Graphic Designer I

📍 Job Overview

Job Title: Graphic Designer I

Company: Awana

Location: United States

Job Type: Full Time

Category: Creative & Design Operations

Date Posted: May 27, 2026

Experience Level: 2-5 Years

Remote Status: Remote OK

🚀 Role Summary

• This role is centered on creating compelling visual communications that support the mission of Awana, a ministry focused on children's faith development.

• The Graphic Designer I will leverage current design trends and technologies to produce a range of assets, from digital graphics to print-ready files for various media.

• Collaboration with internal teams, external vendors, and freelancers is a key component, ensuring brand consistency and effective engagement with target audiences.

• The position requires a blend of creative design skills and production-level execution, with a strong emphasis on project management and adherence to brand guidelines.

📝 Enhancement Note: While not a traditional "Revenue Operations" or "Sales Operations" role, this position significantly impacts the organization's ability to communicate its mission, engage donors, churches, and participants, and ultimately drive support and growth, which aligns with the broader GTM (Go-To-Market) operational support functions. The emphasis on brand consistency, asset production, and collaboration with various departments places this role within a critical operational support function for the organization's outreach and engagement strategies.

📈 Primary Responsibilities

• Visual Asset Creation: Conceptualize, design, and execute basic to intermediate graphics, including layouts, icons, digital assets (e.g., social media graphics, web banners), and photo assets, adhering to established brand guidelines and style guides.

• Production File Preparation: Prepare and refine design files for both print and digital production, ensuring accuracy, adherence to technical specifications, and proper preflight checks for vendors and printers.

• Brand Consistency Management: Maintain and apply brand standards across all created assets, ensuring a cohesive visual identity for Awana in all communications.

• Cross-Functional Collaboration: Work closely with various departments (e.g., marketing, ministry programs, product development) to understand their design needs and deliver effective visual solutions that support their objectives.

• Asset Organization & Management: Organize and maintain a library of design assets, including fonts, images, logos, and working files, ensuring easy accessibility and efficient retrieval for the team.

• Process Improvement: Identify opportunities to enhance design workflows, improve efficiency in asset production, and maintain high-quality standards within the creative process.

• Vendor & Freelancer Coordination: Collaborate with external vendors and freelancers on design projects, providing clear specifications and ensuring timely delivery of high-quality work.

📝 Enhancement Note: The responsibilities highlight a strong need for process adherence and efficiency, crucial for operations roles. The focus on preparing files for production, managing assets, and collaborating with external entities points to a function that directly supports the organization's operational output and GTM activities.

🎓 Skills & Qualifications

Education:

Experience:

• Minimum of 2 years of demonstrated experience in graphic design or visual communications, showcasing a solid understanding of design principles, typography, color theory, layout, and composition.

Required Skills:

• Adobe Creative Suite Proficiency: Expert working knowledge of Adobe Photoshop, Illustrator, InDesign, and Lightroom is essential for creating and manipulating digital assets.

• Design Principles: Strong understanding of typography, color theory, layout, composition, and visual hierarchy.

• File Preparation: Proficiency in preparing files for both print and digital applications, including understanding resolution, color modes, and file formats.

• Brand Adherence: Ability to consistently apply and maintain brand standards and style guides across various design projects.

• Collaboration & Communication: Excellent verbal and written communication skills, with the ability to articulate design concepts and collaborate effectively with team members and stakeholders.

• Project Management Basics: Ability to manage multiple projects simultaneously, adhere to deadlines, and proactively communicate status updates.

Preferred Skills:

• Printing Processes: Working knowledge of printing processes and technologies.

• Mac OS Proficiency: Experience working within a Mac operating system environment.

• Visual Storytelling: Ability to craft compelling visual narratives that align with the ministry's mission.

• Asset Management Systems: Familiarity with digital asset management (DAM) systems or organized file structures.

• Ministry Context: General understanding of the Bible and Christian Church, or specific experience with Awana's programs and resources.

📝 Enhancement Note: The emphasis on Adobe Creative Suite, print/digital production, and brand consistency aligns with core competencies expected in design operations roles that support marketing and GTM efforts. The mention of "production-ready files" and "preflight checks" directly relates to operational efficiency and quality control in asset delivery.

📊 Process & Systems Portfolio Requirements

Portfolio Essentials:

• Demonstrated Design Skill: A portfolio showcasing a minimum of 2 years of professional graphic design work, highlighting a range of projects (digital and print) that demonstrate creative problem-solving and adherence to design principles.

• Technical Proficiency: Examples of work that clearly illustrate proficiency in Adobe Photoshop, Illustrator, and InDesign, specifically in creating layouts, icons, digital assets, and preparing files for production.

• Brand Application: Projects that show the ability to work within established brand guidelines and maintain visual consistency across different mediums.

• Production Readiness: Inclusion of examples that demonstrate experience in preparing files for print or digital distribution, ideally with context on the final output or production process.

Process Documentation:

• Workflow Adherence: While not explicitly requiring formal process documentation, candidates are expected to demonstrate an understanding of and willingness to follow departmental workflows, file structures, and best practices for design and production.

• Asset Management: Evidence of organized asset management through the portfolio or description of how design files, fonts, and images are typically managed.

• Production File Management: Examples of how work is organized for internal review and external production, including the creation of PDFs for review.

📝 Enhancement Note: The requirement for a portfolio is standard for design roles, but for an operations-focused enhancement, it's crucial to frame it around demonstrating process adherence, technical execution, and the ability to deliver production-ready assets efficiently. This connects the creative output to operational delivery.

💵 Compensation & Benefits

Salary Range: $45,000 - $49,000 USD per year.

Benefits:

• Medical Insurance

• Dental Insurance

• Vision Insurance

• Paid Family Leave

• 401(k) Retirement Savings Plan with employer match

• Roth 401(k) Retirement Savings Plan with employer match

• Generous Paid Vacation

• Paid Holidays

• Adoption Assistance

• College Scholarship Program

Working Hours:

• This is a full-time position. While the role is primarily remote, it requires a commitment to standard working hours necessary for project completion and team collaboration. Specific daily hours may vary but are expected to align with the needs of the ministry and team.

📝 Enhancement Note: The salary range is provided. For a complete operations enhancement, one would typically research industry benchmarks for similar roles in the "United States" region, considering the "2-5 years experience" level and the "non-profit/ministry" industry. The provided range appears to be on the lower end for a design role with this experience level in some major US markets, but is competitive for certain regions or within the non-profit sector. The benefits package is comprehensive and attractive, particularly the retirement plan with employer match and family leave.

🎯 Team & Company Context

🏢 Company Culture

Industry: Non-profit / Ministry (specifically focused on Christian children's discipleship and faith formation).

Company Size: Awana is a well-established global ministry. While the exact current employee count isn't provided, its extensive reach suggests a medium to large organizational structure with dedicated departments for various functions.

Founded: Awana was founded in 1950. This long history indicates a stable organization with a deep understanding of its mission and operational needs.

Team Structure:

• The Graphic Designer I will be part of a creative or marketing team, likely reporting to a Creative Lead or Design Manager.

• This role involves close collaboration with various internal departments, including marketing, communications, ministry program development, and potentially product teams.

Methodology:

• The design process likely follows a structured approach, emphasizing adherence to brand guidelines, style guides, and established workflows for asset creation and production.

• A data-driven approach might be indirectly applied through understanding how design assets contribute to engagement metrics, even if the designer isn't directly analyzing the data. The focus is on creating visuals that support ministry goals and calls to action.

• Workflow optimization is encouraged, suggesting a proactive approach to improving efficiency in design tasks and file management.

Company Website: https://www.awana.org/

📝 Enhancement Note: Understanding Awana's mission as a Christian ministry is crucial. This context shapes the company culture, values, and the perceived impact of the design work. It's not just about aesthetics; it's about supporting a spiritual mission with eternal value. This is a significant differentiator from for-profit design roles.

📈 Career & Growth Analysis

Operations Career Level: This role is positioned as an "Entry to Mid-Level" Graphic Designer (Graphic Designer I). It signifies a foundational role within the creative/design function, offering opportunities to develop core design and production skills.

Reporting Structure: The Graphic Designer I will likely report to a Creative Lead or Design Manager, who provides guidance, feedback, and project assignments. This structure allows for mentorship and skill development under experienced leadership.

Operations Impact: While this is a design role, its operations impact is significant. High-quality, consistent visual assets are critical for effective communication, donor engagement, church partnerships, and participant recruitment. The designer's work directly supports the organization's Go-To-Market strategy by creating materials that resonate with target audiences and drive engagement with Awana's programs and mission. Efficient production and asset management contribute to cost savings and timely campaign execution.

Growth Opportunities:

• Skill Specialization: Opportunity to deepen expertise in specific design software (e.g., advanced Photoshop techniques, motion graphics) or design areas (e.g., branding, illustration, digital marketing design).

• Project Leadership: As experience grows, the designer may take on more complex projects, potentially leading design initiatives for specific campaigns or programs.

• Creative Leadership: Progression to a Senior Graphic Designer role, or potentially into a Creative Lead or Art Director position, overseeing design strategy and team members.

• Cross-Functional Exposure: Opportunities to collaborate on projects with other departments, gaining broader understanding of the organization's operations and GTM strategies.

📝 Enhancement Note: Framing the "operations impact" in terms of GTM support and efficiency is key. The growth opportunities should be tied to developing skills that increase operational effectiveness and strategic contribution within the creative and marketing functions.

🌐 Work Environment

Office Type: Primarily a remote-first work environment, with offices available in St. Charles, Illinois, and Nashville, Tennessee, for collaborative work and connection. This offers flexibility for employees to work from home while providing options for in-person interaction when needed.

Office Location(s):

• St. Charles, Illinois

• Nashville, Tennessee

These locations are mentioned as hubs for collaborative work and team connection, suggesting they are company offices rather than client sites.

Workspace Context:

• Flexibility: Remote-first setup allows for a personalized workspace at home, promoting work-life balance.

• Collaboration Tools: While not explicitly stated, a remote-first environment necessitates proficiency with collaboration tools (e.g., Slack, Microsoft Teams, project management software) and digital asset sharing platforms.

• Team Interaction: Opportunities for in-person collaboration exist at the company offices, fostering team building and idea exchange. Regular team meetings, both virtual and potentially in-person, will be part of the work environment.

Work Schedule:

• Full-time role. The remote-first nature allows for some flexibility in daily scheduling, provided that project deadlines are met and team collaboration needs are accommodated. Proactive communication regarding availability and workflow status is expected.

📝 Enhancement Note: The remote-first aspect is a significant factor for many operations professionals. Highlighting the need for self-discipline, proactive communication, and proficiency with remote collaboration tools is important. The availability of physical offices suggests opportunities for structured team events or specific project work requiring in-person collaboration.

📄 Application & Portfolio Review Process

Interview Process:

• Initial Screening: Review of resume and portfolio to assess basic qualifications and design aesthetic.

• Portfolio Review & Skills Assessment: A more in-depth review of the portfolio, potentially followed by a skills-based exercise or a discussion about specific design challenges and solutions. This stage will evaluate technical proficiency and problem-solving skills.

• Behavioral & Cultural Fit Interview: An interview focused on assessing how the candidate aligns with Awana's values, team dynamics, and mission. Questions will likely explore collaboration, problem-solving, and motivation.

• Final Interview: May involve meeting with the hiring manager or a senior leader to discuss the role in detail and finalize the decision.

Portfolio Review Tips:

• Curate Strategically: Select 3-5 of your strongest projects that best represent the skills required for this role (e.g., digital assets, print preparation, strong typography, brand adherence).

• Showcase Process: For at least one project, consider including a brief explanation of your design process, challenges faced, and how you arrived at the final solution. This demonstrates problem-solving capabilities.

• Highlight Production Skills: Include examples that clearly show your ability to prepare files for production, such as mockups of print materials or specifications for digital assets.

• Tailor to Awana: If possible, include a project that demonstrates an understanding of non-profit or ministry communication, or showcase adaptability to different brand styles.

• Clarity and Presentation: Ensure your portfolio is well-organized, easy to navigate, and visually appealing. Provide clear descriptions for each project.

Challenge Preparation:

• Design Exercise: Be prepared for a potential design challenge. This might involve creating a graphic based on a brief, refining an existing design, or preparing a set of assets. Focus on understanding the brief, applying brand guidelines, and delivering a polished output within a given timeframe.

• Case Study Discussion: Be ready to discuss how you would approach a specific design task related to Awana's mission, such as designing a flyer for a new program or creating social media graphics for an event. Emphasize your thought process, creative approach, and understanding of the target audience.

📝 Enhancement Note: For operations-minded candidates, the portfolio review is less about pure artistic flair and more about demonstrating efficiency, technical execution, and the ability to deliver consistent, production-ready assets that support organizational goals. The interview preparation should emphasize understanding the why behind the design and how it contributes to the ministry's mission and operational success.

🛠 Tools & Technology Stack

Primary Tools:

• Adobe Creative Suite:

  • Photoshop: For image editing, manipulation, and digital asset creation.
  • Illustrator: For vector graphics, logos, icons, and illustrations.
  • InDesign: For page layout and design of print materials (brochures, flyers, reports).
  • Lightroom: For photo management and basic editing.

• Mac Operating System: The primary operating system for creative work.

Analytics & Reporting:

CRM & Automation:

• Not directly applicable to this role, but understanding how marketing and communication campaigns are managed through CRM or marketing automation platforms could provide context for the design assets produced.

📝 Enhancement Note: The explicit mention of Adobe Creative Suite and Mac OS is critical. For an operations perspective, proficiency in these tools means the candidate can immediately contribute to production workflows without extensive training. Highlighting the "preparation of files for production" implies a need for understanding file types, resolutions, and color spaces relevant to print and digital outputs.

👥 Team Culture & Values

Operations Values:

• Mission Alignment: A deep commitment to Awana's mission of forming lasting faith in every child, everywhere. The design work is viewed as vital ministry work with eternal value.

• Collaboration: A strong emphasis on teamwork, genuine relationship-building, and supporting colleagues across the ministry.

• Integrity & Faith: Upholding Christian values, including a born-again Christian identity, agreement with the Awana Doctrinal Statement, and fellowship with a local church.

• Flexibility & Adaptability: Willingness to take on new responsibilities, adapt to shifting priorities, and embrace new challenges within the team.

• Proactive Communication: Open and timely communication regarding project status, potential issues, and workflow updates.

Collaboration Style:

• Team-Oriented: Works collaboratively with internal teams, freelancers, and external vendors to achieve shared goals.

• Feedback-Responsive: Receptive to constructive feedback from creative leadership and team members, using it for growth and improvement.

• Cross-Functional Integration: Actively engages with other departments to ensure design solutions meet diverse ministry needs.

• Supportive: Acts as a supportive partner to team members, contributing to a positive and productive work environment.

📝 Enhancement Note: The emphasis on Christian values and mission is paramount. Operations professionals in this context must understand that their work directly serves a spiritual purpose. This influences decision-making, communication, and overall approach to tasks.

⚡ Challenges & Growth Opportunities

Challenges:

• Balancing Creative Vision with Brand Constraints: Effectively innovating within established brand guidelines and style guides to create fresh designs that still align with Awana's identity.

• Managing Multiple Project Demands: Juggling various design requests from different departments with competing priorities and deadlines in a fast-paced ministry environment.

• Remote Collaboration Effectiveness: Maintaining strong communication and collaboration with team members and stakeholders from a remote setting, ensuring seamless workflow and project delivery.

• Adapting to Evolving Ministry Needs: Staying current with design trends while ensuring that visual communications effectively serve the evolving needs of the ministry and its target audiences.

Learning & Development Opportunities:

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

• Brand Strategy Workshops: Gaining a deeper understanding of Awana's brand architecture and how design contributes to its overall strategic objectives.

• Cross-Departmental Projects: Participating in projects that involve other departments, providing exposure to different facets of the ministry's operations and GTM strategies.

• Industry Best Practices: Staying abreast of current graphic design trends and best practices in visual communications, particularly within the non-profit sector.

📝 Enhancement Note: Challenges should be framed in terms of operational efficiency and effective execution. Growth opportunities should highlight how developing skills can lead to greater operational impact and strategic contribution within the organization.

💡 Interview Preparation

Strategy Questions:

• "How do you approach balancing creative freedom with strict brand guidelines, especially for an organization with a strong, established identity like Awana?" (Focus on process, research, and collaboration.)

• "Describe a time you had to prepare a design for print production. What steps did you take to ensure it was production-ready, and what challenges did you encounter?" (Emphasize technical skills, preflight, and problem-solving.)

Company & Culture Questions:

• "What interests you most about Awana's mission, and how do you see your role as a Graphic Designer contributing to that mission?" (Connect your skills to the ministry's purpose.)

• "How do you approach receiving and implementing feedback on your designs, particularly from those who may not have a design background?" (Demonstrate collaboration and receptiveness.)

Portfolio Presentation Strategy:

• Project Selection: Choose projects that best showcase your versatility, technical skills (Adobe Suite), and ability to work within constraints (brand guidelines). Include examples of both digital and print-ready assets.

• Process Explanation: For 1-2 key projects, walk through your design process: understanding the brief, concept development, execution, revisions, and final file preparation.

• Highlight Production Readiness: Specifically point out how you prepared files for output, mentioning preflight checks, resolution, color modes, and any vendor interactions.

• Connect to Awana: If possible, frame your work in terms of how it supports engagement or communication goals, mirroring the needs of a ministry organization.

📝 Enhancement Note: Interview preparation should focus on demonstrating not just design talent, but also operational acumen: understanding process, efficiency, collaboration, and how your creative output directly supports organizational goals and mission.

📌 Application Steps

To apply for this operations position:

• Submit your application through the provided ADP WorkNow link.

• Portfolio Customization: Ensure your submitted portfolio or link prominently features examples of your work with Adobe Creative Suite (Photoshop, Illustrator, InDesign), particularly digital assets and print-ready files. Showcase at least 2-3 projects that demonstrate your ability to work within brand guidelines and prepare files for production.

• Resume Optimization: Tailor your resume to highlight your 2+ years of graphic design experience, emphasizing proficiency in Adobe Creative Suite, print/digital production, and any experience with non-profit organizations or mission-driven work. Use keywords from the job description.

• Interview Preparation: Study Awana's mission and values. Prepare to discuss your design process, how you handle feedback, and how your skills can contribute to their ministry goals. Practice presenting your portfolio with a focus on production readiness and brand adherence.

• Company Research: Visit Awana's website to understand their current campaigns, programs, and overall brand messaging. Consider how your design contributions can enhance their outreach and engagement efforts.

⚠️ 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.