Senior Multimedia Graphic Designer - University Advancement

Are you ready to transform lives through academic excellence, innovative research, strong community partnerships, and economic opportunity? Kennesaw State University is one of the 50 largest public institutions in the country, offering more than 190 undergraduate, graduate, and doctoral degrees to over 50,000 students. Our entrepreneurial spirit, high-impact research, and Division I athletics draw students from the region and more than 100 countries. We are part of the University System of Georgia.

Our Kennesaw campus is located at 1000 Chastain Road NW, Kennesaw, GA 30144. Our Marietta campus is located at 1100 South Marietta Parkway, Marietta, GA 30060.

About the Role

Leads efforts to conceptualize and produce graphic elements for all forms of communication and marketing produced in the college. Holds primary responsibility for the creative development, design, production management, and administration of graphics for print and digital media, including animation and video editing when appropriate. Develops, implements, and analyzes the effectiveness of social media campaigns across all platforms. Serves as the primary point of contact for the college in liaising with KSU's Office of Strategic Communication to ensure all graphic products meet the University's visual identity and brand standards.

Responsibilities

• Develops creative design concepts and direction for marketing campaigns, social media graphics, event and conference materials, and digital, interactive, and print brochures.
• Creates campaigns, designs visuals, disseminates through all social media platforms, and studies analytics to determine effectiveness.
• Designs creative graphic approaches to establish consistent identity for marketing materials for multiple, ongoing programs and initiatives.
• Ensures all graphic elements align with the University's visual identity and brand standards through close coordination with the Office of Strategic Communication.
• Conceptualizes and creates video content and animation to support communication and marketing initiatives.
• Identifies and integrates new technologies and approaches to support client and project goals.
• Photographs events and individuals to build and maintain a digital asset library for marketing and communication initiatives.
• Directs print and promotional materials production from design and file setup to pre-press, color print, finishing, ordering, and delivery.
• May oversee students or other staff members working on graphic design elements.
• Coordinates with department team members to ensure a collaborative approach and addresses project scope gaps or overlaps.
• Addresses challenges to project success with recommendations for solutions in a timely manner.

Requirements

• High school diploma or equivalent.
• Five (5) years of related work experience.

Qualifications

• Knowledge of higher education branding, advancement communications, nonprofit marketing, audience-focused storytelling, and accessibility best practices.
• Knowledge of developing integrated creative campaigns across print, digital, social, and multimedia platforms.
• Advanced understanding of visual design principles, brand strategy, emerging digital engagement practices, and creative production workflows.
• Able to translate institutional priorities, advancement initiatives, and philanthropic goals into compelling visual communications.
• Strong collaboration, project management, and problem-solving skills with the ability to partner with leadership, campus stakeholders, and vendors.
• Thorough knowledge of Adobe Creative Cloud suite (Photoshop, InDesign, Illustrator, Acrobat, Premiere Pro, Premiere Rush, After Effects).
• Thorough knowledge of social media platforms (Instagram, X, Facebook, LinkedIn) and associated tools (Buffer, Hootsuite).
• Extensive knowledge of graphic design principles.
• Excellent interpersonal, initiative, teamwork, problem-solving, independent judgment, organization, communication (verbal and written), time management, project management, and presentation skills.
• Excellent attention to detail, outstanding proofreading, and follow-up skills.
• Proficient with computer applications and programs associated with the position (e.g., Microsoft Office suite).
• Strong customer service skills and phone and email etiquette.

Preferred Qualifications

• Undergraduate or advanced degree from an accredited institution of higher education in a related field.
• Experience in higher education, advancement, fundraising, nonprofit, or mission-driven communications.
• Portfolio demonstrating expertise in integrated campaigns, digital and print communications, publication design, branding, and multimedia storytelling.
• Experience managing creative projects, mentoring designers, and collaborating with stakeholders in a brand-driven environment.

Skills

• Able to compromise as well as advocate for own ideas.
• Able to follow up on tasks and shepherd projects through to completion on schedule.
• Able to balance original creative design concepts with KSU brand standards and guidelines.
• Able to create engaging headlines, taglines, and titles to support graphic campaigns that are creative without being cliché.
• Able to effectively prioritize responsibilities.
• Able to adjust communication styles to best meet the needs of internal and external clients (e.g., faculty, staff, students, donors).
• Adept at presenting multiple design options and explaining design decisions to senior staff for review and feedback.
• Able to handle multiple tasks or projects at one time meeting assigned deadlines without negatively impacting quality of results.
• Able to visually communicate intended messages to a range of audiences through a variety of media including print and digital ad campaigns (e.g., e-books, e-newsletters, posters, fliers, magazines).

Pay

The budgeted salary range is $56,720 to $68,000 per year. Offers are based on relevant experience.

Benefits

• Comprehensive benefits including Medical, Dental, Vision.
• 13 paid holidays.
• Vacation.
• Generous retirement plans.
• Tuition waiver.
• Wellness options.