Graphic Designer

📍 Job Overview

Job Title: Graphic Designer

Company: Echelon USA Inc

Location: Nashville, Tennessee, United States

Job Type: Full-Time

Category: Marketing & Creative Operations

Date Posted: 2026-07-31

Experience Level: 2-5 Years

Remote Status: On-site

🚀 Role Summary

• Drive visual brand consistency across all customer touchpoints, from product packaging to digital content, for a rapidly scaling energy drink company.

• Translate creative briefs into compelling on-brand marketing materials for retail, digital, and experiential channels.

• Manage the end-to-end design and production workflow for various assets, ensuring timely delivery and adherence to brand guidelines.

• Collaborate cross-functionally with marketing, sales, and operations teams to support Go-To-Market strategies with impactful creative solutions.

• Contribute to evolving the visual identity of a veteran-founded brand targeting military communities, athletes, and competitive individuals.

📝 Enhancement Note: This role is positioned within a fast-paced, high-growth CPG environment, specifically within the beverage sector. The "operations" aspect is tied to the seamless execution of marketing and sales initiatives through effective visual asset creation and production workflow management, ensuring brand integrity across all channels.

📈 Primary Responsibilities

• Design and prepare final production-ready artwork for product packaging, including understanding dielines, color modes (CMYK/Pantone), and vendor specifications.

• Create visually engaging retail and experiential signage to enhance brand presence and drive sales at point-of-purchase.

• Produce a wide range of digital assets for social media, email campaigns, paid advertising, and web platforms, adapting core creative concepts across various sizes and formats.

• Uphold and meticulously maintain brand guidelines, ensuring consistent application across all collateral, including packaging, marketing materials, presentations, partner assets, and video content.

• Collaborate closely with marketing, sales, and operations teams to effectively translate creative briefs into high-impact, on-brand visual solutions that support business objectives.

• Manage multiple design projects simultaneously, overseeing the entire lifecycle from initial concept and feedback incorporation to final file delivery.

• Provide creative support for photo shoots and content production, including developing mood boards, styling references, and performing light photo editing.

📝 Enhancement Note: The responsibilities highlight a critical support function for Go-To-Market (GTM) operations, focusing on the visual execution that underpins sales and marketing efforts. The emphasis on print production fundamentals and digital asset adaptation points to a need for efficiency and scalability in creative output, directly impacting retail execution and digital campaign performance.

🎓 Skills & Qualifications

Education: While not explicitly stated, a Bachelor's degree in Graphic Design, Visual Communications, or a related field is typically expected for roles with this experience level.

Experience: 3-5 years of professional graphic design experience, with a strong emphasis on brand consistency, production workflows, and cross-functional collaboration.

Required Skills:

• Demonstrable proficiency in professional graphic design, evidenced by a strong portfolio showcasing excellent typography, layout, and brand-consistent design principles.

• Expertise in Adobe Creative Cloud suite, specifically Illustrator, Photoshop, and InDesign.

• Proficiency in Figma for collaborative design and prototyping.

• Thorough understanding of print production fundamentals, including bleeds, dielines, color modes (CMYK/Pantone), and file preparation for print vendors.

• Ability to manage multiple workstreams, prioritize effectively, and execute tasks rapidly within a high-growth, fast-paced environment.

• Excellent written communication skills and a keen instinct for brand voice and visual identity.

• Sharp attention to detail and a proven ability to receive and quickly apply feedback to design iterations.

• Strong organizational skills and the capacity to manage numerous projects concurrently.

• Solid understanding of design best practices across both print and digital mediums.

• Experience coordinating with creative freelancers (photographers, videographers, editors) and managing production workflows. Preferred Skills:

• Prior experience in the Consumer Packaged Goods (CPG), food & beverage, or consumer packaging design sectors.

• Familiarity with or interest in fitness, wellness, and the military/veteran communities.

• Basic motion graphics or video editing skills using Adobe After Effects or Premiere Pro.

• Experience designing for e-commerce platforms, including Amazon or TikTok Shop listings.

• Illustration skills.

📝 Enhancement Note: The required skills indicate a need for a technically proficient designer who can operate independently and contribute to a growing brand's visual strategy. The preferred skills suggest a desire for a candidate who can quickly align with the company's niche market and potentially expand their skillset into motion graphics or e-commerce specific design, demonstrating adaptability crucial in a scaling GTM environment.

📊 Process & Systems Portfolio Requirements

Portfolio Essentials:

• A comprehensive portfolio that clearly demonstrates a strong command of typography, layout design, and brand-consistent aesthetics across various applications.

• Case studies showcasing the ability to translate creative briefs into effective visual solutions for print and digital mediums.

• Examples of product packaging design, highlighting an understanding of production constraints and visual appeal.

• Demonstrations of digital asset creation for marketing campaigns, illustrating adaptability across different platforms and sizes.

• Evidence of managing design projects from concept through final production files, including any collaboration with external vendors. Process Documentation:

• While not a formal requirement for a Graphic Designer, the ability to articulate the design process, from brief interpretation to final output, is essential.

• Candidates should be prepared to discuss how they manage feedback loops and iterate on designs based on input from marketing, sales, and operations teams.

• The portfolio should implicitly demonstrate an understanding of production workflows and the steps involved in preparing files for various vendors.

📝 Enhancement Note: For a design role, the "portfolio" is the primary mechanism for demonstrating process and system proficiency. The expectation is that the candidate's work samples will showcase their understanding of design workflows, production processes, and how they apply brand guidelines systematically.

💵 Compensation & Benefits

Salary Range: Based on industry benchmarks for a Graphic Designer with 3-5 years of experience in Nashville, Tennessee, the estimated salary range is approximately $55,000 - $75,000 annually. This estimate considers the cost of living in Nashville and the specific industry (CPG/Beverage).

Benefits:

• Full-time employment benefits package.

• Opportunity to work with a rapidly growing, veteran-founded brand.

• Exposure to a wide range of design projects across print and digital.

• Potential for career growth as the company scales.

• Collaborative team environment.

Working Hours: Approximately 40 hours per week, typical for a full-time role. Flexibility may be required during peak project periods or for content production.

📝 Enhancement Note: Salary is estimated based on Echelon USA Inc's location in Nashville, TN, and the typical compensation for a Graphic Designer with 3-5 years of experience in the CPG/Beverage industry. Benefits are inferred from standard full-time employment offerings and the company's growth trajectory.

🎯 Team & Company Context

🏢 Company Culture

Industry: Food & Beverage (Energy Drinks), Consumer Packaged Goods (CPG). Echelon USA Inc is positioned in a competitive market, emphasizing a no-nonsense, high-performance product for a specific, demanding demographic.

Company Size: While specific numbers aren't provided, the description "quickly scaling into the civilian retailers nationally" and the need for an in-house creative team suggests a growing company, likely in the small to medium-sized business (SMB) range, transitioning from startup to growth phase. This implies a dynamic, hands-on environment.

Founded: Echelon USA Inc is described as "veteran founded & operated," indicating a strong founding ethos rooted in military community values, discipline, and resilience. This likely translates into a company culture that values grit, community, and high standards.

Team Structure:

• The Graphic Designer will be part of an in-house creative team.

• They will report directly to the Director of Marketing.

• Collaboration will be essential with marketing, sales, and operations teams, indicating a cross-functional, integrated approach to GTM activities. Methodology:

• The company emphasizes a "gritty, community-driven, & relentless" approach, suggesting a culture of hard work, direct communication, and a focus on delivering tangible results.

• Design is seen as crucial for "bringing our beverage brand to life across every touchpoint," highlighting a strategic view of creative's role in brand building and sales enablement.

• The focus on "no artificial flavors or colors, zero sugar, and no proprietary blends" reflects a commitment to product quality and transparency, likely mirrored in operational transparency.

Company Website: https://echelonusainc.bamboohr.com/careers (This is a careers portal link, not the main company website. The main website would be needed for further context).

📝 Enhancement Note: The company culture is shaped by its veteran founders and its target audience. This suggests a pragmatic, results-oriented environment where directness and a strong work ethic are valued. The scaling nature of the company implies opportunities for individuals to make a significant impact and grow with the organization.

📈 Career & Growth Analysis

Operations Career Level: This role is an individual contributor position at an intermediate level, typically 2-5 years into a graphic design career. It offers significant hands-on experience and visibility within a growing company.

Reporting Structure: The Graphic Designer reports to the Director of Marketing. This direct line of reporting offers clear communication channels and opportunities to learn from marketing leadership.

Operations Impact: While not a traditional "operations" role, the Graphic Designer's work directly impacts the operational execution of marketing and sales strategies. Effective visual assets streamline retail execution, improve digital campaign performance, and ensure brand consistency, all of which are critical operational outcomes for a consumer brand.

Growth Opportunities:

• Skill Expansion: Opportunities to develop skills in motion graphics, video editing, and e-commerce specific design, as suggested by preferred qualifications.

• Brand Development: Contribute to the evolution of a brand's visual identity during a critical growth phase, offering hands-on experience in brand building.

• Cross-functional Exposure: Deepen understanding of marketing, sales, and operations workflows through close collaboration.

• Leadership Potential: As the company grows, there may be opportunities to take on more responsibility, lead smaller creative projects, or mentor junior designers.

📝 Enhancement Note: The growth potential is tied to the company's scaling trajectory. A candidate who demonstrates adaptability, a strong work ethic, and a willingness to learn new skills will find ample opportunities to advance their career within Echelon USA Inc.

🌐 Work Environment

Office Type: The role is listed as "On-site" in Nashville, Tennessee. This suggests a traditional office environment where in-person collaboration and access to company resources are expected.

Office Location(s): Nashville, Tennessee, 37211. This location places the office within a significant metropolitan area, likely offering good accessibility.

Workspace Context:

• Collaborative Environment: The role requires close collaboration with marketing, sales, and operations teams, suggesting an open and communicative workspace designed to foster teamwork.

• Tools & Technology: Access to industry-standard design software (Adobe Creative Cloud, Figma) is essential and expected to be provided by the company.

• Team Interaction: Being part of an in-house creative team implies regular interaction with colleagues, feedback sessions, and shared project work.

Work Schedule: Standard full-time working hours (approximately 40 hours per week) are expected. However, the fast-paced, high-growth environment may necessitate some flexibility to meet project deadlines, particularly concerning product launches or key marketing campaigns.

📝 Enhancement Note: An on-site role in a growing CPG company often means a dynamic, sometimes demanding, but highly collaborative work environment. The emphasis on rapid execution and cross-functional teamwork suggests a hands-on approach to daily work.

📄 Application & Portfolio Review Process

Interview Process:

• Initial Screening: Review of resume and portfolio to assess qualifications and experience.

• Portfolio Review & Discussion: A more in-depth session focusing on the candidate's portfolio, design process, and problem-solving approach. Expect questions about specific projects, design choices, and how feedback was incorporated.

• Skills Assessment: Potentially a short design exercise or a practical test to evaluate proficiency in required software and design principles.

• Team/Manager Interview: Conversation with the Director of Marketing and possibly other team members to assess cultural fit, communication skills, and alignment with company values.

Portfolio Review Tips:

• Curate Strategically: Select 3-5 of your strongest, most relevant projects that showcase typography, layout, brand consistency, and production readiness. Include examples of packaging and digital assets.

• Tell a Story: For each project, clearly outline the brief, your role, the design process, challenges faced, and the outcome or impact. Use visuals effectively.

• Showcase Production Understanding: Highlight projects where you prepared files for print or digital deployment, demonstrating your grasp of technical requirements.

• Highlight Collaboration: If possible, include projects where you collaborated with marketing or product teams, explaining your contribution and how you incorporated feedback.

• Tailor to Echelon: If possible, include a concept piece or a project that shows an understanding of the beverage, CPG, or military/fitness community aesthetic.

Challenge Preparation:

• Be prepared to discuss your process for managing multiple projects and tight deadlines.

• Practice articulating your design rationale clearly and concisely.

• Be ready to receive constructive criticism on your work and discuss how you would iterate based on feedback.

• Research Echelon USA Inc's current branding and product offerings to understand their market position and visual language.

📝 Enhancement Note: The interview process will heavily rely on the candidate's portfolio as a demonstration of their capabilities and process. The ability to articulate design decisions and adapt to feedback will be key.

🛠 Tools & Technology Stack

Primary Tools:

• Adobe Creative Cloud: Illustrator, Photoshop, InDesign are essential for vector graphics, image editing, and layout design, respectively.

• Figma: Required for collaborative design, prototyping, and potentially UI/UX elements for digital assets.

Analytics & Reporting: While not a direct responsibility, understanding how design impacts digital campaign performance (e.g., click-through rates on ads) may be discussed. Familiarity with analytics tools is a plus but not core.

CRM & Automation: Not directly applicable to this role, but understanding how creative assets are deployed through marketing automation platforms or CRM systems can be beneficial for context.

📝 Enhancement Note: Proficiency in Adobe Creative Cloud and Figma is non-negotiable for this role. The company relies on these tools for all visual asset creation and brand management.

👥 Team Culture & Values

Operations Values:

• Grit & Relentlessness: A strong work ethic, perseverance through challenges, and a commitment to achieving objectives, reflecting the company's veteran roots.

• Community-Driven: Emphasis on connection with the military community, athletes, and customers, fostering a sense of belonging and shared purpose.

• High Standards: Commitment to quality in product and execution, with "no artificial flavors or colors, zero sugar" as a product example. This translates to attention to detail and excellence in creative output.

• Efficiency & Scalability: As a scaling company, there's an implicit value on smart, efficient processes that can support rapid growth.

Collaboration Style:

• Cross-functional Integration: Close work with marketing, sales, and operations implies a collaborative style focused on achieving shared GTM goals.

• Direct Communication: Likely a pragmatic and straightforward communication style, common in environments with a strong military influence.

• Feedback-Oriented: The need to quickly receive and apply feedback suggests an openness to iterative design and collaborative refinement.

📝 Enhancement Note: The company culture is deeply influenced by its founding principles and target audience. Candidates should be prepared for an environment that values hard work, direct communication, and a shared commitment to the brand's mission.

⚡ Challenges & Growth Opportunities

Challenges:

• Rapid Scaling: Adapting designs and workflows to support rapid company growth and increasing demand.

• Brand Evolution: Contributing to the development and refinement of a brand identity as it expands into new markets and channels.

• Cross-functional Demands: Balancing the creative needs of various departments (marketing, sales, operations) while maintaining brand integrity.

• Production Workflow Management: Ensuring efficient and accurate preparation of files for diverse print and digital vendors in a high-volume environment.

Learning & Development Opportunities:

• Industry Exposure: Gaining experience in the fast-paced CPG and beverage industry.

• Skill Diversification: Opportunity to expand into motion graphics, video editing, and e-commerce design.

• Brand Building: Playing a key role in shaping the visual identity of a growing brand.

• Cross-functional Understanding: Developing a deeper appreciation for the operational aspects of marketing and sales.

📝 Enhancement Note: The primary challenge and growth opportunity lie in the company's scaling trajectory. A candidate who thrives in dynamic environments and is eager to learn will find significant professional development prospects.

💡 Interview Preparation

Strategy Questions:

• "Describe your process for taking a creative brief from concept to final production files, especially when dealing with multiple stakeholders." (Focus on workflow, feedback loops, and stakeholder management).

• "How do you ensure brand consistency across a wide range of deliverables, from packaging to social media graphics?" (Highlight your understanding of brand guidelines and systematic application).

• "Walk us through a project in your portfolio where you had to adapt your design based on feedback from a marketing or sales team." (Demonstrate adaptability and collaborative problem-solving).

• "What are the key considerations when preparing artwork for print production versus digital deployment?" (Showcase technical knowledge of CMYK, Pantone, bleeds, and digital optimization). Company & Culture Questions:

• "What interests you about Echelon USA Inc, its brand, and its target audience?" (Research their mission, product, and community focus).

• "How do you approach working in a fast-paced, high-growth environment?" (Emphasize your ability to manage multiple priorities and deliver under pressure).

• "Describe a time you had to work closely with sales or operations teams on a creative project. What was your role and how did you ensure alignment?" (Showcase cross-functional collaboration skills). Portfolio Presentation Strategy:

• Structure Your Narrative: For each project, clearly state the objective, your solution, and the outcome. Use a consistent format.

• Highlight Production Readiness: Specifically point out how you prepared files for vendors, demonstrating your understanding of technical specs.

• Showcase Versatility: Ensure your selected projects represent a range of applications (packaging, digital, print signage) to align with the role's responsibilities.

• Be Prepared for Q&A: Anticipate questions about your design choices, software proficiency, and how you handle feedback.

📝 Enhancement Note: The interview will focus on both technical design skills and the ability to operate effectively within Echelon's specific culture and business context. Demonstrating an understanding of their brand and market is crucial.

📌 Application Steps

To apply for this Graphic Designer position:

• Submit your resume and a link to your online portfolio through the Echelon USA Inc careers portal.

• Portfolio Customization: Ensure your portfolio prominently features examples of packaging design, digital assets for marketing, and any print signage. Tailor your project selection to showcase skills most relevant to a CPG/beverage brand.

• Resume Optimization: Highlight experience with Adobe Creative Cloud, Figma, print production fundamentals, and project management in fast-paced environments. Quantify achievements where possible (e.g., "Designed