Graphic Designer

📍 Job Overview

Job Title: Graphic Designer

Company: National Development/Cranshaw Construction

Location: Newton Lower Falls, Massachusetts, United States

Job Type: Full-Time

Category: Marketing & Communications / Art & Design

Date Posted: September 15, 2026

Experience Level: 3-5 Years Professional Experience

Remote Status: Hybrid (Minimum 3 days/week in office)

🚀 Role Summary

• Serve as the primary graphic design resource for National Development, upholding and evolving a strong, consistent corporate visual identity across all platforms.

• Develop and produce a wide range of corporate marketing and communications materials, including presentations, brochures, reports, advertisements, and digital assets.

• Apply and manage property-specific brand guidelines and templates to create compelling marketing collateral for real estate properties, encompassing websites, social media, email, and environmental graphics.

• Proactively explore and integrate emerging design, AI, and productivity tools to enhance design quality, increase efficiency, and democratize strong design practices across the organization.

📝 Enhancement Note: This role is positioned within a real estate development and management company, implying a need for design skills that can translate complex property information (like site plans and maps) into easily digestible visual formats. The emphasis on both Adobe Creative Suite and newer tools like Canva, Figma, and AI platforms indicates a forward-thinking approach to design operations and a need for adaptability in a dynamic industry.

📈 Primary Responsibilities

• Design and produce corporate marketing and communications materials, including presentations, brochures, reports, advertisements, invitations, and other print and digital assets, ensuring brand consistency.

• Apply established property brand guidelines and templates to create marketing materials and touchpoints, such as websites, brochures, presentations, social media templates, email campaigns, signage, and marketing center graphics.

• Design environmental graphics, including building signage, wayfinding systems, and marketing center visuals, to enhance brand presence and user experience.

• Create and refine maps, site plans, and aerial views to clearly communicate property location, access, amenities, and surrounding context to stakeholders.

• Manage relationships with property photographers and maintain the company's comprehensive photo and digital asset library for efficient retrieval and use.

• Develop and maintain accessible templates for both National Development and individual properties, empowering employees across the company to create professional, on-brand materials.

• Provide training and support to employees on the effective use of design tools and templates to ensure brand adherence and quality.

• Proactively identify, test, and recommend new design, AI, and productivity tools that can improve design quality, increase operational efficiency, and enhance design accessibility.

• Collaborate closely with cross-functional teams, including Marketing & Communications, Investments, Development, Asset Management, and Property Management, to understand business objectives and translate them into effective visual communications.

• Manage multiple corporate and property marketing projects simultaneously, prioritizing tasks and maintaining high standards of design, accuracy, and brand consistency.

📝 Enhancement Note: The responsibilities highlight a dual focus on corporate branding and property-specific marketing, requiring a designer who can navigate both strategic brand stewardship and tactical execution for diverse real estate assets. The expectation to manage vendor relationships (photographers) and internal training points to a role with significant project management and internal stakeholder engagement components, common in operations-adjacent marketing roles.

🎓 Skills & Qualifications

Education: While no specific degree is mandated, a Bachelor's degree in Graphic Design, Visual Communications, or a related field is typically preferred for roles requiring 3-5 years of professional experience.

Experience: 3-5 years of professional graphic design experience, preferably within the real estate or a related industry, though experience from any industry will be considered.

Required Skills:

• Advanced proficiency in Adobe Creative Suite (InDesign, Photoshop, Illustrator) for professional design and production.

• Advanced proficiency in Canva for efficient creation of diverse marketing materials and empowering internal users.

• Strong understanding of typography, layout principles, and visual hierarchy for effective communication across various mediums.

• Demonstrated ability to translate a visual identity across print, digital, and environmental applications consistently.

• Experience in creating and managing templates, brand guidelines, and systems to facilitate brand standards for non-design professionals.

• Proven ability to manage multiple projects simultaneously, prioritizing tasks and meeting deadlines in a fast-paced environment.

• Excellent collaboration and communication skills for effective teamwork with cross-functional departments.

• A strong portfolio showcasing relevant design work, demonstrating expertise in typography, layout, brand consistency, and diverse project types. Preferred Skills:

• Familiarity with and enthusiasm for exploring emerging design tools such as Gamma, Figma, and AI-powered design and productivity platforms (e.g., Adobe Firefly, Claude).

• Familiarity with mapping and site planning tools (e.g., Google Earth, GIS platforms, or Adobe Illustrator for map rendering and annotation).

• Exposure to environmental graphics or signage design.

• Basic knowledge of digital design principles, email marketing platforms, or light video editing.

📝 Enhancement Note: The requirement for advanced proficiency in both industry-standard Adobe Suite and accessible tools like Canva, alongside a willingness to adopt new AI and productivity platforms, suggests the company values efficiency and adaptability. The emphasis on template creation and internal training indicates a need for a designer who can also act as a brand advocate and educator within the organization, a valuable trait in operations-focused roles.

📊 Process & Systems Portfolio Requirements

Portfolio Essentials:

• A comprehensive portfolio is mandatory for consideration, showcasing a breadth of design projects that demonstrate proficiency in typography, layout, brand consistency, and the ability to adapt visual styles across different mediums (print, digital, environmental).

• Include case studies or examples that highlight the creation and application of brand guidelines and templates, illustrating how you've made design accessible and consistent for others.

• Showcase projects involving the creation of maps, site plans, or environmental graphics, demonstrating your ability to visualize complex spatial information.

• Examples of digital assets such as presentations, social media graphics, and email templates are crucial, reflecting the day-to-day needs of a corporate marketing team. Process Documentation:

• Demonstrate your process for translating business objectives into visual communication strategies, particularly in the context of real estate marketing.

• Illustrate your workflow for managing multiple design projects simultaneously, including prioritization, time management, and quality control measures.

• Provide examples of how you've implemented or managed digital asset libraries and photo archives to ensure efficient access and organization.

• Showcase your approach to testing and integrating new design or productivity tools to improve workflow efficiency and design outcomes.

📝 Enhancement Note: For a role like this, a portfolio is not just a collection of work but a demonstration of process and problem-solving. Candidates should be prepared to discuss their design methodology, how they approach client briefs (internal stakeholders), and how they ensure brand integrity across diverse applications. The emphasis on template creation and tool adoption suggests a portfolio that highlights efficiency and scalability in design processes would be particularly strong.

💵 Compensation & Benefits

Salary Range: $75,000 - $85,000 per year.

Benefits:

• Affordable Health, Dental, and Vision Plans for comprehensive medical coverage.

• Flexible Spending Plans (Medical & Dependent Care) to assist with healthcare and dependent care expenses.

• Life Insurance and Long-Term Disability (LTD) to provide financial security for employees and their families.

• Employee Assistance Program offering confidential support for mental health, life management, and various personal challenges.

• Employee Wellness Incentives to encourage healthy lifestyles and provide rewards for participation.

• Company-matched 401K plan to support retirement savings goals.

• Tuition Reimbursement Program to foster continuous learning and professional development.

• Paid Time-Off (PTO) to promote work-life balance and allow for rest and rejuvenation.

Working Hours: Typically 40 hours per week, with a hybrid work arrangement requiring a minimum of 3 days in the Newton Lower Falls office.

📝 Enhancement Note: The provided salary range of $75,000-$85,000 for a Graphic Designer with 3-5 years of experience in the Greater Boston area (Newton Lower Falls, MA) aligns with industry benchmarks. This region often commands higher salaries due to its strong job market and cost of living. The comprehensive benefits package is standard for mid-sized to large organizations in the US, with specific mentions of wellness incentives and tuition reimbursement indicating an investment in employee development and well-being, which is attractive to professionals seeking long-term growth.

🎯 Team & Company Context

🏢 Company Culture

Industry: Real Estate Investment, Development, and Management. National Development is a prominent player in this sector, known for its comprehensive approach to property lifecycle management.

Company Size: The provided information suggests a mid-sized to large organization, with a "high-performing Marketing & Communications team" and a need for a versatile designer to support various departments. This implies a structured environment with opportunities for cross-functional collaboration.

Founded: Founded in 1978, National Development has a long-standing history, suggesting stability and established processes, while also indicating a need to stay current with modern design and marketing trends.

Team Structure:

• The Graphic Designer will be part of the Marketing & Communications team, reporting directly to the Senior Vice President of Marketing & Communications.

• This role requires close collaboration with various departments including Investments, Development, Asset Management, and Property Management, indicating a matrixed reporting or strong project-based collaboration structure.

• The team appears to value a blend of traditional design expertise and a forward-looking embrace of new technologies and tools. Methodology:

• The company emphasizes a data-informed approach to marketing and communications, with the Graphic Designer expected to translate business objectives into effective visual strategies.

• Workflow optimization is a key theme, with the role focused on creating templates and exploring new tools to improve efficiency and accessibility of design across the organization.

• Brand stewardship is paramount, ensuring consistency across corporate and property-level marketing efforts.

Company Website: [National Development/Cranshaw Construction Website URL - Not provided in input, but would typically be linked here]

📝 Enhancement Note: The company's industry (real estate development) and its long history suggest a need for designs that are professional, sophisticated, and capable of conveying complex information clearly. The emphasis on hybrid work and the adoption of new technologies indicates a company culture that is evolving and values modern operational efficiencies.

📈 Career & Growth Analysis

Operations Career Level: This role is positioned as a mid-level Graphic Designer, requiring 3-5 years of professional experience. It's a hands-on individual contributor role with significant responsibility for brand execution and internal tool development.

Reporting Structure: The Graphic Designer reports directly to the Senior Vice President of Marketing & Communications. This senior reporting line suggests the role has visibility and potential influence within the marketing function.

Operations Impact: The Graphic Designer's impact is crucial for shaping the visual identity of both the corporate entity and its diverse real estate portfolio. High-quality, consistent design directly supports marketing efforts, brand perception, investor relations, and property sales/leasing. By creating efficient design systems and templates, the role also contributes to operational efficiency across multiple departments.

Growth Opportunities:

• Specialization: Opportunity to deepen expertise in specific areas such as environmental graphics, real estate marketing design, or advanced digital asset management.

• Tool Mastery: Potential to become a subject matter expert in new AI design tools and productivity platforms, leading internal training or adoption initiatives.

• Project Leadership: As experience grows, the designer may take on lead roles for larger corporate branding initiatives or property marketing campaigns.

• Cross-Functional Influence: Continued success in collaborating with diverse departments can lead to greater influence on integrated marketing and communication strategies.

📝 Enhancement Note: While this is a design role, its emphasis on process, template creation, and tool adoption places it at the intersection of creative execution and operational efficiency. Growth could involve moving into design leadership, operations management within marketing, or specializing in a niche area like environmental branding for large-scale developments.

🌐 Work Environment

Office Type: The role is hybrid, requiring a minimum of 3 days per week in the office located at 2310 Washington Street, Newton Lower Falls, MA. This suggests a professional office setting.

Office Location(s): The primary office is in Newton Lower Falls, Massachusetts, a suburban area within the Greater Boston region, offering accessibility for local talent.

Workspace Context:

• The role is part of a "high-performing Marketing & Communications team," implying a collaborative and dynamic work environment.

• Access to professional design tools (Adobe Creative Suite, Canva, potentially Figma, etc.) and company-provided technology is expected.

• Opportunities for direct interaction with colleagues across Marketing, Investments, Development, Asset Management, and Property Management departments will be frequent, fostering a cross-functional and communicative atmosphere.

Work Schedule: A standard full-time work schedule (likely 40 hours/week) is expected, with the hybrid model offering some flexibility in terms of in-office days. This schedule needs to accommodate both focused design work and collaborative meetings.

📝 Enhancement Note: The hybrid model, with a clear minimum in-office requirement, indicates a company that values in-person collaboration for creative brainstorming and team cohesion, while also offering flexibility. The location in Newton Lower Falls provides a balance between accessibility to the broader Boston market and a potentially more suburban/campus-like work environment.

📄 Application & Portfolio Review Process

Interview Process:

• Initial Screening: Review of resume and portfolio. Candidates without a portfolio will not be considered.

• First Interview: Likely a discussion with the hiring manager (Senior Vice President of Marketing & Communications) to assess design philosophy, experience, and cultural fit. Portfolio walkthrough will be a key component.

• Skills Assessment/Case Study: Potential for a design challenge or a detailed discussion about specific past projects, focusing on problem-solving, process, and outcomes. This might involve evaluating how you'd approach a specific real estate marketing scenario or template creation task.

• Final Interview: May involve meeting other key stakeholders from collaborating departments to assess cross-functional communication and collaboration capabilities.

Portfolio Review Tips:

• Curate Strategically: Select projects that best represent the required skills: strong typography, layout, brand consistency, print/digital versatility, and ideally, any experience with real estate, environmental graphics, or map creation.

• Showcase Process: For key projects, briefly explain the brief, your design process, challenges faced, and the final outcome, including any measurable impact or how it achieved business objectives.

• Highlight Tool Versatility: Include examples that demonstrate your proficiency in both Adobe Creative Suite and Canva. If you have experience with Figma or AI design tools, feature those as well.

• Template Examples: If possible, include examples of templates you've created for internal use or client projects, demonstrating your ability to simplify complex design systems.

• Professional Presentation: Ensure your portfolio is well-organized, visually appealing, and easy to navigate, whether it's a PDF or an online platform.

Challenge Preparation:

• Understand the Context: Be prepared to discuss how design supports real estate marketing goals, brand building for properties, and corporate identity.

• Tool Proficiency: Be ready to articulate your experience with specific design software and your approach to learning and adopting new tools.

• Brand Stewardship: Prepare examples of how you've maintained brand consistency and enforced brand guidelines, especially when working with non-designers.

• Collaboration Scenarios: Think about how you would approach collaborating with investment, development, or property management teams to gather requirements and deliver effective designs.

📝 Enhancement Note: The emphasis on a portfolio and the specific skills listed (Adobe, Canva, emerging tools) suggest the interview process will heavily scrutinize design execution, adaptability, and the ability to create scalable design solutions. Candidates should be ready to discuss not just what they designed, but how and why, with a focus on efficiency and brand impact.

🛠 Tools & Technology Stack

Primary Tools:

• Adobe Creative Suite: Advanced proficiency required in InDesign (for layout and print), Photoshop (for image editing and manipulation), and Illustrator (for vector graphics and logo design).

• Canva: Advanced proficiency required for rapid creation of diverse marketing materials and empowering non-designers.

• Figma: Familiarity and enthusiasm for exploration are preferred, suggesting it may be used for collaborative design, prototyping, or web design elements.

• AI Design & Productivity Platforms: Curiosity and willingness to explore tools like Adobe Firefly and Claude, indicating an interest in AI-assisted design workflows and content generation.

• Gamma: Preferred tool, likely used for creating dynamic presentations and visual reports.

Analytics & Reporting:

• Familiarity with tools that help visualize data or present information effectively (e.g., presentation software, potentially basic dashboard tools if integrated into reporting). The focus here is on presenting information clearly rather than deep data analysis. CRM & Automation:

• While not primary design tools, an understanding of how design assets are used within marketing automation platforms (e.g., email marketing software) or CRM-related marketing collateral would be beneficial.

📝 Enhancement Note: The explicit mention of both Adobe Creative Suite and Canva, alongside a strong emphasis on exploring newer tools like Figma and AI platforms, is a key indicator of the company's approach to design operations. They seek a designer who can leverage established professional tools for core work while embracing innovation for efficiency and broader accessibility. This blend is critical for a role that supports multiple departments and aims to streamline design processes.

👥 Team Culture & Values

Operations Values:

• Creativity & Initiative: Valued for generating innovative design solutions and proactively exploring new tools and approaches.

• Brand Stewardship: A strong commitment to maintaining and evolving a consistent, high-quality visual identity across all company and property branding.

• Efficiency & Accessibility: Emphasis on creating systems, templates, and workflows that make professional design accessible to non-designers and improve overall operational efficiency.

• Collaboration & Partnership: A culture of working closely with diverse internal teams to understand needs and deliver effective visual communications that support business objectives.

• Adaptability & Forward-Thinking: Embracing new technologies and methodologies to stay current and improve design processes and outcomes.

Collaboration Style:

• Cross-functional Integration: Expect close collaboration with Marketing & Communications, Investments, Development, Asset Management, and Property Management teams, requiring clear communication and understanding of diverse stakeholder needs.

• Process-Oriented: A focus on establishing and refining processes for design requests, template usage, and asset management to ensure smooth operations.

• Knowledge Sharing: Encouraging the sharing of design best practices and the effective use of tools, particularly through template creation and potential internal training.

📝 Enhancement Note: The company culture appears to value both creative excellence and practical, operational efficiency. They seek a designer who can be a creative force but also a system-builder, someone who can empower others and streamline internal processes through smart design solutions. This blend is characteristic of modern marketing and operations teams.

⚡ Challenges & Growth Opportunities

Challenges:

• Balancing Diverse Brand Needs: Juggling the distinct branding requirements for the corporate entity versus multiple individual real estate properties, each with its own identity.

• Adopting New Technologies: Staying current with and effectively integrating emerging AI and design tools while maintaining high standards and ensuring compatibility with existing workflows.

• Empowering Non-Designers: Creating intuitive templates and providing effective support to colleagues with limited design experience, ensuring brand consistency across the organization.

• Managing Multiple Stakeholders: Effectively gathering requirements, managing feedback, and delivering design solutions for various departments with potentially different priorities and perspectives.

• Translating Complex Information: Visualizing intricate details like site plans, maps, and financial data into clear, impactful graphics for diverse audiences.

Learning & Development Opportunities:

• Advanced Tool Proficiency: Opportunities to become an expert in new AI-powered design tools, potentially leading internal adoption or training.

• Real Estate Design Specialization: Deepening expertise in specific design challenges unique to the real estate industry, such as environmental graphics, large-scale signage, and property marketing collateral.

• Process Improvement Leadership: Taking ownership of developing and refining design workflows, template libraries, and asset management systems.

• Cross-Departmental Exposure: Gaining a deeper understanding of the real estate development and investment lifecycle through close collaboration with other departments.

• Mentorship: Potential for mentorship from senior marketing leadership, offering guidance on career development and strategic thinking within the marketing and operations functions.

📝 Enhancement Note: The challenges presented are typical for a mid-level designer in a growing company with diverse needs. The growth opportunities lean towards specialization, operational process improvement, and leveraging new technologies, aligning with a career path that values both creative skill and strategic operational contribution.

💡 Interview Preparation

Strategy Questions:

• "Describe your process for creating a comprehensive brand guide or template system for a new property or corporate initiative." (Focus on methodology, stakeholder input, and scalability).

• "How do you approach balancing the use of professional design software like Adobe Creative Suite with more accessible tools like Canva or emerging AI platforms?" (Demonstrate adaptability and strategic tool selection).

• "Walk us through a project where you had to translate complex technical information (e.g., site plans, data) into an easily understandable visual format." (Highlight problem-solving, clarity, and impact).

• "How do you manage feedback and revisions from multiple stakeholders with different visions or priorities?" (Showcase communication, negotiation, and project management skills). Company & Culture Questions:

• "What interests you about National Development and the real estate industry?" (Research the company's recent projects and values).

• "How do you see your role contributing to the company's overall marketing and operational efficiency?" (Connect your skills to business objectives).

• "Describe a time you proactively identified and implemented a new tool or process to improve design workflow or quality." (Showcase initiative and forward-thinking). Portfolio Presentation Strategy:

• Tell a Story: For each selected project, briefly outline the challenge, your role, your process, the solution, and the outcome. Emphasize the why behind your design decisions.

• Highlight Versatility: Ensure your presentation demonstrates your command of both Adobe Creative Suite and Canva, and any experience with newer tools.

• Focus on Impact: Where possible, quantify the impact of your work – e.g., increased engagement, improved brand consistency, time saved through templates.

• Address Specific Requirements: Be prepared to specifically point out examples that showcase your ability to create templates, design environmental graphics, or visualize site plans/maps.

• Engage and Discuss: Be ready to answer questions about your design choices and be open to discussing alternative approaches.

📝 Enhancement Note: Interview preparation should focus on demonstrating not just design talent, but also an understanding of how design functions within a business context, particularly in real estate. Highlighting your ability to be efficient, collaborative, and adaptable with technology will be key.

📌 Application Steps

To apply for this Graphic Designer position:

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

• Portfolio Customization: Ensure your resume and portfolio are tailored to highlight your experience with Adobe Creative Suite, Canva, brand identity, template creation, and any relevant real estate or environmental design projects.

• Resume Optimization: Clearly articulate your 3-5 years of professional experience and advanced proficiency in required software. Quantify achievements where possible, focusing on contributions to brand consistency and operational efficiency.

• Interview Preparation: Practice presenting your portfolio, focusing on clear storytelling, strategic design choices, and your approach to collaboration and tool adoption. Be ready to discuss your understanding of the real estate industry and National Development's work.

• Company Research: Thoroughly research National Development and Cranshaw Construction. Understand their portfolio, recent projects, and any stated company values related to innovation, community, or design to better align your application and interview responses.

⚠️ 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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