Senior Designer

Background:

More than 80 years after Albert Einstein helped create the International Rescue Committee, the number and intensity of humanitarian crises across the globe warrant a dose of Einstein-inspired vision. Every month, nearly one million people flee their homes because of conflicts or natural disasters.

The Content & Creative team, a core part of Marketing & Mobilization, consists of award-winning creative specialists and idea partners, developing powerful communications and experiences to engage audiences and ultimately to deliver on External Relations ambitions and objectives. Using creative mediums such as visual design, video, stunts, and storytelling, we tap into the expertise and talents of colleagues throughout the organization.

Job Overview:

The Senior Designer is a key contributor to the Content and Creative Studio team in evolving and stewarding brand design, assets and rollout, and crafting compelling creative for digital and print. This person possesses a bold and modern design aesthetic with the ability to think and address creative challenges. The Senior Designer provides best practice, brand-aligned design feedback to teammates, conceptualizes and develops concepts for standout events and campaigns, and handles complex client interactions and design packages. This person works with the team and partners, ensures that creative is on-brand and consistent with the organization’s design and imagery guidelines, and improves processes and templates as needed. Under the leadership of the Associate Director of Design & UX, the Senior Designer contributes to the growth of the Design & UX team as a high performing, cohesive unit.

The job is fast paced – global emergencies happen without warning, and we need to respond quickly, thoughtfully, and in a voice that is uniquely IRC. The person best suited for this role will have a passionate interest for humanitarian causes, informed of world events as well as awareness for current design and marketing trends.

Major Responsibilities:

• Serve as a lead designer on key IRC moments/campaigns and on the team by providing best-practice conceptualization, critiques, assisting designers where needed, and reinforcing practices that increase team cohesion and performance.
• Craft creative solutions to address marketing, brand awareness and fundraising needs. Build materials that are visually engaging for donors, prospects and advocates.
• Conduct and lead design of digital and print projects, from conception to completion, including reports, marketing brochures, toolkits, social media assets, campaign collateral, social media content (including motion graphics) from the storyboard stage to completed animation and special projects as needed.
• Partner with domestic and international clients to conceptualize and implement compelling outstanding design, adjusting for local markets and languages.
• Initiate design project planning and execute projects to improve design performance and quality with domestic and international client departments.
• Lead, mentor and manage freelance and contract designers and other designers on the team, including on best practice design, critiques and projects.
• Implement the evolution of IRC’s brand through design concepts, market testing and by establishing or modifying style guides, design kits, graphic libraries and templates.
• Implement brand refresh design rollouts and maintenance
• Provide visual brand oversight to global markets ensuring the use of our brand identity meets or exceeds guidelines.
• Maintain brand consistency throughout all projects.
• Stay on track with emerging design trends and culture, attending events and engaging with the wider design community and report back to the team.
• Plus other assignments as needed by the Content & Creative Studio team.

Key Working Relationships:

Position Reports to: Associate Director, Design & UX

Other Internal and/or external contacts: The Senior Designer is part of the Design & UX function of the Content & Creative Studio. They will work directly with IRC collaborators (internal) and, where indicated, with IRC Partners (external).

Job Requirements:

• B.F.A. in design with over 6 years of professional brand and design experience; or equivalent combination of education and work experience
• Brand experience for international organizations.
• Expertise in Adobe Creative Suite
• Strong typographic ability
• An expert across various channels — both digital / motion / print
• Attention to details but the ability to think big picture
• The ability to challenge and push the design aesthetic, known for bringing new ideas
• A hands-on self-starter
• Demonstrate IRC values

The IRC and IRC workers must adhere to the values and principles outlined in IRC Way – Standards for Professional Conduct. These are Integrity, Service, and Accountability. In accordance with these values, the IRC operates and enforces policies on Beneficiary Protection from Exploitation and Abuse, Child Safeguarding, Anti Workplace Harassment, Fiscal Integrity, and Anti-Retaliation.

We are an equal opportunity employer and value diversity at our company. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, color, national origin, sex, gender, gender expression, sexual orientation, age, marital status, veteran status, or disability status. We will ensure that individuals with disabilities are provided reasonable accommodation to participate in the job application or interview process, to perform essential job functions, and to receive other benefits and privileges of employment. Please contact us to request accommodation.

US Benefits:

We offer a comprehensive and highly competitive set of benefits. In the US, these include: 10 sick days, 10 US holidays, 20-25 paid time off days (depending on role and tenure), medical insurance starting at $145 per month, dental starting at $7 per month, and vision starting at $5 per month, FSA for healthcare, childcare, and commuter costs, a 403b retirement savings plans with up to 4.5% immediately vested matching contribution, plus a 3-7% base IRC contribution (3 year vesting), disability & life insurance, and an Employee Assistance Program which is available to our staff and their families to support counseling and care in times of crisis and mental health struggles.

Posted pay ranges apply to US-based candidates. Ranges are based on various factors including the labor market, job type, internal equity and budget. Exact offers are calibrated by work location, individual candidate experience and skills relative to the defined job requirements.

COVID-19 Vaccination Requirement:

In accordance with IRC’s duty to provide and maintain a workplace that is free of known hazards and our commitment to safeguard the health of our employees, clients, and communities, IRC requires new hires to furnish proof of vaccination against COVID-19 in order to be considered for any in-office or hybrid positions. All IRC US offices require full vaccination to attend any in-office functions (e.g., meetings, trainings).