Production Graphic Designer
Description
The Communications Department is seeking a smart, energetic, proactive, flexible, patient, detail-obsessed, and easy-to-get-along-with individual to produce documents (books and reports), collateral materials (brochures and flyers), PowerPoint presentations, and web graphics using Adobe Creative Suite and Microsoft Office. Generally, the person in this position will use pre-existing templates and designs to produce products, however a keen design eye and hand is required to successfully adapt existing templates to new content or to use an established look and feel to create new products.
The production graphic designer will also serve as the agency’s resident expert in creating documents and graphics that are accessible to everyone, following federal section 508 compliance guidelines (under the American with Disabilities Act) and also relevant state-specific requirements. As such, this individual will also be responsible for answering questions and training staff across the agency on how to make their documents accessible. In addition, given the ever-changing accessibility landscape, the person will need to stay abreast of changes to various state or federal requirements, as well as to evolving best practices and any new technologies that could assist us in our efforts.
Responsibilities
- Create documents in a variety of different applications, using and adapting existing templates
- Create documents or graphics that reflect an existing design, brand, or identity
- Ensure that all documents and graphics, when required, strictly adhere to accessibility requirements (federal, state, or other funder guidelines)
- Be the in-house expert and agency point person for all matters related to accessibility, answering questions and training staff as needed
- Ensure consistency within and across designed pieces
- Be responsible for inputting — and closely checking accuracy of input — all proofer edits and comments once they have been checked by an editor
- Confer with relevant author or editor about any editorial question that might arise in production process
- Create and prepare digital images for our website and various social media platforms
- Collaborate closely with WestEd Design Director, graphic designers, marketing team members, and editorial staff
- Prepare final press-ready files based on supplied specifications
- Make various formats of supplied artwork production-ready and resolve any artwork issues that arise during production
- Provide image retouching, clipping paths, and additional image manipulation
- Prepare and package files for release to printers
- Create PDFs for print and client review
- Conduct press checks, when needed
- Catalog and reference art for future projects, by creating or maintaining archives in Box, our cloud-based document storage platform
- Follow development timelines to ensure tasks are being completed on time
- Troubleshoot problems as they arise with both the creative team and/or the printer
- Provide ad hoc design and layout support to project staff across the agency
Qualifications
- Advanced knowledge of and proficiency in Adobe Creative Suite applications, including InDesign, Photoshop, Illustrator, and Acrobat.
- Advanced knowledge and proficiency in Microsoft Word and PowerPoint
- Advanced knowledge of and experience with creating accessible documents/graphics and ensuring the accessibility of existing documents
- Working knowledge of HTML
- Excellent oral and written communication skills
- Superior attention to detail
- Strong organizational skills
- Ability to problem-solve, think creatively, and seek out and apply new technology solutions
- Demonstrated ability to coordinate, organize, and complete work around multiple tasks and multiple deadlines with a variety of different staff members
- Ability to perform duties with moderate independence, to take appropriate initiative
- Flexibility to adjust work time occasionally if needed for purposes of meeting a deadline
- Familiarity with the field of education is an added bonus
- 3 years or more of production experience, including experience with creating accessible documents
- Minimum of bachelor’s degree required
This position is at a WestEd grade level of E. Compensation is competitive, depending on experience.
*Note: Visa sponsorship is not available for this position. Successful candidates must be authorized to work in the United States.
Equal Opportunity Employer/Protected Veterans/Individuals with Disabilities
The contractor will not discharge or in any other manner discriminate against employees or applicants because they have inquired about, discussed, or disclosed their own pay or the pay of another employee or applicant. However, employees who have access to the compensation information of other employees or applicants as a part of their essential job functions cannot disclose the pay of other employees or applicants to individuals who do not otherwise have access to compensation information, unless the disclosure is (a) in response to a formal complaint or charge, (b) in furtherance of an investigation, proceeding, hearing, or action, including an investigation conducted by the employer, or (c) consistent with the contractor’s legal duty to furnish information. 41 CFR 60-1.35(c)