Manager, Graphic Design

Manager, Graphic Design

Location: Marketing Department
Regular/Temporary: Regular
Job ID: 607803
Full/Part Time: Full-Time

Workplace Culture

NAU aims to be the nation's preeminent engine of opportunity, vehicle of economic mobility, and driver of social impact by delivering equitable postsecondary value in Arizona and beyond.



Special Information

This position is a hybrid position which allows the incumbent to complete their work at both the Flagstaff Mountain campus and at a non-centralized site with or without accommodation.

Job Description

Reporting to the Managing Director, Creative Services, this University Marketing (UM) position supports the overall branding, marketing, advertising, and graphic design needs of the university, as well as its individual units. The Manager, Graphic Design manages a team of Graphic Design Leads, Senior Graphic Designers, Intermediate Graphic Designers, and student employees, including setting goals and objectives and ensuring adherence to department objectives and deadlines, guiding the team in learning and analyzing the purpose of design, coordinating staff and assignments, liaising with internal and external parties, and managing schedules. Additional essential responsibilities of this position include working collaboratively with the two Graphic Design Leads on leading large-scale campaigns, and acting as lead designer on high-visibility and high-profile design projects, requiring advanced hands-on design experiences, knowledge, and skills. Furthermore, as a member of the UM management team, it is essential for this position to collaboratively lead and encourage UM teams to reach goals while implementing NAU's policies, regulations, vision, and mission.

Working as part of a highly collaborative team, the Manager, Graphic Design will play an active role, through the following activities, in furthering the university's mission.

Team Management and Mentoring - 40%

• Supervises, coaches, and develops the design team.
• Provides constructive design direction to ensure consistent quality that aligns with the university's brand standards and delivers effective communication with a variety of target audiences.
• Ensures brand standards and ADA requirements are met.
• Plans and manages team's activities, responsible for task assignment and coordination.
• Ensures staff are trained to be effective and efficient in their work; conducts performance reviews; monitors employee interactions and promotes a productive, inclusive work environment; identifies potential performance and employee relations issues; and applies institutional HR and talent policies and practices.
• Assists team in gathering and analyzing project requirements related to brand requirements, design direction, and timeline; assigns and tracks resources to ensure quality and timely services are provided; analyzes and communicates project risks regarding the overall brand representation and reputation; identifies and optimizes processes and tools; and oversees the security, operation, maintenance, and upgrades of team equipment, resources, and tools.
• Applies knowledge of employee regulations, policies, and procedures in day-to-day employee management practices.
• Through continuous mentorship, develops and supports employee development plans and performance goals.
• Provides input to employment decisions and influences performance and reward decisions.
• Coordinates with and manages freelance contributors as needed to ensure project completion, including providing project instructions and specifications, monitoring jobs in progress, resolving technical problems, proofing material for adherence to specifications and quality standards, and ensuring deadlines and quality expectations are met.
• Maintains accurate records of projects' design hours in WorkFront (the department's project management software system) to track and report design time and progress, provide updates, upload design proofs, manage workload and resolve issues.
• Creates and updates policy documents and processes relating to the design team, or as assigned.
• Manages records of design team hardware, and font and software licensing.
• Supports the team with troubleshooting technical issues.

Graphic Design - 30%

• Generates new ideas and execute top-level creative solutions from concept to finish.
• Adheres to and performs as a lead steward of the NAU brand's visual identity guidelines.
• Works collaboratively with Graphic Design Leads on large-scale campaigns.
• Acts as lead designer on high-visibility and high-profile design projects.
• Actively contributes to maintaining and enhancing the university brand's visual presence to strengthen the NAU brand.
• Stays current in industry trends.

General Leadership - 25%

• Collaborates with other Marketing team leads and teams to oversee design excellence reflected in all projects the team handles; ensure alignment and integration of all marketing materials with the university brand campaign from a visual communication perspective; maintain the university's visual identity system and standards; manage training opportunities for internal and external units; and to track and identify ways to streamline and measure team productivity and improve outcomes.
• Consults with internal and external organizations to ensure adherence to critical standards.
• Develops and nurtures intentional relationships with key university clients/stakeholders to promote teamwork and collaborate on design development across the institution.
• Understands and applies knowledge of appropriate handling of University's Marketing information and various marketing requests from all university units.
• Maintains currency in leadership trends and best practices, applying to all facets of leadership, from team supervision and culture to business innovation and impact.
• Demonstrates alignment with NAU's values and commitment to University Marketing's guiding principles.
• Applies team- and solution-oriented approaches to problem-solving; proactively identifies opportunities for tighter cross-team alignment on priorities, resources, process improvements, etc.
• Collaborates with other UM leaders by organizing strategic initiatives to support department-wide team- and morale-building efforts.
• As part of the departmental management team, identifies areas for department growth and improvement.
• Involved in hiring and on-boarding new employees.
• Serves on committees as required and delegated.
• May provide consulting and support for major institutional initiatives.

Other - 5%

• Performs other duties necessary for the effective operation of the department.

This position is a full-time, indoor office position with the potential of a flexible schedule. Occasionally this position requires over-time to cover specific deadlines.

Minimum Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in graphic design, visual communications, or related field.
• 2-4 years of relevant experience.
• 1-2 years of management or supervisory experience.
• A combination of related education, experience, and training may be used as an equivalent to the above educational requirements.

Preferred Qualifications

• At least 3 years of management experience.
• 7+ years of graphic design experience, including leading design efforts for large scale, high-visibility and high-profile marketing projects within a complex/large organization.

Knowledge, Skills, & Abilities

Knowledge

• Advanced knowledge of methods, techniques, and best practices in graphic design for marketing and communications.
• Advanced knowledge of creative tools and processes for various media, including relevant digital media applications.
• Advanced knowledge of university policies related to the university's visual identity and mission.
• A deep, technical knowledge of the complete design process from brainstorming to deliverable.
• Expert knowledge and experience of working within established institutional brands and related brand standards.
• Knowledge and experience of developing marketing collateral with an emphasis on working with diverse audiences and spanning across a variety of media.
• Knowledge of current ADA accessibility standards and requirements concerning design.
• Knowledge of advancements in visual design technologies, applications, and industry trends.

Skills

• Overseeing the day-to-day workflow and output of the design team.
• Prioritizing and assigning projects.
• Providing guidance and leadership on projects.
• Creating and implementing training and development resources as needed.
• Mentoring and guiding team members and motivating them to achieve their and your goals.
• Delegating project responsibilities among design team and ensuring the quality of work is being completed.
• Mastery and experience working within the Apple computer platform and operating system.
• Mastery of typical industry software applications, such as the Adobe Creative Cloud suite of products (to include InDesign, Photoshop, Illustrator, Acrobat and other related applications).
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite (Word, Excel, PowerPoint).
• Proficiency in using digital asset management systems.
• Strong oral and written communication skills.
• Attending, hosting and coordinating virtual and in-person team meetings.
• Preparing reports and summaries.

Abilities

• Ability and experience in leading and supervising the graphic design team.
• Proficiency in managing, prioritizing, and completing multiple projects under tight deadlines.
• Organizes and coordinates work within schedule constraints and handles emergent requirements in a timely manner.
• Pays close attention to detail in work productivity while remaining flexible for big picture/systems thinking.
• Demonstrates strong problem solving, organizational, and analytical capabilities.
• Delivers advanced presentation and design pitches.
• Learns and applies new techniques to work assignments.
• Works in a dynamic and collaborative team environment.
• Commitment to providing excellent customer service and desire to support the success of our students.
• Works effectively with people from a variety of culturally diverse backgrounds.
• Promotes a diverse, inclusive environment.

Background Information

Northern Arizona University requires satisfactory results for the following: a criminal background investigation, an employment history verification and a degree verification (in some cases) prior to employment. You may also be required to complete a fingerprint background check. Additionally, as an employer in the state of Arizona, NAU is required to participate in the federal E-Verify program that assists employers with verifying new employees' right to work in the United States. Finally, each year Northern Arizona University releases an Annual Security Report. The report is a result of a federal law known as the Clery Act. The report includes Clery reportable crime statistics for the three most recent completed calendar years and discloses procedures, practices and programs NAU uses to keep students and employees safe including how to report crimes or other emergencies occurring on campus. In addition, the Fire Safety Report is combined with the Annual Security Report for the NAU Flagstaff Mountain Campus as this campus has on-campus student housing. This report discloses fire safety policies and procedures related to on-campus student housing and statistics for fires that occurred in those facilities. If you would like a free paper copy of the report, please contact the NAUPD Records Department at (928) 523-8884 or by visiting the department at 525 E. Pine Knoll Drive in Flagstaff.

Salary

Anticipated salary range is $62,996 - $78,745. Annual salary commensurate with candidate's qualifications and related experience.

FLSA Status

This position is exempt from the overtime provisions of the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) and therefore will not earn overtime or compensatory time for additional time worked.

Benefits

This is a Service Professional (SPF) position. NAU offers an excellent benefit package including generous health, dental and vision insurance; participation in the Arizona State Retirement System or the Optional Retirement Program; 22 days of vacation and 10 holidays per year; and tuition reduction for employees and qualified dependents. More information on benefits at NAU is available on the Human Resources benefits website. NAU is a tobacco and smoke-free campus. Service Professionals are hired on a contract basis, renewable each 6 months according to terms of the Conditions of Professional Service. Employees offered a position will be eligible for state health plans (including NAU's BCBS Plan). New employees are eligible for benefits on the first day of the pay period following their enrollment, after their employment date. Employees will have 31 days from their start date to enroll in benefits. If a new employee chooses the ASRS retirement option, participation in the Arizona State Retirement System, and the long-term disability coverage that accompanies it, will begin on the first of the pay period following 6 months after the new employee's start date. New employees who choose to participate in the Optional Retirement Plan (ORP), which is an alternative to the ASRS plan for faculty and other appointed staff, will begin to participate on the first day of the pay period following election. Additionally, the long-term disability plan that accompanies the ORP will begin on the first day of the pay period following election.

Learning and Development

Your career at Northern Arizona University includes the opportunity for professional development. New employee on-boarding training includes courses to be completed within the first 30 days.

Immigration Suppt/Sponsorship

NAU will not provide any U.S. immigration support or sponsorship for this position.

Application Deadline

April 22, 2024 at 11:59 p.m.

How to Apply

To apply for this position, please click on the "Apply" button on this page. You must submit your application by clicking on the "Submit" button by midnight of the application deadline. If you need assistance completing your application there are instructions available on the Human Resources website or in person in the Human Resources Department located in Building 91 on the NAU Campus - on the corner of Beaver and DuPont Streets.

If you are an individual with a disability and need reasonable accommodation to participate in the hiring process, please contact the Disability Resources Office at 928-523-8773, DR@nau.edu, or PO Box 5633, Flagstaff AZ 86011.

Equal Employment Opportunity

Northern Arizona University is a committed Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Institution. Women, minorities, veterans and individuals with disabilities are encouraged to apply. NAU is responsive to the needs of dual career couples.

Know Your Rights Poster

NAU is an Employer of National Service. AmeriCorps, Peace Corps, and other National Service alumni are encouraged to apply.



To apply, visit https://hr.peoplesoft.nau.edu/psp/ph92prta/EMPLOYEE/HRMS/c/HRS_HRAM.HRS_APP_SCHJOB.GBL?Page=HRS_APP_JBPST&Action=U&FOCUS=Applicant&SiteId=1&JobOpeningId=607803&PostingSeq=1





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