Brand & Design Specialist

Position Summary The Brand & Design Specialist leads the NC Collaboratory’s visual identity, ensuring complex research is translated into engaging, accessible, and high-impact materials across print, digital, video, and web platforms. Through graphic design, video production, editorial judgment, and strategic communication, the position strengthens stakeholder engagement and communicates research impact to policymakers, academic partners, and the public. Reporting to the Director of External Impact & Strategic Communications, the Specialist collaborates with Communications, Research, and Leadership teams to maintain a cohesive and professional visual presence. Deliverables include branded reports, digital collateral, video projects, website updates, and the quarterly newsletter, with an emphasis on consistency, accessibility, and audience alignment. Established by the North Carolina General Assembly in 2016, the Collaboratory connects UNC System research expertise with the practical needs of policymakers and communities.

Responsibilities

Branding & Graphic Design : Develop the Collaboratory’s visual branding by creating high-impact digital and print materials that support research priorities, elevate leadership visibility, and ensure consistency across all public facing assets. Manage collaborative design projects, produce print and digital assets, create editorial-aligned graphics, and oversee brand and asset management.

Video Production : Lead the Collaboratory’s video storytelling by producing dynamic content that communicates research, leadership, and organizational impact. Include concept development, storyboarding, filming and editing, motion graphics, and other enhancements to produce videos from short clips to long-form features.

Website Development & Content Management : Manage and optimize the Collaboratory’s website to keep content current, accurate, and aligned with strategic goals. Responsibilities include content publishing and optimization, coordinating technical updates with IT, refreshing site pages, improving navigation and user experience, and integrating regular research updates.

Qualifications

Minimum Education and Experience : Master’s or Bachelor’s degree and 0-2 years’ experience; or a combination of related education and experience in substitution.

Required Qualifications, Competencies, and Experience :

Professional experience in visual communications, graphic design, video production, or related creative fields.

Proficiency in Adobe Creative Suite (Photoshop, Illustrator, InDesign) or comparable design software, and video editing tools such as Premiere Pro, Final Cut Pro, or After Effects for producing and editing short and long-form video content for web, social media, and events.

Familiarity with web content management systems, such as WordPress.

Ability to translate complex research into clear visual and video storytelling while maintaining consistent branding across digital, print, video, and social media.

Strong attention to detail, creative problem-solving skills, and the ability to manage multiple projects, priorities, and deadlines.

Ability to collaborate effectively with research teams, leadership, and external stakeholders, and to contribute to both independent and team-based video production, including pre-production, filming, and postproduction.

Demonstrated ability to create high-quality design assets, including reports, presentations, infographics, social media graphics, and video content.

Proven ability to manage multiple creative projects from concept through delivery while maintaining brand consistency.

Preferred Qualifications

Knowledge of best practices in video production workflows, including lighting, sound, and editing techniques for professional quality output. Ability to weave visual and video storytelling into organizational narratives that maximize policy impacts and public visibility.

Advanced proficiency in Adobe Creative Suite, including motion graphics, animation, and video editing in tools like After Effects or Premiere. Strong understanding of design theory, including typography, color, layout, and composition, with the ability to apply it across diverse platforms.

Familiarity with SEO and web analytics tools to optimize content performance and audience engagement.

Experience designing and leading integrated, multi-format communications or visual campaigns that align with strategic messaging and managing complex, multi-channel projects with multiple stakeholders and tight timelines.

Ability to anticipate communications needs and proactively create solutions that strengthen institutional visibility.

Experience designing visual assets for research, academic, or policy-focused audiences at the state, national, or international level. Progressive experience producing and editing videos for academic, research, or policy contexts, including interviews, event coverage, and explainer videos.

Prior experience in higher education, nonprofit, or government settings, with the ability to adapt design and messaging for varied stakeholders.

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