Graphic Designer and Creative Services Specialist

📍 Job Overview

Job Title: Graphic Designer and Creative Services Specialist

Company: Catherine Cook School

Location: Chicago, Illinois, United States

Job Type: Full-Time

Category: Creative Services / Marketing Operations

Date Posted: May 27, 2026

Experience Level: 2-5 years

Remote Status: On-site

🚀 Role Summary

• Drive the visual identity and communication strategy for Catherine Cook School through comprehensive graphic design and creative services.

• Manage and execute digital and print collateral, social media content, and website design to enhance the school's brand, mission, and strategic priorities.

• Support key school initiatives, including admissions, development, and special events, by creating compelling visual assets.

• Foster a culture of belonging and wellness through creative storytelling and active participation in DEI and SEL efforts.

📝 Enhancement Note: While the job title is "Graphic Designer and Creative Services Specialist," the responsibilities clearly indicate a strong need for skills that align with Marketing Operations and GTM (Go-To-Market) functions within an educational institution. This role is responsible for translating strategic objectives into tangible marketing and communication assets, requiring an understanding of audience engagement and brand consistency, which are core to operations.

📈 Primary Responsibilities

• Design and produce compelling print and digital materials, including brochures, flyers, social media graphics, and web banners, that align with the school's brand and mission.

• Develop and manage social media content strategy, creating visually engaging posts and digital stories to highlight the school community's activities and achievements.

• Oversee website design and content management, ensuring a user-friendly experience and up-to-date information across all digital platforms.

• Create impactful visual assets for admissions and development campaigns, including email marketing, direct mail, advertising, and special events.

• Collaborate with the Director of Development and Gala Planning Committee to plan and execute the Annual Gala, contributing design and creative elements.

• Support photography, videography, and video production projects to capture and communicate the student and community experience effectively.

• Utilize web development knowledge to assist with website updates, digital communication tools, and online engagement strategies.

• Apply SEO knowledge to optimize digital content for searchability and increased visibility.

• Maintain brand consistency across all communication channels and marketing materials.

• Build and maintain collaborative relationships with internal stakeholders, external vendors, and community partners to support communication and marketing initiatives.

📝 Enhancement Note: The responsibilities extend beyond traditional graphic design to encompass content management, digital storytelling, and cross-functional collaboration, suggesting a strategic role in marketing operations for the school. The emphasis on supporting admissions and development highlights a direct link to revenue generation and institutional growth, common in GTM-focused operations roles.

🎓 Skills & Qualifications

Education: Bachelor’s degree in Graphic Design, Communications, Marketing, or a related field is preferred.

Experience: Minimum of three years of professional experience in graphic design, creative services, or a related marketing/communications role.

Required Skills:

• Extensive proficiency in Adobe Creative Suite, including Adobe Illustrator, Photoshop, InDesign, and After Effects.

• Strong skills in both print and web design, creating visually engaging and user-centered content.

• Experience in managing and creating content for social media platforms.

• Familiarity with Content Management Systems (CMS) and website creation software.

• Proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite (Word, Excel, PowerPoint).

• Advanced photography and editing skills, including familiarity with DSLR cameras and mobile photography.

• Understanding of branding principles and ability to apply them consistently.

• Excellent organizational and project management skills, with the ability to manage multiple projects and deadlines simultaneously.

• Strong communication and interpersonal skills for effective collaboration. Preferred Skills:

• Knowledge of SEO principles and best practices.

• Experience with HTML and basic web development.

• Skills in animation and motion graphics.

• Experience in event planning and execution.

• Understanding of marketing, consumer behavior, and their application in design.

• Familiarity with video editing software.

📝 Enhancement Note: The requirement for 3+ years of experience, coupled with proficiency in advanced design software and an understanding of CMS, HTML, and SEO, positions this role beyond a junior graphic designer. It suggests a need for an individual who can independently manage design projects and contribute to the digital marketing infrastructure, aligning with a mid-level operations specialist.

📊 Process & Systems Portfolio Requirements

Portfolio Essentials:

• A robust portfolio showcasing a diverse range of print and digital design projects, demonstrating proficiency in Adobe Creative Suite.

• Case studies or examples of social media content strategy and execution, highlighting engagement metrics or campaign success.

• Samples of website design or content management work, illustrating user-centered design principles and visual appeal.

• Examples of collateral created for admissions, development, or event marketing, demonstrating an understanding of target audiences and institutional goals.

• Visual assets that reflect an ability to capture and communicate the essence of a community or organization. Process Documentation:

• Ability to document design processes, from concept to final delivery, ensuring clarity and efficiency.

• Examples of how projects were managed from brief to completion, showcasing organizational strategies.

• Demonstration of how feedback was incorporated into design iterations to achieve desired outcomes.

📝 Enhancement Note: For a role involving creative services and marketing, a portfolio is crucial. The emphasis here is on demonstrating not just aesthetic skill but also strategic application of design to achieve specific organizational goals (admissions, development, brand building), which is a key aspect of operations roles focused on output and impact.

💵 Compensation & Benefits

Salary Range: $58,000 - $70,000 annually. This range is determined by factors including the scope of responsibilities, candidate experience, education, skills, internal equity, and market conditions, in compliance with Illinois' Equal Pay Act.

Benefits:

• Comprehensive Medical, Dental, and Vision Coverage.

• 403(b) Retirement Plan.

• Employer-paid benefits including 100% of the premium for Basic Life Insurance, Short-Term Disability (STD), Long-Term Disability (LTD), and Accidental Death & Dismemberment (AD&D).

• Health Savings Account (HSA), Flexible Spending Account (FSA), and Dependent Care options available.

• Opportunities for Professional Development.

• Generous Paid Time Off (PTO).

• Additional voluntary benefits include Pet Insurance and Identity Theft Protection.

Working Hours: This is a full-time, 12-month position. The standard work week is 40 hours, with the expectation of on-site presence. Flexibility may be required for school events, such as the Annual Gala.

📝 Enhancement Note: The salary range provided is specific to Chicago, IL, and aligns with mid-level creative and marketing roles. The comprehensive benefits package, particularly the employer-paid insurance premiums and retirement plan, is competitive for the non-profit/education sector. The mention of flexibility for events indicates an understanding of operational needs that extend beyond typical office hours.

🎯 Team & Company Context

🏢 Company Culture

Industry: Education (Private K-8 School). Catherine Cook School is dedicated to fostering a vibrant, inclusive learning community where curiosity, connection, and compassion are paramount. The school emphasizes developing creative, collaborative problem solvers with a global perspective.

Company Size: While not explicitly stated, the context of a private school suggests a medium-sized organization with dedicated departments for administration, faculty, and support staff.

Founded: The founding date is not provided, but the school's established presence implies a history of educational innovation and community building.

Team Structure:

• The Graphic Designer and Creative Services Specialist reports to the Director of Development.

• This role will collaborate closely with admissions, development, faculty, and administrative teams.

• It is an integral part of the school's communication and marketing efforts, working cross-functionally to support various departments and initiatives. Methodology:

• Data-driven approaches are implied through the need for SEO knowledge and the focus on creating assets that support enrollment management and development goals.

• Workflow optimization is key, as the role requires managing multiple projects and deadlines simultaneously.

• Collaboration is a central theme, with an emphasis on building relationships and proactive communication.

Company Website: https://www.catherinecookschool.org/

📝 Enhancement Note: The company culture emphasizes DEI and SEL, indicating a commitment to holistic development for both students and staff. This is a critical aspect for candidates to understand, as it influences daily interactions and professional conduct. The reporting structure to the Director of Development highlights the role's direct contribution to fundraising and institutional growth.

📈 Career & Growth Analysis

Operations Career Level: This role is positioned as a mid-level specialist within the creative and communications function. It requires independent execution of design tasks and strategic input on visual communication, bridging creative execution with operational marketing goals.

Reporting Structure: The role reports to the Director of Development, indicating a strong connection to the school's advancement and revenue-generating efforts. This provides visibility into strategic fundraising and enrollment management objectives.

Operations Impact: The Graphic Designer and Creative Services Specialist directly impacts the school's brand perception, enrollment numbers, and fundraising success through compelling visual communications. Their work supports critical GTM functions by attracting prospective families and donors.

Growth Opportunities:

• Skill Advancement: Deepen expertise in Adobe Creative Suite, animation, motion graphics, and web development through ongoing projects and professional development.

• Strategic Contribution: Grow into a more strategic role by contributing to broader marketing and communication strategy development, potentially leading design initiatives for larger campaigns.

• Leadership Potential: Develop leadership skills by mentoring junior designers (if applicable in the future) or taking ownership of significant creative projects, such as major event branding or website redesigns.

• Cross-functional Expertise: Gain broader experience in marketing operations, development, and admissions by working closely with these departments on their respective initiatives.

📝 Enhancement Note: The growth opportunities described are tailored to a creative professional within an institutional setting, emphasizing the transition from pure execution to strategic input and potential leadership, which is common in operations career paths.

🌐 Work Environment

Office Type: On-site, full-time position located in Chicago, IL. The role requires regular presence within the school campus to engage with students, faculty, and families.

Office Location(s): Chicago, Illinois, with a specific address likely provided upon further inquiry or during the interview process. The school is situated within the vibrant Chicago community.

Workspace Context:

• The role involves active participation in school activities, including photography and filming during classes, events, and daily operations. This necessitates a dynamic and engaged presence within the school environment.

• Access to standard office technology and potentially a dedicated design workstation will be available.

• Opportunities for collaboration with colleagues across various departments will be frequent, fostering a connected work environment.

Work Schedule: The primary work schedule is full-time (40 hours/week). However, flexibility is expected to support school events, such as the Annual Gala, which may require extended hours or weekend work.

📝 Enhancement Note: The "on-site" requirement is critical, emphasizing the need for the candidate to be physically present to fully execute responsibilities, particularly those involving photography and direct engagement within the school community.

📄 Application & Portfolio Review Process

Interview Process:

• Initial Screening: Application and resume review, potentially followed by a brief phone screening to assess basic qualifications and interest.

• Portfolio Review: Candidates will likely be asked to submit a portfolio showcasing their design work. This stage is crucial for evaluating design skills, creativity, and relevance to the school's aesthetic and mission.

• Interviews: Multiple interview rounds may occur, including discussions with the Director of Development, other members of the leadership team, and potentially other relevant staff. These interviews will assess technical skills, creative approach, communication style, and cultural fit.

• Skills Assessment/Challenge: A practical design challenge or task may be assigned to evaluate problem-solving abilities, design process, and proficiency with required software under timed conditions.

Portfolio Review Tips:

• Curate Strategically: Select projects that best demonstrate your skills in print design, digital media, social media content, and website aesthetics. Prioritize work that aligns with an educational institution's needs (e.g., event promotion, admissions materials, community engagement).

• Showcase Process: Include brief descriptions of your design process for key projects, highlighting how you interpreted briefs, iterated on designs, and achieved objectives.

• Quantify Impact: If possible, include metrics or outcomes related to your design work (e.g., increased social media engagement, successful event attendance due to promotional materials).

• Highlight Versatility: Demonstrate your ability to adapt your style and approach to different project types and target audiences.

• Professional Presentation: Ensure your portfolio is well-organized, easy to navigate, and professionally presented, whether as a digital link or PDF.

Challenge Preparation:

• Review School Materials: Familiarize yourself with Catherine Cook School's current branding, website, social media presence, and publications. Identify areas where your design skills could enhance their communication.

• Practice Design Principles: Be prepared to articulate your design choices, brand adherence, and how your proposed solutions would meet specific communication goals.

• Time Management: If given a timed challenge, practice working efficiently to complete tasks within the allocated timeframe.

• Technical Proficiency: Ensure you are comfortable using the specified design software (Adobe Creative Suite) for practical tasks.

📝 Enhancement Note: The emphasis on a portfolio review and potential design challenge is standard for creative roles. The advice is tailored to highlight how a candidate can demonstrate not just artistic talent but also an understanding of how design serves institutional objectives, a key operational consideration.

🛠 Tools & Technology Stack

Primary Tools:

• Adobe Creative Suite: Extensive experience required in Adobe Illustrator, Photoshop, InDesign, and After Effects for creating a wide range of visual assets.

• Microsoft Office Suite: Proficiency in Word, Excel, and PowerPoint for general office tasks, document creation, and presentations.

• CMS (Content Management System): Familiarity with updating and managing website content through a CMS is expected.

• Web Development Software: Knowledge of website creation tools and potentially basic HTML/CSS.

Analytics & Reporting:

• SEO Knowledge: Understanding of Search Engine Optimization principles to enhance the visibility of digital content.

• Web Analytics (Implied): While not explicitly stated, the role's focus on digital content and website management suggests a need to understand how to track and interpret basic web analytics to gauge content performance.

CRM & Automation:

• Email Campaign Tools (Implied): Experience creating assets for email campaigns suggests familiarity with email marketing platforms.

• Social Media Management Tools: Proficiency in creating and scheduling content for various social media platforms.

📝 Enhancement Note: The explicit mention of Adobe Creative Suite and Microsoft Office, alongside familiarity with CMS and SEO, highlights the core technical requirements. The implied need for understanding analytics and email/social media tools points towards an operations-focused approach to creative output.

👥 Team Culture & Values

Operations Values:

• Collaboration: A strong emphasis on building collaborative relationships with colleagues, vendors, and community partners to achieve shared goals.

• Innovation & Continuous Improvement: A commitment to approaching work with flexibility, innovation, and a drive for continuous improvement in design and communication strategies.

• Belonging & Wellness: Active participation in Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) and Social-Emotional Learning (SEL) efforts, fostering an inclusive environment.

• Data-Driven Approach: Using insights from SEO and implied analytics to inform design decisions and optimize content for engagement and effectiveness.

• Professionalism & Accountability: Approaching all tasks with professionalism, flexibility, and a commitment to meeting deadlines and producing high-quality work.

Collaboration Style:

• Cross-functional Integration: Proactively communicate and collaborate with various departments (Admissions, Development, Administration) to support their communication needs.

• Feedback Incorporation: Openness to feedback and iteration, working collaboratively with stakeholders to refine designs and achieve desired outcomes.

• Ambassadorial Role: Serve as an ambassador for the school, representing its vision and values through all creative outputs and interactions.

📝 Enhancement Note: The integration of DEI and SEL values into the workplace culture is a significant aspect. Candidates should be prepared to demonstrate how they embody these values in their work and interactions, reflecting a modern and inclusive organizational approach.

⚡ Challenges & Growth Opportunities

Challenges:

• Balancing Multiple Demands: Managing a high volume of diverse design requests from various departments while maintaining brand consistency and meeting deadlines.

• Adapting to Evolving Needs: Staying current with design trends, social media best practices, and digital technologies to ensure the school's communications remain fresh and effective.

• Translating School Mission into Visuals: Effectively capturing the unique culture, mission, and values of Catherine Cook School in all visual communications.

• Resource Management: Potentially working with limited resources or budgets, requiring creative problem-solving and efficient utilization of tools and time.

Learning & Development Opportunities:

• Advanced Design Techniques: Opportunities to master new features in Adobe Creative Suite, explore animation, and refine motion graphics skills.

• Digital Marketing Strategy: Gain deeper insights into SEO, web development, and digital storytelling through practical application and collaboration with marketing-focused teams.

• Project Management Skills: Enhance project management capabilities by taking ownership of larger creative projects and coordinating with multiple stakeholders.

• Event Execution: Develop event planning and execution skills through direct involvement in major school events like the Annual Gala.

📝 Enhancement Note: Identifying potential challenges allows candidates to prepare thoughtful responses about how they would navigate these situations, demonstrating problem-solving skills and resilience. Highlighting growth opportunities shows the candidate the potential for professional development within the role.

💡 Interview Preparation

Strategy Questions:

• "Describe your process for developing a visual campaign for a specific initiative, like an admissions drive or a fundraising event. How do you ensure brand consistency and achieve the campaign's objectives?" (Focus on process, strategy, and impact).

• "How do you stay current with design trends and emerging technologies, and how would you apply them to enhance Catherine Cook School's visual communications?" (Focus on continuous learning and innovation).

• "Walk us through a challenging design project you've managed. What were the obstacles, how did you overcome them, and what was the outcome?" (Focus on problem-solving, resilience, and results). Company & Culture Questions:

• "What appeals to you about Catherine Cook School's mission and values, particularly its emphasis on DEI and SEL?" (Focus on cultural alignment and understanding).

• "How would you ensure your design work reflects the inclusive and compassionate culture of the school?" (Focus on applying values to practical work).

• "Describe your experience collaborating with non-design stakeholders. How do you manage feedback and ensure successful project outcomes?" (Focus on communication and collaboration). Portfolio Presentation Strategy:

• Storytelling: For each selected portfolio piece, tell a story: the problem/goal, your approach/process, the solution (your design), and the impact/outcome.

• Highlight Relevance: Explicitly connect your portfolio examples to the needs of Catherine Cook School. Explain why a particular project is relevant to their mission, brand, or specific initiatives.

• Demonstrate Technical Skill: Be prepared to briefly discuss the tools and techniques you used for specific projects.

• Engage and Discuss: Treat the portfolio review as a conversation. Be ready to answer questions about your design choices, your creative process, and your ability to adapt.

📝 Enhancement Note: These interview questions are designed to probe beyond technical design skills, assessing strategic thinking, cultural fit, and the candidate's ability to translate creative talent into tangible operational outcomes for the school.

📌 Application Steps

To apply for this Graphic Designer and Creative Services Specialist position:

• Submit your application through the provided link on the Trakstar platform.

• Portfolio Preparation: Curate a strong portfolio that showcases your best work in print, digital, social media, and web design. Tailor your selection to highlight projects relevant to an educational institution and demonstrate your ability to support admissions and development goals.

• Resume Optimization: Ensure your resume clearly outlines your experience with Adobe Creative Suite, CMS, SEO, and any relevant marketing or communication responsibilities. Quantify achievements where possible (e.g., "Increased social media engagement by X%").

• Interview Preparation: Research Catherine Cook School thoroughly, including its mission, values, and current communications. Prepare thoughtful answers to common interview questions and be ready to present your portfolio with confidence. Practice articulating your design process and how your skills can benefit the school.

• Company Research: Familiarize yourself with the school's culture, particularly its commitment to DEI and SEL, and be prepared to discuss how you would contribute to this environment through your work.

⚠️ 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.

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