Art Director

Under the guidance of the associate vice president for Communications, the art director will serve as Adler University’s primary creative lead, responsible for elevating and bringing the brand vision to life through  creative strategies and execution.  

This position will leverage their experience in design systems and visual storytelling to lead brand initiatives and implement creative design solutions for the organization, while providing direction and key design strategy to ensure all creative follows standards and communicates the University’s mission, vision, and values. 

The art director will ideate, design, and produce compelling high-quality print and digital materials, moving them from concept to completion, collaborate with colleagues, develop creative briefs, and ensure design projects are executed on time and within budget.  

 This individual will work with stakeholders across the University, including admissions, fundraising, the Institute on Public Safety and Social Justice , and various University centers. They will also manage external partner relationships – including freelance designers, print shops, and promotional item vendors.  

Education/Experience: 

• Bachelor's degree in graphic design, visual communications, or similar field required.   
• A minimum of 8 years of experience in graphic design for an in-house marketing department, agency, in higher education, or similar environment.  
• A minimum of 3 years of experience in brand platform development and strategy, campaign management and directing all aspects of the creative process.  

• Expert knowledge of design and creative applications, including Adobe Creative Suite (InDesign, Illustrator, Photoshop), Sketch, Figma; and in PowerPoint, Word, Excel, project management tools; animation, motion graphics, illustration, Wordpress and HTML expertise a plus.  
• Ability to create audience-centric assets, inclusive of graphics, infographics, social media content, etc., for print, digital (mobile first) and social. 
• Worked cross functionally within an organization to develop and implement high-impact visual brand strategies. 
• Portfolio demonstrating deep knowledge of brand systems, and ability to develop and execute original compelling creative. 

Knowledge / Skills 

• Strong demonstration of alignment with Adler’s social justice mission and vision. 
• Extensive experience overseeing brand design, generating ideas, and garnering stakeholder input.  
• Experience working with content creators to adapt stories through design for owned channels.  
• Ability to brainstorm and collaborate with others while putting quality over quantity and expedience. 

• Solutions-oriented with strong project management skills to effectively manage resources and execute multiple projects on time and within budget.  
• Proficient and functional knowledge of M.S. Office (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Outlook). 
• Ability to consistently identify opportunities for improvement and make recommendations based on analytics and observations. 
• Strong critical thinking, problem-solving and visioning acumen. 
• Ability to proactively identify challenges and barriers to stated objective and employ assistance in addressing these.
• Strong collaboration acumen and abilities. 
• Demonstration of emotional intelligence and professional maturity. 
• Strong research acumen and abilities. 
• Strong communication acumen including written, oral, and listening. 
• Motion graphic and animation experience is desired but not required.   

Essential Duties & Responsibilities 

Brand Strategy: 

• Collaborates with the Associate Vice President of Communications in partnership with senior leadership, faculty, and staff, to lead and evolve the creative strategy for Adler University’s brand identity and expression across diverse departments, academic programs, and channels, ensuring they are cohesive and connect with audience specifics 
• Create and update Adler brand protocols and guidelines to ensure consistent practices across the organization.  

Creative Development & Design: 

• Ensure brand elements enhance the University’s overarching brand through technical and practice expertise in design.  
• Utilize technical design to create compelling cross-channel, multi-audience compelling visual storytelling elements.  
• Collaborate with Communications & Marketing team members to execute against an editorial calendar, ideate ideas, and provide additional relevant opportunities for creative initiatives, inclusive of illustration, and photo and video shoots.  

Leadership, Collaboration & Resourcing: 

• Develop and maintain an annual budget.  
• Evaluate when to leverage internal resources or engage external partners to optimize deliverables.  
• Recommend changes to policy, practices, and processes through the identification of risks, priority setting, and workflow analysis.  

• Identify, build, and maintain a network of freelance creative resources, printers, platforms, and other partners as needed. 
• Provide guidance to students, faculty, and staff on creative solutions that guide and empower users. Strategize how and where solutions and templates can work for a specific team or individual.  

Work Environment (Physical Demands): The usual and customary methods of performing the job's functions require the following physical demands: some lifting, carrying, pushing, and/or pulling and significant fine finger dexterity. Generally, the job requires 80% sitting, 10% walking, and 10% standing. This job is performed in a generally clean and healthy environment. 

Universal Core Behaviors: 

Communication: 

• Effectively expresses oneself in all oral and written communications. 
• Exhibits good listening and comprehension skills. 
• Keeps others informed, as well as responds, in a timely manner. 
• Demonstrates match between words and actions. 

• Responds with tact, diplomacy, respect, and composure when dealing with others. 
• Promotes the spirit and essence of the University’s vision, mission, values, and key strategies through verbal and written communication. 

Teamwork and Collaboration: 

• Cooperates with others toward the achievement of common goals. 

• Seeks consensus and win-win solutions to problems and conflicts. 
• Contributes actively and participates fully in team initiatives. 
• Puts success of the team above own interests. 
• Builds and maintains constructive work relationships. 

Responsive to Change: 

• Supports changes in the work environment. 
• Displays a proactive, problem-solving approach toward work. 
• Committed to life-long learning by continuously increasing skills, knowledge, and effectiveness. 
• Actively seeks and initiates creative and innovative solutions. 

• Exercises sound, accurate, and informed independent judgment when needed. 

Quality-Driven and Accountable: 

• Results-oriented and committed to quality through continuous process improvement. 
• Eliminates ineffective activities and closes performance gaps. 

• Anticipates and responds to customer needs. 
• Monitors own performance, accepts responsibility for actions, and actively seeks feedback. 
• Meets deadlines and completes projects and activities in a professional, timely manner. 
• Seeks opportunities to increase productivity and/or reduce costs while maintaining the highest quality standards (fiscally responsible). 

Support of Vision, Mission, Values, Key Strategies: 

• Supports and models the University’s values of social interest, compassion, justice, respect for the individual, honors diversity and difference, intellectual rigor, optimism, and collaboration. 
• Articulates the University’s vision, mission, and key strategies to educate others. 
• Demonstrates active commitment in advancing the University’s vision, mission, and key strategies. 
• Exhibits personal integrity, honesty, zeal, and compassion. 

• Aligns work processes to advance the University’s strategic plan and key strategies. 

Equal Opportunity Employer 

It is the policy of Adler University that all persons are entitled to Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) protection. The University does not discriminate against any individual for employment because of age, religion, race, color, gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, national origin, ancestry, marital status, physical or mental disability, military status (including unfavorable discharge from the military), or any other category protected by federal, state, or local law.  

As part of the Adler's equal employment opportunity policy, Adler will also take affirmative action to ensure that minority group individuals, females, disabled veterans, recently separated veterans, other protected veterans, Armed Forces service medal veterans, and qualified disabled persons are introduced into our workforce and considered for promotional opportunities.