Senior Specialist, Graphic Design

Position overview

The Senior Specialist, Graphic Design (SSGD) is a hands-on creative manager responsible for producing high-quality visual design across client and agency initiatives. This position emphasizes strong layout, typography and visual systems thinking. The SSGD is accountable for graphic execution, consistency and delivery of materials, and includes the development of visual systems, campaign assets, presentations and digital collateral, largely within an established creative direction and strategy for each assignment. Working in partnership with content, engagement and account management professionals, the Senior Specialist, Graphic Design brings strong judgment and craft to execution while helping ensure clarity, accessibility and cohesion across all visual work.

This is a part-time role with expectations for 26 scheduled working hours each week, Mondays through Fridays during traditional business hours. This role requires in-office, client-site and/or off-site presence three days a week. The role reports to a Director. Its progressive roles are Manager, Senior Manager and Supervisor. The role earns paid vacation and sick time off, transit benefits and access to a 401(k) program with a 3% employer-match upon eligibility

Position details

The Senior Specialist, Graphic Design leads the development and execution of high-quality visual assets across digital and print platforms, ensuring alignment with established creative direction and content strategy. This role supports the client services team by developing visual systems, campaign assets, presentations, and digital collateral. Working alongside writers, a videographer, and other content professionals, the Senior Specialist advances clear, accessible, and cohesive visual storytelling across the agency's core areas and 5-7 concurrent projects. The Senior Specialist is expected to deliver projects on schedule and within budget, closes projects with production-ready documentation. Key responsibilities include developing cohesive visual systems for major campaigns; leading layout for complex, text-heavy materials; producing long-form publications (e.g., annual reports and toolkits) free of post-production errors; supporting brand and website initiatives; and designing event and presentation materials as needed. The Senior Specialist also will review work created by junior designers, collaborate with videography partners to ensure visual alignment, present their work to decision-makers, maintain organized digital files. This role requires daily time-entry compliance.

Role-specific qualifications

Six or more years of professional graphic design experience
Strong portfolio demonstrating excellence in layout, typography and visual hierarchy
Advanced proficiency in Adobe Creative Cloud, including InDesign, Illustrator and Photoshop
Strong working knowledge or presentation tools such as Microsoft PowerPoint Miro and Google Slides
Demonstrated experience designing both digital and print materials
Proven ability to work efficiently within established creative direction
Strong communication skills and comfort collaborating across teams
Experience working in an agency or multi-client environment
Familiarity with accessibility standards for visual design
Working knowledge of website and digital design best practices
Experience mentoring or reviewing work for junior designers
Basic familiarity with motion or video adjacent design workflows
General employee expectations Devote your business time and attention, your best efforts, and your skill and ability to promote the interests of the agency and its overall service to its clients
Carry out your duties in a diligent, competent, faithful and professional manner, subject to all established agency policies and procedures
Work with other employees of the agency in a competent and professional manner, adhering to all company policies, workplace rules, agency values, customs and courtesies to create and sustain a healthy work environment for everyone
Contribute to the maintenance of client databases and project summaries
Support agency marketing by writing and preparing case studies, blog content and award submissions, networking at and supporting industry activities, and sharing social media content
Consistently demonstrate self-motivation, ability to be self-directed and organizational skills
Seek and/or receive professional development opportunities that fit your role & level
Manage all tasks assigned with ethics and accuracy
Consistently demonstrate excellent reading and writing skills, following Chicago A.P. Style and standard American English grammar guidelines (unless client-specific style guidelines prevail)
Schedule and participate in internal, external, in-office and off-site meetings
Have and maintain a high level of proficiency with Office 365 products (Word, Excel and PowerPoint, especially) and other relevant software programs to execute and safeguard the creative products of the agency and its clients
Utilize agency-provided project management software and tools to track work, track productivity and meet deadlines
Comfort with the use of the telephone to call and speak with people unknown to you to provide and gather information, ask questions and clarify information
Read and acknowledge agency memos, notices and materials relevant to your employment within two weeks of publication
Ensure good fiscal management of the agency's lines of credit, credit cards and vendor accounts
Be able to take on work-related physical, mental and environmental demands that include
Tolerance for prolonged and continuous stationary periods at a desk/computer
Ability to move throughout and in/out of the office and other buildings
Ability to push, pull, lift and/or move up to 20 pounds
Ability to operate controls for computers and other equipment
Ability to participate in virtual meetings on camera
Ability to travel within the Chicagoland region by public transit or private car
Ability to work occasional evening and/or weekend hours, generally with at least 24 hours of notice, for community-based, community-focused and/or industry-focused events