong Project Management. Strong cross-functional communications skills; strong verbal and written communications skills as well as strong visual design ability. Ability to manage projects and timelines and coordinate people from beginning to end of a project’s life cycle. Demonstrated organizational, analytical, and problem-solving skills.
A creative mind and proactive approach. You are a visual strategist throughout your work; with a proven track record of leveraging your technical and design expertise as part of cross-functional teams in order to creatively and quickly meet shifting environments, organizational needs and campaign opportunities.
A track record of collaboration. You’ve navigated complex organizational structures to facilitate collaborative partnerships between stakeholders to keep workflow consistent and shared goals attainable. You’re able to interact effectively with volunteers and staff – effectively coordinating between different teams and functions as needed.
Committed to evolution. You are committed to continuously deepening and evolving your own understanding of systems of oppression through study, openness, and humility. And you easily recognize your own relationship to privilege and power, examining and shifting your behaviors as appropriate.
Uplifting and additive. You see mistakes as opportunities for growth; problems as catalysts for solutions, and inspire others along the journey. You carry a constructive approach, can-do attitude, a sense of humor, and authentic kindness wherever you go.

The strongest candidates will also demonstrate the following skills, experience and competencies:

Creative Expertise. Photography, videography, illustration, motion graphic and production experience.
Knows Our Work. You have experience in the environmental movement or social justice advocacy space: Your design projects have included campaigning, creating public demand for a policy, training volunteers, holding the decision makers accountable, and/or taking delivery on campaign goals. You are in tune with the communities we work with; able to lead in the development of designs that leverage cultural trends while meeting concrete design needs.
Illustration – Experience developing style frames for motion graphics. Knowledge of best practices for animation storytelling and motion graphic techniques. Has experience creating merch and collateral collections with a cohesive brand; improved copywriting for advertisements. Has designed illustrations and branding for campaigns.

$95,000 - $105,000 a year

Compensation and Benefits

The salary range for this position is $95,000 – $105,000, non-negotiable.

This position is represented by a collective bargaining unit and is subject to the terms and conditions of the contract between Sierra Club and Progressive Workers Union or Sierra Employee Alliance, depending on location.

The Sierra Club offers a competitive salary package commensurate with skills and experience plus excellent benefits that include medical, dental, and vision coverage, and a retirement savings 401(k) plan.

This is a category 5, exempt, represented position.

Sierra Club values the expertise and talents of foreign nationals. Sierra Club sponsors both nonimmigrant and immigrant visas when certain criteria are met, based on immigration laws and organizational needs. Such sponsorship is at the discretion of the Department Head and Sierra Club People Department in consultation with the employee’s manager. The Sierra Club cannot guarantee the approval of a visa petition. The Sierra Club is an equal opportunity employer committed to workforce belonging.

To Apply

The Sierra Club provides equal employment and advancement opportunities to all staff members. Employment decisions are based on merit, qualifications, lived experience and skills. The Sierra Club does not discriminate in employment opportunities or practices on the basis of race, color, creed, religion, national origin, immigration status, socioeconomic status, ancestry, age, size, sex, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity, familial status, veteran status, disability, AIDS/HIV status, medical condition, prior conviction, arrest history, traits historically associated with race, including, but not limited to, hair texture and protective hairstyles, or any other characteristic protected by law.

The Sierra Club values applicants who are people that identify as Black, Indigenous, and other minoritized groups; women; queer, transgender, gender non-conforming, and gender fluid people.

Applications will be accepted through June 3, 2024.

Explore, enjoy and protect the planet.