Graphic Designer

📍 Job Overview

Job Title: Graphic Designer

Company: Transwestern

Location: Minneapolis, MN, United States

Job Type: Full time

Category: Marketing Operations / Creative Services

Date Posted: 2026-09-01

Experience Level: 2-5 years

Remote Status: On-site

🚀 Role Summary

• Drive visual storytelling and brand consistency across diverse commercial real estate marketing collateral.

• Execute high-quality design and production for property brochures, digital assets, environmental graphics, and internal communications.

• Manage a project pipeline within a deadline-driven, high-volume environment, ensuring timely and accurate delivery.

• Collaborate cross-functionally with marketing, brokerage, leasing, and research teams to support business development and company initiatives.

• Maintain and organize digital asset libraries, templates, and style guides to ensure brand integrity and operational efficiency.

📝 Enhancement Note: While the title is Graphic Designer, the responsibilities and context heavily lean into marketing operations and creative services within a commercial real estate firm. This role requires not just design aesthetic but also process adherence, project management, and collaboration to support Go-To-Market (GTM) strategies for properties. The emphasis on "marketing materials," "pitch decks," "offering memoranda," and "property brand identity" points towards a function that directly supports sales and business development efforts, thus aligning it with a Marketing Operations or Creative Services function within a broader GTM framework.

📈 Primary Responsibilities

• Design and produce a comprehensive range of marketing materials, including property brochures, offering memoranda, pitch decks, property brand identity elements (fonts, colors, logos), websites, proposals, presentations (print and digital), email campaigns, social media assets, advertisements, web graphics, infographics, maps, stacking plans, floor plans, event collateral, signage, and large-format installations.

• Ensure all creative output adheres strictly to established brand standards, meets rigorous quality control expectations, and effectively utilizes best practices in visual storytelling to capture target audiences.

• Proactively manage and meticulously update tasks and projects within the designated project management tool, ensuring all necessary details and progress updates are maintained until project completion.

• Effectively manage multiple design projects simultaneously within a fast-paced, deadline-driven environment, prioritizing tasks to meet critical business objectives.

• Maintain and organize extensive digital asset libraries, master templates, and comprehensive style guides to ensure brand consistency, accessibility, and efficient retrieval of creative assets.

• Collaborate closely and proactively with marketing, brokerage, leasing, and research teams to develop and deliver design solutions that strategically support property marketing campaigns, business development initiatives, and overarching company goals.

• Develop multiple distinct design concepts from initial creative briefs, presenting them compellingly to stakeholders for review and feedback.

• Incorporate feedback constructively and efficiently into design revisions, refining visual content to meet and exceed stakeholder expectations.

• Support internal communications, leadership initiatives, and executive presentations with professional, visually aligned collateral that reinforces company messaging.

📝 Enhancement Note: The listed responsibilities are extensive and cover the full lifecycle of design production within a commercial real estate context. This suggests a role that is both hands-on in execution and strategic in its contribution to marketing and sales enablement. The emphasis on "offering memoranda" and "pitch decks" specifically highlights a direct link to revenue-generating activities.

🎓 Skills & Qualifications

Education: Bachelor’s degree in Graphic Design, Visual Communications, Communication Arts, or a related field; or equivalent professional experience demonstrating a strong foundation in design principles.

Experience: Minimum of 3 years of professional graphic design experience, with a strong preference for candidates with experience in commercial real estate, architecture, corporate marketing, or other B2B industries. Experience designing specifically for email, web, social media, and environmental applications (e.g., signage, large-format graphics) is essential.

Required Skills:

• Proficiency in Adobe Creative Suite (InDesign, Illustrator, Photoshop, Acrobat) is mandatory for all design and production tasks.

• Demonstrated excellence in typography, layout, and visual hierarchy across both print and digital mediums, as evidenced by a robust portfolio.

• Strong conceptual thinking capabilities coupled with a polished, modern design aesthetic.

• Proficiency with Microsoft PowerPoint and the broader Microsoft Office Suite (Word, Excel, Outlook, Teams) for internal communications and presentations.

• Ability to manage multiple projects simultaneously in a deadline-driven environment with a focus on quality and efficiency.

• Exceptional communication, collaboration, and interpersonal skills, with a positive, solutions-focused mindset.

• Strong customer service orientation and the ability to work effectively cross-functionally with internal stakeholders and clients.

• Ability to thrive in a fast-paced environment with a high degree of attention to detail. Preferred Skills:

• Working knowledge of HTML/CSS, Wix, or other web platforms (WordPress, Squarespace) for web design and digital asset deployment.

• Basic understanding of responsive design principles, asset optimization techniques, and preparing files for both print and digital deployment.

• Experience with motion/video editing tools such as After Effects or Premiere Pro for enhanced multimedia content creation.

• Enthusiasm for storytelling, branding, and bringing property campaigns to life through compelling visual design.

• Comfort with taking direction and feedback while actively contributing new ideas and design innovations.

📝 Enhancement Note: The experience requirements and preferred skills highlight a need for a designer who can operate independently and contribute to strategic marketing efforts, not just execute tasks. The mention of web platforms and motion graphics indicates a need for versatility beyond traditional print design, which is crucial for modern GTM strategies.

📊 Process & Systems Portfolio Requirements

Portfolio Essentials:

• A comprehensive portfolio demonstrating a minimum of 3 years of professional graphic design work, with a clear emphasis on projects relevant to commercial real estate, B2B marketing, or corporate branding.

• Showcase a strong command of typography, layout, visual hierarchy, and color theory across a diverse range of mediums, including print collateral (brochures, presentations), digital assets (web graphics, social media), and potentially environmental graphics.

• Include examples of brand identity development, demonstrating the ability to establish and maintain consistent visual guidelines for properties or initiatives.

• Present case studies or examples of how your design work has supported specific marketing objectives, business development goals, or sales enablement efforts.

• Highlight proficiency with Adobe Creative Suite applications (InDesign, Illustrator, Photoshop) through the quality and complexity of the presented work. Process Documentation:

• Examples of how you have managed design projects from concept to completion, ideally showcasing the use of project management tools or structured workflow methodologies.

• Evidence of maintaining and organizing digital asset libraries, templates, or style guides to ensure brand consistency and operational efficiency.

• Demonstrations of how you have incorporated feedback from stakeholders to refine and improve design outcomes, illustrating a collaborative and iterative design process.

• If applicable, showcase experience in preparing files for both print production and digital deployment, highlighting an understanding of technical specifications and optimization.

📝 Enhancement Note: For a role like this, the portfolio is paramount. It serves as direct evidence of design capabilities and, more importantly for operations, the ability to translate business needs into effective visual communication. The "process documentation" aspect is inferred, as successful designers in corporate settings often manage workflows and assets systematically.

💵 Compensation & Benefits

Salary Range: $65,000 - $70,000 USD per year.

Benefits:

• Comprehensive health insurance coverage (medical, dental, vision).

• Retirement savings plan with company match (e.g., 401(k)).

• Paid time off (PTO) including vacation, sick leave, and holidays.

• Potential for professional development and training opportunities in design software and industry trends.

• Access to company-provided resources and tools for design execution.

• Employee assistance programs.

Working Hours: Standard full-time work hours are expected to be approximately 40 hours per week, with the potential for occasional overtime during peak periods or to meet critical deadlines. The role is explicitly designated as an in-person position.

📝 Enhancement Note: The salary range provided is specific. Benefits are standard for full-time roles in the US and are inferred based on industry norms for a company of Transwestern's size and sector. The explicit mention of "in-person position only" clarifies the work arrangement.

🎯 Team & Company Context

🏢 Company Culture

Industry: Commercial Real Estate (CRE). Transwestern operates within a dynamic and competitive market, providing investment, development, brokerage, and property management services across diverse property types including logistics, multifamily, retail, mixed-use, healthcare, office, data centers, hotel, and life sciences. This industry context means design solutions must be sophisticated, data-informed, and aligned with investor and client expectations.

Company Size: Transwestern is a significant player in the CRE market, with 35 offices nationwide. This implies a structured corporate environment with established processes and a clear hierarchy, but also a culture that "cultivates agility, mutual trust, and high performance."

Founded: Transwestern was founded in 1978. This long history suggests a stable company with a deep understanding of the real estate market, likely possessing established brand guidelines and operational procedures.

Team Structure:

• The Graphic Designer will likely be part of a broader Marketing or Communications department, potentially within a regional or national team structure.

• This role will report to a Marketing Manager, Director of Marketing, or Creative Director, depending on the specific departmental organization.

• Close collaboration is expected with brokerage teams (who generate the properties to be marketed), leasing teams (who sell/rent the spaces), research teams (who provide market data for collateral), and potentially development and investment teams. Methodology:

• Data Analysis & Insights: While not directly performing market analysis, the designer must understand and translate data-driven insights from research and brokerage teams into compelling visual formats (infographics, charts, maps).

• Workflow Planning & Optimization: The role requires managing multiple projects, prioritizing tasks, and adhering to deadlines, indicating a need for structured workflow management. The use of a "project management tool" is explicitly mentioned.

• Automation & Efficiency: Maintaining digital asset libraries, templates, and style guides contributes to operational efficiency and brand consistency, reducing redundant design efforts.

Company Website: https://www.transwestern.com/

📝 Enhancement Note: The company information provides crucial context for a graphic designer. Understanding the CRE industry, the firm's scale, and its history helps tailor design output to be relevant and professional. The emphasis on collaboration with revenue-generating teams (brokerage, leasing) is key.

📈 Career & Growth Analysis

Operations Career Level: This position is an intermediate-level role, typically falling under "Graphic Designer" or "Marketing Designer." It requires 3+ years of experience, indicating a need for someone who can operate with a degree of autonomy and possesses a solid foundation in design principles and software.

Reporting Structure: The Graphic Designer will likely report to a Marketing Manager or Director, working within a marketing department that supports the broader sales and business development functions of the commercial real estate firm.

Operations Impact: The Graphic Designer's output directly impacts the perceived professionalism and marketability of Transwestern's properties and services. High-quality, on-brand collateral is crucial for attracting investors, tenants, and clients, thereby directly supporting revenue generation and business development efforts. Effective visual communication can differentiate Transwestern in a competitive market.

Growth Opportunities:

• Specialization: Potential to specialize in specific CRE property types or marketing channels (e.g., digital marketing design, environmental graphics, brand development).

• Skill Development: Opportunities to deepen expertise in advanced design software (e.g., After Effects, motion graphics), web design platforms, or specialized areas like data visualization.

• Leadership Potential: With proven performance and expanded responsibilities, there could be opportunities to move into Senior Graphic Designer roles, Creative Lead positions, or even manage design projects or a small creative team.

• Cross-functional Exposure: Gaining deeper understanding of brokerage, leasing, and research functions can lead to roles with more strategic marketing involvement.

📝 Enhancement Note: This role is positioned as a key contributor to the marketing and sales enablement function within a commercial real estate firm. Growth potential exists within design specialization or by moving towards more strategic marketing roles that leverage design expertise.

🌐 Work Environment

Office Type: The role is explicitly stated as an "in-person position only," indicating a traditional office-based work environment. This suggests a collaborative setting where team members are physically present.

Office Location(s): Minneapolis, MN, specifically at 705 S Marquette Ave. This location is in the heart of Minneapolis, likely in a professional office building environment conducive to corporate operations.

Workspace Context:

• A professional office setting where collaboration with colleagues from marketing, brokerage, and research teams is expected.

• Access to necessary design software and hardware, including Adobe Creative Suite and Microsoft Office Suite.

• Likely a dynamic environment with frequent interaction with internal stakeholders who require design support for property marketing and business development.

• The "in-person" requirement implies opportunities for spontaneous brainstorming, immediate feedback sessions, and stronger team cohesion compared to remote arrangements.

Work Schedule: The standard work schedule is expected to be around 40 hours per week, aligning with typical full-time office employment. However, given the deadline-driven nature of marketing and design, flexibility may be required to meet project timelines, potentially involving occasional overtime.

📝 Enhancement Note: The on-site requirement is a critical aspect for candidates to consider. It emphasizes a traditional office culture and the benefits of in-person collaboration for design and project management within a corporate real estate firm.

📄 Application & Portfolio Review Process

Interview Process:

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

• Portfolio Presentation & Skills Assessment: A likely interview where you'll present your portfolio, discuss your design process, and answer questions about your experience with specific software (Adobe Creative Suite, Microsoft Office). Expect to discuss how you approach creative briefs and manage feedback.

• Technical/Situational Questions: You may be asked technical questions about file preparation for print/digital, or situational questions about managing multiple projects, dealing with difficult stakeholders, or problem-solving design challenges.

• Team/Cultural Fit Interview: An opportunity to meet with potential team members and hiring managers to assess cultural fit within Transwestern's collaborative and performance-driven environment. Questions may focus on your work style, collaboration approach, and understanding of the CRE industry.

Portfolio Review Tips:

• Curate Strategically: Select 5-7 of your strongest, most relevant projects. Prioritize work that showcases your ability to design for B2B, corporate marketing, or commercial real estate. Include a mix of print and digital examples.

• Tell a Story: For each project, briefly explain the client/objective, your role, the challenges, your design process, and the outcome or impact. Use the STAR method (Situation, Task, Action, Result) where applicable.

• Highlight Process: Be ready to discuss your design thinking, how you interpret briefs, your approach to typography and layout, and how you handle feedback and revisions.

• Showcase Technical Proficiency: Ensure your portfolio clearly demonstrates mastery of Adobe Creative Suite. If you have web design or motion graphics experience, include relevant examples.

• Demonstrate Brand Understanding: If possible, include examples where you developed or adhered to brand guidelines.

Challenge Preparation:

• Mock Design Brief: Be prepared for a potential take-home assignment or a live design challenge where you'll be given a brief (e.g., design a property brochure concept, create social media assets for a new listing) and asked to produce a design solution within a set timeframe.

• Time Management: Practice working under time constraints. For live challenges, focus on delivering a well-thought-out concept rather than a fully polished final product if time is limited.

• Presentation Skills: Practice articulating your design choices clearly and concisely, focusing on how your design meets the brief's objectives and supports Transwestern's brand and business goals.

📝 Enhancement Note: The interview process for a graphic designer in a corporate setting often involves a strong emphasis on the portfolio and the ability to translate business needs into visual solutions. Practical design challenges are common.

🛠 Tools & Technology Stack

Primary Tools:

• Adobe Creative Suite:

  • InDesign: Essential for layout and production of brochures, offering memoranda, pitch decks, and other print/digital collateral.
  • Illustrator: Crucial for creating logos, icons, infographics, floor plans, and vector-based graphics.
  • Photoshop: Used for image editing, manipulation, and creating digital assets for web and social media.
  • Acrobat: For PDF creation, editing, and preparing final print-ready files.

• Microsoft Office Suite:

  • PowerPoint: Heavily used for creating presentations and pitch decks for internal and external stakeholders.
  • Word: For accompanying text in marketing materials or internal documents.
  • Excel: Potentially for data visualization or working with charts/graphs.
  • Outlook/Teams: For communication and project management.

Analytics & Reporting:

• While the designer won't be directly managing analytics, they may need to interpret data from reports (e.g., from research or marketing teams) to create visualizations. Tools like Excel or potentially Tableau/Power BI (if used by other departments) might be relevant for understanding data inputs. CRM & Automation:

• The designer may interact with CRM data or marketing automation platforms indirectly, for instance, by creating assets for email campaigns managed via platforms like Salesforce Marketing Cloud or HubSpot, or by understanding lead generation funnel requirements for web graphics. However, direct proficiency with these is likely not required, but an understanding of their output needs is beneficial.

• Web Platforms: Proficiency or working knowledge of Wix, WordPress, Squarespace is preferred for website design and updates.

📝 Enhancement Note: This section is critical for operations roles. The explicit mention of Adobe Creative Suite and Microsoft Office Suite is key. The preference for web platforms and potential exposure to data visualization tools indicates a modern design role supporting GTM.

👥 Team Culture & Values

Operations Values:

• High Performance: A drive to deliver exceptional quality work, meet deadlines consistently, and contribute to the company's success.

• Agility: Ability to adapt quickly to changing project priorities, market trends, and feedback from stakeholders in a fast-paced industry.

• Mutual Trust: Fostering strong working relationships with colleagues across departments, built on reliability, open communication, and respect.

• Collaboration: A willingness and ability to work effectively with diverse teams (marketing, brokerage, research, leasing) to achieve common goals.

• Ownership: Taking responsibility for design outcomes and ensuring that all creative output aligns with Transwestern's brand promise and business objectives.

Collaboration Style:

• Cross-functional Integration: The designer is expected to be a collaborative partner, actively engaging with various departments to understand their needs and translate them into effective visual communications. This involves proactive communication and a service-oriented approach.

• Process Review & Feedback: A culture that likely encourages constructive feedback on designs, with the designer expected to receive and implement this feedback efficiently. Designers are also expected to contribute ideas and innovations.

• Knowledge Sharing: Sharing design best practices, template updates, and insights with team members to maintain consistency and elevate the overall quality of marketing materials.

📝 Enhancement Note: Understanding the company's stated values (agility, trust, high performance) and inferring collaboration styles helps candidates align their own work ethics and communication methods with Transwestern's culture.

⚡ Challenges & Growth Opportunities

Challenges:

• Balancing Multiple Priorities: Managing a high volume of diverse design requests from different departments with competing deadlines requires strong organizational skills and prioritization.

• Adhering to Brand Standards: Consistently applying brand guidelines across a wide array of marketing materials while still allowing for creative expression can be challenging.

• Translating Complex Information: Effectively visualizing complex real estate data, market trends, and property features into clear, compelling, and aesthetically pleasing designs.

• Incorporating Feedback: Navigating diverse stakeholder feedback, which can sometimes be subjective or conflicting, and synthesizing it into cohesive design solutions.

Learning & Development Opportunities:

• Advanced Software Training: Opportunities to deepen skills in Adobe Creative Suite or learn new tools like After Effects or motion graphics software.

• Industry Knowledge: Gaining a deeper understanding of the commercial real estate market, property types, and marketing strategies specific to the industry.

• Design Best Practices: Staying current with evolving design trends, digital marketing best practices, and new creative technologies.

• Cross-functional Exposure: Learning more about the functions of brokerage, leasing, research, and investment can provide a broader business perspective and potentially lead to more strategic marketing roles.

📝 Enhancement Note: Identifying potential challenges helps candidates prepare for the realities of the role and demonstrate problem-solving skills. Growth opportunities highlight the company's commitment to employee development.

💡 Interview Preparation

Strategy Questions:

• "Describe your process for taking a creative brief from a stakeholder and translating it into a design concept." (Focus on understanding needs, initial ideation, and presenting options.)

• "How do you prioritize design requests when you have multiple projects with competing deadlines?" (Highlight your organizational skills, project management tools, and communication strategies.)

• "Walk us through a project in your portfolio that you are particularly proud of. What was the objective, your role, and the outcome?" (Be prepared to discuss your design choices, challenges, and impact.) Company & Culture Questions:

• "What interests you about working in the commercial real estate industry, and specifically with Transwestern?" (Research Transwestern's recent projects, market position, and company values.)

• "How do you approach receiving and incorporating feedback from clients or colleagues, especially if you disagree with it?" (Emphasize your collaborative, solutions-oriented mindset and ability to prioritize business objectives.)

• "How do you ensure your designs align with brand standards while still being creative and impactful?" (Discuss your understanding of brand guidelines and your approach to maintaining consistency.) Portfolio Presentation Strategy:

• Structure: Organize your portfolio logically, perhaps by project type or by the impact it had. For each project, have a brief narrative ready.

• Focus on Relevance: Highlight projects that best demonstrate your skills in typography, layout, branding, and producing marketing collateral for business audiences.

• Quantify Impact: If possible, discuss how your designs contributed to business goals (e.g., increased engagement, successful property launches, improved brand perception).

• Technical Readiness: Be prepared to discuss the software and techniques you used for each project.

Challenge Preparation:

• Understand the Brief: If given a design challenge, read the brief carefully. Identify the target audience, key message, and desired outcome.

• Show Your Process: Even if you can't fully complete a design, clearly articulate your thought process, initial concepts, and why you would proceed in a certain direction.

• Professional Presentation: Present your work clearly and professionally, explaining your rationale behind design decisions.

📝 Enhancement Note: Tailoring interview preparation to the specific company and role is crucial. For a graphic designer in a corporate setting, demonstrating both technical skill and business acumen is key.

📌 Application Steps

To apply for this Graphic Designer position:

• Submit your application through the provided link on the Transwestern careers portal.

• Portfolio Customization: Ensure your resume and portfolio are tailored to highlight your experience in B2B marketing, corporate branding, and ideally, commercial real estate. Select your most relevant projects that showcase your proficiency in Adobe Creative Suite and your ability to create compelling marketing collateral.

• Resume Optimization: Clearly articulate your years of experience, proficiency in required software (Adobe Creative Suite, Microsoft Office), and any specific experience with print production, digital asset creation, or web platforms. Quantify achievements where possible (e.g., "Designed X number of brochures that supported Y successful property listings").

• Interview Preparation: Practice discussing your portfolio projects using the STAR method, focusing on your process, challenges, and outcomes. Be ready to answer questions about your design approach, collaboration style, and interest in Transwestern and the CRE industry.

• Company Research: Familiarize yourself with Transwestern's services, recent projects, and company culture. Understand their brand identity and marketing approach to better articulate your fit for the role and the organization.

⚠️ 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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