Art Director

Apply now Job no:497141
Work type:Staff Full-Time
Location:Denver, CO
Categories:Marketing / Communications / Media
Division: University Relations

About the University of Denver

Located where the Great Plains meet the Rocky Mountains, the University of Denver embodies the spirit of exploration and discovery that defines our region and our history. DU is a private institution built on exploration through research and collaboration among educators, students, and local and global communities. With nationally recognized academic programs, a history of widespread influence, a forward-looking vision for a 21st-century education, and a deep commitment to promoting inclusion, we open a world of opportunity to students and empower Pioneers to make a difference around the world.Through learning, scholarship and practice, students gain the experience, knowledge and courage they need to tackle big challenges in the real world and guide diverse communities and organizations. 

About the Division of Marketing & Communications

The Division of Marketing & Communications (MarComm) aims to strengthen DUs strategic position locally, regionally, and nationally through data-driven and authentic storytelling across multiple channels with focused support on the university’s value drivers: academics and research; enrollment and admissions, athletics, and advancement. Whether through public or media relations, digital strategies, social media, print, podcast, issues or crisis management, community relations or thought leadership and training, MarComm drives results through narratives that involve words, pictures, and design. With true understanding of and connection with our diverse audiences, we aim to foster collaborative problem solving, creativity and innovation. MarComm speaks with a unified, authentic, and resonant voice to strategically advance the University of Denver’s brand with four goals in mind:

1. To promote and protect DUs reputation.
2. To inspire students to enroll and engage.
3. To increase inclusion.
4. To strengthen the University.

It is a moral imperative that all staff within MarComm not only feel they are in a safe environment but also that the community is actually safe and protected. MarComm’s community-created, shared sense of belonging definition says, that “A shared sense of belonging in MarComm means building a collaborative, trusting community where we feel and are safe, valued, and appreciated being ourselves as we contribute to something meaningful.” Being safe, seen, and heard was the impetus for developing a Bias Incident Protocol and Resources Guide, which provides a clear and accessible channel for reporting incidents of bias with the division.

Position Summary

This position reports to the Director of Creative & Brand Management (DCBM) and will lend their considerable experience and energy towards creative art direction (design, photography, video and digital) for all of the broader MarComm team’s work. This work encompasses all types of traditional and digital media as well as related workflows and processes. The Art Director (AD) reflects and actively supports the University of Denvers vision, values, mission and goals, as well as the strategic goals of MarComm.

Visual Identity Management - The AD is strategic in helping lead university design and photography, optimize the brand’s visual identity and establish new standards as needed, and is responsible for working alongside the AVC of Marketing & Strategic Positioning, DCBM and others to set the tone for central marketing and communications campaigns as well as support the development of the universitys many sub-brands. Under the general direction of the DCBM, the AD oversees visual development and strategically as well as efficiently brings creative to life as needed to support stakeholder’s objectives. It is expected that developed concepts and their team’s managed portfolio of work is strategic, thoughtful and will push the boundaries while maintaining the University of Denvers brand standards and showcasing how they can be effectively used to advance the DU brand in the market.

Design Team Management + External Vendor Collaboration / Consultation for Campus-Wide Teams - This position has responsibilities in supervising, mentoring and directing the design team, which currently consists of two graphic designers and a production artist. Additionally, they will regularly working with other unit creative staff across campus to ensure continuity in Universitys brand execution and visual direction as well as serve as the primary shoulder partner for the multimedia producer to ensure the visual standards of the University’s photographer. The AD will add efficiency and design depth to the division, remain knowledgeable and hands-on in assigned projects, and communicate effectively to leadership about emerging trends that can help raise the bar on design output and further develop and maintain the team’s reputation for quality. The AD is responsible for establishing necessary internal workflows, timelines and resource workload balancing to ensure projects taken on are effectively and efficiently moved through their team’s queue. They will regularly partner and consult with external partners (vendors) to ensure consistency as well as support both ongoing and emerging priorities.

Campus Partner & Stakeholder Management - In collaboration with other MarComm team leads and subject matter experts as well as MarComms leadership team, the Art Director serves a primary contact for campus partners. The incumbent must have excellent communication skills and be able to effectively present work, ideas, information, suggestions and recommendations in compelling ways that enables others to listen and consider alternative ways to accomplish stated goals and objectives. The Art Director must be confident and comfortable in their own design recommendations, ensure internal alignment and agreement with the DCBM/AVCs as well as MarComm shoulder partners through developed workflows, and able to subsequently discuss work clearly with stakeholders while remaining open to the value found in different perspectives, feedback and points of view.

Essential Functions

• Provide art direction, design and oversight of all design projects developed through the central MarComm unit.
• Supervise the University's visual identity use, contributing to the regular review of campus-created marketing, designs and merchandise materials to ensure consistent use of the brand.
• Lead design team and serve as lead designer (if needed) for all traditional and digital design needs.
• Act as brand steward and leading visual identity expert with campus stakeholders and leadership; uphold and enforce University brand guidelines across University's body of creative work.
• Work with internal campus partners (clients), copywriters and graphic designers on various branded projects and manage these from beginning to end in partnership with MarComm managers and colleagues.
• Work with external partners (vendors) on specific projects to advise them of University standards, ensure developed work enhances the brand family, and support their efforts.
• Lead the art direction and coordination of the visual team’s work on the University's flagship print/digital magazine (4x/year), the University’s web presence and digital assets, and major campaigns.
• Triage and assign incoming requests from campus to team in a manner that is both expeditious as well as clear to ensure team as well as client’s success.
• Lead project discovery, kick-off, status, brainstorming and retrospective meetings as needed.
• Perform other related duties as requested to advance MarComm’s mission for the University.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

• Ability to generate creative ideas and lead the execution of those ideas in collaboration with peers, direct reports, and senior leaders to achieve objectives while remaining adaptable to new information and managing multiple projects.
• Demonstrated superb design skills and meticulous attention-to-detailutilizing Adobe Creative Suite - Photoshop, Illustrator, InDesign.
• Working knowledge of Premier, After Effects, Dreamweaver, HTML/CSS, Figma and UX/UI best practices.
• Working knowledge of Photography and Videography production (pre- and post-) and best practices.
• Demonstrated experience designing for digital platforms (including but not limited to social media, web and email) as well as applying best practices for digital mediums.
• Strong understanding of grid, layout, typography and color.
• Experience with accessibility and ensuring design meets ADA standards.
• Track record of success working and communicating with multiple stakeholders and ability to integrate thinking and collaborative efforts across divergent points of view.
• Ability to remain and lead in an organized, calm fashion to meet deadlines / objectives on a variety of parallel projects in a fast-paced, collaborative team environment.
• Ability to communicate clearly in oral and written form, explaining strategic design concepts and decisions in a simplified way that is clear for stakeholders. 

Required Qualifications

• Bachelors degree or a combination of relevant education and work experience equating to four years, or equivalent training and certification in military setting.
• Seven (7) years minimum experience in graphic design.
• At least four (4) years client relations experience with managing art or, creative work for multiple clients with different needs and deadlines simultaneously.
• Experience working with outside vendors and production management.
• Previous supervisory experience. 
• Experience with accessibility and ensuring design meets ADA standards.  

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience providing art direction during pre-production, production and post-production to videographers and photographers.
• Experience with digital design best practices and UX/UI design for customer journeys. 
• Project management certification.
• Experience working in Wrike project management system.
• Experience working in an agency environment or other fast-paced environment.
• Experience working in higher education or other complex organization.
• Working knowledge of the modern digital environment and best practices for digital design.
• Experience in a higher education setting or other complex organization.

Working Environment

• The successful incumbent must live or be willing to relocate to the Denver metro.
• Activities are performed in an environmentally controlled office setting subject to extended periods of sitting, keyboarding and manipulating a computer mouse . Incumbent will frequently required to move for varying lengths of time and travel moderate distances to attend meetings, photo shoots and perform duties work.
• Regular activities require the ability to quickly change priorities, which may include the need to independently resolve interpersonal conflicts or bridge different points of view
• Receives regular managerial review of objectives and goals.

Physical Activities

• Will need to occasionally lift, move and set up cameras, lighting, and props (25-50lbs) to fulfill multimedia art direction responsibilities.

Work Schedule
MarComm’s standard operating hours are 8:00 am to 4:30 pm MT. With this noted, some travel as well as occasional weekend or after-hours work will be required to fulfill duties and should be anticipated. 

The Division of Marketing & Communications has a flexible, hybridwork arrangement with its employees, allowing for both community and culture building through in-office as well as occasional remote workdays. Further details regarding this plan will be determined with the hiring manager and are dependent on the division and team specific needs.

Application Deadline
For consideration, please submit your application materials by 4:00 p.m. (MST) April 10th, 2024.

Special Instructions
Candidates must apply online through jobs.du.edu to be considered. Only applications submitted online will be accepted.

Salary Grade Number:
The salary grade for the position is 13.

Salary Range:
The salary range for this position is $95,000-$105,000

The University of Denver has provided a compensation range that represents its good faith estimate of what the University may pay for the position at the time of posting. The University may ultimately pay more or less than the posted compensation range. The salary offered to the selected candidate will be determined based on factors such as the qualifications of the selected candidate, departmental budget availability, internal salary equity considerations, and available market information, but not based on a candidate’s sex or any other protected status.

Benefits:
The University of Denver offers excellent benefits, including medical, dental, retirement, paid time off, tuition benefit and ECO pass. The University of Denver is a private institution that empowers students who want to make a difference. Learn more about the University of Denver .

Please include the following documents with your application:
1. Resume
2. Cover Letter
3. Portfolio of previous design work that demonstrates advanced ability to create visual solutions that solve business challenges required. (If your portfolio is a website, upload a document that includes the link to your online portfolio with your contact information.)

The University of Denver is an equal opportunity employer. The University of Denver prohibits discrimination on the basis of race, color, national origin, ancestry, age, religion, creed, disability, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, marital status, pregnancy, genetic information, military enlistment, or veteran status, and any other class of individuals protected from discrimination under federal, state, or local law, regulation, or ordinance in any of the University's educational programs and activities, and in the employment (including application for employment) and admissions (including application for admission) context, as required by Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972; the Americans with Disabilities Act; Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973; Title VI and VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964; the Age Discrimination Act of 1975; the Age Discrimination in Employment Act of 1967; Equal Pay Act; Colorado Equal Pay for Equal Work Act; the Colorado Protecting Opportunities and Workers' Rights ("POWR") Act; and any other federal, state, and local laws, regulations, or ordinances that prohibit discrimination, harassment, and/or retaliation. For more information, please see the University of Denver's Non‑Discrimination‑Statement .

All offers of employment are contingent upon satisfactory completion of a criminal history background check.