Graphic Designer, Contract

📍 Job Overview

Job Title: Graphic Designer, Contract

Company: Hasbro (Wizards of the Coast)

Location: United States (Remote OK)

Job Type: Contract, Full-Time, Temporary

Category: Creative & Design Operations

Date Posted: March 11, 2026

Experience Level: Mid-Level (2+ years)

Remote Status: Fully remote within the U.S.

🚀 Role Summary

• This contract role focuses on the critical area of packaging development for the highly popular Magic: The Gathering franchise, requiring a blend of creative concepting and production execution.

• The position demands a strong understanding of design industry standards, especially within packaging, to translate brand strategy into compelling visual solutions.

• Collaboration is key, with expectations to work closely with creative managers, art directors, product designers, and fellow designers to iterate on ideas and refine concepts.

• A significant emphasis is placed on mastering the Adobe Suite for creating print-ready files, alongside a deep appreciation for typography and logo customization.

📝 Enhancement Note: While the raw job title is "Graphic Designer, Contract," the description clearly positions this within a "Creative & Design Operations" context due to its focus on packaging development, production processes, and collaboration with cross-functional creative teams. The "Contract" nature is further clarified with details about employment through an external staffing agency (Workwell).

📈 Primary Responsibilities

• Develop, pitch, and deliver creative solutions for Magic: The Gathering packaging and related products, from initial concept to final print-ready files.

• Build multiple visual solutions based on provided strategy and creative direction, continuously innovating on the Magic: The Gathering brand identity.

• Clearly articulate design ideas and intentions verbally and in writing to creative managers, art directors, product designers, and fellow designers.

• Implement and incorporate feedback from creative leads and cross-functional partners to refine designs and ensure on-brief execution.

• Stay current with design trends and actively pursue professional development by collaborating with management and peers to enhance design skills.

• Participate actively in team brainstorming sessions, contributing to a collaborative and iterative design process.

• Ensure all design work adheres to established design industry standards and brand guidelines for Magic: The Gathering.

• Prepare and finalize clean, print-ready files for production, demonstrating a strong understanding of structural and print processes.

📝 Enhancement Note: The responsibilities are heavily focused on the end-to-end packaging design lifecycle, from ideation to production-ready output, a core function within creative operations. The emphasis on "brand innovation" and "visual solutions based on strategy" highlights the strategic element of the role.

🎓 Skills & Qualifications

Education:

Experience:

• Minimum of 2+ years of experience in Graphic Design, Art Direction, or a closely related creative field.

Required Skills:

• Portfolio: A robust portfolio showcasing high-quality graphic design work, with a specific emphasis on packaging design, logo development, and typography.

• Software Proficiency: High proficiency in Adobe Creative Suite, specifically Adobe Illustrator, Adobe InDesign, and Adobe Photoshop.

• Design Principles: Strong understanding of design industry standards, brand strategy, creative conception, and visual problem-solving.

• Typography & Logo Crafting: Exceptional skill in typography and a passion for crafting highly customized logos.

• Communication: Excellent verbal and written communication skills for articulating creative concepts and receiving feedback.

• Collaboration: Proven ability to work effectively within a team environment, brainstorm ideas, and collaborate with diverse creative professionals.

• Adaptability: Comfort working in an ambiguous and evolving creative environment, managing feedback from various stakeholders.

• Print Production Knowledge: Understanding of structural and print processes to ensure designs are production-ready.

Preferred Skills:

• Familiarity with Microsoft Outlook, Microsoft Teams, and Adobe Acrobat.

• Passion for gaming, sci-fi, or fantasy fandom, particularly as it relates to Magic: The Gathering.

📝 Enhancement Note: The "2+ yrs experience" is a clear indicator of a mid-level role. The emphasis on "ambiguous and constantly evolving creative environment" and "working with a variety of team members" points towards a need for strong interpersonal and adaptability skills, common in operations-adjacent creative roles. The preference for gaming fandom suggests a culture that values domain expertise.

📊 Process & Systems Portfolio Requirements

Portfolio Essentials:

• Packaging Design Case Studies: Showcase 2-3 detailed case studies of packaging projects, illustrating the entire design process from initial brief to final output.

• Brand Integration Examples: Demonstrate how brand strategy and guidelines were effectively translated into visual solutions across packaging.

• Typography & Logo Work: Highlight examples of custom logo design and sophisticated typography applications.

• Print-Ready File Examples: Include examples of clean, well-organized, print-ready files that demonstrate an understanding of production requirements.

• Process Documentation: Briefly outline the design process followed for key projects, including ideation, iteration, and finalization stages.

Process Documentation:

• Candidates should be prepared to discuss their personal design process, including how they approach concept development, feedback integration, and final file preparation for print.

• Understanding of workflow management for creative projects, especially within a contract or agency setting, will be beneficial.

📝 Enhancement Note: For a graphic design role focused on packaging, the portfolio is paramount. The "process" aspect will revolve around the design lifecycle, from creative brief to print production. Emphasizing "print-ready files" and "structural/print processes" in the portfolio is crucial.

💵 Compensation & Benefits

Salary Range: $38.55 - $46.78 per hour (USD)

Explanation: This range is provided based on the explicit compensation details listed for this role. It reflects a mid-level graphic design position with specialized packaging experience, considering the contract nature and the general market rates for such specialized roles in the US.

Benefits:

• Medical

• Dental

• Vision

• Health Savings Accounts (HSAs)

• Employee Assistance Program (EAP)

• 401(k) Retirement Plan

• Employee Stock Ownership Plan (ESOP)

• Paid Sick Leave (variable based on location)

• Paid Time Off (PTO)

Working Hours:

• Standard full-time hours, likely around 40 hours per week.

• The role is designated as a temporary assignment for up to 12 months.

📝 Enhancement Note: The compensation is clearly defined as hourly for a contingent worker, provided through the staffing agency (Workwell). The benefits package is comprehensive for a temporary/contract role, which is a significant draw. The duration of "up to 12 months" is important for candidate expectations.

🎯 Team & Company Context

🏢 Company Culture

Industry: Toys & Games, Entertainment, Media (specifically tabletop gaming and collectibles).

Company Size: Hasbro is a large, publicly traded company with thousands of employees globally. Wizards of the Coast, as a subsidiary, operates within this structure, likely maintaining a significant but focused team for its core brands.

Founded: Hasbro was founded in 1923. Wizards of the Coast was founded in 1991 and acquired by Hasbro in 1999.

Team Structure:

• This role will collaborate with Magic: The Gathering creative teams, which typically include creative managers, art directors, fellow graphic designers, illustrators, copywriters, and product designers.

• The structure emphasizes cross-functional collaboration, with designers working closely with various stakeholders to achieve cohesive product development.

Methodology:

• The design process is iterative and collaborative, starting with strategic direction and evolving through multiple rounds of feedback and refinement.

• Emphasis is placed on innovation within established brand guidelines, ensuring both creative excellence and brand consistency.

• A data-informed approach may be used, though the description highlights creative conception and brand strategy as primary drivers.

Company Website: https://careers.hasbro.com/ (for Hasbro careers) and https://magic.wizards.com/ (for product information)

📝 Enhancement Note: Understanding that this is for Wizards of the Coast, a subsidiary of Hasbro, provides critical context. The culture likely blends the corporate structure of Hasbro with the unique, passion-driven environment of a leading game publisher. The emphasis on "team collaboration" and "not as an individual" is a strong cultural indicator.

📈 Career & Growth Analysis

Operations Career Level: This is a mid-level, specialized graphic design role focused on a specific product line (packaging). It's a contract position, offering project-based experience rather than a direct career path within Hasbro's permanent structure.

Reporting Structure: The designer will report to a Creative Manager or Art Director within the Magic: The Gathering creative team. They will also collaborate with product designers, writers, and other creative specialists.

Operations Impact: While not a traditional "operations" role (like RevOps or SalesOps), this position has a significant impact on the operational success of product launches by ensuring packaging is visually appealing, on-brand, and production-ready. High-quality packaging directly influences market perception and sales performance.

Growth Opportunities:

• Skill Specialization: Deepen expertise in packaging design, print production, and brand system application for a leading fantasy IP.

• Portfolio Enhancement: Build a strong portfolio with high-profile projects from a globally recognized brand.

• Industry Exposure: Gain experience working with a major entertainment company and understanding their creative workflows and production pipelines.

• Potential for Future Contracts: Successful performance could lead to further contract opportunities within Wizards of the Coast or Hasbro.

📝 Enhancement Note: This role is best described as a "Creative Operations" support function. Growth is primarily through skill development and portfolio building within the contract period, rather than a defined internal career ladder. The impact is on the "operational" aspect of product presentation and market readiness.

🌐 Work Environment

Office Type: This role is designated as "Fully remote within the U.S." This means there is no requirement to be co-located with a specific Hasbro office.

Office Location(s): While the job posting mentions "WA" (Washington state, where Wizards of the Coast is headquartered), the primary designation is "Fully remote within the U.S." This offers significant flexibility.

Workspace Context:

• Remote Collaboration: Expect a heavily digital and asynchronous collaboration environment, relying on communication tools like Microsoft Teams and Adobe Acrobat for feedback and file sharing.

• Digital Toolset: Access to industry-standard design software (Adobe Suite) is essential for the remote setup.

• Team Interaction: While remote, the role emphasizes team collaboration, suggesting regular virtual meetings, brainstorming sessions, and active participation in team discussions.

Work Schedule:

• Standard full-time hours are expected, likely aligning with typical business hours in the U.S. for effective collaboration.

• Flexibility may exist within the remote setup, but responsiveness during core business hours is critical.

📝 Enhancement Note: The "Fully remote within the U.S." designation is a key feature, offering significant flexibility. The work environment will be digitally driven, requiring strong self-discipline and communication skills to maintain collaboration and productivity.

📄 Application & Portfolio Review Process

Interview Process:

• Initial Screening: Likely a review of your resume and portfolio by a recruiter or hiring manager.

• Portfolio Review & Discussion: Expect a dedicated session where you present your portfolio, discussing specific projects, your design process, and how you approach challenges.

• Skills Assessment: Potential for a practical design test or a creative challenge to assess your ability to meet the role's specific requirements (e.g., creating a logo concept or a packaging layout snippet).

• Team/Manager Interviews: Interviews with Creative Managers and/or Art Directors to assess creative fit, communication skills, and understanding of brand direction.

• HR/Agency Onboarding: If selected, the final steps involve onboarding with the external staffing agency (Workwell).

Portfolio Review Tips:

• Curate Strategically: Select 3-5 of your strongest packaging design projects that align with the Magic: The Gathering aesthetic (fantasy, sci-fi, gaming).

• Showcase Process: For each project, walk through your thought process: the brief, research, concept development, iterations, feedback incorporation, and final execution.

• Highlight Production Skills: Clearly demonstrate your ability to create print-ready files, including an understanding of die-lines, color modes (CMYK), and resolution.

• Emphasize Typography & Logo Work: Showcase custom logo designs and sophisticated typographic treatments.

• Tell a Story: Frame each project as a narrative demonstrating problem-solving and creative impact.

Challenge Preparation:

• Be prepared for a potential design challenge focused on creating a logo or a packaging concept for a fictional Magic: The Gathering product.

• Practice articulating your design rationale concisely and persuasively under time constraints.

• Research current Magic: The Gathering packaging to understand their visual language and brand identity.

📝 Enhancement Note: The portfolio is the most critical component. The "Process & Systems Portfolio Requirements" section should be heavily leveraged here. The interview will likely focus on demonstrating creative problem-solving for packaging and strong technical execution.

🛠 Tools & Technology Stack

Primary Tools:

• Adobe Illustrator: Essential for logo design, vector graphics, and packaging component creation.

• Adobe InDesign: Crucial for page layout, text composition, and assembling final print-ready packaging files.

• Adobe Photoshop: Used for image manipulation, texture creation, and visual mock-ups.

Analytics & Reporting:

CRM & Automation:

• Microsoft Teams: For team communication, collaboration, and file sharing.

• Adobe Acrobat: For reviewing and providing feedback on design files.

• Microsoft Outlook: For standard email communication.

📝 Enhancement Note: The technology stack is heavily focused on the Adobe Creative Suite, which is standard for graphic design roles. Familiarity with collaboration tools like Microsoft Teams is also highlighted.

👥 Team Culture & Values

Operations Values (as applied to Creative):

• Collaboration: Strong emphasis on teamwork and shared creative processes. "Work closely with and brainstorm as a team, not as an individual."

• Innovation: Encouragement to "constantly innovate on the brand" while respecting established guidelines.

• Craftsmanship: High standards for design quality, typography, and print-ready execution.

• Continuous Improvement: A commitment to "pursue creative development by collaborating with management and peers to develop your skills."

• Brand Stewardship: Deep respect for and ability to work within the established brand identity of Magic: The Gathering.

Collaboration Style:

• Highly interactive and communicative, with regular feedback loops between designers, art directors, and creative managers.

• Open to constructive criticism and iterative design processes to achieve the best creative outcome.

• Team-oriented, valuing collective brainstorming and problem-solving over individualistic approaches.

📝 Enhancement Note: The culture values collaborative creation and continuous skill development, set within the context of a passion-driven gaming franchise. The emphasis on teamwork is a recurring theme.

⚡ Challenges & Growth Opportunities

Challenges:

• Balancing Innovation with Brand Consistency: Creating fresh designs while strictly adhering to the established Magic: The Gathering brand identity and packaging standards.

• Managing Ambiguity: Navigating a dynamic creative environment with evolving project requirements and feedback from multiple stakeholders.

• Remote Collaboration Dynamics: Maintaining effective communication and creative synergy in a fully remote setting.

• Meeting Production Deadlines: Ensuring timely delivery of high-quality, print-ready files for tight production schedules.

Learning & Development Opportunities:

• Specialized Skill Enhancement: Gaining deep experience in packaging design for a major IP, including understanding complex print and structural requirements.

• Brand Immersion: Becoming an expert in the visual language and brand strategy of Magic: The Gathering.

• Industry Best Practices: Learning how a leading entertainment company manages its creative pipeline and production workflows.

• Networking: Building connections with professionals at Wizards of the Coast and within the broader Hasbro creative network.

📝 Enhancement Note: The challenges are typical for contract creative roles in fast-paced industries, focusing on execution, brand adherence, and remote collaboration. Growth is primarily experiential and skill-based.

💡 Interview Preparation

Strategy Questions:

• "Describe a time you had to balance creative innovation with strict brand guidelines. How did you approach it?" (Focus on your process, research, and ability to adhere to strategy.)

• "Walk me through your process for creating a print-ready packaging file. What are the critical steps and considerations?" (Highlight your technical proficiency with Adobe Suite and understanding of print production.)

Company & Culture Questions:

• "What excites you about the Magic: The Gathering brand and its packaging?" (Show your passion and research.)

• "How do you approach working collaboratively in a remote environment?" (Emphasize your communication and self-management skills.)

Portfolio Presentation Strategy:

• Structure: Organize your portfolio logically, perhaps by project type (packaging) or chronologically.

• Storytelling: For each project, briefly state the objective, your role, the challenges, your creative solution, and the outcome/impact.

• Technical Detail: Be ready to discuss the specific software used, file preparation steps, and any print production considerations.

• Brand Alignment: Explain how your design choices align with the Magic: The Gathering brand aesthetic and target audience.

• Conciseness: Be mindful of time; prepare to present your key projects efficiently.

📝 Enhancement Note: Interview preparation should focus on demonstrating both creative talent and technical execution, with a strong emphasis on process and collaboration relevant to packaging design.

📌 Application Steps

To apply for this operations-adjacent graphic design position:

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

• Portfolio Customization: Ensure your online portfolio is up-to-date and prominently features your strongest packaging design work, logo development, and typography examples. Tailor any accompanying descriptions to highlight skills relevant to Magic: The Gathering.

• Resume Optimization: Update your resume to clearly list your years of experience in graphic design and art direction, specifically mentioning packaging design and proficiency in Adobe Illustrator, InDesign, and Photoshop. Quantify achievements where possible.

• Interview Preparation: Practice articulating your design process, especially for packaging projects, and prepare to discuss your approach to brand consistency and print production. Rehearse presenting your portfolio.

• Company Research: Familiarize yourself with the Magic: The Gathering brand, its current packaging aesthetics, and the overall mission of Wizards of the Coast. Understand the contract nature of the role and the staffing agency involved.

⚠️ 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 or staffing agency (Workwell) before making application decisions.