Creative Designer (Graphic & Video)

📍 Job Overview

Job Title: Creative Designer (Graphic & Video)

Company: Sun Life

Location: Waterloo, Ontario, Canada / Toronto, Ontario, Canada

Job Type: Full-Time

Category: Marketing / Creative & Media / Art & Design

Date Posted: June 10, 2026

Experience Level: 3-5 Years

Remote Status: Hybrid

🚀 Role Summary

• This role is a craft-focused position within Sun Life's Creative Studio, dedicated to producing high-impact visual and motion-based assets for digital channels.

• Responsibilities include creating compelling graphics, motion design, and short-form video content to support marketing campaigns, social media initiatives, and advertising efforts.

• The position requires close collaboration with Creative Managers, Designers, Writers, and Marketing partners to translate creative briefs into precise and creative deliverables.

• A key aspect of the role involves ensuring all creative output strictly adheres to brand standards, campaign objectives, and performance metrics.

📝 Enhancement Note: While the input describes a "Creative Designer (Graphic & Video)," the core responsibilities and required skills heavily lean into specialized areas of motion design and video editing within a marketing context. This suggests a role that bridges graphic design principles with advanced video production and animation capabilities, crucial for modern digital marketing strategies. The emphasis on "social-first work" and "performance-driven creative" further refines the focus towards dynamic, results-oriented content creation.

📈 Primary Responsibilities

• Design and produce high-quality static graphics, motion design elements, and short-form video content for various digital platforms and marketing campaigns.

• Edit and assemble video content specifically optimized for social media, digital advertising, and multi-channel campaign requirements.

• Translate creative briefs into visually compelling outputs, ensuring alignment with Sun Life's brand identity and specific campaign objectives.

• Apply advanced principles of typography, layout, motion graphics, and visual storytelling to elevate the overall creative quality and engagement of assets.

• Create engaging motion graphics and animations, including transitions, that enhance narrative flow and audience interaction.

• Optimize video assets for diverse formats, such as vertical video for mobile, short-form social media clips, and various digital ad specifications.

• Maintain a consistent pacing, tone, and visual style across all video deliverables to ensure brand coherence.

• Execute creative projects within established creative workflows, adhering to strict timelines and production schedules in a fast-paced environment.

• Collaborate effectively with Creative Managers, Writers, and fellow Designers to ensure a cohesive and integrated approach to campaign asset development.

• Proactively incorporate feedback from stakeholders and creative leadership to refine and enhance all creative outputs.

• Manage and contribute to multiple projects concurrently, meeting established deadlines while maintaining a high level of quality and attention to detail.

• Ensure all creative deliverables strictly adhere to Sun Life's brand guidelines and established quality standards.

• Maintain meticulous attention to detail across all assets, verifying accuracy, consistency, and adherence to brand specifications.

• Stay current with evolving brand standards, new creative tools, and updated production processes to maintain best-in-class output.

• Deliver consistent, high-quality creative assets across both graphic and video formats that meet or exceed brief requirements.

• Produce engaging motion and video content that demonstrates strong performance metrics across digital and social channels.

• Successfully manage multiple priorities, meet deadlines, and maintain a high degree of accuracy and detail in all tasks.

• Contribute positively to the team's collaborative dynamic and actively participate in continuous improvement initiatives for creative output.

📝 Enhancement Note: The role's responsibilities are heavily weighted towards video and motion graphics, as indicated by the explicit mention of "Video & Motion Craft" as a distinct section. The need to optimize for various digital formats (vertical video, short-form social) and create "performance-driven creative" suggests a strong focus on the effectiveness and engagement of the produced content, moving beyond purely aesthetic considerations to measurable results.

🎓 Skills & Qualifications

Education: While no specific degree is mandated, a strong portfolio demonstrating equivalent practical experience in graphic design, motion design, and video editing is paramount. A degree in Graphic Design, Fine Arts, Digital Media, or a related field would be advantageous.

Experience: 3–5 years of professional experience in graphic design, motion design, or video editing, with a proven track record of creating impactful visual and motion-based assets.

Required Skills:

• Portfolio: A strong portfolio is mandatory, showcasing a breadth of graphic design, motion design, and video editing work, with a preference for social-first content examples.

• Adobe Creative Suite Proficiency: Expert-level command of Adobe After Effects, Premiere Pro, Photoshop, and Illustrator is essential for creating and manipulating visual and video assets.

• Digital & Social Media Savvy: A solid understanding of digital and social media formats, current trends, platform best practices, and audience engagement strategies.

• Visual Storytelling & Composition: Demonstrated ability in visual storytelling, strong composition skills, and meticulous attention to detail across all creative outputs.

• Typography & Layout: Proficient application of typography and layout principles to create visually appealing and effective graphic designs.

• Motion Design Fundamentals: Solid grasp of animation principles and motion graphics techniques to enhance visual narratives.

Preferred Skills:

• Performance Creative Experience: Experience in creating visually compelling and effective creative assets specifically for paid social media or digital advertising campaigns that drive measurable results.

• Motion Design Systems: Familiarity with utilizing motion design systems or working with templated content production workflows for efficiency and scalability.

• In-House Studio/Agency Experience: Previous experience working within a fast-paced in-house creative studio or a digital agency environment.

• Collaborative Design Tools: Knowledge and experience with collaborative design platforms such as Figma, or other tools that facilitate team-based creative workflows.

• Camera & Sound Proficiency: Practical proficiency with professional Digital SLR video cameras and associated sound recording equipment.

📝 Enhancement Note: The "Additional skillsets" section in the original description appears to be a rehash of preferred skills. These have been integrated into the "Preferred Skills" section for clarity and conciseness, ensuring no redundant information. The emphasis on a "social-first" portfolio strongly indicates a need for candidates to demonstrate experience with content tailored for platforms like Instagram, TikTok, Facebook, and LinkedIn.

📊 Process & Systems Portfolio Requirements

Portfolio Essentials:

• Breadth of Work: Showcase a diverse range of projects that demonstrate proficiency across graphic design (static assets, branding elements) and video/motion design (animations, edited video sequences, social media clips).

• Social-First Examples: Highlight specific projects designed for social media platforms, illustrating an understanding of their unique formats, engagement drivers, and user behavior.

• Adobe Creative Suite Showcase: Include examples that clearly demonstrate mastery of Adobe After Effects, Premiere Pro, Photoshop, and Illustrator, detailing your role and contributions.

• Performance-Oriented Case Studies: Where possible, present case studies or specific projects that illustrate how your creative work contributed to campaign objectives or performance metrics (e.g., increased engagement, click-through rates).

• Motion Graphics & Animation: A dedicated section or clear examples of motion graphics, animated elements, and short-form video content production.

Process Documentation:

• Workflow Adherence: Be prepared to discuss how you have worked within established creative workflows, managed project timelines, and collaborated within a production schedule.

• Brief Interpretation: Demonstrate your ability to translate creative briefs into tangible visual and video outputs, explaining your interpretation process.

• Feedback Integration: Showcase examples or discuss instances where you effectively incorporated feedback from stakeholders and creative leadership to refine and improve deliverables.

• Format Optimization: Be ready to explain your process for optimizing creative assets for various digital and social media formats, ensuring technical and aesthetic suitability.

📝 Enhancement Note: For a role focused on graphic and video design, a portfolio is critical. The emphasis here is not just on the final output but on the candidate's ability to demonstrate their process, their understanding of digital platform nuances, and their capacity to deliver results-driven creative. This section guides candidates on what specific elements to highlight and how to structure their portfolio to align with Sun Life's expectations.

💵 Compensation & Benefits

Salary Range: CAD $58,000 - $93,000 annually. This salary range is estimated based on the provided data for a Creative Designer role with 3-5 years of experience in a major Canadian city like Toronto or Waterloo. The final compensation will depend on the candidate's qualifications, experience, specific work location, and other factors.

Benefits:

• Incentive Plans: Eligible employees may participate in various discretionary incentive plans, which are subject to individual and company performance.

• Hybrid Work Flexibility: Sun Life offers a hybrid work model, allowing employees the choice and flexibility to work from both the office and virtually, based on business needs, client requirements, and individual circumstances.

• Health & Wellness Programs: (Inferred) As a major financial institution, Sun Life typically offers comprehensive benefits packages that may include health and dental coverage, life insurance, and retirement savings plans.

• Professional Development: (Inferred) Opportunities for continuous learning and skill enhancement, potentially including access to training, workshops, and industry conferences relevant to creative design and digital media.

Working Hours: The standard working hours are 40 hours per week, typical for a full-time position. The hybrid work arrangement offers flexibility in how these hours are structured.

📝 Enhancement Note: The provided salary range is explicit. The benefits listed are directly from the input, with common industry benefits for a company of Sun Life's stature inferred to provide a more complete picture. The "hybrid work flexibility" is a key benefit highlighted in the job description.

🎯 Team & Company Context

🏢 Company Culture

Industry: Financial Services (Insurance, Wealth Management, Employee Benefits). Sun Life is a prominent global financial services organization. In this context, creative design plays a vital role in translating complex financial products and services into accessible, engaging, and trustworthy communications for a broad client base. The creative studio supports marketing efforts across various business lines, ensuring brand consistency and impact in a competitive market.

Company Size: Sun Life is a large, publicly traded company with a significant global presence. This implies a structured environment with established processes, a wide array of resources, and opportunities for cross-functional collaboration.

Founded: Sun Life was founded in 1865. This long history suggests a stable organization with a deep understanding of its market and a commitment to long-term client relationships and employee development.

Team Structure:

• Creative Studio: This role is part of a dedicated in-house Creative Studio, indicating a centralized function for creative production and brand stewardship.

• Cross-Functional Collaboration: The designer will work closely with Creative Managers, Designers, Writers, and Marketing partners, highlighting a collaborative and integrated approach to campaign development.

• Reporting: The role likely reports into a Creative Manager or Director, within a broader Marketing or Communications department.

Methodology:

• Brand-Centric Design: A primary methodology will be adherence to established brand guidelines, ensuring all creative assets are consistent and reinforce Sun Life's brand identity.

• Data-Informed Creativity: While creativity is key, the emphasis on "performance-driven creative" and "campaign objectives" suggests that design decisions are informed by marketing goals and performance metrics.

• Agile Production: The mention of a "fast-paced, high-volume environment" implies that the team likely employs agile or iterative production methodologies to meet tight deadlines and evolving campaign needs.

Company Website: https://www.sunlife.com/

📝 Enhancement Note: Sun Life's position as a large financial services institution dictates that creative output must be both visually appealing and highly trustworthy. The company's long history implies stability and a strong brand presence, which the creative team supports. The "Creative Studio" structure suggests a dedicated internal resource for brand consistency and efficient campaign execution.

📈 Career & Growth Analysis

Operations Career Level: This position is an intermediate-level role, suitable for a designer with 3-5 years of dedicated experience in graphic and video design. It signifies a level of autonomy in execution and a contribution to project outcomes rather than strategic planning. The role focuses on craft excellence and efficient delivery within defined creative frameworks.

Reporting Structure: The Creative Designer (Graphic & Video) will likely report to a Creative Manager or Lead, who oversees the creative output and workflow of the studio. This manager provides guidance, feedback, and project assignments, ensuring alignment with broader marketing strategies.

Operations Impact: The work of this role directly impacts Sun Life's brand perception, client engagement, and marketing campaign effectiveness across digital and social channels. High-quality, engaging creative assets are crucial for capturing audience attention, communicating value propositions, and driving desired actions (e.g., lead generation, customer acquisition, brand awareness). The role contributes to the visual narrative that supports Sun Life's business objectives.

Growth Opportunities:

• Skill Specialization: Potential to deepen expertise in specific areas such as advanced motion graphics, 3D animation, or specialized video editing techniques.

• Creative Leadership: Progression to Senior Creative Designer roles, potentially leading smaller projects or mentoring junior designers.

• Cross-Functional Exposure: Opportunities to gain broader marketing experience by working on diverse campaigns and collaborating with various marketing teams.

• Motion Design Systems: Developing expertise in motion design systems can lead to roles focused on scalable content production and efficiency.

• Performance Creative Expertise: Specializing in performance-driven creative can open doors to roles with a more direct impact on campaign ROI and marketing analytics.

📝 Enhancement Note: The role is positioned as an individual contributor focused on execution, with clear paths for skill deepening and potential advancement within the creative department or related marketing functions. The emphasis on "performance-driven creative" suggests that growth can also be tied to demonstrating measurable impact.

🌐 Work Environment

Office Type: Sun Life operates as a hybrid organization, meaning this role will involve a blend of in-office and remote work. The office environment is designed to foster collaboration, idea sharing, and team cohesion.

Office Location(s): This role is available in Waterloo, Ontario, and Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Candidates can expect to work from Sun Life's offices in these locations, with the specific choice and balance of in-office vs. remote work discussed during the selection process.

Workspace Context:

• Collaborative Spaces: The office likely features collaborative workspaces, meeting rooms, and potentially dedicated creative zones to facilitate team interaction and brainstorming sessions.

• Tools & Technology: Access to industry-standard design software (Adobe Creative Suite), potentially collaborative platforms like Figma, and necessary hardware for video editing and production.

• Team Interaction: Opportunities for direct interaction with colleagues within the Creative Studio, as well as with marketing and other cross-functional teams, fostering a dynamic and interconnected work atmosphere.

Work Schedule: The standard work schedule is 40 hours per week. The hybrid arrangement offers flexibility, allowing for a balance between in-office collaboration and remote work, which can be discussed based on role requirements and individual needs.

📝 Enhancement Note: The hybrid nature of the work environment is a key feature, offering flexibility. The specific office locations in major Ontario cities provide access to professional workspaces designed for creative collaboration and technological support.

📄 Application & Portfolio Review Process

Interview Process:

• Initial Screening: Application review, focusing on resume and portfolio to assess basic qualifications and experience.

• Portfolio Review & Skills Assessment: A dedicated session to walk through the candidate's portfolio, discussing design choices, process, and technical skills, particularly in After Effects, Premiere Pro, and Photoshop. Expect questions related to social-first content and performance creative.

• Creative Challenge/Case Study: Candidates may be given a brief creative exercise or asked to present a case study demonstrating their approach to a specific design problem, similar to a campaign brief. This will assess problem-solving, creativity, and execution under simulated conditions.

• Behavioral & Cultural Fit Interview: Discussion with hiring managers and potential team members to assess collaboration style, communication skills, adaptability, and alignment with Sun Life's culture and values. Questions may focus on teamwork and handling feedback.

• Final Interview: Potentially with senior leadership to discuss overall fit, career aspirations, and strategic understanding of creative's role in marketing.

Portfolio Review Tips:

• Curate Strategically: Select 3-5 of your strongest, most relevant projects that highlight both graphic and video/motion design skills, with a clear emphasis on social media content and any performance-driven examples.

• Tell a Story: For each project, clearly articulate the brief/objective, your role, the creative process, the tools used, and the outcome or impact (if measurable). Use visuals to support your narrative.

• Demonstrate Your Tools: Be prepared to discuss your proficiency and specific techniques used within Adobe After Effects, Premiere Pro, Photoshop, and Illustrator. Show examples of complex animations or edits.

• Highlight Social-First: Clearly label and discuss projects designed specifically for social media, explaining why certain design and video choices were made for those platforms.

• Quantify Impact: If possible, include metrics or results associated with your work (e.g., engagement rates, click-through rates, views). Even qualitative feedback can be valuable.

• Professional Presentation: Ensure your portfolio is well-organized, easy to navigate, and visually appealing. A PDF format or a professional online portfolio link is ideal.

Challenge Preparation:

• Understand the Brief: If given a creative challenge, thoroughly read and understand the objectives, target audience, and any constraints provided.

• Focus on Process: Even if time is limited, be prepared to articulate your thought process, design rationale, and how you would approach the task.

• Brand Alignment: Consider Sun Life's brand identity and how your creative solution would align with it.

• Concise Delivery: Practice presenting your work or challenge solution clearly and concisely, focusing on key elements and outcomes.

📝 Enhancement Note: This section provides actionable advice tailored for a creative role, emphasizing the portfolio's critical importance and suggesting how candidates can best present their skills and experience. The interview process is structured to assess technical craft, creative problem-solving, and collaborative fit.

🛠 Tools & Technology Stack

Primary Tools:

• Adobe After Effects: Essential for motion graphics, animation, and complex video compositing. Candidates should demonstrate advanced proficiency in creating dynamic visual effects and animations.

• Adobe Premiere Pro: The core tool for video editing, assembly, color correction, and audio mixing. Expect candidates to showcase expertise in efficient editing workflows and delivering polished video content.

• Adobe Photoshop: Crucial for graphic design, image manipulation, creating static assets, and preparing elements for motion graphics and video.

• Adobe Illustrator: Used for creating vector graphics, logos, icons, and other scalable design elements that will be incorporated into motion graphics and video projects.

Analytics & Reporting:

• Social Media Analytics Tools: Familiarity with native platform analytics (e.g., Facebook Insights, Instagram Analytics, LinkedIn Analytics) or third-party tools for tracking content performance.

• Digital Ad Platform Analytics: Understanding of analytics within platforms like Google Ads, Meta Ads Manager, etc., to inform creative optimization.

• Reporting Dashboards: Experience using or contributing to dashboards (e.g., Tableau, Power BI, Google Data Studio) that visualize campaign performance, though direct creation might not be required.

CRM & Automation:

• Content Management Systems (CMS): Experience uploading and managing digital assets on website CMS platforms.

• Digital Asset Management (DAM) Systems: Familiarity with DAM systems for organizing, storing, and retrieving creative assets.

• Collaborative Platforms: Tools like Slack, Microsoft Teams, or project management software (e.g., Asana, Trello) for team communication and workflow management.

Other Potentially Relevant Tools:

• Figma: Preferred for collaborative design, prototyping, and potentially creating design systems or UI elements.

• Digital SLR Video Camera & Sound Equipment: Proficiency with professional camera and audio gear for potential in-house production needs.

📝 Enhancement Note: The core technical requirements are heavily focused on the Adobe Creative Suite. The inclusion of "performance-driven creative" suggests a need for understanding analytics tools to inform design choices and measure impact, even if direct analysis is not the primary responsibility. Familiarity with collaborative tools and potentially Figma is also highlighted.

👥 Team Culture & Values

Operations Values:

• Craft Excellence: A strong emphasis on producing high-quality, polished creative work that meets and exceeds industry standards. This means attention to detail, technical skill, and a commitment to continuous improvement of design and video craft.

• Collaboration & Teamwork: The role is embedded within a Creative Studio that thrives on teamwork. Valuing open communication, constructive feedback, and shared success is paramount.

• Brand Stewardship: A deep respect for and adherence to brand guidelines, ensuring all creative output consistently represents Sun Life's identity and values.

• Adaptability & Agility: The ability to thrive in a fast-paced, high-volume environment, adapting quickly to new briefs, feedback, and evolving project needs.

• Results-Oriented Creativity: While aesthetic quality is important, there's an expectation that creative output contributes to tangible marketing objectives and performance metrics.

Collaboration Style:

• Integrated Workflow: The designer will work closely with Creative Managers, writers, and other designers, participating actively in team discussions and collaborative sessions.

• Feedback Integration: A culture of open feedback exchange, where constructive criticism is welcomed and used for iteration and improvement of creative assets.

• Knowledge Sharing: Encouragement of sharing best practices, new techniques, and insights related to graphic design, motion graphics, and video editing within the team.

📝 Enhancement Note: The culture emphasizes both technical skill ("craft excellence") and collaborative execution. The "results-oriented creativity" aspect is key, linking artistic output to business objectives, which is crucial for modern marketing operations.

⚡ Challenges & Growth Opportunities

Challenges:

• Balancing Volume & Quality: The primary challenge will be consistently producing high-quality, on-brand creative assets in a fast-paced, high-volume environment with tight deadlines.

• Adapting to Diverse Briefs: Effectively translating a wide range of creative briefs, from brand campaigns to performance ads, into compelling visual and video content that meets specific objectives.

• Staying Current with Trends: Keeping pace with the rapidly evolving landscape of digital, social media, and video content trends, and integrating these into creative work without compromising brand integrity.

• Incorporating Feedback: Navigating and effectively incorporating feedback from multiple stakeholders, ensuring it enhances the creative without diluting the core vision or brand consistency.

Learning & Development Opportunities:

• Advanced Motion Graphics & Animation: Opportunities to deepen skills in specialized animation techniques, 3D integration, or advanced visual effects.

• Performance Creative Mastery: Developing expertise in creating and optimizing creative assets that demonstrably drive marketing campaign performance and ROI.

• Cross-Disciplinary Exposure: Learning from writers, strategists, and other marketing professionals to gain a broader understanding of campaign development and marketing operations.

• Industry Trends & Tools: Access to training, webinars, or conferences to stay abreast of the latest in design software, video production techniques, and digital marketing trends.

📝 Enhancement Note: This section highlights the dynamic nature of creative roles in marketing, emphasizing the need for both efficiency and adaptability. Growth opportunities are tied to deepening technical skills and broadening marketing understanding.

💡 Interview Preparation

Strategy Questions:

• "Describe a time you had to create multiple variations of a design or video asset for different platforms (e.g., social media, digital ads). How did you manage the process and ensure consistency?" (Assesses workflow management, platform understanding, and brand consistency)

• "Walk us through a project from your portfolio where your creative work directly contributed to a marketing campaign's success or performance goal. What was the brief, your approach, and the outcome?" (Evaluates ability to link creative to business objectives and articulate impact)

• "How do you approach translating a complex marketing brief into a clear, compelling visual or video concept? Can you give an example?" (Tests creative problem-solving and brief interpretation skills) Company & Culture Questions:

• "What interests you about Sun Life as a company, and how do you see your creative skills contributing to our brand and marketing efforts?" (Assesses research and alignment with company mission/values)

• "Describe your experience working in a hybrid or collaborative team environment. How do you ensure effective communication and contribution when working remotely and in-office?" (Evaluates collaboration style and adaptability to hybrid work)

• "How do you stay updated on the latest design and video trends, and how do you decide which trends are appropriate to incorporate into corporate branding?" (Gauges proactivity, critical thinking, and brand awareness) Portfolio Presentation Strategy:

• Structure for Impact: Organize your portfolio to highlight 3-5 key projects, dedicating a slide or section to each. Start with a strong, visually arresting example.

• Narrative is Key: For each project, clearly state the objective, your specific role, the challenges faced, your creative process (including tool usage), and the results achieved. Use concise, impactful language.

• Show, Don't Just Tell: Use high-quality visuals (screenshots, video clips, animated GIFs) to demonstrate your work. If presenting video, ensure smooth playback.

• Highlight Technical Prowess: Be ready to speak technically about your use of Adobe After Effects, Premiere Pro, Photoshop, and Illustrator, detailing specific techniques or workflows you employed.

• Focus on Social & Performance: Emphasize projects tailored for social media and any that demonstrate measurable impact. Be prepared to discuss why certain creative choices were made for specific platforms and audiences.

📝 Enhancement Note: These questions and strategies are designed to help candidates anticipate the types of inquiries they might face and prepare a compelling presentation of their skills, focusing on the specific requirements of a creative role within a large corporation.

📌 Application Steps

To apply for this Creative Designer (Graphic & Video) position:

• Submit your application through the provided link on the Sun Life Workday jobs portal.

• Portfolio Customization: Tailor your portfolio to prominently feature your strongest graphic design, motion design, and video editing work, with a clear emphasis on social-first content and any performance-driven creative examples. Ensure it's easily accessible (e.g., a professional online link or well-organized PDF).

• Resume Optimization: Update your resume to highlight your 3-5 years of relevant experience, proficiency in Adobe Creative Suite (After Effects, Premiere Pro, Photoshop, Illustrator), and any experience with performance marketing creative or social media content. Quantify achievements where possible.

• Interview Preparation: Practice articulating your creative process, explaining your portfolio projects with a focus on objectives and outcomes, and preparing to discuss your experience with dynamic workflows and feedback integration.

• Company Research: Familiarize yourself with Sun Life's brand, recent marketing campaigns, and their commitment to diversity and inclusion. Understand how their financial services offerings are communicated visually.

⚠️ Important Notice: This enhanced job description includes AI-generated insights and operations industry-standard assumptions. All details should be verified directly with the hiring organization before making application decisions.