University of Rochester Advancement · 23 hours ago
Sr Creative and Design Specialist
Wallis Hall
Full-time
Onsite
Mid, Senior Level
$70K/yr - $105K/yr
4+ years expThe University of Rochester is dedicated to fostering a culture of inclusivity and excellence. They are seeking a Senior Creative and Design Specialist to lead creative solutions for marketing and communications, manage design projects, and mentor junior staff while ensuring alignment with brand guidelines.
Higher Education
Responsibilities
Serves as the creative solutions lead for University Marketing and Communications and institutional partners, offering creative leadership, delivering innovative design, that elevates brand impact and meets strategic goals
This role functions as both a hands-on designer and a consulting partner, working directly with colleagues across the university to understand needs, provide expert guidance, and develop compelling creative solutions
Establishes, maintains, and manages creative asset libraries and standards for marketing campaigns and initiatives
Manages resources and relationships across the University to ensure alignment of creative strategies in accordance with University brand guidelines
Proactively identifies areas for greater coordination and partners with stakeholders throughout the University when tailored solutions are required
Manages junior team member(s) and leads relationships and production with bench of freelancers and vendors— ensuring work aligns with institutional branding, voice, and values
A problem-solver, strategic-thinker and leader who translates big-picture marketing strategies to implementable, scalable creative solutions
A dot-connector who understands how creative and marketing efforts work together to build our brand, this role ensures projects stay on-time and on-budget while managing relationships and mobilizing resources to meet goals
Provides counsel and recommendations to the Creative Director and AVP of Marketing as needed
Leads the design and production of creative solutions projects across a variety of channels (digital, print, social, etc.)
Balances creative excellence with functionality, accessibility, and brand alignment
Advises institutional partners on brand guidelines and how creative can support broader business goals
Serves as primary point of contact for internal partners requiring design solutions
Identifies opportunities and challenges and offers creative solutions
Provides strategic counsel to marketing communications colleagues, and leads response to creative questions and project requests from the broader university community
Serves as administrator for Marq brand management system and trademark and licensing system, reviews and approves work from University partners and vendors, troubleshoots, and continually develops new solutions to ensure brand compliance and creative effectiveness
Maintains strong client relationships and sets clear expectations on timelines, deliverables, and process in collaboration with the project manager
Serves as member of creative leadership team
Supervises and/or mentors junior creative staff member(s), freelancers, and vendors, providing guidance, feedback, and strategic lens
Delegates tasks while supporting professional growth and high-quality outcomes
Leads and maintains relationships and communication with a bench of freelance designers and vendors, ensuring brand guidelines are followed and products are compliant
In partnership with departmental leadership and the HR Business Partner as appropriate, manages all HR needs of direct report(s), including hiring, onboarding, goal setting, conducting performance reviews, engaging in professional development, and managing performance
Works closely with Marketing, Strategic Integrated Communications, Content Strategy, and Digital teams to advance the development of integrated campaigns
Synthesizes project and creative briefs developed by University Marketing and Communications colleagues and creates innovative solutions
Act directs and manages logistics for brand-aligned multimedia photo and video shoots
Actively leads and contributes to creative planning discussions, collaborative problem-solving, and asset production/delivery across departments, schools, and units
Ensures internal teams, external partners, and vendors/freelancers adhere to brand guidelines and provides training/guidance as needed
Creates and advances multiple suites of brand-aligned, accessible templates for use by university partners, elevating the work of colleagues without traditional design training or backgrounds and enabling better efficiencies and alignment
Advocates for consistent visual and messaging standards while pushing creative boundaries
Offers expertise on design trends, tools, and techniques that enhance the institution’s visual storytelling
Manages multiple projects with varying scope and complexity, ensuring they are delivered on time and within scope
Collaborates with project manager on complex, multidisciplinary projects
Evolves project management tools, systems, and practices to stay organized, transparent, and competitive
Qualification
Required
Bachelor's degree required
4 years of professional graphic design experience required
or equivalent combination of education and experience required
A deep appreciation for the power of creativity and a keen understanding of what resonates with audiences required
Proficiency in conceptual creative problem solving, strategic integrated design systems, and graphic design. An understanding of design principles, typography, and color theory required
Knowledge of project management. High level of organization, attention to detail, and problem-solving skills required
Ability to execute on multiple campaigns, administrative projects, and competing priorities with minimal supervision required
Ability to translate strategic plan concepts into creative direction to yield effective and engaging tactical solutions required
Effective, confident communicator and presenter with excellent interpersonal, collaborative, and written and verbal communication skills required
Ability to work effectively with cross-functional teams and influence stakeholders at all levels required
A willingness to embrace change, learn new technologies, and stay curious about the evolving marketing landscape required
Mastery of Adobe Creative Suite (InDesign, Illustrator, Photoshop, Acrobat, etc.) with proficiency in a Mac OS X workspace required
Knowledge of, or the ability to learn, digital coding and design required
Understanding of how visual assets work together to visually communicate important information required
Strategic thinking, ability to understand client needs and provide counsel on design solutions required
Knowledge of best design practices for multi-media materials, understanding of production processes for both multi-media projects required
Knowledge of brand strategy and ability to manage a complex identity system and brand architecture for a large, diverse institution required
Preferred
Knowledge of HIPAA privacy rules and HIPAA consent authorization process, and organizational policies for protecting patient privacy and other confidential information preferred
Experience with creating design systems and assets for strategic marketing and communications campaigns with proven results preferred
Ability to provide context and/or reshape material as needed preferred
Experience supervising, mentoring, or influencing colleagues, project contributors, or independent contractors preferred
Company
University of Rochester Advancement
The University of Rochester, one of the nation’s top private research universities, has built a national caliber advancement program in support of the largest campaign in the University’s history.
201-500 employees
Funding
Current Stage
Growth StageCompany data provided by crunchbase