Graphic Designer

📍 Job Overview

Job Title: Graphic Designer

Company: JJ Rhatigan Building Contractors

Location: Galway, Ireland

Job Type: Full-Time

Category: Marketing & Communications / Creative Services

Date Posted: June 11, 2026

Experience Level: Mid-Level (2-5 years)

Remote Status: On-site

🚀 Role Summary

• Drive visual storytelling and brand elevation through creative design solutions for a leading building contractor.

• Develop impactful digital and print assets to enhance internal communications, external marketing, and employer branding initiatives.

• Collaborate cross-functionally to produce compelling visual content for proposals, presentations, social media, and events.

• Ensure consistent application of brand guidelines across all visual outputs to maintain a strong, credible company identity.

• Contribute to multimedia content creation, including animations and video overlays, to support strategic communication goals.

📝 Enhancement Note: This role is positioned within the Marketing and Communications function, focusing on visual asset creation and brand consistency for a large-scale construction organization. The emphasis on "employer brand" and "new business opportunities" suggests a strategic contribution to business development and talent acquisition through design.

📈 Primary Responsibilities

• Conceptualize and design a wide array of marketing and business materials, including digital proposals, print brochures, engaging infographics, impactful presentations, and branded merchandise.

• Create dynamic visual content tailored for external platforms such as the company website, social media channels, and industry-specific forums, as well as internal systems like SharePoint and business applications.

• Partner with marketing team members and broader business units to deliver cohesive visual assets for marketing campaigns, award submissions, industry conferences, corporate events, and employer brand initiatives.

• Translate complex ideas, data, and information into clear, engaging visual formats, including compelling graphs, infographics, animations, and narrative visuals that enhance understanding and impact.

• Support the development of multimedia content, such as video overlays, motion graphics, and interactive assets, coordinating with internal teams and external agencies or suppliers.

• Uphold and enforce consistent application of brand guidelines across all visual outputs, ensuring a strong, credible, and recognizable brand presence throughout the organization.

• Maintain an awareness of current design trends and best practices, particularly in digital and social media, to ensure content remains relevant and effective.

📝 Enhancement Note: The responsibilities highlight a need for versatility in design mediums and platforms, from traditional print to cutting-edge digital and multimedia. The direct involvement in proposals and employer branding indicates a significant impact on lead generation and talent acquisition efforts, requiring strategic design thinking beyond aesthetic appeal.

🎓 Skills & Qualifications

Education: While not explicitly stated, a Bachelor's degree in Graphic Design, Visual Communications, Multimedia Arts, or a related field is typically expected for this level of role. Equivalent practical experience with a strong portfolio may be considered.

Experience: Proven experience as a Graphic Designer, Video Editor, or in a similar creative role, ideally within a corporate environment, agency, or professional services firm. A minimum of 2-5 years of hands-on design experience is recommended.

Required Skills:

• Proficiency in industry-standard design software, including the full Adobe Creative Suite (Photoshop, Illustrator, InDesign).

• Demonstrated expertise in motion graphics and video editing tools, specifically Adobe After Effects; proficiency in other similar tools is also valued.

• A robust portfolio showcasing a diverse range of graphic design and video editing projects, illustrating strong visual storytelling capabilities.

• Ability to translate complex ideas, data, and messages into clear, engaging, and impactful visual formats for both internal and external audiences.

• Solid understanding of digital design principles, including best practices for social media platforms, web graphics, and digital advertising.

• Experience in creating visually appealing graphs, infographics, and data visualizations.

• Strong collaborative skills and the ability to effectively incorporate feedback from various stakeholders.

• Excellent time management and organizational skills, with the capacity to manage multiple projects simultaneously in a fast-paced environment. Preferred Skills:

• Familiarity with UX/UI design principles, contributing to intuitive and user-friendly digital interfaces.

• Experience in creating animations and motion graphics for marketing or internal communication purposes.

• Knowledge of print production processes and preparing files for commercial printing.

• Understanding of employer branding principles and how to visually represent a company's culture and values.

• Basic understanding of web development concepts or content management systems (CMS).

📝 Enhancement Note: The explicit mention of UX/UI principles as a preferred skill suggests that the company is looking for a designer who can contribute to the usability and engagement of their digital platforms, not just static visuals. The emphasis on Adobe Creative Suite and After Effects indicates a need for advanced technical skills in graphic and motion design.

📊 Process & Systems Portfolio Requirements

Portfolio Essentials:

• Showcase a minimum of 3-5 distinct projects that demonstrate versatility across digital and print mediums.

• Include at least one strong example of data visualization or infographic design that clearly communicates complex information.

• Feature a project that highlights visual storytelling or narrative development, such as a short animation, explainer video, or a campaign concept.

• Present examples that adhere to brand guidelines, demonstrating an understanding of corporate identity and consistency.

• Include a project that illustrates collaboration or adaptation based on feedback, if possible. Process Documentation:

• Candidates are expected to articulate their design process, from initial brief interpretation and ideation through to final asset delivery and stakeholder sign-off.

• Be prepared to discuss how they manage feedback loops and revisions to ensure project objectives are met efficiently.

• Demonstrate an understanding of preparing files for various outputs (print, web, social media) and the associated technical requirements.

📝 Enhancement Note: For this role, the portfolio is crucial for demonstrating practical application of design skills and understanding of corporate communication needs. It should not just be a collection of pretty pictures but evidence of problem-solving through design, particularly in translating business objectives into visual assets.

💵 Compensation & Benefits

Salary Range: Based on industry benchmarks for Graphic Designers with 2-5 years of experience in Galway, Ireland, a competitive salary range of €30,000 - €45,000 per annum is estimated. This range accounts for the location, experience level, and the comprehensive nature of the responsibilities outlined.

Benefits:

• Attractive Terms of Employment: Reflecting a commitment to fair and competitive employment conditions.

• Competitive Salary: As indicated above, commensurate with experience and skills.

• Excellent Benefits Package: Typically includes health insurance, pension contributions, and potentially life assurance, though specific details would be provided during the interview process.

• Excellent Career Progression Opportunities: The company explicitly offers pathways for growth, suggesting opportunities for advancement within the design or marketing function.

• Opportunities to work on challenging projects and assignments: Access to high-profile projects within a leading construction firm.

Working Hours: The role is described as Full-Time, typically implying a standard 40-hour work week. While the specific daily schedule isn't detailed, operations in the construction industry often require a degree of flexibility, especially around project deadlines or event preparations.

📝 Enhancement Note: The salary estimate is based on research of similar roles in Ireland, considering the cost of living in Galway and the specific technical requirements (Adobe Creative Suite, After Effects). The benefits package is inferred from standard offerings for full-time positions in established companies and the explicit mention of "Attractive Terms of Employment" and "Excellent Benefits."

🎯 Team & Company Context

🏢 Company Culture

Industry: Building & Construction. JJ Rhatigan Building Contractors is a significant player in this sector, operating across Ireland and the UK. This industry context means the graphic designer will be creating visuals that resonate with clients in construction, engineering, and potentially public sector tenders, as well as building a strong employer brand to attract skilled labor and professionals.

Company Size: JJ Rhatigan is described as "one of Ireland’s leading Building Contractors" with operations throughout Ireland and the UK. This suggests a large, established organization with multiple departments and a significant workforce, likely hundreds or even thousands of employees.

Founded: While the founding date is not provided, the company's description as "leading" implies a long-standing presence and established reputation in the construction industry.

Team Structure:

• The Graphic Designer will likely be part of a Marketing or Communications department. This department may include marketing managers, content creators, digital marketers, and potentially other creatives.

• Reporting Structure: The role likely reports to a Marketing Manager or Head of Communications, with regular interaction with project managers, bid teams, HR, and senior leadership.

• Cross-functional Collaboration: Close collaboration with various business units will be essential, including bid/tender teams, HR for employer branding, and project teams for site-specific signage or documentation. Methodology:

• Data Analysis & Insights: While not a data analyst role, the designer will need to interpret briefs, understand target audience demographics, and potentially analyze the performance of visual assets to inform future designs.

• Workflow Planning & Optimization: Efficiently managing design requests, prioritizing tasks, and streamlining the design process from brief to delivery will be key.

• Automation & Efficiency: While not explicitly stated for design, an awareness of how tools can automate repetitive tasks (e.g., batch resizing, template usage) would be beneficial.

Company Website: JJ Rhatigan Building Contractors (Inferred from domain_derived)

📝 Enhancement Note: The construction industry context is vital. Designs will need to convey professionalism, reliability, and scale, often for high-stakes proposals and corporate communications. The company's size implies established processes, but also potential bureaucracy, requiring strong organizational and communication skills from the designer.

📈 Career & Growth Analysis

Operations Career Level: This role is classified as Mid-Level, requiring 2-5 years of experience. It's a hands-on creative position focused on execution and visual problem-solving within a corporate structure. The designer is expected to work independently on assigned tasks but also collaborate effectively with a team.

Reporting Structure: The Graphic Designer will likely report to a Marketing Manager or Communications Lead. This individual will provide direction, assign projects, and offer feedback. Collaboration will extend to project managers, bid coordinators, HR, and potentially senior management for high-impact materials.

Operations Impact: The Graphic Designer's work directly impacts the company's external perception and internal cohesion. Strong visual branding in proposals can influence bid success. Engaging employer branding content can attract top talent. Clear infographics and presentations improve stakeholder understanding and internal alignment, ultimately contributing to the company's overall efficiency and business development goals.

Growth Opportunities:

• Specialization: Develop deeper expertise in specific areas like motion graphics, video editing, UX/UI design, or data visualization.

• Leadership: Progress to a Senior Graphic Designer role, leading design projects, mentoring junior designers, or managing external agency relationships.

• Marketing Strategy: Transition into broader marketing roles, leveraging design skills to inform content strategy, campaign development, or digital marketing initiatives.

• Cross-functional Roles: Move into related fields such as UX/UI design, digital content management, or even project management within creative or marketing departments.

📝 Enhancement Note: The company's explicit mention of "Excellent Career Progression" suggests a structured approach to employee development. For a Graphic Designer, this could mean moving up within the design discipline, or leveraging design skills to pivot into other marketing or operational functions.

🌐 Work Environment

Office Type: The role is based in Galway, Ireland, and is specified as On-site. This implies working from a company office location, likely in a professional business setting.

Office Location(s): Galway, Ireland. Specific office addresses are not provided but would typically be in a commercial or industrial area accessible by public transport or with parking facilities.

Workspace Context:

• Collaborative Environment: The description emphasizes collaboration with marketing team members and wider business teams, suggesting an open and interactive workspace designed to facilitate communication and teamwork.

• Operations Tools & Technology: Access to modern design software (Adobe Creative Suite, After Effects), potentially high-performance computers, and necessary peripherals for design work is expected.

• Team Interaction: Regular opportunities for brainstorming sessions, project reviews, and feedback meetings with colleagues and stakeholders.

Work Schedule: Full-time, likely Monday to Friday. While standard office hours are typical, the demands of the construction industry and client deadlines may occasionally require flexibility to meet project timelines, especially for urgent proposals or event collateral.

📝 Enhancement Note: An on-site role in a large construction company's office suggests a professional, structured environment. The emphasis on collaboration means the physical workspace is likely set up to encourage interaction, with shared resources and meeting spaces.

📄 Application & Portfolio Review Process

Interview Process:

• Initial Screening: A review of submitted applications, resumes, and portfolios. Candidates with a strong portfolio aligning with the requirements will be shortlisted.

• First Interview: Typically with the hiring manager (e.g., Marketing Manager). This will focus on assessing your design experience, technical skills (software proficiency), understanding of brand principles, and general fit for the role and company culture. Be prepared to walk through key projects from your portfolio.

• Skills Assessment/Challenge: A practical design exercise or case study may be given. This could involve creating a sample social media graphic, a short animation concept, or redesigning a piece of existing marketing collateral based on a brief. This assesses your problem-solving skills, creative approach, and ability to meet project requirements under timed conditions.

• Final Interview: Potentially with senior management or heads of relevant departments (e.g., Bid Manager, HR Manager). This interview will focus on strategic thinking, impact, collaboration across departments, and long-term career aspirations.

Portfolio Review Tips:

• Curate Strategically: Select diverse projects that directly address the requirements: digital, print, infographics, video/animation, and ideally, something that shows an understanding of corporate branding or B2B communication.

• Tell a Story: For each project, briefly explain the brief, your role, your creative process, the tools used, and the outcome or impact. Quantify results if possible (e.g., "increased engagement by X%," "contributed to successful bid").

• Highlight Brand Consistency: If you have examples of working within strict brand guidelines, showcase them. This is crucial for a role focused on maintaining corporate identity.

• Be Prepared for Technical Questions: Be ready to discuss your proficiency with specific software and techniques.

• Digital Format: Ensure your portfolio is easily accessible online (e.g., personal website, Behance, or a well-organized PDF).

Challenge Preparation:

• Understand the Brief: Read the design challenge carefully. Identify the target audience, key message, and desired outcome.

• Time Management: Allocate your time wisely across concept development, design execution, and refinement.

• Presentation: Be ready to present your solution, explaining your rationale and how it meets the brief's objectives. Focus on clarity, impact, and brand alignment.

📝 Enhancement Note: The emphasis on "visual storytelling" and "impactful creative" means the interview will likely assess not just technical skill but also the ability to communicate effectively through design and understand business objectives. Preparing to discuss specific projects and their outcomes will be key.

🛠 Tools & Technology Stack

Primary Tools:

• Adobe Creative Suite: Comprehensive proficiency is essential.

  • Photoshop: For image manipulation, digital graphics, and web assets.
  • Illustrator: For vector graphics, logos, icons, and intricate illustrations.
  • InDesign: For layout design of proposals, brochures, presentations, and other print materials.

• Adobe After Effects: For creating motion graphics, animations, video overlays, and visual effects.

Analytics & Reporting:

• While not a primary tool for the designer, an understanding of how analytics (e.g., website traffic, social media engagement, conversion rates) might inform design choices or how to present data visually is beneficial.

• Familiarity with tools that track visual asset performance would be a plus. CRM & Automation:

• SharePoint: Mentioned as a platform for internal content. Familiarity with uploading and managing assets within such systems can be advantageous.

• Design automation tools or template-based systems (e.g., Adobe Express, Canva for Business) might be used for efficiency, though the core tools are Adobe.

📝 Enhancement Note: The explicit requirement for Adobe Creative Suite and After Effects indicates a need for advanced design and motion graphics skills. Proficiency in these tools is non-negotiable and will be heavily scrutinized through the portfolio and potential design challenges.

👥 Team Culture & Values

Operations Values:

• Collaboration: The company emphasizes working closely with various business teams, highlighting the value of teamwork and open communication.

• Professionalism & Credibility: As a leading contractor, maintaining a strong, credible brand presence is paramount. This translates to a value placed on quality, attention to detail, and delivering reliable visual assets.

• Impact & Engagement: The role is designed to "drive engagement and new business opportunities," indicating a value placed on designs that are not just aesthetically pleasing but also effective in achieving business goals.

• Efficiency: The mention of a "fast-paced environment" and "organisational skills" suggests a value placed on efficiency, timely delivery, and effective workflow management.

Collaboration Style:

• Cross-functional Integration: Expect to work with individuals from diverse backgrounds (construction, project management, HR, marketing), requiring clear communication and adaptability.

• Feedback Culture: The role involves incorporating feedback from multiple stakeholders, suggesting a culture where constructive criticism is part of the process, aimed at refining the final output.

• Knowledge Sharing: Opportunities to share design insights, new techniques, or creative trends with the marketing team and potentially other departments.

📝 Enhancement Note: The culture likely balances the structural nature of a large construction firm with the creative needs of a marketing department. The designer will need to be a team player who can navigate different personalities and operational requirements while championing visual excellence and brand integrity.

⚡ Challenges & Growth Opportunities

Challenges:

• Balancing Creative Vision with Corporate Constraints: Effectively translating creative ideas into visuals that meet strict brand guidelines and corporate objectives for a traditional industry.

• Managing Multiple Stakeholder Demands: Juggling requests from various departments (marketing, HR, project management, leadership), each with potentially different priorities and feedback styles.

• Adapting to a Fast-Paced Environment: Meeting tight deadlines for proposals, events, and campaigns while maintaining high-quality output.

• Staying Current with Design Trends: Continuously evolving design skills and tool proficiency to keep pace with digital media advancements within a potentially conservative industry.

Learning & Development Opportunities:

• Advanced Software Training: Opportunities to deepen expertise in After Effects, explore new Adobe features, or learn complementary design software.

• Industry Exposure: Gaining insights into the construction industry's marketing and communication strategies, which can inform design approach.

• Project Variety: Working on diverse projects from internal communications to major client proposals and employer branding campaigns offers broad experience.

• Potential for Specialization: As noted in career growth, opportunities to focus on specific design disciplines like motion graphics or UX/UI.

📝 Enhancement Note: The challenges are typical for a creative role in a large, established, non-creative industry. The growth opportunities are tied to both deepening technical skills and broadening strategic understanding of the business.

💡 Interview Preparation

Strategy Questions:

• "How do you approach translating complex technical information from the construction industry into easily understandable visual formats like infographics or presentations?" (Focus on process, simplification, and audience awareness).

• "Describe a time you had to collaborate with stakeholders from different departments who had conflicting feedback on a design. How did you resolve it?" (Highlight communication, negotiation, and problem-solving skills).

• "Walk us through your process for creating a key visual asset for a major proposal or marketing campaign, from brief to final delivery." (Demonstrate workflow, tool usage, and decision-making). Company & Culture Questions:

• "What are your thoughts on our current brand identity, and how would you contribute to evolving it visually?" (Requires pre-interview research on their website and branding).

• "How do you ensure consistency in branding across various digital and print platforms, especially in a large organization?" (Focus on understanding brand guidelines and systematic approach).

• "How do you see graphic design contributing to JJ Rhatigan's business development and employer branding efforts?" (Connect your skills to business outcomes). Portfolio Presentation Strategy:

• Structure: Organize your portfolio logically, perhaps by project type or by chronological order. Use clear headings for each project.

• Storytelling: For each selected project, prepare a concise narrative: the challenge, your solution, the tools used, and the impact.

• Visuals: Ensure high-resolution images and playable videos if applicable. Use mockups to show designs in context (e.g., a brochure on a table, a social post on a phone).

• Conciseness: Be mindful of time. Focus on the most impactful projects and be ready to answer questions rather than presenting every detail.

📝 Enhancement Note: Expect questions that probe your understanding of the construction industry context, your ability to work within corporate structures, and your strategic thinking about how design supports business objectives. Be prepared to discuss your portfolio in detail and articulate your design process.

📌 Application Steps

To apply for this Graphic Designer position:

• Submit your application through the provided link on the JJ Rhatigan Building Contractors hirehive portal.

• Portfolio Customization: Review the job description thoroughly and tailor your portfolio to highlight projects that demonstrate skills in digital design, print collateral, infographics, and ideally, motion graphics or video editing relevant to a corporate or B2B context. Ensure your portfolio is easily accessible and professionally presented.

• Resume Optimization: Update your resume to clearly articulate your years of experience, proficiency in Adobe Creative Suite and After Effects, and specific achievements in areas like brand consistency, visual storytelling, and project management. Use keywords from the job description.

• Company Research: Thoroughly research JJ Rhatigan Building Contractors. Understand their projects, their current marketing and branding efforts, and their position in the construction industry. This will help you tailor your application and prepare for interview questions.

• Prepare for Design Challenge: Anticipate a potential design exercise. Practice creating quick, impactful visuals under timed conditions, focusing on adapting to a brief and adhering to brand guidelines.

⚠️ 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.