Graphic Designer

📍 Job Overview

Job Title: Graphic Designer

Company: Guidehouse

Location: Philadelphia, PA, United States (On-site) / Chantilly, VA, United States (On-site)

Job Type: Full time

Category: Creative & Design Operations

Date Posted: 2026-09-23

Experience Level: 10+ Years

Remote Status: On-site

🚀 Role Summary

• This role is critical in producing high-quality, human-centered visual and communication products that support complex government client deliverables, requiring a strong understanding of design principles and strategic application.

• The Graphic Designer will integrate human-centered design (HCD) engineering workflows, contributing to processes like storyboarding, layout development, and iterative refinement of visual assets.

• Close collaboration with cross-functional teams, including government agencies and internal stakeholders, is essential for refining requirements, gathering feedback, and ensuring design accuracy and brand alignment.

• Meticulous management of design files, organization, and quality assurance of all deliverables will be a core function, ensuring ease of inheritance by other team members.

• The position demands operating as a reliable and positive contributor within the HCD team, embodying a client-centric delivery approach and actively participating in team syncs and reviews.

📝 Enhancement Note: While this role is titled "Graphic Designer," the description heavily emphasizes "Human-Centered Design (HCD)" principles, "design engineering workflows," and collaboration with government clients on complex "mission requirements." This suggests a role that blends traditional graphic design with user experience (UX) and strategic communication design within a consulting or government contracting environment, leaning towards a "Design Operations" or "Creative Operations" function supporting GTM or project delivery. The extensive experience requirement (10+ years) and focus on translating complex needs into visual outputs further support this interpretation.

📈 Primary Responsibilities

• Develop a diverse range of high-quality visual and communication products, including graphics, publications, templates, brand assets, mapping products, and UI-aligned visual materials, for government clients.

• Apply human-centered design (HCD) principles and support HCD engineering workflows, including storyboarding, layout development, simple animation/GIF creation, and iterative design refinement.

• Translate complex engineering or mission requirements into clear, intuitive, and visually compelling outputs tailored for government client understanding and engagement.

• Collaborate closely with cross-functional partners, including government agencies (e.g., FEMA, Air Force, DHS), other Guidehouse teams, and internal stakeholders, to refine requirements, gather feedback, and iterate on designs rapidly.

• Maintain impeccable file organization, layer management, and prepare deliverables in a manner that ensures easy inheritance and understanding by any team member, upholding accuracy, consistency, and brand alignment across all project artifacts.

• Participate actively in project discussions, sync meetings, and design review sessions, providing strong communication and contributing positively to team culture and collaborative efforts.

• Bring creativity, positivity, and a client-centric approach to all engagements, ensuring timely and high-quality delivery of design solutions.

📝 Enhancement Note: The responsibilities highlight a blend of creative execution and strategic integration within a project delivery framework. The emphasis on "translation of complex requirements" and "human-centered design engineering workflows" points to a role that requires not just aesthetic skill but also an understanding of how design supports broader project objectives and client needs, particularly in a government context.

🎓 Skills & Qualifications

Education: While not explicitly stated, a Bachelor's degree in Graphic Design, Visual Communications, Human-Computer Interaction, or a related field is typically expected for a role with 10+ years of experience.

Experience: Minimum of ten (10) years of professional design experience, with a strong emphasis on creating visual and communication products for complex projects and clients.

Required Skills:

• Graphic Design: Advanced proficiency in creating visually appealing and effective graphic elements.

• Branding: Deep understanding and application of brand identity, guidelines, and asset creation.

• Digital & Print Layout: Expertise in designing for both digital platforms (web, social media, email) and print media.

• Email Templates: Experience in designing effective and engaging email marketing or communication templates.

• Web Ad & Social Media Design: Proficiency in creating compelling visuals for online advertising and social media platforms.

• Typography: Strong command of typographic principles for readability and aesthetic impact.

• Simple Animation/GIF Production: Ability to create basic animated graphics and GIFs for various applications.

• Strategic Communications: Skill in developing visual content that effectively communicates strategic messages and complex information.

• Human-Centered Design (HCD) Foundations: Ability to contribute to user-centered design processes, including visual storytelling and iterative feedback cycles.

• File Management & Organization: Meticulous attention to detail in organizing and managing design files for team accessibility.

Preferred Skills:

• Experience supporting Department of Defense (DOD), Intelligence Community (IC), FEMA, Air Force, or other national security clients.

• Comfort producing complex visual products such as transit maps, public-facing graphics, or large multi-asset packages.

• Familiarity with Human-Centered Design (HCD) frameworks and methodologies.

• Experience with client feedback cycles, design retrospectives, and a continuous improvement culture.

• Strong client collaboration skills, with the ability to work effectively in fast-turnaround environments.

• Ability to ask clarifying questions, provide constructive pushback when necessary, and clearly communicate design constraints.

📝 Enhancement Note: The "10+ years" requirement, combined with the specific skill set, indicates a senior-level designer expected to lead or significantly contribute to complex visual strategy and execution, particularly within government and defense sectors. The preference for HCD frameworks and client-facing experience suggests a role that bridges pure design with consulting and project management aspects.

📊 Process & Systems Portfolio Requirements

Portfolio Essentials:

• Demonstration of Visual Storytelling: Showcase projects where complex information or mission requirements were translated into clear, intuitive, and impactful visual narratives.

• Brand Consistency & Asset Management: Include examples of developing and maintaining brand guidelines, creating cohesive brand assets, and managing design files efficiently for team use.

• Human-Centered Design Application: Present case studies that illustrate the application of HCD principles, iterative design processes, and user feedback integration in your work.

• Cross-Functional Collaboration Examples: Highlight projects where you successfully collaborated with diverse teams (e.g., engineers, project managers, clients) to achieve design objectives.

• Deliverable Quality & Accuracy: Ensure portfolio pieces demonstrate meticulous attention to detail, accuracy, and a high standard of production quality across digital and print mediums.

Process Documentation:

• Workflow Design & Optimization: Provide examples of how you have designed or optimized design workflows to improve efficiency, collaboration, and output quality, especially in fast-turnaround or complex project environments.

• Implementation & Automation: Showcase any experience with implementing design processes or leveraging tools for automation (e.g., template creation, batch processing) to streamline production.

• Measurement & Performance Analysis: While less direct for a designer, be prepared to discuss how you contribute to or understand the impact of design on project success, client satisfaction, or communication effectiveness.

📝 Enhancement Note: For a senior designer role, especially in a consulting firm like Guidehouse, a portfolio is paramount. It needs to go beyond just showcasing aesthetics and demonstrate strategic thinking, process adherence, and the ability to manage complex projects and client relationships through design. The focus on HCD and government clients implies a need for a portfolio that reflects these specific contexts.

💵 Compensation & Benefits

Salary Range: $89,000.00 - $148,000.00 annually. This range is based on the provided information and reflects a senior-level graphic design position within a consulting firm, potentially with specialized government client experience. Compensation within this range will depend on factors such as specific skills, years of experience, location, and any required security clearances or certifications.

Benefits:

• Comprehensive Health Coverage: Medical, Rx, Dental, and Vision Insurance.

• Time Off & Holidays: Personal and Family Sick Time, and Company Paid Holidays.

• Incentive Bonus: Position may be eligible for a discretionary variable incentive bonus.

• Family Support: Parental Leave and Adoption Assistance.

• Retirement Savings: 401(k) Retirement Plan.

• Life Insurance: Basic Life & Supplemental Life Insurance.

• Flexible Spending Accounts: Health Savings Account, Dental/Vision & Dependent Care FSAs.

• Disability Coverage: Short-Term & Long-Term Disability.

• Financial Support: Student Loan PayDown.

• Professional Development: Tuition Reimbursement, Personal Development & Learning Opportunities, Skills Development & Certifications.

• Employee Programs: Employee Referral Program, Corporate Sponsored Events & Community Outreach.

• Family Services: Emergency Back-Up Childcare Program.

• Relocation/Mobility: Mobility Stipend.

Working Hours: 40 hours per week. The role is on-site, implying standard office hours, though the "fast-turnaround environments" mentioned in preferred qualifications suggest potential for occasional extended hours depending on project demands.

📝 Enhancement Note: The salary range is provided, and the benefits package is extensive, reflecting a comprehensive total rewards strategy typical of large consulting firms. The mention of a "Mobility Stipend" could indicate relocation assistance for candidates moving to the office location.

🎯 Team & Company Context

🏢 Company Culture

Industry: Consulting Services, Government Contracting, Technology. Guidehouse operates at the intersection of these sectors, serving government clients and providing solutions across various domains, including defense, health, and energy.

Company Size: Guidehouse is a large, global company with thousands of employees, indicating a structured environment with established processes and opportunities for career advancement.

Founded: Guidehouse was founded in 2018 (as a spin-off from PwC). Its relatively recent establishment suggests a dynamic, growth-oriented culture, while its heritage provides a foundation of experience and client trust.

Team Structure:

• The Graphic Designer will likely be part of a Design & Production team, potentially within a larger consulting or project delivery unit (e.g., the ISG MPP - Information Solutions Group Mission Programs and Planning).

• This team will collaborate closely with HCD engineers, project managers, and client stakeholders, forming cross-functional project teams.

• Reporting structure will likely involve a Design Lead or a Project Manager, with a focus on delivering high-quality design outputs for specific client engagements. Methodology:

• Data-Driven Design: Emphasis on translating complex data and requirements into clear visual communications.

• Human-Centered Design (HCD): Core methodology influencing the approach to problem-solving and visual product development.

• Agile/Iterative Processes: The mention of "iterative refinement" and "fast-turnaround environments" suggests agile or iterative development cycles are common.

• Client-Centric Delivery: A strong focus on understanding and meeting client needs and expectations through high-quality deliverables.

Company Website: [https://www.guidehouse