Creative Marketing Designer

📍 Job Overview

Job Title: Creative Marketing Designer

Company: College Town Communities

Location: Malvern, PA

Job Type: Full-Time

Category: Marketing & Design Operations

Date Posted: 2026-06-08T04:49:54.88

Experience Level: 2-5 Years (Intermediate)

Remote Status: On-site

🚀 Role Summary

• This role is a hybrid of Graphic Design and Marketing Specialist functions, focusing on building brand awareness and community culture within the student housing sector.

• Key responsibilities include conceptualizing and developing visual assets, assisting in marketing initiatives, and implementing social media strategies tailored to a youthful demographic.

• The position requires a creative individual with intermediate graphic design skills, proficiency in professional design software and website platforms like WIX, and a strong understanding of social media trends.

• Success in this role hinges on the ability to collaborate effectively with marketing teams and property staff, manage multiple projects, and contribute fresh ideas to keep the brand at the forefront of youth culture.

📝 Enhancement Note: While the title is "Creative Marketing Designer," the core responsibilities and required skills lean heavily into both graphic design execution and marketing campaign support, with a significant emphasis on social media strategy. This suggests a need for someone who can translate marketing objectives into compelling visual content and manage its distribution across digital channels. The mention of "boutique student housing company" implies a dynamic, potentially fast-paced environment where versatility and adaptability are highly valued.

📈 Primary Responsibilities

• Graphic Design & Visual Development:

  • Conceptualize and develop a wide range of visual assets, including illustrations, logos, and other graphics, utilizing professional design software.
  • Prepare rough drafts and present design ideas to the marketing team and property staff, iterating based on feedback.
  • Ensure all final graphics and layouts are visually appealing, adhere to brand guidelines, and are appropriate for the target demographic (college students and parents).
  • Create and update web pages on the WIX platform or similar, ensuring consistency with brand templates.
  • Source and order marketing materials such as print collateral, promotional products, and branded apparel.
  • Collaborate effectively with internal teams and external third-party creators on design projects.

• Marketing Initiative Support:

  • Assist in the development and execution of comprehensive marketing plans aimed at increasing brand awareness and promoting the "College Town Community" concept.
  • Support marketing programs and events from initiation to completion, guiding property managers and student representatives on strategy and execution.
  • Provide consistent follow-up and guidance for marketing initiatives, with a focus on properties requiring more intensive support.
  • Contribute to developing creative outlines for advertising and public-facing communications across print, digital, and video mediums.
  • Source vendors for photography and videography services.
  • Assist the Director of Marketing & Branding with model staging and procurement of property event items.

• Social Media Strategy & Implementation:

  • Create detailed 30-day social marketing plans for each property, aligning with overall marketing objectives.

  • Stay abreast of new and emerging social media trends to ensure College Town Communities' presence remains relevant and engaging.

  • Serve as the primary point of contact for property staff regarding social media content creation and strategy.

  • Develop ready-to-post content, aiming for a minimum of 3 posts and 2 stories per week per property.

📝 Enhancement Note: The responsibilities highlight a blend of creative execution and strategic planning, particularly in social media. The role requires not only design skills but also an understanding of marketing campaign lifecycle, vendor management, and event coordination. The emphasis on supporting "properties" suggests a multi-location or franchise-like structure where brand consistency across diverse sites is crucial.

🎓 Skills & Qualifications

Education:

• Bachelor's degree in Design, Marketing, Business, or a related field is preferred. Experience:

• Minimum of 2 years of intermediate graphic design experience.

• Proven experience using professional design software.

• Experience with the WIX website platform or similar website building software.

• Experience in developing and executing social media strategies and managing online marketing initiatives. Required Skills:

• Graphic Design Proficiency: Intermediate-level skills in creating visual assets, including illustrations, logos, and layouts.

• Design Software Expertise: Demonstrated experience with industry-standard professional design software (e.g., Adobe Creative Suite - Photoshop, Illustrator, InDesign).

• Website Platform Experience: Proficiency with WIX or similar website building and content management systems.

• Social Media Strategy: Knowledge of and experience with various social media platforms, including content creation, scheduling, and performance analysis.

• Brand Awareness: Understanding of how to maintain and build brand consistency across different marketing channels.

• Content Creation: Ability to develop engaging and relevant content for both graphic design and social media platforms.

• Communication Skills: Excellent written and verbal communication abilities for collaborating with teams, clients, and vendors.

• Time Management & Multitasking: Strong capabilities in managing multiple projects, prioritizing tasks, and meeting deadlines effectively.

• Marketing Acumen: A marketing mindset with a keen eye for creativity and an understanding of marketing objectives.

Preferred Skills:

• Proficiency with online marketing tools and analytics platforms.

• Experience leading a brand's social media initiatives and developing comprehensive strategies.

• Keen understanding of how to craft effective social media campaigns that drive engagement and achieve objectives.

• Experience with social media management tools (e.g., Hootsuite, Buffer, Sprout Social).

• Openness to travel for work, potentially for on-property or on-campus events.

📝 Enhancement Note: The distinction between "required" and "preferred" skills is clear. The emphasis on "intermediate" graphic design experience suggests the role is not entry-level but also not senior-level, focusing on execution and effective application of existing skills rather than high-level strategic design leadership. The explicit mention of WIX is a critical technical requirement.

📊 Process & Systems Portfolio Requirements

Portfolio Essentials:

• Graphic Design Showcase: A curated portfolio demonstrating a range of graphic design projects, including logos, marketing collateral, web graphics, and any branding initiatives. The portfolio should highlight versatility in style and application.

• Marketing Campaign Examples: Visual evidence of involvement in marketing initiatives, such as campaign collateral, event materials, or digital advertisements, showcasing an understanding of marketing objectives.

• Social Media Strategy & Execution: Examples of social media content created, 30-day social marketing plans developed, and any evidence of engagement growth or successful campaign execution.

• Website Design Samples: Screenshots or links to web pages designed or updated using WIX or similar platforms, demonstrating adherence to brand templates and user experience principles.

• Process Improvement Examples (Implied): While not explicitly stated, demonstrating how design or marketing processes were improved for efficiency or effectiveness would be highly valuable.

Process Documentation:

• While not explicitly requested, candidates who can articulate their design workflow, social media planning process, or project management methodology will stand out. This could include:

  • Workflow design and optimization for design projects.

  • Implementation and automation methods for social media content scheduling.

  • Measurement and performance analysis methodologies for both design impact and social media engagement.

📝 Enhancement Note: For a creative role with marketing functions, a strong visual portfolio is paramount. Candidates should focus on showcasing projects that demonstrate their ability to meet specific marketing objectives, particularly within the student demographic. Highlighting process for content creation and campaign execution will differentiate candidates.

💵 Compensation & Benefits

Salary Range:

• $60,000 - $65,000 per year. Benefits:

• Health Benefits: Comprehensive health insurance coverage.

• 401k Packages: Retirement savings plan with employer contributions. Working Hours:

• Full-time position, requiring 40 hours per week.

• Must work on-site in the Malvern, PA office Monday through Friday.

📝 Enhancement Note: The salary range is within the typical band for an intermediate-level Graphic Designer and Marketing Specialist in the suburban Philadelphia area. The benefits are standard for a full-time employee. The explicit "Note - NOT A REMOTE POSITION" and required Monday-Friday in-office presence are critical details for candidates.

🎯 Team & Company Context

🏢 Company Culture

Industry: Student Housing / Real Estate Services. College Town Communities operates within the niche of student housing, providing accommodation and community experiences for college students. This industry demands an understanding of youth culture, parent concerns, and campus life.

Company Size: Described as a "boutique student housing company." This suggests a smaller, more agile organization where employees may wear multiple hats and have direct impact.

Founded: Not specified, but the mention of a "brand new, modern Malvern, PA office" implies growth and investment.

Team Structure:

• The role collaborates with the "marketing team" and "property staff," including "property managers" and "student representatives."

• The Graphic Designer & Marketing Specialist will report to or work closely with the "Director of Marketing & Branding."

• The "boutique" nature implies a flat hierarchy, encouraging cross-functional collaboration and direct communication. Methodology:

• Data-Driven Creativity: The role requires creativity to appeal to young demographics, but also an analytical approach to marketing and social media effectiveness.

• Collaborative Approach: Emphasis on teamwork with marketing, property staff, and potentially "third party creators."

• Agile Marketing: Developing 30-day social media plans suggests a need for flexibility and quick adaptation to trends.

• Brand Consistency: A core methodology will be maintaining brand integrity across diverse properties and communication channels.

Company Website: [College Town Communities website URL would be inserted here if available, e.g., http://www.collegetowncommunities.com/]

📝 Enhancement Note: The "boutique" and "student housing" context is key. It suggests a culture that values creativity, responsiveness to trends, and a hands-on approach. Employees are likely expected to be versatile and contribute across various marketing and design functions.

📈 Career & Growth Analysis

Operations Career Level: This role is positioned as an "intermediate" level position, requiring 2+ years of experience. It's a hands-on execution role with elements of strategic input, particularly in social media planning.

Reporting Structure: The role reports to or works closely with the Director of Marketing & Branding, indicating a direct line of mentorship and oversight in marketing and design strategy. Collaboration with property staff is also a significant aspect.

Operations Impact: The role directly impacts brand awareness, lead generation (through marketing initiatives and social media), and tenant acquisition by creating visually appealing and engaging content and campaigns for student housing properties.

Growth Opportunities:

• Skill Specialization: Potential to deepen expertise in specific areas like social media strategy, digital marketing, or advanced graphic design techniques.

• Brand Management: Opportunity to take on more ownership of brand guidelines and creative direction for specific campaigns or properties.

• Marketing Strategy Development: As experience grows, the role could evolve to contribute more significantly to broader marketing strategy and planning.

• Leadership within a Boutique Environment: In a smaller company, there's potential for rapid advancement to more senior roles or leadership positions as the company grows.

📝 Enhancement Note: For a "boutique" company, growth often comes from taking on more responsibility across a wider range of functions. The ideal candidate will be proactive in identifying opportunities to contribute beyond their immediate responsibilities.

🌐 Work Environment

Office Type: The company boasts a "brand new, modern Malvern, PA office." This suggests a contemporary, well-equipped workspace designed for collaboration and productivity.

Office Location(s): Malvern, Pennsylvania. This is a suburban Philadelphia location, accessible by car.

Workspace Context:

• Collaborative Environment: The emphasis on teamwork and collaboration with marketing teams and property staff indicates an open and interactive workspace.

• Creative Focus: As a design and marketing role, the environment likely supports creative thinking, with access to necessary design tools and technology.

• Cross-Functional Interaction: Regular interaction with different departments (marketing, property management) is expected.

Work Schedule:

• Full-time, Monday through Friday, 40 hours per week.

• The role is strictly on-site, requiring physical presence in the Malvern office.

📝 Enhancement Note: The "modern office" description suggests a professional and potentially appealing work environment. The on-site requirement is a crucial aspect for candidates to consider, indicating a traditional work setup.

📄 Application & Portfolio Review Process

Interview Process:

• Initial Screening: Likely a review of resume and portfolio for essential design and marketing skills, and cultural fit.

• Skills Assessment/Portfolio Review: A deeper dive into the candidate's portfolio, potentially with a creative challenge or case study presentation. This will assess design quality, strategic thinking, and understanding of the target demographic.

• Team/Manager Interviews: Discussions to evaluate communication skills, collaboration style, problem-solving abilities, and alignment with company culture.

• Final Interview: May involve senior leadership to assess overall fit and potential for growth.

Portfolio Review Tips:

• Curate Strategically: Select projects that best showcase your intermediate graphic design skills, marketing initiative involvement, and social media strategy examples. Prioritize work relevant to youth culture or the real estate/student housing sector if possible.

• Showcase Versatility: Include a range of projects (logos, web graphics, social media content, print collateral) to demonstrate your breadth of skills.

• Highlight Process: For key projects, briefly explain your creative process, the problem you were solving, your role, and the outcome or impact.

• WIX Proficiency: If you have strong WIX examples, make them prominent.

• Visual Storytelling: Present your portfolio in a clean, visually appealing, and easy-to-navigate format (PDF or personal website).

Challenge Preparation:

• Be prepared for a potential design challenge that requires conceptualizing visuals for a specific marketing objective (e.g., a social media campaign for a new property opening).

• Practice articulating your design choices, marketing rationale, and social media strategy.

• Be ready to discuss how you would approach developing a 30-day social media plan for a student housing property.

📝 Enhancement Note: For this role, the portfolio is as critical as the resume. Candidates should tailor their portfolio to highlight the specific requirements of the job description, emphasizing graphic design, marketing support, and social media execution for a young audience.

🛠 Tools & Technology Stack

Primary Tools:

• Professional Design Software: Must have experience with industry-standard tools such as Adobe Creative Suite (Photoshop, Illustrator, InDesign).

• Website Platform: WIX or similar website building and content management systems.

Analytics & Reporting:

• Social Media Analytics: Experience with native analytics on platforms like Instagram, Facebook, TikTok, etc.

• Website Analytics: Familiarity with tools like Google Analytics (even if WIX has its own built-in analytics) to understand web traffic and user behavior.

CRM & Automation:

• Social Media Management Tools: Experience with tools like Hootsuite, Buffer, Sprout Social, or similar for scheduling, monitoring, and reporting on social media activity.

• Marketing Automation (Potential): While not explicitly mentioned, understanding of basic marketing automation principles for email campaigns or drip content could be beneficial.

📝 Enhancement Note: Proficiency in Adobe Creative Suite and WIX are non-negotiable technical requirements. Familiarity with social media management and analytics tools is crucial for the marketing specialist aspect of the role.

👥 Team Culture & Values

Operations Values:

• Creativity & Innovation: A strong emphasis on bringing fresh ideas and expressing creative minds to stay relevant in youth culture.

• Collaboration & Teamwork: Valuing the ability to work effectively with marketing teams, property staff, and external partners.

• Versatility & Adaptability: Embracing multiple talents and a passion for learning new things, fitting for a "boutique" company environment.

• Brand Stewardship: A commitment to maintaining brand awareness and community culture across all initiatives.

• Results-Oriented: Driving marketing initiatives and social media strategies to ensure success and achieve objectives.

Collaboration Style:

• Cross-Functional Integration: Active participation with marketing, property management, and student representatives.

• Feedback Loops: Openness to receiving and providing feedback on designs and marketing strategies.

• Proactive Communication: Serving as a point of contact for property staff regarding social media and marketing efforts.

📝 Enhancement Note: The company culture appears to be dynamic, creative, and collaborative, typical of a growing "boutique" firm. Candidates should demonstrate an ability to integrate into a team and contribute proactively.

⚡ Challenges & Growth Opportunities

Challenges:

• Balancing Creative Vision with Brand Guidelines: Effectively translating creative ideas while strictly adhering to established brand templates and directives.

• Targeting a Dynamic Demographic: Keeping up with rapidly evolving youth culture and social media trends to ensure content remains relevant and engaging.

• Managing Multiple Property Needs: Juggling design and marketing support for numerous "properties," each potentially having unique needs or performance levels.

• Cross-Functional Communication: Ensuring clear understanding and execution of marketing initiatives across different teams (marketing, property managers, student reps).

• Measuring ROI: Demonstrating the tangible impact of design and social media efforts on brand awareness and property success.

Learning & Development Opportunities:

• Advanced Design Techniques: Opportunities to hone skills in specialized areas of graphic design.

• Digital Marketing Strategy: Deepening knowledge in social media marketing, content strategy, and digital campaign management.

• Brand Management: Gaining experience in managing brand consistency across a portfolio of properties.

• Project Management: Developing skills in planning and executing marketing campaigns and events.

• Vendor Relations: Learning to effectively manage relationships with external creative vendors.

📝 Enhancement Note: The challenges are inherent to a creative and marketing support role in a multi-location business. Growth opportunities are plentiful for a proactive individual willing to learn and take on new responsibilities.

💡 Interview Preparation

Strategy Questions:

• "Describe a time you had to develop a marketing campaign for a young demographic. What were your key considerations, and what was the outcome?" (Focus on understanding youth culture, creativity, and results).

• "How would you create a 30-day social media plan for a student housing property aiming to increase occupancy?" (Demonstrate strategic thinking, content planning, and platform knowledge).

• "Walk us through a design project from your portfolio that you are particularly proud of. What was the brief, your process, and what was the impact?" (Showcase your design skills, problem-solving, and ability to articulate your work).

• "How do you stay up-to-date with the latest graphic design trends and social media platform changes?" (Highlight your commitment to continuous learning). Company & Culture Questions:

• "What appeals to you about College Town Communities and our mission?" (Research the company's values, properties, and target market).

• "How do you approach collaboration with different teams, such as property managers who might have different priorities?" (Emphasize teamwork, communication, and flexibility).

• "Describe your experience working in a 'boutique' company environment." (Showcase your adaptability and willingness to take on diverse tasks). Portfolio Presentation Strategy:

• Tell a Story: For each project in your portfolio, explain the "why" behind your design and marketing choices.

• Quantify Impact: Wherever possible, use metrics or specific outcomes to demonstrate the effectiveness of your work (e.g., "increased engagement by X%," "supported Y% occupancy increase").

• Showcase Relevance: Prioritize projects that align with the job description's requirements, especially those involving branding, social media, and targeting a younger audience.

• Prepare for a WIX Demo (Optional): If WIX is a critical skill, be ready to briefly demonstrate your capability or discuss specific features you've utilized.

📝 Enhancement Note: Interview preparation should focus on demonstrating both creative talent and marketing acumen, with a clear understanding of the student housing market and the company's target demographic.

📌 Application Steps

To apply for this Creative Marketing Designer position:

• Submit your application through the provided link on recruitingbypaycor.com.

• Portfolio Customization: Ensure your portfolio prominently features examples of graphic design work for marketing campaigns, social media content creation, and any experience with WIX or similar website builders. Tailor your selection to highlight relevance to college students and parents.

• Resume Optimization: Update your resume to emphasize your 2+ years of intermediate graphic design experience, proficiency in design software, social media strategy skills, and any experience in marketing or brand awareness initiatives. Use keywords from the job description.

• Interview Preparation: Practice articulating your design process, marketing strategy insights, and social media planning approach. Be ready to discuss specific projects from your portfolio and how they align with College Town Communities' goals.

• Company Research: Thoroughly research College Town Communities, their properties, their target market (college students), and their brand presence. Understand their mission and values to articulate your fit during the interview.

⚠️ 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.