Graphic Designer

📍 Job Overview

Job Title: Graphic Designer

Company: CERTCO INC

Location: Fitchburg, Wisconsin, United States

Job Type: Full-Time

Category: Marketing & Design Operations

Date Posted: August 27, 2026

Experience Level: 2-5 Years

🚀 Role Summary

• Design and execute traditional and digital marketing collateral for Certco, its independent retail Members, and vendor partners, focusing on brand consistency and campaign effectiveness.

• Manage the end-to-end creation of weekly retail print advertisements, ensuring adherence to Certco's branding and style guidelines for maximum market impact.

• Develop engaging graphics for retailer websites, social media channels, and Certco's own digital platforms, driving online presence and customer engagement.

• Collaborate with internal cross-functional teams and serve as a primary point of contact for an assigned group of retail stores, ensuring their marketing needs are met with precision and timeliness.

📝 Enhancement Note: This role is positioned within Marketing Services, indicating a strong connection to Go-To-Market (GTM) operations. The emphasis on supporting retail Members and vendor partners suggests a B2B2C (Business-to-Business-to-Consumer) operational model, requiring the designer to understand and cater to multiple stakeholder needs and marketing channels.

📈 Primary Responsibilities

• Create weekly retail print advertisements, meticulously following Certco's established branding and style guidelines to ensure cohesive and impactful campaign execution.

• Design a wide range of promotional and marketing materials, leveraging current Certco technologies to support both internal initiatives and external Member/partner needs.

• Develop visually compelling graphics for retailer websites and social media platforms, enhancing their online presence and driving customer interaction.

• Design supporting graphics for Certco's corporate website and social media channels, contributing to overall brand visibility and digital marketing efforts.

• Create Point-of-Sale (POS) materials and other in-store promotional assets, ensuring accuracy, brand alignment, and effectiveness in driving retail sales.

• Collaborate closely with internal cross-functional teams, including marketing, sales, and operations, to align design efforts with broader business objectives and GTM strategies.

• Serve as a dedicated point of contact for an assigned group of retail stores, providing design support and ensuring their specific marketing needs are met efficiently.

• Manage multiple design projects simultaneously, prioritizing tasks effectively to meet strict deadlines while consistently maintaining high standards of quality and creativity.

• Perform other assigned duties and projects as needed, demonstrating flexibility and a willingness to contribute to broader team goals.

📝 Enhancement Note: The responsibility of managing multiple projects and deadlines, coupled with serving as a point of contact for stores, highlights the need for strong project management and organizational skills within a GTM context. This role requires not just creative output but also efficient operational execution.

🎓 Skills & Qualifications

Education:

• A 2–4 year degree in Marketing, Design, or a closely related field is required, providing a foundational understanding of marketing principles and design theory relevant to business objectives. Experience:

• 3–5 years of dedicated graphic design experience is essential, with a proven track record of creating diverse marketing collateral across both print and digital mediums. Required Skills:

• Adobe InDesign: Expert proficiency in layout design for print and digital publications, including brochures, advertisements, and POS materials.

• Adobe Photoshop: Advanced skills in image editing, manipulation, and digital asset creation for web and social media.

• Adobe Illustrator: Strong capability in creating vector graphics, logos, and illustrations for various marketing applications.

• Microsoft Word: Proficiency in creating and formatting text-heavy documents, such as style guides or promotional copy, integrated with design elements.

• Microsoft Excel: Ability to work with data for marketing collateral, such as product lists or pricing, and potentially track project-related information.

• Customer Relationship Management (CRM) Software Experience: Familiarity with CRM systems, suggesting an understanding of how marketing collateral supports customer outreach and sales processes.

• Strong Attention to Detail: Meticulousness in design execution, proofreading, and adherence to brand guidelines is critical for maintaining professional standards.

• Excellent Verbal and Written Communication Skills: Ability to articulate design concepts, provide feedback, and collaborate effectively with internal teams and external stakeholders.

• Project Prioritization and Deadline Management: Proven ability to manage multiple projects concurrently, effectively prioritizing tasks to meet all project timelines.

• Professional and Courteous Communication: Demonstrating strong interpersonal skills when interacting with customers, coworkers, and business contacts.

Preferred Skills:

• Grocery Industry Experience: Familiarity with the unique design needs, marketing strategies, and consumer behavior within the grocery retail sector.

📝 Enhancement Note: The explicit requirement for CRM software experience, while not a direct design tool, suggests that the Graphic Designer will need to understand how their creative assets integrate into broader customer engagement and sales enablement workflows, a key aspect of GTM operations.

📊 Process & Systems Portfolio Requirements

Portfolio Essentials:

• Demonstration of Brand Guideline Adherence: Showcase examples where you have successfully applied and maintained strict brand and style guidelines across multiple projects and platforms.

• Print Advertising and POS Design: Include a robust selection of weekly print advertisements, flyers, and in-store Point-of-Sale (POS) materials that highlight your ability to create effective retail marketing collateral.

• Digital Asset Creation: Present a variety of web graphics, social media visuals, and digital banner ads that demonstrate your proficiency in creating engaging online content.

• Project Management and Workflow Examples: Illustrate your ability to manage multiple projects, showcasing examples of how you prioritized tasks, met deadlines, and delivered results efficiently.

Process Documentation:

• Workflow Design and Optimization: Provide examples of how you have streamlined design processes, improved turnaround times, or optimized asset creation workflows.

• Cross-Functional Collaboration: Detail instances where you collaborated effectively with marketing, sales, or other departments to achieve project goals, highlighting communication strategies.

• Measurement and Performance Analysis (Indirect): While not a direct analytics role, be prepared to discuss how your designs aimed to achieve specific marketing objectives (e.g., driving store traffic, increasing sales) and how you would ideally assess their success.

📝 Enhancement Note: For a graphic design role supporting GTM, the portfolio should not only showcase visual talent but also demonstrate an understanding of marketing objectives, channel strategy, and efficient project delivery. The ability to show how designs contribute to business goals is crucial.

💵 Compensation & Benefits

Salary Range:

• Given the experience level (3-5 years) and the location (Fitchburg, WI), the estimated annual salary range for a Graphic Designer is between $55,000 and $75,000. This estimate is based on industry benchmarks for similar roles in the Midwest region, considering the required software proficiencies and responsibilities. Benefits:

• Affordable Health Insurance: Access to comprehensive and cost-effective health insurance plans.

• 401(k) Match and Profit Sharing: Generous retirement savings plan with employer contributions and profit-sharing opportunities.

• Paid Time Off (PTO): Ample paid leave for vacation, personal days, and sick leave.

• Wellness Programs: Company-sponsored initiatives to support employee health and well-being.

• Tuition Reimbursement: Financial assistance for employees pursuing further education or professional development.

• Other Employee Benefits: A range of additional perks designed to enhance employee experience and work-life balance.

Working Hours:

• Schedule: Monday - Friday

• Hours: Flexible. This suggests potential for some autonomy in scheduling daily work, provided project deadlines and team collaboration needs are met.

📝 Enhancement Note: The "Flexible" working hours, combined with a Monday-Friday schedule, indicates a standard professional workweek with some degree of adaptability. For an operations-focused role, this flexibility often allows for focused work periods, crucial for design tasks that require deep concentration.

🎯 Team & Company Context

🏢 Company Culture

Industry:

• Retail (Grocery): Certco operates within the grocery retail sector, providing services and support to independent grocery retailers. This industry context implies a focus on consumer-facing marketing, competitive pricing strategies, and the operational needs of brick-and-mortar stores. The design role will directly contribute to the success of these independent businesses.

Company Size:

• While not explicitly stated, the mention of "independent retail Members" and "vendor partners" suggests Certco is a significant entity supporting a network of businesses, likely positioning it as a mid-to-large-sized organization within its niche. This size typically means established processes but also opportunities for cross-functional collaboration and visible impact. Founded:

• Founded in 1967, Certco has a long-standing history in the grocery industry, indicating stability, deep market knowledge, and established relationships with retailers and suppliers. This longevity suggests a culture that values experience, reliability, and long-term partnerships. Team Structure:

• Marketing Services Team: The Graphic Designer will be part of this specialized team, implying a collaborative environment with other marketing professionals (e.g., copywriters, marketing coordinators).

• Reporting Structure: Likely reports to a Marketing Manager or Director, with direct interaction with various internal departments (Sales, Operations) and external retail Members.

• Cross-functional Collaboration: The role requires significant interaction with internal teams to understand campaign objectives and with retail stores to fulfill specific design requests, highlighting a highly collaborative GTM ecosystem.

Methodology:

• Data-Driven (Implied): While the role is creative, the emphasis on supporting retail Members and vendor partners suggests that design decisions are influenced by market trends, sales performance, and promotional effectiveness, pointing towards a data-informed approach.

• Process Optimization: The need to manage multiple projects and deadlines efficiently indicates a focus on streamlined workflows and best practices in design production.

• Brand Consistency: A core methodology will be maintaining and evolving Certco's brand identity across all collateral, ensuring a unified message to consumers and partners.

Company Website:

• https://www.certcoinc.com/

📝 Enhancement Note: Certco's long history and focus on supporting independent retailers suggest a culture that values partnership, reliability, and practical solutions. The Graphic Designer's role is crucial in translating these values into tangible marketing materials that resonate with both retailers and their end customers.

📈 Career & Growth Analysis

Operations Career Level:

• This role is an experienced individual contributor position, focusing on specialized design execution within the broader marketing and GTM operations. It requires a solid understanding of design principles, software proficiency, and the ability to translate business objectives into effective visual communication. The role is critical for executing marketing campaigns and ensuring brand consistency across various channels that support sales enablement. Reporting Structure:

• The Graphic Designer will likely report to a Marketing Manager or Director of Marketing Services. They will collaborate closely with marketing coordinators, sales teams, and directly with assigned retail store owners or managers, forming a key link in the communication chain for marketing initiatives. Operations Impact:

• The Graphic Designer's work directly impacts revenue by creating compelling marketing collateral that drives customer traffic to retail stores, supports sales promotions, and enhances brand perception. Effective design can influence purchasing decisions, build brand loyalty, and contribute to the overall success of Certco's Member retailers. The role is integral to the visual execution of Go-To-Market strategies. Growth Opportunities:

• Operations Skill Advancement: Opportunity to deepen understanding of GTM operations by working closely with sales and marketing teams, gaining insights into campaign strategy, channel management, and performance metrics.

• Specialization: Potential to specialize in specific areas of design such as digital marketing, retail merchandising, or branding, becoming a subject matter expert within the Marketing Services team.

• Leadership Potential: With demonstrated success and expanded responsibilities, growth into a Senior Graphic Designer role, or potentially a Marketing Design Lead position, overseeing projects or junior designers.

• Cross-Functional Exposure: Opportunities to contribute to projects involving other departments, broadening understanding of the business and enhancing network within Certco.

📝 Enhancement Note: The emphasis on serving multiple stakeholders (Certco, Members, vendors) and managing diverse project types (print, digital, POS) provides a strong foundation for understanding the complexities of GTM operations. Growth often comes from demonstrating not just creative skill but also strategic thinking and operational efficiency.

🌐 Work Environment

Office Type:

• The job is listed as on-site, indicating a traditional office-based work environment. This setup typically fosters strong team collaboration, easier communication, and direct access to colleagues and resources. Office Location(s):

• The primary office is located in Fitchburg, Wisconsin, with a mention of Madison, WI in the description. This suggests a main operational hub in the Madison metropolitan area, likely with accessibility for local employees. Workspace Context:

• Collaborative Environment: Working within the Marketing Services team implies a collaborative workspace where designers, marketers, and other creative professionals can share ideas, provide feedback, and work together on campaigns.

• Operations Tools & Technology: Access to industry-standard design software (Adobe Creative Suite, Microsoft Office) and potentially internal marketing or project management tools will be available to support daily tasks.

• Team Interaction: Frequent interaction with internal cross-functional teams and direct communication channels with assigned retail stores will be part of the daily routine, fostering strong working relationships.

Work Schedule:

• The schedule is Monday - Friday with flexible hours. This allows for structured workdays while providing some autonomy to manage personal productivity and focus on demanding design tasks. The flexibility is beneficial for balancing intensive creative work with collaborative meetings and deadlines.

📝 Enhancement Note: An on-site, collaborative environment with flexible hours is ideal for a designer who needs both focused creative time and the ability to engage with colleagues and stakeholders. This balance is key for operational efficiency in a fast-paced marketing setting.

📄 Application & Portfolio Review Process

Interview Process:

• Initial Screening: A review of your resume and portfolio to assess qualifications, experience, and design aesthetic.

• Portfolio Presentation & Technical Assessment: You will likely be asked to present your portfolio, discussing your design process, rationale behind specific projects, and how you handled challenges. Expect questions about your proficiency with Adobe Creative Suite and other required software.

• Skills-Based Interview: Questions focusing on your ability to manage multiple projects, meet deadlines, and communicate effectively with diverse stakeholders (internal teams, retail clients). You may be asked about your experience with CRM software and how design integrates with sales enablement.

• Behavioral & Cultural Fit Interview: Discussion about your work style, how you handle feedback, your approach to problem-solving, and your understanding of the grocery retail industry. This assesses your fit with the Marketing Services team and Certco's overall culture.

• Final Interview: May involve meeting with senior leadership to discuss your potential impact on the business and finalize hiring decisions.

Portfolio Review Tips:

• Curate Strategically: Select 4-6 of your strongest, most relevant projects. Prioritize work that demonstrates your ability to adhere to brand guidelines, create effective print and digital marketing collateral, and manage project scope. Include examples of weekly ads, POS materials, and social media graphics if possible.

• Tell a Story: For each project, clearly articulate the objective, your role, the design process, the tools used, and the outcome or impact. Focus on how your design solved a problem or met a specific marketing goal.

• Highlight Process & Results: Be prepared to discuss your workflow, how you manage feedback, and how you ensure deadlines are met. If possible, quantify the impact of your designs (e.g., "This campaign led to a X% increase in store traffic").

• Showcase Software Proficiency: Be ready to discuss your comfort level with Adobe InDesign, Photoshop, Illustrator, and your understanding of CRM software's role in marketing.

Challenge Preparation:

• Design Challenge: You might receive a small design task or a brief to create a sample piece of collateral (e.g., a social media graphic, a small ad concept) to assess your immediate creative skills and problem-solving abilities under time constraints.

• Scenario-Based Questions: Prepare to answer questions about how you would handle conflicting design requests from different stakeholders, manage a tight deadline, or adapt a design for various platforms.

📝 Enhancement Note: The interview process will likely focus on both creative talent and operational execution. Demonstrating an understanding of how design supports sales and marketing objectives, along with strong project management skills, will be key.

🛠 Tools & Technology Stack

Primary Tools:

• Adobe InDesign: Essential for layout design of print ads, brochures, POS materials, and other marketing collateral. Proficiency in creating multi-page documents and managing typography is key.

• Adobe Photoshop: Critical for image editing, retouching, creating digital graphics, and preparing assets for web and social media. Understanding of color modes (CMYK, RGB) and file optimization is necessary.

• Adobe Illustrator: Used for creating vector graphics, logos, icons, and illustrations that can be scaled without loss of quality for various applications.

• Microsoft Word: For creating and formatting text-based marketing materials, style guides, or project briefs that may incorporate design elements.

• Microsoft Excel: Potentially used for managing lists of products, pricing, or store-specific information that needs to be integrated into design collateral.

Analytics & Reporting:

• While not a primary analytics role, understanding how design impacts metrics is crucial. Familiarity with how website analytics (e.g., Google Analytics) or social media engagement metrics are tracked can inform design choices. CRM & Automation:

• Customer Relationship Management (CRM) Software: Experience with CRM is required. This suggests the designer will need to understand how their visual assets are deployed through CRM platforms for email marketing, targeted campaigns, or sales enablement.

• Marketing Automation Tools (Potential): While not explicitly listed, awareness of how designs might be integrated into email marketing platforms or other automation workflows would be beneficial.

📝 Enhancement Note: The explicit mention of CRM software indicates that this role is more integrated into the broader GTM operations than a standalone design position. The designer will need to understand how their work fits into customer engagement strategies and sales processes.

👥 Team Culture & Values

Operations Values:

• Creativity & Innovation: A core value likely emphasized, encouraging fresh ideas and unique design solutions that stand out in the competitive retail landscape.

• Results-Driven: Designs are expected to contribute to tangible business outcomes, such as increased sales, customer engagement, or brand awareness. A focus on effectiveness over mere aesthetics.

• Collaboration & Partnership: Strong emphasis on working effectively with internal teams and external retail Members, fostering a sense of shared success and mutual support.

• Detail-Oriented & Accurate: A commitment to precision in design execution, ensuring all marketing materials are error-free and align with brand standards.

• Efficiency & Timeliness: A value placed on delivering high-quality work within set deadlines, crucial for supporting weekly advertising cycles and fast-paced retail demands.

Collaboration Style:

• Cross-Functional Integration: The role necessitates seamless collaboration with marketing, sales, and potentially operations departments to ensure design efforts are aligned with overall business strategies.

• Feedback-Oriented: An environment where constructive feedback is shared and received positively, leading to iterative improvements in design work.

• Proactive Communication: A style that encourages open and frequent communication to manage expectations, clarify project requirements, and resolve issues promptly.

• Member-Focused: A dedication to understanding and serving the needs of Certco's retail Members, ensuring designs are tailored to their specific markets and customer bases.

📝 Enhancement Note: The culture likely balances creative freedom with the operational demands of a service-oriented business supporting a network of independent retailers. A strong emphasis on partnership and measurable results is expected.

⚡ Challenges & Growth Opportunities

Challenges:

• Balancing Multiple Stakeholder Needs: Juggling design requests and brand guidelines for Certco, numerous independent retail Members, and vendor partners, each with potentially unique needs and preferences.

• Maintaining Brand Consistency Across Diverse Channels: Ensuring a unified brand message across print advertisements, websites, social media, and in-store POS materials requires meticulous attention to detail and a deep understanding of brand architecture.

• Meeting Tight Deadlines: The rapid pace of weekly advertising cycles and promotional campaigns demands highly efficient workflow management and the ability to produce quality work under pressure.

• Adapting to Evolving Digital Trends: Staying current with the latest design trends and digital platform requirements (social media, web) while also serving traditional print needs.

Learning & Development Opportunities:

• Advanced Design Software Training: Opportunities to deepen expertise in Adobe Creative Suite or explore new design tools and techniques.

• GTM Strategy Insights: Gaining a deeper understanding of marketing campaign development, sales enablement strategies, and retail operations through close collaboration with other departments.

• Industry Knowledge: Developing expertise in the grocery retail sector, understanding consumer behavior, promotional tactics, and the competitive landscape.

• Project Management Skills: Enhancing skills in planning, execution, and stakeholder management through direct involvement in various marketing initiatives.

📝 Enhancement Note: The challenges inherent in this role provide significant opportunities for professional development, particularly in areas of operational efficiency, stakeholder management, and strategic application of design within a GTM context.

💡 Interview Preparation

Strategy Questions:

• "Describe a time you had to create marketing collateral that appealed to two very different target audiences. How did you approach it?" (Assesses ability to balance stakeholder needs).

• "How do you ensure brand consistency across multiple platforms and for different clients or internal departments?" (Tests understanding of brand management and operational adherence).

• "Walk me through your process for designing a weekly retail advertisement, from brief to final delivery." (Evaluates workflow, project management, and attention to detail). Company & Culture Questions:

• "What interests you about working with independent grocery retailers and Certco's role in supporting them?" (Gauges understanding of the business model and cultural fit).

• "How do you handle constructive criticism or feedback on your designs from team members or clients?" (Assesses collaboration and adaptability).

• "How do you see your design work contributing to Certco's overall business objectives and the success of its Members?" (Tests strategic thinking and impact orientation). Portfolio Presentation Strategy:

• Structure for Impact: Begin with a high-level overview of your experience and passion. Then, present 3-5 key projects, dedicating 3-5 minutes to each. For each project, clearly state the objective, your role, the challenges, your design process, the tools used, and the results (if measurable).

• Quantify Where Possible: If you have data on how your designs performed (e.g., increased engagement, sales uplift), present it. If not, discuss the intended impact and how you would measure success.

• Demonstrate Software Proficiency: Be ready to briefly discuss your comfort level with Adobe Creative Suite and CRM software, and how you leverage them efficiently.

• Engage and Ask Questions: Be prepared to answer interviewer questions thoughtfully and ask insightful questions about the team, the role, and Certco's marketing strategies.

📝 Enhancement Note: Interview preparation should focus on demonstrating not only creative talent but also an understanding of the operational context – how design supports sales, marketing, and the success of Certco's diverse clientele.

📌 Application Steps

To apply for this Graphic Designer position:

• Submit your application directly through the provided link on the Certco Inc. careers portal (likely via Paylocity).

• Customize Your Resume: Tailor your resume to highlight experience with Adobe Creative Suite, CRM software, print and digital marketing collateral creation, and project management. Use keywords from the job description such as "retail print advertising," "Point-of-Sale," and "branding."

• Curate Your Portfolio: Select your most relevant projects that showcase your ability to adhere to brand guidelines, design for retail environments, and manage multiple deadlines. Ensure it is easily accessible online.

• Prepare Your Portfolio Presentation: Practice walking through your selected projects, focusing on your process, rationale, and any measurable results. Be ready to discuss your experience with CRM and how your designs support business objectives.

• Research Certco: Understand Certco's business model, its role in the grocery industry, and its commitment to supporting independent retailers. This will help you tailor your answers and demonstrate genuine interest during interviews.

⚠️ 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.