Graphic Designer - Service Programming

📍 Job Overview

Job Title: Graphic Designer - Service Programming

Company: Ada Bible Church

Location: Grand Rapids, MI, US

Job Type: Full Time

Category: Creative & Media / Art & Design

Date Posted: 2026-06-03T12:37:00

Experience Level: 2-5 Years

Remote Status: On-site

🚀 Role Summary

• This role is pivotal within the Communications and Programming team, focusing on creating compelling visual content that communicates the core mission and community of Ada Bible Church across all campuses.

• Responsibilities encompass the end-to-end design process for digital and print assets, ensuring brand consistency and alignment with ministry initiatives.

• The position requires a strong ability to manage and produce visual media for weekend services, including sermon slides, digital signage, and social media graphics, often with tight deadlines.

• A key aspect involves collaborating with various ministry teams and the Creative Arts team to develop and finalize designs that resonate with the church community and support specific program needs.

📝 Enhancement Note: This is a specialized graphic design role within a religious organization. The emphasis on "Service Programming" and "Weekend Media Responsibilities" indicates a need for designers who can translate spiritual themes and church activities into effective visual communication, often under time pressure, particularly for Saturday evening production needs. The "Ada Bible Church Core Qualities" section highlights a requirement for candidates who are not only skilled designers but also align with the organization's faith-based mission and values.

📈 Primary Responsibilities

• Graphic Asset Creation: Design, develop, and finalize high-quality graphic assets for various ministry initiatives, spanning both print and digital mediums, in close collaboration with the Creative Arts team.

• Brand Consistency Management: Ensure all graphic design projects strictly adhere to Ada Bible Church's established branding guidelines and maintain a unified visual identity across all communications.

• Budget and Philosophy Adherence: Execute all graphic design projects in alignment with the team's operating philosophy and within defined budget parameters.

• Web and Digital Support: Provide essential web support by creating and optimizing images, graphics, and visual elements for all digital channels, including the church website, mobile app, and digital bulletin.

• Ministry Team Collaboration: Work directly with individual ministry teams to conceptualize, develop, and finalize designs for a wide array of print and digital projects, including promotional pieces, journals, cards, flyers, ministry curriculum, stationary, and support items.

• Promotional Merchandise Design: Create and develop designs for promotional merchandise for church events, such as t-shirts, lanyards, tote bags, and notepads.

• Website Maintenance: Support website content management through edits and image updates as needed.

• Weekend Media Management: Oversee and manage the entire graphic design process for weekend programming, including digital signage, sermon slide visuals, and social media graphics.

• Sermon Visuals Production: Collaborate with the weekend teaching pastor to create, edit, and distribute sermon visuals, ensuring timely delivery for weekend services.

• Production Team Support: Work with the Production team to finalize sermon slides for weekend services, making necessary edits or adjustments on Saturday evenings.

• ProPresenter Media Assembly: Manage and assemble media content for sermons within the ProPresenter software.

• Digital Signage & Service Graphics: Design and support all digital signage needs for various church campuses, digital bulletin graphics, service ad slides, and announcement slides for both online and in-person formats.

• Printed Signage & Production Needs: Create weekend printed signage (e.g., "Potty Posters") and design/support Luma templates and other production graphics requirements.

📝 Enhancement Note: The responsibilities heavily emphasize a dual focus on creative design and technical execution within a specific religious context. The "Weekend Media Responsibilities" section points to a need for a designer who can perform under pressure, especially on Saturdays, and is proficient with presentation software like ProPresenter for live service environments. The scope of work extends beyond traditional graphic design to include website updates and merchandise design, requiring versatility.

🎓 Skills & Qualifications

Education:

Experience:

Required Skills:

• Graphic Design Software Proficiency: Expert-level skills in Adobe Creative Cloud suite, specifically InDesign, Illustrator, and Photoshop.

• Presentation Software: Proficiency with ProPresenter for media assembly and presentation in a live service environment.

• Digital & Web Design: Proven experience in designing for web channels, including websites, apps, and social media platforms, with an understanding of responsive design principles.

• Print Design: Demonstrated ability to design for print mediums, including flyers, brochures, signage, and merchandise.

• Brand Management: Ability to understand and consistently apply branding guidelines to all design outputs.

• Organizational Skills: Strong organizational capabilities with meticulous attention to detail and accuracy in managing multiple projects and deadlines.

• Interpersonal Skills: Excellent interpersonal skills, enabling effective collaboration with ministry teams, creative staff, and leadership.

• Problem-Solving: Strategic approach to problem-solving, with the ability to identify creative solutions for design challenges.

• Adaptability: Ability to adapt communication and design style to meet the needs of a diverse 'client base' within the church organization.

Preferred Skills:

• Basic Software Knowledge: Familiarity with Apple's Pages, Numbers, and Keynote for basic document and presentation needs.

• Digital Signage Experience: Experience designing for digital signage platforms.

• T-shirt/Merchandise Design: Specific experience in designing apparel and promotional merchandise.

• Web Editing Skills: Basic ability to edit website content.

📝 Enhancement Note: The requirement for proficiency in ProPresenter is a critical differentiator for this role, suggesting a need for hands-on experience in live event production or broadcast graphics. The "diverse 'client base'" implies the designer will interact with various departments or ministries within the church, each with potentially different visual needs and communication goals.

📊 Process & Systems Portfolio Requirements

Portfolio Essentials:

• Diverse Medium Showcase: A comprehensive portfolio demonstrating high-quality work across multiple mediums, including print (flyers, signage, merchandise), digital (web graphics, social media assets), and presentation graphics (sermon slides).

• Brand Consistency Examples: Specific examples within the portfolio that illustrate the ability to maintain brand consistency across various projects and platforms.

• Problem-Solving Case Studies: Include at least one project that highlights how you approached a design challenge, the process you followed, and the positive outcome or impact of your design solution.

• Workflow Demonstration: Projects that implicitly or explicitly show your design process, from initial concept and client brief to final delivery and implementation.

Process Documentation:

• Design Brief Interpretation: Ability to interpret and translate ministry needs and objectives into effective visual design briefs.

• Collaborative Workflow: Experience working within a collaborative team environment, including providing and receiving constructive feedback during the design process.

• Revision Management: A systematic approach to managing design revisions and client feedback to ensure project completion within established timelines.

• Asset Organization: A clear method for organizing and delivering final design assets in appropriate formats for print, web, and presentation use.

📝 Enhancement Note: For this role, the portfolio should not just showcase aesthetic talent but also demonstrate practical application within a structured environment, especially for live events and consistent branding. The ability to manage the "weekend programming graphics process" implies a need for portfolio pieces that reflect efficient workflow and timely delivery.

💵 Compensation & Benefits

Salary Range:

Benefits:

• Full-Time Employment: Standard benefits package typically associated with full-time roles.

• Health Insurance: Comprehensive medical, dental, and vision insurance plans.

• Retirement Savings Plan: Potential for a 401(k) or similar retirement savings plan, possibly with employer matching.

• Paid Time Off (PTO): Generous PTO package including vacation days, sick leave, and paid holidays.

• Life and Disability Insurance: Employer-provided life insurance and short-term/long-term disability coverage.

• Professional Development: Opportunities for continued learning and skill enhancement, potentially including workshops, conferences, or software training relevant to graphic design and media production.

Working Hours:

• This is a full-time position, generally requiring 40 hours per week.

• Weekend Availability: Must be available to work Saturdays, with occasional holiday availability as required for weekend services and production. This may involve a flexible schedule, potentially allowing for adjusted weekday hours when Saturdays are worked.

📝 Enhancement Note: The salary range is an estimate based on typical compensation for this role in Grand Rapids, MI. Actual compensation will be determined by Ada Bible Church based on experience, qualifications, and specific budget. The requirement for Saturday work is a significant factor that may influence compensation and benefits negotiation.

🎯 Team & Company Context

🏢 Company Culture

Industry: Religious Organization / Non-profit

Company Size: Ada Bible Church is a large, multi-campus church, indicating a substantial organization with diverse operational needs and a significant community to serve. This size suggests a structured environment with established processes and departmental collaboration.

Founded: While the founding date isn't explicitly provided, Ada Bible Church has a history of growth and expansion, suggesting a stable, established organization with a long-term vision.

Team Structure:

• Communications and Programming Team: The Graphic Designer is a key member of this team, working alongside other creative professionals and program coordinators.

• Creative Arts Team: This is a primary collaborative group, implying a department focused on visual and auditory elements of church services and communications.

• Cross-Functional Collaboration: Expected to collaborate closely with ministry teams across all campuses, the Production team, and weekend teaching pastors, requiring strong communication and partnership skills.

Methodology:

• Service-Oriented Design: The approach to design is fundamentally service-oriented, aiming to visually support the church's mission and ministry efforts.

• Brand-Centric Approach: Emphasis on maintaining consistent branding across all outputs to reinforce the church's identity and message.

• Data-Informed (Implicit): While not explicitly stated, effective communication in a large organization often involves understanding audience engagement and feedback to inform design choices, particularly for digital platforms.

• Collaborative Development: Design projects are developed through collaboration, ensuring alignment with ministry goals and stakeholder input.

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

📝 Enhancement Note: The culture is deeply rooted in Christian faith and values. The "Ada Bible Church Core Qualities" are paramount, indicating that a candidate's personal faith and alignment with the church's mission are as critical as their design skills. This is not just a job; it's a role within a faith community.

📈 Career & Growth Analysis

Operations Career Level: This role is positioned as a specialized mid-level designer. It requires a solid foundation of education and professional experience, with a focus on executing design tasks and supporting programming needs rather than strategic leadership.

Reporting Structure:

Operations Impact:

Growth Opportunities:

• Skill Specialization: Opportunity to deepen expertise in specific areas like ProPresenter, digital signage, or advanced motion graphics if applicable within church production needs.

• Project Leadership: Potential to lead specific design projects or campaigns within the Communications team.

• Cross-Departmental Exposure: Gaining experience working with diverse ministries can broaden understanding of organizational communication needs.

• Advanced Training: Potential for company-sponsored training in new design software, techniques, or emerging media technologies relevant to church communications.

📝 Enhancement Note: Growth in this role is likely to be within the specialized field of creative media for religious organizations. Advancement might involve taking on more complex projects, leading design initiatives, or potentially moving into a senior designer or art director role within the church's structure, rather than a broad operational management path.

🌐 Work Environment

Office Type: General office setting within Ada Bible Church facilities. This implies a professional but potentially more relaxed environment compared to a corporate setting, with a focus on community and shared mission.

Office Location(s):

Workspace Context:

• Collaborative Environment: The role requires significant collaboration with the Creative Arts team, ministry leaders, and the Production team, suggesting an open and interactive workspace.

• Technology Access: Access to necessary design hardware (computers, monitors) and software (Adobe Creative Cloud, ProPresenter) is expected.

• Team Interaction: Frequent opportunities for face-to-face interaction with colleagues, fostering a sense of teamwork and shared purpose.

Work Schedule:

• Standard full-time hours (40 hours/week) are expected, with a crucial requirement for availability on Saturdays for production and services. This may necessitate a flexible weekday schedule to accommodate weekend work.

📝 Enhancement Note: The emphasis on collaboration and team interaction is high, reflecting the nature of working within a church community. The Saturday work requirement is a key environmental factor that candidates must consider.

📄 Application & Portfolio Review Process

Interview Process:

• Initial Application Review: Screening of resumes and cover letters for relevant experience, education, and alignment with "Ada Bible Church Core Qualities."

• Portfolio Submission & Review: Candidates will likely be asked to submit a diverse portfolio showcasing their graphic design capabilities across print, digital, and presentation mediums. This is a critical evaluation step.

• Skills Assessment/Challenge: A potential design challenge or practical exercise to assess proficiency in required software (e.g., Adobe Creative Cloud, ProPresenter) and problem-solving skills.

• Interviews:

  • Hiring Manager/Team Interview: Discussion focused on design philosophy, creative process, project management, and technical skills.
  • Cultural Fit Interview: Assessment of alignment with Ada Bible Church's core values, faith statement, and commitment to Christian principles. This may involve spiritual leadership or HR representatives.

• Final Interview: Potentially with senior leadership or a panel to confirm fit and suitability for the role.

Portfolio Review Tips:

• Curate for Relevance: Select projects that best demonstrate your skills in areas critical to this role: branding, print design, digital graphics (web, social media), and especially presentation graphics (sermon slides, event visuals).

• Showcase Process: For key projects, briefly explain your design process, from understanding the brief to final execution. Highlight how you ensured brand consistency and met specific client needs.

• Quantify Impact (If Possible): If any of your designs led to measurable outcomes (e.g., increased event attendance, higher engagement on social media), mention it. For this role, impact might be described qualitatively in terms of clarity of message or visual appeal.

• Include ProPresenter Work: If you have examples of work created or managed within ProPresenter, make sure they are highlighted.

• Demonstrate Adaptability: Include a variety of project types to show your versatility in meeting diverse design needs.

Challenge Preparation:

• Software Proficiency: Be prepared for tasks that might require quick execution in Photoshop, Illustrator, or InDesign.

• ProPresenter Familiarity: If a ProPresenter challenge is given, focus on media import, organization, and basic slide creation.

• Creative Problem-Solving: Anticipate questions about how you would approach designing for specific church events or ministries.

• Brand Application: Be ready to apply existing branding to new mock-up materials.

📝 Enhancement Note: The interview process will heavily weigh cultural and spiritual fit alongside technical design skills. Candidates should be prepared to discuss their faith and how it informs their work. The portfolio is paramount, and demonstrating ProPresenter proficiency is a significant advantage.

🛠 Tools & Technology Stack

Primary Tools:

• Adobe Creative Cloud: Essential suite including:

  • Photoshop: For image editing, manipulation, and digital asset creation.
  • Illustrator: For vector graphics, logos, icons, and complex illustrations.
  • InDesign: For layout design of print materials like flyers, brochures, journals, and stationery.

• ProPresenter: Critical for managing and displaying media (graphics, videos, lyrics) during live church services and events. Proficiency in its media management and presentation capabilities is key.

Analytics & Reporting:

• Web Analytics (e.g., Google Analytics): Basic understanding may be beneficial for optimizing web graphics, though direct responsibility might be limited.

• Social Media Analytics: Awareness of how graphics perform on social platforms.

CRM & Automation:

• Church Management Software (CMS): May interact with or provide assets for the church's specific CMS for member communications or event management.

• Project Management Tools: Potentially used for task tracking and team collaboration (e.g., Asana, Trello, or internal systems).

📝 Enhancement Note: Proficiency in Adobe Creative Cloud is standard for graphic designers, but the explicit requirement for ProPresenter sets this role apart. Candidates should be ready to demonstrate their comfort and experience with this presentation software, which is specialized for live event production.

👥 Team Culture & Values

Operations Values:

• Faith-Driven: All work is expected to be aligned with Christian principles and the mission of Ada Bible Church. Personal faith and commitment to God are foundational.

• Service & Humility: A strong emphasis on serving the church community and its ministries with a humble attitude.

• Collaboration & Teamwork: Working together ("Work Together") is a core value, requiring open communication and mutual support among team members and ministries.

• Joyful Contribution: Bringing joy ("Bring Joy") to the work and the community through creative expression and positive engagement.

• Mission Ownership: Taking personal responsibility for the church's mission ("Own the Mission") and contributing creatively to its advancement.

• Generosity: A spirit of giving ("Give is away"), implying a generous approach to sharing talents and resources.

Collaboration Style:

• Cross-Functional Integration: The role demands close collaboration with various ministry departments, requiring the ability to translate diverse needs into effective visual solutions.

• Feedback-Oriented: A culture of openness to feedback and constructive criticism, essential for refining designs and ensuring alignment.

• Shared Vision: Working towards a common goal of enhancing the church's message and community through effective visual communication.

📝 Enhancement Note: The "Ada Bible Church Core Qualities" are not just values but fundamental expectations for all employees. Candidates must genuinely align with these principles, as they will permeate daily work and interactions.

⚡ Challenges & Growth Opportunities

Challenges:

• Balancing Creative Vision with Organizational Needs: Effectively translating diverse ministry objectives and theological messages into compelling visual designs while adhering to brand guidelines.

• Managing High Volume and Tight Deadlines: The need to produce a consistent flow of high-quality assets, particularly for weekend services, requires efficient workflow and time management.

• Adapting to Evolving Ministry Needs: Staying current with the visual communication demands of various church ministries and adapting designs accordingly.

• Technical Proficiency with ProPresenter: Mastering and leveraging ProPresenter to its full potential for dynamic and engaging live service presentations.

Learning & Development Opportunities:

• Advanced Design Software Training: Opportunities to deepen skills in Adobe Creative Suite or explore new design tools and techniques.

• ProPresenter Mastery: Becoming an expert in ProPresenter for advanced visual storytelling in live environments.

• Industry Best Practices: Learning about current trends in digital media, graphic design, and visual communication specifically within the context of religious organizations.

• Ministry Understanding: Gaining a deeper appreciation for the various ministries within the church, which can inform more impactful design work.

📝 Enhancement Note: The primary growth opportunity lies in becoming a highly skilled and indispensable visual communicator within the religious sector. Challenges are centered on managing diverse demands and technical execution within a faith-based framework.

💡 Interview Preparation

Strategy Questions:

• Design Philosophy: "Describe your approach to creating visual content that communicates meaning and connects with a specific audience, particularly in a faith-based context." Be ready to discuss how you translate abstract concepts into tangible visuals.

• Brand Application: "How would you ensure consistency in design across multiple church campuses and various communication channels?" Prepare to discuss your understanding of branding and its importance.

• Problem-Solving Scenario: "Imagine a ministry needs graphics for a new outreach event. What steps would you take from receiving the initial request to delivering the final assets?" Focus on your process, communication, and problem-solving.

Company & Culture Questions:

• Faith Alignment: "How does your personal faith inform your approach to your work as a graphic designer?" Be prepared to discuss your relationship with God and your understanding of Ada Bible Church's statement of faith.

• Teamwork & Collaboration: "Describe a time you had to collaborate closely with a team with diverse opinions to achieve a common goal." Highlight your interpersonal skills and ability to work within a team.

• Understanding the Mission: "What excites you about contributing your design skills to a church environment like Ada Bible Church?" Show genuine interest in the mission.

Portfolio Presentation Strategy:

• Tell a Story: For each selected project, explain the challenge, your creative solution, the process, and the outcome.

• Highlight Key Skills: Explicitly point out how specific projects demonstrate your proficiency in Adobe Creative Cloud, ProPresenter, print design, digital design, and branding.

• Focus on Relevance: Prioritize projects that mirror the requirements of this role (e.g., event graphics, sermon slides, social media visuals).

• Be Prepared for Live Software Demo: If a ProPresenter or Adobe Creative Cloud challenge is given, demonstrate your ability to navigate and use the software efficiently.

📝 Enhancement Note: Be ready to articulate your design process and how it aligns with the church's mission. Demonstrating both technical skill and a genuine understanding of and commitment to the organization's values will be crucial.

📌 Application Steps

To apply for this operations position:

• Submit your application through the ADP WorkForce Now portal via the provided link.

• Tailor Your Resume: Highlight experience in graphic design, digital media production, and any relevant software proficiency (Adobe Creative Cloud, ProPresenter). Quantify achievements where possible.

• Curate Your Portfolio: Select your strongest, most relevant design samples. Ensure it showcases a breadth of work across print, digital, and presentation graphics, and specifically include any ProPresenter-related projects if available. Organize it for easy navigation.

• Prepare for Culture Fit: Reflect on the "Ada Bible Church Core Qualities" and be ready to discuss how your personal faith and values align with these expectations.

• Research the Church: Familiarize yourself with Ada Bible Church's website, ministries, and overall mission to understand their communication needs and visual style.

⚠️ 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.