Senior Designer, Design Communications

Job Description

Position Title: Senior Graphic Designer, Design Communications
Primary Location: Kalamazoo Design Center
Reports to: Sr. Manager, Design Communications
Summary
Design Communications is focused on visualizing stories and programs for Newell Brands Design.
Additionally, we provide consult and conceptual development for Newell Brands corporate and Business Unit programs in partnership with Corporate Communications.
With a digital first focus moving forward, our design communications are developed for both internal and external audiences. They are translated into branded experiences and shared across digital, print, event, and environmental applications.
The scope of our work is broad and far reaching. We employ an inclusive contributor network and ongoing partnerships to develop authentic content, reflective of our Design culture.
Sr Designer: Idea driving conceptual thinker who excels at translating design strategy into creative solutions within an established corporate identity. Conceptual problem solver able to research, visualize concepts and communicate clear design intent through compelling design solutions and implementation. Ability to operate on a strategic level to develop best-in-class graphic design and storytelling across multiple platforms and applications.
Responsibilities:
• Write and/or review creative brief content and provide appropriate input to ensure information is understood & actionable prior to design work
• Execute the visual articulation (style and tone) of brand strategy, initiatives, objectives and goals through best-in-class design solutions
• Lead brainstorming sessions with cross-functional design teams and synthesize outcomes into concepts that can apply effectively and memorably to initiatives or campaigns.
• Project and resource management.
• Effectively present creative concepts to internal teams, with thoughtful rationale
• Maintain knowledge of creative marketing trends, best practices and new technologies
• Execute and apply visual brand language and voice to maintain the Newell Brands corporate identity across final deliverables; ensuring consistency with brand positioning
• Prepare final assets according to specific print production guidelines at high levels of accuracy, efficiency and replication. File management and organization on Design Communications Dropbox.
• System management for ongoing content development, management and sharing
• Collaborate with cross-functional peers to share best design practices across the organization
• Make proactive recommendations to streamline & improve creative processes
• Thorough understanding of, or ability to collaborate with category experts on writing, printing, digital and environmental graphics to ensure outcomes deliver effectively against design intent
• Mentor fellow Designers through meaningful critiques and other opportunities to share design knowledge and experience
• Complies with current NWL workflow systems & processes and makes proactive
recommendations to streamline & simplify as needed
• Collaborates with Design Coordinators and Managers to prioritize and schedule projects accordingly
Qualifications:
• University degree or college diploma in graphic design, art or related field. Bachelor degree preferred.
• 5-7+ years of experience in a creative/graphic design position.
• Experience in the creative development and related executions for a brand.
• Highly detail-oriented. Strong organizational skills.
• Discern and deliver appropriate content for internal vs external audiences.
• Passionate about design and knowledgeable about the industry, trends, and marketplace.
• Exceptional written, verbal and visual communication skills.
• Excellent presentation skills.
• Pragmatic with excellent problem solving and decision-making skills.
• Strong interpersonal skills with ability to:
– Demonstrate passion for a brand and infuse other people with that passion.
– Drive consensus, foster creative collaboration.
– Facilitate meetings and brainstorming sessions.
– Work directly with both internal and external partners in a fast-paced, high-volume environment.
• Strong time management skills. Demonstrates a high degree of flexibility within tight deadlines.
• Strong business acumen.
• Agile, up for a challenge and interested in a leadership growth path
• Communication Design: Capable of assisting the development of multiple graphic solutions. Understands the process of divergent ideation and convergent filtering to support these solutions.
• Typography and Letterforms: Understands and applies foundational principles of typographic form and structure in support of cohesive design proposals. Ability to select and use fonts effectively based on the application.
• Digital Tools: Proficient in core graphic design programming, i.e. Adobe Creative Suite. Leverages digital tools to visualize and evolve concepts to approved designs. Working knowledge of asset formats, qualities and appropriate applications of each. Capable of creating production ready files of final designs.
• Design Architecture: Develops frameworks for information as part of design process. Supports story/message through design architecture. Establishes visual hierarchies to define different types of content.
• Narrative Sketching: Ability to easily participate on cross functional rapid visualization teams that support ideation around narrative.
• Art Direction: Functional with all basic graphic design principles, color, typography, grids, Conversant in design elements and best practices. Experience in new media, video, photography and illustration.
• Color Theory: Understands formulas for successful color development across applications.
Ability to develop palettes: analog and digital.
• Visual Interaction: Applies design best practices to engage audiences. Ability to prioritize content for effective delivery. Ability to design and justify proposals based on demonstrated visual interaction skills.
• Fundamentals of Illustration: A deep understanding for illustrative mediums and how they are developed. A knowledge of prominent illustrators and how their work has influenced business.
• Experienced in Digital Design/CMS, Web & Social Media Proficiency, New Media and Video Art Direction. Easily adapts to new technology, Proficient in PPT (masters) and other slide formats such as Keynote and Google Slides, Organization & File Management #LI-CN1
Newell Brands (NASDAQ: NWL) is a leading global consumer goods company with a strong portfolio of well-known brands, including Paper Mate, Sharpie, Dymo, EXPO, Parker, Elmers, Coleman, Marmot, Oster, Sunbeam, FoodSaver, Mr. Coffee, Graco, Baby Jogger, NUK, Calphalon, Rubbermaid, Contigo, First Alert, and Yankee Candle. For hundreds of millions of consumers, Newell Brands makes life better every day, where they live, learn, work and play. Newell Brands and its subsidiaries are Equal OpportunityEmployers and comply with applicable employment laws. EOE/M/F/Vet/Disabled are encouraged to apply.