📍 Job Overview
Job Title: Graphic Designer
Company: Aramark
Location: Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States
Job Type: Full-Time
Category: Graphic Design, Visual Communication
Date Posted: 2025-06-09T00:00:00
Experience Level: Mid-Level (1-3 years)
Remote Status: Hybrid
🎨 Role Summary
- Create compelling graphic design assets and visual content to support marketing and sales initiatives within the Refreshments line of business.
- Enhance visual storytelling to drive awareness and engagement among clients and customers through various channels, including print and digital media.
- Ensure strict adherence to established Aramark brand standards and visual identity guidelines across all design deliverables.
- Collaborate closely with the marketing team to manage projects, meet deadlines, and maintain consistency in messaging and visual quality.
🖼️ Primary Responsibilities
- Utilize design skills to produce a variety of marketing support materials, including signage, presentations, wayfinding, logos, event collateral, web images, and guidebooks, focusing on visual appeal and clarity.
- Perform photography editing and manipulation to enhance visual assets for various communication channels.
- Ensure brand consistency by adhering to the Aramark Refreshments identity, voice, and brand guidelines in all projects.
- Maintain high quality throughout the design process, from initial drafts through editorial and production phases.
- Partner with the marketing team to manage and complete design tasks using a project management platform.
- Develop and utilize design templates to streamline production and ensure consistency.
- Manage signage needs for new location openings and existing location refreshes.
- Communicate design standards and guidelines to field teams regarding the correct usage of point-of-sale (POS) and other signage.
- Identify and develop innovative solutions for displaying signage to improve customer communication and experience.
- Organize and maintain a stock photography database for easy access and usage.
🎓 Skills & Qualifications
Education: A degree in graphic design is preferred, demonstrating foundational knowledge in design principles, visual communication, and relevant software applications.
Experience: Requires 1-3 years of experience in a graphic design role, with a proven track record demonstrated through a professional design portfolio showcasing relevant projects and skills.
Required Skills:
- Intermediate proficiency in graphic design principles and visual communication.
- Strong ability to develop creative ideas and concepts for diverse communication channels.
- Expertise in industry-standard design software, particularly Adobe Creative Cloud.
- Proficiency in InDesign for layout and publication design.
- Proficiency in Illustrator for vector graphics and illustration.
- Proficiency in Photoshop for image editing and manipulation.
- Proficiency in Microsoft PowerPoint for presentation design.
- Excellent project management skills with a proactive approach to managing multiple projects simultaneously.
- Understanding of content creation and curation tactics across digital and photographic mediums.
- Basic understanding of social media graphics and content requirements.
- Understanding of offset press printing and preparing files for print production.
- Ability to prioritize tasks and manage workload effectively to meet deadlines.
- Receptiveness to constructive design feedback and ability to iterate on designs.
- Ability to work independently and collaboratively as part of a team.
Preferred Skills:
- Experience working in related industries such as hospitality, education, or food service, providing context for the business environment.
- Experience with digital asset management systems for organizing photography and design files.
- Familiarity with basic web design principles and image optimization for web.
🎨 Portfolio & Creative Requirements
Portfolio Essentials:
- Your portfolio should prominently feature examples of graphic design work relevant to marketing collateral, signage, presentations, and digital assets.
- Include case studies or project descriptions that highlight your design process, problem-solving approach, and the impact of your work.
- Showcase your proficiency in Adobe Creative Cloud (InDesign, Illustrator, Photoshop) through diverse projects.
- Include examples of work that demonstrate your understanding of brand standards and ability to apply them consistently.
Process Documentation:
- For selected projects, briefly describe the initial design brief, your understanding of the target audience, and your approach to meeting the project goals.
- Explain any iterations or feedback incorporated into the final design, demonstrating your receptiveness to critique and ability to refine your work.
- If applicable, include details on how your design solutions addressed specific challenges or contributed to project success.
💵 Compensation & Benefits
Salary Range: Based on industry data for Graphic Designer roles in the Philadelphia, PA area with 1-3 years of experience, the estimated salary range is typically between $50,000 and $65,000 annually. This estimate is based on publicly available salary data from various sources (e.g., Glassdoor, Salary.com) for similar roles and experience levels in the specified geographic region. Actual compensation may vary based on qualifications, experience, and negotiation.
Benefits:
- Comprehensive health insurance plans (medical, dental, vision).
- Retirement savings plan (e.g., 401k) with potential company match.
- Paid time off (vacation, sick days, holidays).
- Opportunities for professional development and potentially design-specific training.
- Employee assistance programs.
Working Hours: This is a full-time position, typically requiring approximately 40 hours per week. The hybrid work arrangement involves working at Aramark's headquarters in Philadelphia, PA, Tuesdays through Thursdays, with flexibility for remote work on other days. The specific schedule may require flexibility to meet project deadlines and collaborate with the marketing team.
🎯Team & Company Context
🏢 Company & Design Culture
Industry: Aramark operates within the Food Services and Facilities Management industry, serving a diverse range of clients including healthcare, education, and business. The Refreshments line of business focuses on providing beverage and snack solutions, requiring impactful design to promote products and services in various environments.
Company Size: As a large public company with over 10,000 employees globally, Aramark offers a structured environment with established processes and teams. For a Graphic Designer, this means working within a larger marketing department with defined workflows and collaboration points.
Founded: Information not explicitly provided, but Aramark has a long history as a major player in the food services and facilities management sector, suggesting a well-established corporate culture.
Team Structure:
- The Graphic Design Specialist reports directly to the Vice President, Innovation & Customer Experience, indicating a close alignment with leadership and a focus on strategic design initiatives.
- The role supports the entire marketing team within the Refreshments line of business, implying collaboration with various marketing specialists.
- Likely involves working within a marketing team structure, potentially with other designers, marketing managers, and content specialists.
Methodology:
- The focus on creating assets for local store marketing, regional programs, and client activations suggests a project-based workflow driven by marketing campaigns and business needs.
- Emphasis on brand standards and consistency indicates a structured approach to design execution, likely utilizing style guides and templates.
- The mention of a project management platform suggests a reliance on organized task management and communication tools within the team.
Company Website: https://aramarkcareers.com/UnitedStates/job/Philadelphia-Graphic-Designer-PA-19103/1297518000/
📈 Career & Growth Analysis
Design Career Level: This role is positioned as a Graphic Designer with 1-3 years of experience, aligning it with a junior to mid-level position within a corporate design structure. The responsibilities suggest a focus on execution and production under guidance, with opportunities to develop creative concepts.
Reporting Structure: Reporting directly to a Vice President indicates high visibility within the marketing leadership team and direct exposure to strategic decision-making processes related to design and customer experience.
Design Impact: The role directly contributes to marketing and sales efforts by creating visual assets that influence client and customer perception and engagement. The focus on local and regional marketing initiatives provides opportunities to see the direct impact of design work in the field.
Growth Opportunities:
- Opportunity to gain experience in a large corporate environment and understand design within a complex business structure.
- Development of skills in applying and maintaining brand standards across a wide range of materials.
- Potential for growth into more senior graphic design roles, specializing in specific areas like digital design, print production, or brand management.
- Exposure to different aspects of marketing and customer experience, potentially leading to cross-functional career paths.
🌐 Work Environment
Studio Type: This role is primarily based at Aramark's headquarters in Philadelphia, PA, with a hybrid work model allowing for remote work flexibility. The office environment likely provides dedicated workspace for the design function, facilitating collaboration with the marketing team.
Office Location(s): Aramark's headquarters is located in Philadelphia, PA, requiring the Graphic Designer to work on-site Tuesdays through Thursdays.
Design Workspace Context:
- The on-site days facilitate in-person collaboration with the marketing team, crucial for brainstorming, feedback sessions, and project coordination.
- Access to potentially specialized design equipment, software licenses, and resources available at the corporate headquarters.
- Opportunity for informal learning and knowledge sharing with other team members.
Work Schedule: The role requires a hybrid schedule with mandatory on-site presence in Philadelphia from Tuesday to Thursday. The remaining workdays can be performed remotely. This structure balances the need for in-person collaboration with the flexibility of remote work.
📄 Application & Portfolio Review Process
Design Interview Process:
- Initial screening call to assess basic qualifications and fit.
- Portfolio review and discussion, focusing on your design process, technical skills, and ability to meet project objectives. Be prepared to walk through several key projects.
- Interviews with the hiring manager (VP, Innovation & Customer Experience) and potentially other members of the marketing team to assess technical skills, collaboration style, and cultural fit.
- A potential design exercise or challenge to evaluate your creative problem-solving abilities and execution skills under timed conditions.
Portfolio Review Tips:
- Curate your portfolio to highlight projects most relevant to the types of assets mentioned in the job description (signage, marketing collateral, presentations, etc.).
- For each project, clearly articulate the problem you were solving, your design process, the tools you used, and the outcome or impact of your work.
- Demonstrate your understanding of brand guidelines and how you applied them in your projects.
- Ensure your portfolio is easy to navigate and visually appealing, reflecting your design skills.
Challenge Preparation:
- If a design challenge is part of the process, carefully read and understand the brief before starting.
- Manage your time effectively to complete the core requirements within the given timeframe.
- Be prepared to explain your design decisions and rationale behind your approach.
- Consider potential constraints and how you would address them in a real-world scenario.
ATS Keywords: Graphic Design, Visual Design, Marketing Design, Print Design, Digital Design, Brand Standards, Brand Guidelines, Adobe Creative Cloud, InDesign, Illustrator, Photoshop, Microsoft PowerPoint, Project Management, Creative Concepts, Visual Storytelling, Signage, Marketing Collateral, Presentations, Photography Editing, Content Creation, Social Media Graphics, Print Production, Typography, Layout, Color Theory, Visual Hierarchy, Collaboration, Communication, Problem-Solving, Time Management, Attention to Detail, Corporate Design, Refreshments, Food Service, Hospitality, Education, Case Study, Portfolio, Design Process, User Experience (basic understanding may be relevant), Point-of-Sale (POS), Wayfinding, Digital Assets, Print Assets.
🛠 Tools & Technology Stack
Primary Design Tools:
- Adobe Creative Cloud: Essential suite for graphic design work, including industry-standard tools for vector illustration, image editing, and layout design. Proficiency across the suite is expected.
- InDesign: Critical for creating layouts for presentations, guidebooks, and other multi-page documents. Requires strong skills in typography and layout design.
- Illustrator: Used for creating vector graphics, logos, icons, and illustrations, ensuring scalability and crispness for various applications.
- Photoshop: Necessary for image editing, retouching, and manipulation, particularly for enhancing photography used in marketing materials.
- Microsoft PowerPoint: Required for designing and formatting presentations, indicating a need for strong visual communication skills within a common business tool.
Collaboration & Handoff:
- Likely utilizes a project management platform (specific platform not mentioned) for task tracking, communication, and file sharing within the marketing team.
- May use cloud storage or internal servers for file management and collaboration.
- Experience with tools for sharing design assets with stakeholders and potentially handoff to print vendors.
Research & Testing:
- While not explicitly stated as a primary function, understanding of how design impacts user perception and engagement, potentially informed by market research or customer feedback, would be beneficial.
- May involve basic testing of signage or visual materials in the field for effectiveness.
👥 Team Culture & Values
Design Values:
- Emphasis on creating compelling and visually appealing assets that effectively communicate marketing messages and enhance storytelling.
- Strong value placed on adherence to brand standards and maintaining consistency in visual identity across all materials.
- Focus on creating design solutions that drive awareness, understanding, and action among target audiences (clients and customers).
- Expectation of a professional approach to design, including attention to detail, meeting deadlines, and managing costs effectively.
Collaboration Style:
- Requires close collaboration with the marketing team, suggesting a need for strong communication and interpersonal skills.
- Receptiveness to design feedback is explicitly mentioned, indicating a collaborative and iterative design process.
- Working both independently and as part of a team is highlighted, suggesting a balance between self-directed work and collaborative efforts.
⚡ Challenges & Growth Opportunities
Design Challenges:
- Balancing creativity with strict adherence to established brand standards and guidelines across a wide range of applications.
- Managing multiple design projects simultaneously with varying deadlines and priorities.
- Creating design assets that resonate with diverse target audiences in different environments (local stores, regional programs, client sites).
- Staying updated on design trends and software advancements while working within a corporate structure.
Learning & Development Opportunities:
- Opportunity to deepen expertise in applying design principles within a large corporate brand context.
- Development of advanced skills in Adobe Creative Cloud and potentially other design or project management tools.
- Exposure to different marketing strategies and how design supports business objectives.
- Potential for internal training programs or resources for skill enhancement and career progression within Aramark.
💡 Interview Preparation
Design Process Questions:
- Be prepared to discuss your typical design process from receiving a brief to delivering final assets, using examples from your portfolio.
- Explain how you approach understanding project requirements and target audiences.
- Describe a challenging design project and how you overcame obstacles, demonstrating your problem-solving skills.
Company Culture Questions:
- Research Aramark's mission and values, particularly those related to service and collaboration, and be prepared to discuss how your values align.
- Ask questions about the marketing team structure, design workflow, and how design integrates with other functions.
- Inquire about the design critique process and how feedback is incorporated into projects.
Portfolio Presentation Strategy:
- Select 3-5 projects that best showcase your skills and relevance to this role.
- For each project, briefly explain the context, your role, the challenge, your design solution, and the outcome.
- Highlight your proficiency in the required software (InDesign, Illustrator, Photoshop) through the projects you present.
- Be prepared to discuss your thought process and design decisions in detail.
📌 Application Steps
To apply for this design position:
- Submit your application through this link
- Tailor your resume to highlight relevant graphic design experience, skills (especially Adobe Creative Cloud proficiency), and project management abilities.
- Prepare a strong design portfolio that showcases your best work, particularly focusing on marketing collateral, signage, and brand application. Ensure your portfolio is easily accessible online.
- Practice presenting your portfolio and explaining your design process for key projects.
- Research Aramark and its Refreshments line of business to understand the company's market position, brand, and target audience.