Graphic Designer

📍 Job Overview

Job Title: Graphic Designer

Company: Transylvania University

Location: Lexington, Kentucky, United States

Job Type: Full-Time

Category: Marketing & Communications Operations / Creative Services

Date Posted: 2026-08-25

Experience Level: 2-5 Years

Remote Status: Hybrid

🚀 Role Summary

• Develop and execute compelling visual communications that support Transylvania University's marketing and enrollment objectives across print and digital channels.

• Manage the end-to-end design process for a diverse range of assets, from initial concept through final production, ensuring brand consistency and quality.

• Collaborate with the Creative Director and cross-functional teams to translate strategic messaging into engaging visual narratives that enhance prospective student engagement and overall university brand perception.

• Maintain and enforce brand identity standards across all creative deliverables, serving as a key resource for faculty and staff on visual brand elements.

📝 Enhancement Note: While the role is "Graphic Designer," the emphasis on "enrollment marketing," "prospective student engagement," and supporting "marketing and communications goals" positions this role within the broader operational framework of GTM (Go-To-Market) strategies for higher education. The need for brand management and vendor coordination also highlights operational aspects of creative services.

📈 Primary Responsibilities

• Conceptualize, design, and produce a wide array of print and environmental materials, including viewbooks, brochures, programs, posters, signage, and institutional publications, ensuring alignment with campaign strategies.

• Create engaging digital assets for the university website, social media platforms, email marketing campaigns, digital advertising, and other online initiatives, optimizing for various digital channels and user experiences.

• Develop creative assets specifically tailored to support full-funnel enrollment marketing efforts, translating campaign strategies and messaging into visually compelling communications that resonate with prospective students at each stage of their journey.

• Prepare production-ready files for both print and digital outputs, meticulously ensuring accuracy, quality, and adherence to brand standards and technical specifications.

• Coordinate effectively with commercial printers and external production vendors, managing the entire project lifecycle from proposal requests and estimates to final production and installation, ensuring timely delivery and quality control.

• Maintain and organize university brand assets, design templates, and other critical creative resources, ensuring accessibility and consistent application across the institution.

• Collaborate closely with colleagues within the Marketing and Communications department, including photography, video, web, and content specialists, to ensure seamless integration of visual assets into broader marketing campaigns and initiatives.

• Manage multiple design projects concurrently, prioritizing tasks, adhering to deadlines, and maintaining a high standard of creative output and attention to detail.

• Stay abreast of emerging trends and best practices in graphic design, digital media, print production, and higher education marketing to continuously enhance the university's visual storytelling and communication effectiveness.

📝 Enhancement Note: The responsibilities clearly outline a blend of creative execution and operational management of the design process. The emphasis on "full-funnel enrollment marketing" and "prospective student journey" indicates a strategic operational focus on lead generation and conversion through visual content.

🎓 Skills & Qualifications

Education:

• Bachelor's degree in Graphic Design, Visual Communication, Fine Arts, Marketing, or a closely related field. Experience:

• A minimum of two years of professional graphic design experience is preferred, ideally within an agency, higher education, or in-house creative environment, demonstrating practical application of design principles and project execution.

• Experience in higher education, non-profit organizations, or mission-driven environments is highly preferred, indicating an understanding of the unique communication needs and operational contexts of such institutions. Required Skills:

• Demonstrated proficiency and advanced skills in Adobe Creative Cloud suite, with particular expertise in Photoshop, Illustrator, and InDesign for creating and manipulating complex visual assets.

• A strong, well-curated portfolio showcasing a diverse range of creative work, exceptional typography and layout skills, compelling visual storytelling capabilities, and the ability to effectively design within an established brand framework.

• Solid understanding of commercial printing methods, production processes, file preparation techniques, and current industry standards to ensure successful print execution.

• Proficiency in preparing and optimizing photographic assets for both print and digital applications, including color correction and image retouching.

• Strong understanding of fundamental design principles and best practices for creating effective print and digital communications across various platforms.

• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, essential for collaborating effectively with internal teams, campus partners, and external vendors.

• Exceptional organizational and time management skills, with a proven ability to prioritize tasks, manage multiple projects simultaneously, and meet demanding deadlines without compromising quality.

• A keen attention to detail and a commitment to producing accurate, high-quality work consistently. Preferred Skills:

• Experience developing creative assets for integrated marketing campaigns that span across both print and digital channels, demonstrating a holistic campaign approach.

• Knowledge of web design principles, including basic understanding of HTML/CSS, and familiarity with digital accessibility standards to ensure inclusive design practices.

• Experience with motion graphics, animation, or video editing tools such as Adobe After Effects and Premiere Pro, expanding the scope of creative capabilities.

• Illustration or drawing skills in digital and/or traditional media, adding further versatility to design output.

📝 Enhancement Note: The requirement for a "strong portfolio" is critical for design roles. For operations-minded candidates, this portfolio should not just showcase aesthetics but also demonstrate problem-solving, process efficiency, and quantifiable results where possible, especially in relation to enrollment or marketing campaign success.

📊 Process & Systems Portfolio Requirements

Portfolio Essentials:

• Demonstrate Brand Adherence: Showcase projects where you successfully applied and adapted an existing brand identity (like Transylvania University's) across diverse collateral, highlighting your ability to maintain visual consistency while being creative.

• Process Optimization in Design: Include case studies or examples that illustrate how you improved a design process, managed complex print production workflows, or streamlined digital asset creation for greater efficiency.

• Systematic Workflow Examples: Present projects that required coordination with multiple stakeholders (e.g., Marketing, Admissions, external printers), demonstrating your project management and communication workflow.

• ROI/Impact Demonstration (where applicable): For enrollment marketing projects, if possible, include metrics or anecdotal evidence showing how your designs contributed to campaign goals, such as increased engagement, inquiries, or applications.

Process Documentation:

• Workflow Design & Optimization: Be prepared to discuss how you approach designing a workflow for new design requests, from intake and briefing to concept development, revisions, and final delivery. Highlight any methods you use for optimizing these workflows for speed and quality.

• Implementation & Automation: Discuss your experience with preparing files for various production methods (print, web, social media) and any tools or techniques you use to automate repetitive tasks in your design process.

• Measurement & Analysis: While not a direct analytics role, be ready to discuss how you assess the effectiveness of your designs, particularly in relation to marketing and enrollment goals, and how you use feedback to inform future creative decisions.

📝 Enhancement Note: For creative roles with operational components, the portfolio review often extends beyond aesthetics to assess the candidate's understanding of process, project management, and their ability to contribute to efficient operational workflows within the creative department.

💵 Compensation & Benefits

Salary Range:

• Based on industry benchmarks for Graphic Designers with 2-5 years of experience in Lexington, Kentucky, the estimated annual salary range is approximately $55,000 - $75,000. This estimate considers the cost of living in Lexington, the typical responsibilities outlined, and the preferred experience level. Benefits:

• Comprehensive Health Insurance: Medical, dental, and vision coverage options.

• Retirement Savings Plan: 403(b) plan with potential employer match, common in non-profit and educational institutions.

• Paid Time Off: Generous vacation, sick leave, and paid holidays.

• Tuition Benefits: Potential for tuition remission or tuition exchange programs for employees and/or dependents, a significant perk in higher education.

• Professional Development: Opportunities for training, workshops, and conferences related to graphic design, marketing, and higher education trends.

• Hybrid Work Arrangement: Flexibility to work both on-campus and remotely, supporting work-life balance.

Working Hours:

• Standard full-time work week (approximately 40 hours).

• Occasional evening or weekend work may be required to support university events, projects, or critical deadlines, reflecting the dynamic nature of university operations and marketing campaigns.

📝 Enhancement Note: Salary estimates are based on general market data for the specified location and experience level. Benefits are typical for a university setting and are inferred from industry standards for higher education institutions.

🎯 Team & Company Context

🏢 Company Culture

Industry: Higher Education (Private University)

Company Size: Transylvania University is a private liberal arts university, typically employing several hundred to over a thousand individuals, including faculty and staff. This size suggests a structured environment with established departments and clear reporting lines, but also offers opportunities for cross-departmental collaboration.

Founded: 1780, making it one of the oldest institutions of higher learning in the United States. This long history implies a strong institutional identity, established traditions, and a deep-rooted commitment to its mission, which influences its brand and communication style.

Team Structure:

• Office of Marketing and Communications: This department is likely a central hub for all university-wide marketing, branding, and communication efforts. It typically comprises specialists in various areas such as creative services, digital marketing, content creation, public relations, and web management.

• Reporting Structure: The Graphic Designer reports to the Creative Director, who in turn likely reports to a Vice President or Director of Marketing and Communications. This structure ensures creative oversight and strategic alignment.

• Cross-functional Collaboration: The role requires close collaboration with marketing strategists, admissions counselors, content writers, photographers, web developers, and other university staff to ensure cohesive and effective campaign execution.

Methodology:

• Data-Informed Creativity: While a creative role, the emphasis on "enrollment marketing" and "marketing goals" suggests that design decisions are informed by data on prospective student behavior, campaign performance, and brand perception.

• Brand-Centric Workflow: The core methodology revolves around maintaining and enhancing the university's brand identity, ensuring all visual communications are consistent, professional, and reflective of Transylvania's values and mission.

• Integrated Campaign Approach: The team likely works on integrated campaigns where print, digital, and other communication channels are coordinated to deliver a unified message and experience to target audiences.

Company Website: https://www.transy.edu/

📝 Enhancement Note: Understanding the context of a historic private university is crucial. The brand is likely well-established and values tradition, while also needing to appeal to contemporary students. The "Marketing and Communications" department functions as a strategic operations unit for external messaging.

📈 Career & Growth Analysis

Operations Career Level: This role is an individual contributor position at an intermediate career level, typically requiring 2-5 years of experience. It focuses on executing design strategies and managing specific creative projects within the broader marketing and communications operations. The role involves hands-on design work and collaboration rather than strategic planning at the highest level, though input and ideas are valued.

Reporting Structure: The Graphic Designer reports directly to the Creative Director. This relationship provides guidance, feedback, and oversight, ensuring alignment with departmental and institutional objectives. It offers a clear path for mentorship and skill development under experienced leadership.

Operations Impact: The Graphic Designer's work directly impacts the university's ability to attract prospective students, engage alumni, and build its overall brand reputation. Effective visual communications are critical for conveying the university's value proposition, differentiating it from competitors, and supporting key operational goals such as enrollment numbers and fundraising efforts. The designer's output is a tangible representation of the university's quality and identity.

Growth Opportunities:

• Senior Graphic Designer/Art Director: Progression to a senior role with increased responsibility for leading design projects, mentoring junior designers, and contributing more significantly to creative strategy.

• Specialization: Opportunity to develop expertise in specific areas like digital design, motion graphics, or brand identity systems, becoming a subject matter expert within the team.

• Project Leadership: Taking on lead roles for major design initiatives or campaigns, enhancing project management and strategic collaboration skills.

• Cross-functional Learning: Gaining exposure to other areas of marketing and communications (e.g., digital marketing, content strategy) through collaboration, which can broaden skill sets and career options within the field.

📝 Enhancement Note: The growth path for a designer in a university setting often involves deepening creative expertise or moving into project/team leadership within the marketing operations function.

🌐 Work Environment

Office Type: The role is described as being in a "Standard office environment with possibility for a hybrid work schedule (on-campus and remote)." This suggests a professional office setting within the university campus, likely equipped with standard office amenities and creative workstations.

Office Location(s): Lexington, Kentucky. The specific office will be within the Transylvania University campus, likely within the Office of Marketing and Communications building or a dedicated creative studio space.

Workspace Context:

• Collaborative Environment: The role necessitates regular interaction and collaboration with colleagues within the Marketing and Communications department, fostering a team-oriented atmosphere where ideas are shared and feedback is exchanged.

• Tools and Technology: Access to industry-standard design software (Adobe Creative Cloud), hardware (powerful workstations, monitors), and potentially a digital asset management system.

• Team Interaction: Opportunities to engage with other creative professionals, marketing strategists, and university stakeholders, providing diverse perspectives and collaborative project experiences.

Work Schedule:

• The primary schedule is a standard full-time week (approx. 40 hours).

• The hybrid work arrangement offers flexibility, allowing for a combination of on-campus and remote workdays.

• Flexibility is also noted with "occasional evening or weekend work may be required to support university events, projects, or deadlines," which is common in event-driven environments like universities.

📝 Enhancement Note: The hybrid nature of the role is a key aspect of the work environment, offering a balance between in-person collaboration and remote flexibility, which is increasingly valued by creative professionals.

📄 Application & Portfolio Review Process

Interview Process:

• Initial Screening: A review of applications, resumes, and portfolios to assess qualifications and creative fit. Candidates must meet the minimum educational and technical requirements.

• Portfolio Review & Discussion: A dedicated session with the Creative Director and potentially other team members to review the candidate's portfolio. Expect to discuss specific projects, your design process, how you handled client feedback, and your approach to brand consistency and problem-solving.

• Skills Assessment/Creative Challenge: Potentially a design exercise or case study presented during the interview process. This might involve critiquing an existing design, proposing a concept for a given brief, or solving a visual communication problem relevant to higher education marketing.

• Behavioral and Team Fit Interview: Discussions with the hiring manager and possibly other team members to assess communication skills, collaboration style, problem-solving abilities, and cultural fit within the Marketing and Communications department and the broader university community.

• Final Interview: May involve meeting with a higher-level manager or director to discuss institutional alignment and overall fit.

Portfolio Review Tips:

• Curate Strategically: Select 5-7 of your strongest projects that best demonstrate your skills relevant to the job description, particularly focusing on brand work, print collateral, digital assets, and any higher education or enrollment marketing examples.

• Tell the Story: For each project, clearly articulate the challenge, your role, your design process, the solutions you implemented, and the outcome or impact. Use concise, impactful language.

• Highlight Brand Adaptability: Emphasize projects where you successfully worked within or adapted established brand guidelines, showcasing your understanding of brand integrity.

• Showcase Process: Be prepared to walk through your workflow, from initial concept to final execution, and discuss how you handle revisions and feedback.

• Quality over Quantity: Ensure all presented work is high-resolution and professionally displayed, whether in a PDF document or a personal website.

Challenge Preparation:

• Understand the University: Research Transylvania University's mission, values, current marketing campaigns, target audiences (students, parents, alumni), and competitive landscape.

• Higher Ed Marketing Trends: Familiarize yourself with current trends in graphic design for higher education, particularly in enrollment marketing and student engagement.

• Adobe Proficiency: Be ready to discuss your advanced techniques in Photoshop, Illustrator, and InDesign, and potentially demonstrate them if a live exercise is given.

• Brand Consistency: Practice articulating how you ensure brand consistency across various media and how you would approach a project that deviates from established guidelines.

📝 Enhancement Note: The portfolio is paramount. Candidates should treat it as a strategic tool demonstrating not just design skill but also an understanding of marketing objectives and operational efficiency in creative execution.

🛠 Tools & Technology Stack

Primary Tools:

• Adobe Creative Cloud Suite: Essential for all design work. Specific emphasis on:

  • Adobe Photoshop: For image editing, manipulation, and digital asset creation.
  • Adobe Illustrator: For vector graphics, logos, icons, and complex illustrations.
  • Adobe InDesign: For page layout, typography, and creating print collateral like brochures, viewbooks, and magazines.

• Adobe After Effects & Premiere Pro (Preferred): For motion graphics, animation, and video editing, expanding the scope of digital content creation.

Analytics & Reporting:

• While not a primary analytics role, understanding how designs perform is key. Familiarity with how assets are tracked on websites (e.g., Google Analytics) or in digital ad campaigns would be beneficial.

• Dashboard Tools (Indirectly): Understanding how design elements contribute to marketing dashboards (e.g., Tableau, Power BI) and the data they represent can inform design choices.

CRM & Automation:

• Understanding CRM Impact: Familiarity with how marketing campaigns (supported by design) interact with CRM systems (e.g., Salesforce, HubSpot) to track leads and engagement.

• Email Marketing Platforms: Experience designing assets for platforms like Mailchimp, Constant Contact, or university-specific marketing automation tools.

📝 Enhancement Note: Proficiency in the Adobe Creative Cloud is non-negotiable. Experience with motion graphics and video editing tools is a significant plus, reflecting the evolving demands of digital content creation in higher education marketing.

👥 Team Culture & Values

Operations Values:

• Excellence in Execution: A commitment to high-quality, accurate, and visually compelling work that upholds the university's reputation.

• Brand Stewardship: A dedication to maintaining and enhancing the Transylvania University brand identity across all communications, ensuring consistency and professionalism.

• Collaboration & Communication: A strong emphasis on teamwork, open communication, and effective collaboration with colleagues, campus partners, and external vendors.

• Data-Informed Creativity: An approach where creative decisions are influenced by an understanding of marketing objectives, target audience needs, and campaign performance data.

• Efficiency & Timeliness: An operational focus on managing projects effectively, meeting deadlines, and producing work efficiently without compromising quality.

Collaboration Style:

• Cross-functional Integration: The team likely operates with a highly collaborative model, integrating design efforts with marketing strategy, content development, web design, and admissions outreach to create cohesive campaigns.

• Feedback-Driven Process: A culture that encourages constructive feedback on designs to refine creative output and ensure it meets objectives. This involves active listening and the ability to incorporate feedback professionally.

• Knowledge Sharing: Practices that promote sharing of best practices, new design techniques, and industry trends within the team to foster continuous learning and elevate the overall quality of creative work.

📝 Enhancement Note: The "operations values" here are framed around how a creative team within a larger organization functions efficiently and effectively to meet institutional goals.

⚡ Challenges & Growth Opportunities

Challenges:

• Balancing Brand Consistency with Creative Innovation: Meeting the need to adhere strictly to established university brand guidelines while also pushing creative boundaries to create fresh, engaging visuals that stand out.

• Managing Diverse Stakeholder Needs: Juggling design requests and feedback from various departments and individuals across campus, each with potentially different priorities and creative visions.

• Rapidly Evolving Digital Landscape: Keeping pace with the constant changes in digital platforms, design trends, and user expectations for online content.

• Print Production Complexities: Navigating the intricacies of commercial printing, ensuring accurate color reproduction, file preparation, and vendor management to achieve desired physical outputs.

Learning & Development Opportunities:

• Advanced Design Software Training: Opportunities to deepen expertise in Adobe Creative Cloud or explore new design tools and technologies.

• Higher Education Marketing Workshops: Participation in industry-specific training focused on enrollment marketing, digital strategy, and brand management within higher education.

• Print Production Seminars: Learning from vendors or attending workshops to enhance knowledge of printing processes, materials, and finishing techniques.

• Mentorship from Creative Director: Direct guidance from an experienced creative leader to develop strategic thinking, project management, and advanced design skills.

📝 Enhancement Note: The challenges and growth opportunities are framed to highlight how the role requires continuous learning and adaptation within the dynamic field of university marketing and operations.

💡 Interview Preparation

Strategy Questions:

• "Describe a time you had to design for a client with very strict brand guidelines. How did you balance adherence with creative execution?" (Assesses brand management and creative problem-solving.)

• "Walk us through your process for developing a visual campaign for a specific target audience, such as prospective college students. What were the key considerations?" (Evaluates strategic thinking and audience-focused design.)

• "How do you manage multiple design projects with competing deadlines? Describe your prioritization and time management strategies." (Tests organizational skills and operational efficiency.) Company & Culture Questions:

• "Why are you interested in working for Transylvania University specifically, and how does your design philosophy align with our mission and values?" (Assesses cultural fit and genuine interest.)

• "How do you approach collaborating with non-designers, such as marketing managers or faculty members, to ensure their vision is understood and effectively translated into design?" (Probes communication and collaboration skills.)

• "How do you measure the success of your design work, particularly in the context of marketing and enrollment goals?" (Gauges understanding of impact and results-orientation.) Portfolio Presentation Strategy:

• Structure Your Narrative: For each project, clearly state the objective, your role, the creative process, the challenges faced, the solutions implemented, and the results achieved (if quantifiable).

• Emphasize Process Efficiency: Highlight any aspects of your workflow that demonstrate efficiency, problem-solving, or effective collaboration, especially in managing print production or digital asset delivery.

• Showcase Brand Versatility: Select projects that demonstrate your ability to work with different brand aesthetics, particularly showcasing your understanding of higher education branding if possible.

• Be Prepared for Technical Questions: Anticipate questions about your software proficiency, file preparation techniques, and understanding of print and digital production processes.

📝 Enhancement Note: Interview preparation should focus on demonstrating not just creative talent but also a strategic, process-oriented mindset that aligns with operational effectiveness in a marketing department.

📌 Application Steps

To apply for this Graphic Designer position:

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

• Portfolio Customization: Tailor your portfolio to highlight projects that best align with the job description, emphasizing brand management, print and digital collateral for marketing, and ideally any experience in higher education or enrollment marketing. Ensure it's easily navigable and professionally presented.

• Resume Optimization: Update your resume to clearly articulate your proficiency with Adobe Creative Cloud tools, your years of relevant experience, and specific achievements related to design execution, project management, and brand consistency. Use keywords from the job description.

• Interview Preparation: Practice presenting your portfolio, focusing on the narrative behind each project, your design process, and how you handle feedback. Prepare to discuss your understanding of higher education marketing and Transylvania University's brand.

• Company Research: Thoroughly research Transylvania University's mission, values, current marketing efforts, and target audiences. Understand their brand identity and consider how your design skills can contribute to their strategic goals.

⚠️ 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.