Non-Exempt Position

Reports To: Chief Communications & People Officer

SUMMARY

The Marketing & Graphic Design Specialist will perform a multitude of marketing functions related to the Marketing & Communications Department, and contribute to existing marketing functions while assisting with the development of new initiatives that align with the organization’s goals. The position will be responsible for developing and implementing marketing and advertising campaigns; strategically managing UACDC’s brand presence, driving engagement, and achieving marketing goals on the organization’s social media platforms; photographing organizational events and cataloging images; coordinating & proofing video projects; assisting in the coordination of organizational publicity & media efforts; and staying on top of industry trends while helping to strategize and implement marketing, branding and advertising plans.

The position may also be asked to collaborate on special projects and assignments as needed. The position requires a strong blend of creativity, advanced graphic design skills, a strategic approach to design, a critical design eye, analytical thinking, strategy development, customer relationship management, and a strong emphasis on creating high-quality, branded, and performance-driven visual content. The position will be responsible for time sensitive material in an environment where professionalism and competence are of paramount importance. The position will assist in accomplishing everything from mundane, simple tasks to providing significant support and value on key projects and programs within the organization.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

Core duties and responsibilities include the following:

• Demonstrates understanding of the organization’s mission and strategic plans;
• Maintains and evolves the visual identity of UACDC’s brand by creating high-end materials for digital and print campaigns that reinforce brand positioning and messaging. This includes complex and polished materials such as presentations, promotional booklets, brochures, flyers, infographics, newsletters, event support materials, digital graphics, logos and other materials as needed;
• Develops creative, compelling and engaging social media posts (images, videos, infographics, articles, etc.), tailored to UACDC’s brand and target audiences;
• Curates social media content by selecting and sharing relevant third-party content that aligns with UACDC’s brand and values;
• Plans and schedules posts across social media channels to maintain a consistent online presence;
• Responds to social media comments & messages by interacting with followers, addressing their inquiries, and building a community around the UACDC brand;
• Engages with social media followers by liking, commenting, and sharing user-generated content to build a loyal fan base and foster organizational partnerships;
• Sets up and manages paid social media campaigns (e.g.: Facebook Ads, Instagram Ads, LinkedIn Ads, etc.), targeting UACDC audience segments and optimizing for key performance indicators (KPIs);
• Monitors social media metrics by analyzing engagement rates, impressions, reach, click-throughs, conversion rates, and other relevant KPIs;
  Tracks social media performance by using tools like Google Analytics, Facebook Insights, or other third-party platforms to assess campaign performance and make adjustments as needed;
• Stays updated on emerging social media trends, tools, and best practices to ensure the UACDC brand remains competitive and relevant, including monitoring competitor and partner social media platforms to identify opportunities and gaps;
• Coordinates with Chief Communications & People Officer and contracted Publicist to execute media strategy & organizational publicity efforts;
• Assists in coordinating production of organizational video projects via contracted videographer;
• Tracks organizational grant requirements as they pertain to organizational marketing materials to ensure funder compliance;
• Compiles monthly performance reports on multiple platforms for business metrics dashboard and uses the data to refine strategies and improve results;
• Coordinates and executes digital marketing schedule (eblasts and texts) via Constant Contact and maintains target recipient lists;
• Keeps promotional collateral and marketing products ready by coordinating with third-party vendors, drafting proofs, keeping stock of inventory stock, placing orders and verifying receipt;
• Coordinates marketing display at special events and manages use of display items cross-departmentally;
• Creates and orders staff & Board name tags and staff business cards;
• Maintain current and creates new staff email signatures;
• Composes and maintains digital slides for community center and Uptown Sky display screens;
• Photographs organizational events, initiatives and programmatic efforts, edits photos as needed for quality, and maintains electronic catalogue of image files;
• Ensures data integrity and quality for bulk postal mailing lists;
• Assists with special events planning and execution as necessary;
• Updates skillset and job knowledge by participating in educational opportunities & organizational trainings;
• Accomplishes organization goals by accepting new and different requests, and exploring opportunities to add value to the organization;
• Establishes accessible and supportive relationships with UACDC personnel, Board members and/or guests of the organization;
• Professionally represents UACDC to a variety of audiences and interacts effectively with external constituencies.

OCCASIONAL DUTIES

Participates in staff duties for internal & external programs and events.

ACCOUNTABILITY

Quality Control, Customer Service, Record Keeping, Data Integrity.

SUPERVISORY RESPONSIBILITIES

This position has no supervisory responsibilities.

COMPETENCIES

To perform the job successfully, an individual should demonstrate the following competencies:

• Customer-Centric Approach – Sub competencies: Customer Orientation – Sensitive & responsive to internal and external customer needs; Demonstrates skills in customer service and satisfaction; Maintains a positive attitude; Takes initiative to seek solutions; Stays in tune with changing needs of the customer.
• Interpersonal Style – Sub competencies: Interpersonal Skills, Communication and Teamwork – Relates to people in an open, honest, sincere manner; Treats people with respect; Develops effective working relationships; Is friendly and approachable; Listens attentively to others; Communicates ideas clearly; Communicates appropriately with supervisor and co-workers.
• Self-Management – Sub competencies: Adaptability, Reliability, Dependability, Self Sufficiency, and Composure – Adapts readily to change; Organized multi-tasker; Works effectively under stress; Needs minimal supervision; Is comfortable working in a fast-paced environment; Is reliable, dependable & results-oriented; Maintains productivity & composure under pressure; Handles many diverse projects at once and meets tight deadlines; Views problems as opportunities to create new solutions.
• Critical Thinking – Sub competencies: Conflict Resolution, Problem Solving, Collaboration, and Judgment – Diagnoses problems quickly and efficiently; Deals with conflict collaboratively and gathers sufficient input before determining a plan of action; Discusses real reasons underlying the problem; Analyzes alternative solutions and works toward win/win solutions.
• Administrative Skills – Sub competencies: Detail Orientation, Planning & Organizing – Possesses ability to organize, plan and follow-through on multiple tasks; Recognizes and attends to important details with accuracy and efficiency; Effectively prioritizes workload; Establishes clear goals, tasks and plans.
• Motivation & Initiative – Sub competencies: Ethical, Professional, and Persuasive – Shows commitment to the company and employees. Assertive, takes a lead role. Creates new ideas. Exhibits self-confidence, is achievement oriented has the Ability to be persuasive & is an effective negotiator.
• Planning & Organization – Sub competencies: Detail Oriented, Ability to Multi-task, Prioritizes & is Goal Oriented – Ability to organize, prioritize plans and follow-through on multiple projects, deadlines, and priorities, ensuring assets are delivered on time. Recognizes and attends to important details with accuracy and efficiency. Maintains precision in all aspects of design, ensuring that work produced is high-quality and consistent across platforms. Effectively anticipates potential problems & analyzes alternative solutions.
• Technical Aptitude/Proficiency – Sub competencies: Learning Proficiency – Picks up technical tasks/procedures quickly (i.e. learning new software); Proficient in learning new industry standards and/or practices; Adheres to policy and/or procedure; Does well in technical courses, electronic training or reading technical materials to master a software package or skillset.

BUSINESS RELATED CONTACTS

Internal and external clients, organization personnel and third-party vendors.

QUALIFICATIONS

To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill and/or ability required. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

• A minimum of 5 years graphic design experience.*Qualified candidates will be required to submit a design portfolio and complete a graphic design assessment.
• Extensive knowledge of design principles, including layout, typography, color theory, and branding guidelines to create visually appealing and on-brand content.
• Multi-faceted experience with Adobe Creative Suite; advanced knowledge of InDesign, Illustrator and Photoshop is a must; experience with Premiere Pro is a plus.
• A deep understanding of branding expertise and visual storytelling – ability to use images, videos, and other visual media to convey a compelling brand message and create engaging marketing materials that resonate with audiences.
• Comprehensive knowledge of how to leverage social platforms to engage audiences, grow followers, run ads, and analyze performance metrics.
• Ability to conceptualize, implement, and analyze email campaigns that drive engagement, conversions, and retention; vast understanding of Constant Contact is a must.
• Ample knowledge of basic photography techniques, with the ability to capture key moments at organizational events, programmatic initiatives, and partner engagements, ensuring to highlight the brand’s involvement and overall atmosphere through quality images. Photos taken will be used in a variety of print and digital materials including brochures, advertisements, email marketing, and social media. Understanding what kind of shots are needed for these assets is crucial.
• Proficiency Adobe Photoshop for post-processing, which may include cropping, color correction, sharpening, retouching, and applying filters that enhance the image, with an vast understanding of how to optimize photos for various print and digital platforms.
• Strong writing and proofing skills with a detailed and critical eye for design.
• Profound ability to juggle multiple tasks, meet deadlines, work independently and prioritize marketing initiatives while maintaining attention to detail and quality.
• Ability to think critically and creatively to overcome obstacles and develop solutions to marketing challenges that arise during campaigns.
• Ability to think outside the box, experimenting with new approaches and strategies to capture attention, increase engagement, and differentiate the brand, while continuously adapting to an ever-evolving marketing landscape.
• A team player who works cooperatively with all levels.

EDUCATION AND/OR EXPERIENCE

BA in marketing, advertising, graphic design, communication or other related field with minimum of 5 years marketing & graphic design experience. Prior work experience in a non-profit organization is an added plus. Combination of creative, analytical, and technical abilities, as well as strong communication and collaboration skills. Ability to create, optimize, and analyze marketing campaigns while continuously adapting to new tools, technologies, and market trends to drive business growth. Strong understanding of standard marketing and graphic design concepts, practices and procedures, with a keen eye for design. Relies on experience and judgment to plan and accomplish goals. Excellent computer skills in all MS Office applications (including Word, Excel, Outlook and PowerPoint) and Adobe Creative Suite applications (including InDesign, Illustrator, Photoshop and Acrobat). Proficiency in digital photography and post-processing. Multi-tasking, problem solving, prioritization, organization and collaboration skills. Excellent proof reading and quality control abilities, along with strong time management capacity.

LANGUAGE SKILLS

Ability to read, analyze, and interpret general business correspondence, technical procedures, and safety rules. Ability to write reports, business correspondence, and procedure manuals. Ability to effectively present information and respond to questions from groups of managers, clients, customers, and the general public. Bilingual proficiency (particularly Spanish) is an added plus.

MATHEMATICAL SKILLS

Ability to apply mathematical concepts.

REASONING ABILITY

Ability to define problems, collect data, establish facts, and draw valid conclusions. Ability to interpret a variety of technical instructions and deal with several abstract and concrete variables.

COMPUTER SKILLS

To perform this job successfully, an individual should have proficient knowledge of design software (Adobe Creative Suite), social media applications, and the Microsoft Office Suite.

OTHER QUALIFICATIONS

• Willingness to participate in occasional evening and weekend activities.
• Some local travel required; must have reliable transportation.

PHYSICAL DEMANDS

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to sit; use hands to finger, handle, or feel; reach with hands and arms and talk or hear. The employee is occasionally required to stand, walk, climb, balance, stoop, kneel, crouch or crawl. The employee must regularly lift and/or move up to 10 pounds, frequently lift and/or move up to 25 pounds and occasionally lift and/or move up to 50 pounds.

Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, distance vision, color vision, peripheral vision, depth perception and ability to adjust focus.

WORK ENVIRONMENT

This is a full-time, in-office position, with the possibility of working remotely up to two (2) days per week upon successful completion of a 90-day probationary period . The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. While performing the duties of this job, the employee is occasionally exposed to outdoor weather conditions.

The noise level in the work environment is usually moderate.

Disclaimer: Job descriptions are not meant to be all-inclusive and the job itself is subject to change. Nothing in this job description restricts management’s right to assign or reassign duties and responsibilities to this job at any time due to reasonable accommodation or other reasons.

University Area Community Development Corporation, Inc. is an Equal Opportunity Employer. University Area Community Development Corporation, Inc. does not discriminate applicants or employees for terms of employment on the basis of race, creed, color, ethnicity, national origin, ancestry, religion, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, genetic information, familial status, marital status, pregnancy, age, disability status, veteran status or any other terms prohibited under county ordinance, state or federal law.

We are a drug free workplace!