Graphic Designer

📍 Job Overview

Job Title: Graphic Designer Company: Colliers International Location: Chicago, Illinois, United States Job Type: FULL_TIME Category: Marketing & Design Operations Date Posted: 2025-09-18 Experience Level: Mid-Level (2-5 years) Remote Status: On-site

🚀 Role Summary

• Brand Stewardship: Act as a critical brand custodian, ensuring all visual communications adhere to and elevate Colliers' established templates, brand guidelines, and overall corporate identity standards. This involves not just compliance but also proactive enhancement of brand consistency across all touchpoints.
• Marketing Collateral Development: Strategically conceptualize, design, and produce a wide array of marketing materials, including high-impact new business proposals, insightful market overview presentations, compelling offering memorandums, detailed broker opinions of value brochures, impactful flyers, and informative maps. The focus is on creating materials that make strong, positive first impressions for clients and prospects.
• Client Engagement Design: Lead the design of elements for various client engagement projects, spanning digital, print, and interactive formats. This role will manage the design process from initial concept through final execution, ensuring creative solutions that meet specific client needs and project objectives.
• Visual Communication Strategy: Develop sophisticated visual solutions for complex, data-heavy information, including statistical graphs, charts, and tables. This includes the creation of clear and engaging infographics that translate data into easily digestible visual narratives, enhancing the understanding and impact of research-based content.
• Cross-Functional Collaboration: Partner closely with sales professionals and internal stakeholders across the organization to translate their visions and requirements into effective design solutions. This requires strong communication skills to align design efforts with business objectives and client needs, fostering a collaborative approach to creative problem-solving.

📝 Enhancement Note: This role is crucial for maintaining and enhancing the company's visual brand identity, directly supporting sales and business development efforts through high-quality marketing collateral. The emphasis on client proposals and offering memorandums suggests a need for design skills that are both creative and commercially focused, with a strong understanding of the real estate industry's visual language.

📈 Primary Responsibilities

• Implement and rigorously maintain corporate design standards, templates, and brand guidelines across all visual marketing materials to ensure brand consistency and elevate the company's visual identity.
• Design and produce a comprehensive suite of marketing collateral, including new business proposals, pitch decks, market analysis presentations, offering memorandums, broker opinions of value (BOV) brochures, flyers, and custom maps.
• Conceptualize and execute design elements for diverse client engagement projects, including digital assets, print collateral, and interactive materials, managing the process from initial brief to final delivery.
• Collaborate closely with sales professionals and internal clients to understand their design needs, offering creative solutions that align with project objectives and enhance client perception.
• Translate complex data, statistical information, graphs, charts, and tables into clear, visually appealing, and informative infographics and presentations.
• Manage multiple design projects simultaneously in a fast-paced, deadline-driven environment, prioritizing workflow effectively and proactively securing necessary content to meet project timelines.
• Serve as a brand champion, promoting the adoption of corporate visual communication standards among internal teams and ensuring all external-facing materials reflect the Colliers brand excellence.
• Adapt quickly to changing project requirements and business needs, demonstrating initiative and a proactive approach to problem-solving with minimal direct supervision.

📝 Enhancement Note: The responsibilities highlight a need for a designer who can balance creative execution with strict adherence to brand guidelines and business objectives. The emphasis on "new business proposals" and "offering memorandums" suggests a focus on sales enablement and investment marketing materials within the commercial real estate sector.

🎓 Skills & Qualifications

Education:

• Bachelor's Degree in Graphic Design, Visual Communications, Marketing, or a closely related field.

Experience:

• Minimum of 4 years of professional graphic design experience, with a strong portfolio showcasing a range of design projects.
• At least 2 years of experience specifically in online design, digital advertising campaigns, and email marketing design.
• Commercial real estate industry experience is highly preferred, demonstrating an understanding of industry-specific design conventions and client expectations.

Required Skills:

• Advanced proficiency in Adobe Creative Suite: Expert-level skills in InDesign (for layout and print production), Photoshop (for image editing and manipulation), and Illustrator (for vector graphics and illustrations).
• Advanced knowledge of MS Office Suite: Demonstrated expertise in Word (for document formatting), PowerPoint (for presentation design and data visualization), and Excel (for data handling and potential charting integration).
• Strong understanding of branding principles: Ability to consistently apply and enforce brand guidelines to maintain a cohesive visual identity.
• Excellent visual communication skills: Proven ability to translate complex information into clear, compelling, and aesthetically pleasing visual designs.
• Project management and time management: Capacity to manage multiple projects concurrently, prioritize tasks effectively, and meet tight deadlines in a dynamic environment.
• Client-focused approach: Ability to understand and respond to the design needs of internal clients, providing solutions that align with their business objectives.
• Adaptability and initiative: Willingness to learn, adapt to new tools and processes, and work independently with minimal supervision.

Preferred Skills:

• Adobe After Effects: Experience with motion graphics and animation for dynamic visual content.
• Adobe Premiere Pro: Familiarity with video editing for marketing materials.
• Ceros: Experience with interactive content creation platforms.
• Photography: Basic photography skills or experience directing photo shoots for marketing purposes.
• Infographic Design: Proven ability to create data-driven infographics that effectively communicate complex information.

📝 Enhancement Note: The requirement for advanced proficiency in Adobe Creative Suite and MS Office Suite is standard for graphic design roles. The preference for commercial real estate experience and specific software like After Effects and Premiere Pro indicates a need for a versatile designer capable of producing sophisticated marketing materials for a specialized industry.

📊 Process & Systems Portfolio Requirements

Portfolio Essentials:

• Demonstrated Brand Adherence: Showcase projects where you successfully implemented and maintained brand guidelines, emphasizing consistency and adherence to established visual identities.
• Proposal and Presentation Design: Include examples of new business proposals, pitch decks, or client presentations that effectively communicate complex information and persuade target audiences. Highlight the strategic design choices made.
• Data Visualization and Infographics: Present a selection of work that effectively visualizes data, statistics, charts, and graphs, demonstrating your ability to create clear, impactful infographics.
• Marketing Collateral Examples: Feature a range of marketing materials such as brochures, flyers, offering memorandums, or other collateral designed for specific marketing campaigns or client needs.
• Digital and Interactive Design: Include examples of online advertising, email marketing designs, or interactive digital assets, showcasing your versatility across different media.

Process Documentation:

• Workflow Optimization: Be prepared to discuss your design process, from initial brief interpretation and concept development through revisions, production, and final delivery, highlighting how you ensure efficiency and quality.
• Collaboration and Feedback Integration: Demonstrate your ability to effectively collaborate with stakeholders, incorporate feedback, and iterate on designs to achieve optimal results.
• Tool Proficiency Demonstration: Be ready to discuss how you leverage specific software (e.g., Adobe Creative Suite) to streamline your workflow and enhance design output.
• Impact Measurement: If possible, provide examples where your design work contributed to measurable business outcomes, such as increased engagement, successful client acquisition, or improved brand perception.

📝 Enhancement Note: A strong portfolio that showcases both creative flair and practical application within a business context is essential. Candidates should be prepared to articulate their design process and demonstrate how their work supports business goals, particularly within the real estate sector.

💵 Compensation & Benefits

Salary Range:

• Approximate Compensation Range: $74,000 to $83,000 per year.
• Methodology: This range is provided by the company based on local law disclosure for the Chicago, IL area. It reflects the target for new hire salaries for this position, with the final determination influenced by factors such as specific work location, job-related skills, experience level, and relevant education or training.

Benefits:

• Health & Wellness: Employer-subsidized medical benefits (including prescription coverage), dental benefits, and vision benefits.
• Insurance: Employer-paid basic life/AD&D insurance, short-term disability, and long-term disability coverage.
• Retirement Savings: Enrollment in the company's 401k plan, which includes an employer match.
• Paid Time Off:
  • Sick Leave: 10 days per year.
  • Vacation: A minimum of 15 days annually (certain senior-level roles may be eligible for unlimited time off).
  • Holidays: 10 paid holidays plus two personal flex days per calendar year.
• Parental Leave: 12 weeks of paid parental leave for birth parents and 4 weeks for non-birth parents (including adoptive/foster parents) after 90 days of employment.
• Bonus Eligibility: This position is eligible for an annual performance-based bonus, tied to company and individual performance.

Working Hours:

• Presumed to be a standard full-time work week, likely around 40 hours, with potential for additional hours depending on project demands and deadlines. The role is specified as "Onsite," indicating a structured work schedule within the Chicago office.

📝 Enhancement Note: The salary range is competitive for a mid-level Graphic Designer in a major metropolitan area like Chicago, especially within the commercial real estate sector. The benefits package is comprehensive, offering robust health, insurance, retirement, and paid time off options, which are attractive to professionals seeking stability and work-life balance.

🎯 Team & Company Context

🏢 Company Culture

Industry: Commercial Real Estate Services and Investment Management. Colliers operates globally, providing a wide range of services including brokerage, property management, investment management, and consulting. Company Size: Colliers is a large, publicly traded company with a significant global presence. Exact employee numbers can fluctuate, but it is considered a major player in the real estate industry, employing thousands worldwide. This size offers stability and opportunities for broad exposure. Founded: Colliers has a long history, tracing its roots back to 1976, and has grown through strategic acquisitions and organic expansion to become a leading global firm. This history suggests a stable, established organization with a proven track record.

Team Structure:

• Operations Integration: The Graphic Designer likely sits within a marketing or operations department, supporting various business lines or service lines within the Chicago office.
• Collaboration: Expect to collaborate closely with brokers, sales teams, marketing managers, and potentially other operational support staff. The role requires interfacing with individuals who are client-facing and focused on business development.
• Reporting: The designer will likely report to a Marketing Manager, Director of Marketing, or a senior operations lead within the region. The structure would be designed to facilitate efficient support for the sales and leasing teams.

Methodology:

• Data-Driven Design: While primarily a creative role, there's an expectation to support data-driven decision-making by effectively visualizing market research, property analytics, and financial data.
• Process Efficiency: Emphasis on streamlined workflows, adherence to templates, and efficient project management to meet the fast-paced demands of the real estate industry.
• Brand Consistency: A core methodology will be maintaining and enhancing brand consistency across all communication channels to support Colliers' reputation and market positioning.

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

📝 Enhancement Note: Colliers' global reach and established presence in commercial real estate mean the Graphic Designer will be part of a professional, results-oriented environment. The culture likely values expertise, client service, and a proactive approach to business challenges.

📈 Career & Growth Analysis

Operations Career Level: This is a Mid-Level Graphic Designer role. It signifies a professional who has moved beyond entry-level tasks and is expected to handle projects with a higher degree of autonomy, strategic input, and creative responsibility. The role contributes directly to the effectiveness of marketing and business development efforts. Reporting Structure: The Graphic Designer typically reports to a Marketing Manager or a similar leadership role within the marketing or operations function. This structure allows for direct guidance on marketing strategies and brand management, while also providing exposure to senior leadership within the business units they support. Operations Impact: The Graphic Designer's impact is significant, as high-quality visual assets are critical for first impressions, brand perception, and the successful communication of value propositions in the competitive commercial real estate market. Effective design directly supports lead generation, client acquisition, and deal closing by making proposals and marketing materials more compelling and professional.

Growth Opportunities:

• Specialization: Potential to specialize in specific areas of design within real estate, such as investment marketing collateral, digital campaign design, or branding for specific property types.
• Skill Expansion: Opportunity to develop skills in motion graphics, video editing, or interactive design platforms (e.g., Ceros), enhancing the scope of creative output.
• Leadership Track: With demonstrated success and additional experience, career progression could lead to Senior Graphic Designer roles, Art Director positions, or Marketing Management opportunities within Colliers.
• Cross-Functional Exposure: Involvement in various marketing campaigns and business development initiatives provides exposure to broader marketing strategies and operational workflows.

📝 Enhancement Note: This role offers a solid foundation within the commercial real estate industry for a graphic designer. Growth potential is tied to developing specialized skills relevant to the sector and demonstrating a strong understanding of how design contributes to business objectives.

🌐 Work Environment

Office Type: This is an Onsite role based in Colliers' Chicago office. Expect a professional, corporate office environment. Office Location(s): Chicago, Illinois – specifically the S Wacker Dr location, indicating a central business district setting. This implies accessibility via public transportation and proximity to other major businesses.

Workspace Context:

• Collaborative Hub: The office environment is likely designed to foster collaboration, with shared workspaces, meeting rooms, and areas for team interaction.
• Tools and Technology: Access to standard office technology and potentially specialized design hardware and software provided by Colliers to support the role's demands.
• Team Interaction: Opportunities for daily interaction with colleagues in sales, leasing, marketing, and other operational departments, fostering a dynamic and communicative workplace.

Work Schedule: Standard business hours are expected, likely Monday through Friday. The role demands flexibility to meet project deadlines, which may occasionally require working beyond standard hours.

📝 Enhancement Note: The on-site requirement in a major city like Chicago suggests a dynamic work environment where face-to-face collaboration is valued. Professionals should be prepared for a corporate setting that supports business development activities.

📄 Application & Portfolio Review Process

Interview Process:

• Initial Screening: A review of your resume and portfolio to assess qualifications and creative fit.
• Skills Assessment/Creative Challenge: You may be asked to complete a design exercise or case study to evaluate your technical skills, creative problem-solving abilities, and understanding of brand application. This could involve tasks like designing a sample marketing piece or re-imagining existing collateral.
• Behavioral and Situational Interviews: Expect questions focused on your experience, how you handle deadlines, manage client relationships, collaborate with teams, and approach design challenges. Prepare examples using the STAR method (Situation, Task, Action, Result).
• Portfolio Review Presentation: You will likely present your portfolio, discussing key projects, your design process, the rationale behind your creative choices, and the impact of your work. Be ready to articulate how your skills align with Colliers' needs.
• Final Interview: Potentially with senior leadership or hiring managers to confirm cultural fit and strategic alignment.

Portfolio Review Tips:

• Curate Strategically: Select 5-7 strong, relevant projects that showcase your best work, particularly those demonstrating proficiency in areas mentioned in the job description (proposals, presentations, data visualization, brand adherence).
• Highlight Process: For each project, briefly explain the brief, your design process, the tools used, your creative decisions, and the outcome or impact.
• Showcase Versatility: Include examples that demonstrate your ability to work across different media (print, digital) and for different purposes (marketing collateral, internal communications).
• Data Visualization Focus: Ensure you have at least one strong example of data visualization or infographic design.
• Professional Presentation: Organize your portfolio logically, whether it's a digital PDF, a personal website, or a presentation deck. Ensure it's easy to navigate and visually appealing.

Challenge Preparation:

• Understand the Brand: Familiarize yourself with Colliers' current branding, marketing materials, and target audience in the commercial real estate sector.
• Practice Data Visualization: Work on translating sample data into compelling charts and infographics.
• Presentation Skills: Rehearse presenting your portfolio and design rationale clearly and concisely. Be prepared to answer questions about your choices.
• Commercial Real Estate Context: If you have limited experience, research common design practices and terminology in commercial real estate marketing.

📝 Enhancement Note: The interview process will likely focus on both creative capability and practical application within a corporate, client-service-oriented environment. A well-prepared portfolio and the ability to articulate design strategy are key.

🛠 Tools & Technology Stack

Primary Tools:

• Adobe Creative Suite:
  • InDesign: Essential for layout, typography, and print production of proposals, brochures, and presentations.
  • Photoshop: Crucial for image editing, retouching, compositing, and digital asset creation.
  • Illustrator: Necessary for creating vector graphics, logos, icons, and complex illustrations.
• MS Office Suite:
  • PowerPoint: Heavily utilized for creating presentations, proposals, and data visualizations. Proficiency in advanced features is expected.
  • Word: Used for formatting documents, reports, and potentially integrating design elements.
  • Excel: May be used for data organization or creating basic charts that can be refined in other design software.

Analytics & Reporting:

• While not directly managing analytics, the designer will likely work with data provided by marketing or research teams. Understanding how to interpret and visualize this data is key.

CRM & Automation:

• No direct CRM or automation tool usage is specified for this role, but the designer will support teams that use these systems by creating visually engaging content for campaigns and communications.

Bonus Tools (if applicable):

• Adobe After Effects: For motion graphics, animated logos, or video intros/outros.
• Adobe Premiere Pro: For editing marketing videos or client testimonials.
• Ceros: A platform for creating interactive content, presentations, and digital experiences.
• Photography Equipment/Software: For potential in-house photography needs.

📝 Enhancement Note: Mastery of Adobe Creative Suite is paramount. Proficiency in PowerPoint for presentation design is equally critical given the role's focus on proposals and pitch decks. Familiarity with bonus tools can differentiate candidates.

👥 Team Culture & Values

Operations Values:

• Excellence & Quality: A commitment to delivering high-quality, accurate, and polished design work that reflects positively on the Colliers brand.
• Collaboration & Teamwork: Working effectively with sales professionals, marketing teams, and other stakeholders to achieve shared goals. Open communication and a willingness to support colleagues are valued.
• Client Focus: Understanding that design serves business objectives and client needs, striving to create materials that resonate with target audiences and drive business outcomes.
• Adaptability & Proactivity: Embracing change, managing multiple priorities efficiently, and proactively seeking solutions or improvements in design processes and outputs.
• Integrity: Upholding ethical standards in design and business practices, reflecting Colliers' commitment to doing what's right.

Collaboration Style:

• Responsive Partnership: Engaging actively with internal clients (sales, marketing) to understand their needs, provide design solutions, and solicit feedback.
• Process-Oriented: Following established workflows and brand guidelines while also being open to innovative approaches and constructive criticism.
• Knowledge Sharing: Contributing to a team environment where design best practices, creative ideas, and efficient techniques are shared.

📝 Enhancement Note: The culture likely emphasizes professionalism, results, and a collaborative spirit, typical of a large, service-oriented organization. Designers are expected to be both creative contributors and reliable partners to the business units they support.

⚡ Challenges & Growth Opportunities

Challenges:

• Balancing Creative Vision with Brand Constraints: Effectively pushing creative boundaries while strictly adhering to corporate brand guidelines and templates.
• Managing Diverse Stakeholder Needs: Juggling design requests from multiple internal clients with varying levels of design understanding and project expectations.
• Fast-Paced Environment: Meeting tight deadlines for proposals and marketing materials in the dynamic commercial real estate market, requiring strong time management and prioritization skills.
• Translating Complex Data: Effectively visualizing intricate market data, financial figures, and property information into clear, engaging, and accurate graphics.

Learning & Development Opportunities:

• Industry Specialization: Deepening understanding of commercial real estate marketing trends and design best practices specific to the industry.
• Advanced Software Skills: Opportunities to gain proficiency in motion graphics (After Effects), video editing (Premiere Pro), or interactive design platforms (Ceros).
• Broader Marketing Exposure: Gaining insights into marketing strategy, campaign execution, and digital marketing through collaboration with the marketing team.
• Professional Development: Access to internal training, industry workshops, or online courses to enhance design skills and stay current with industry trends.

📝 Enhancement Note: The primary challenges revolve around managing workflow and stakeholder expectations within the context of strict branding and fast-paced deadlines. Growth lies in mastering industry-specific design needs and expanding technical proficiencies.

💡 Interview Preparation

Strategy Questions:

• Brand Application: "How would you approach designing a new business proposal for a high-value commercial property listing, ensuring it aligns with Colliers' brand and stands out in a competitive market?" (Focus on process, brand adherence, and strategic design choices).
• Data Visualization: "Describe your process for taking complex market data or financial tables and transforming them into an easily understandable infographic or presentation slide." (Highlight analytical thinking and visual execution).
• Collaboration & Feedback: "Tell me about a time you received challenging feedback on a design project. How did you handle it, and what was the outcome?" (Assess communication, adaptability, and client management).
• Time Management: "How do you prioritize your workload when faced with multiple urgent design requests from different teams?" (Evaluate organizational skills and ability to manage competing demands).

Company & Culture Questions:

• "What interests you about working for Colliers International, specifically within the commercial real estate industry?" (Demonstrate research and genuine interest).
• "How do you stay updated on design trends and best practices, and how do you apply them in a corporate setting?" (Showcase continuous learning and practical application).
• "Describe your experience working in a fast-paced, deadline-driven environment." (Relate to the company's operational tempo).

Portfolio Presentation Strategy:

• Narrative Flow: Structure your portfolio presentation with a clear narrative for each project: the challenge, your solution, and the result.
• Highlight Key Skills: Explicitly point out how specific projects demonstrate your proficiency in InDesign, Photoshop, Illustrator, PowerPoint, and data visualization.
• Commercial Real Estate Relevance: If possible, emphasize projects that have a similar strategic or aesthetic feel to what Colliers might require.
• Conciseness: Be prepared to present your strongest work efficiently, respecting the interviewer's time.

Challenge Preparation:

• Research Colliers' Brand: Understand their visual identity, recent marketing campaigns, and key service offerings.
• Practice Design Tasks: Rehearse creating mock-ups for proposals, flyers, or presentation slides related to commercial real estate.
• Data Interpretation: Familiarize yourself with common metrics and data points in commercial real estate (e.g., cap rates, vacancy rates, market comparables).

📝 Enhancement Note: Be prepared to demonstrate not only creative talent but also a strategic understanding of how design supports business goals in the real estate sector. Articulating your process and rationale is as important as the final visual output.

📌 Application Steps

To apply for this Graphic Designer position:

• Submit your application through the provided link on the Colliers External Career Site.
• Portfolio Customization: Ensure your portfolio prominently features examples relevant to commercial real estate marketing, such as proposals, pitch decks, offering memorandums, and data-rich presentations. Prioritize work showcasing advanced Adobe Creative Suite skills.
• Resume Optimization: Tailor your resume to highlight your years of experience, specific software proficiencies (Adobe CS, MS Office), and any commercial real estate or related industry experience. Quantify achievements where possible.
• Interview Preparation: Practice articulating your design process, explaining your creative decisions, and demonstrating how your work aligns with brand standards and business objectives. Prepare specific examples for behavioral questions.
• Company Research: Familiarize yourself with Colliers International's services, market position, and recent marketing initiatives to better understand their brand and operational context.

⚠️ 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.