Senior Graphic Designer

📍 Job Overview

Job Title: Senior Graphic Designer

Company: CoVantage Credit Union

Location: Antigo, WI; DePere, WI; Wausau, WI

Job Type: FULL_TIME

Category: Marketing & Creative Operations

Date Posted: April 22, 2026

Experience Level: 5-10 years

Remote Status: On-site

🚀 Role Summary

• Lead and uphold brand creative direction and standards across all CoVantage touchpoints, ensuring visual consistency and brand integrity.

• Drive the design and production of high-impact marketing materials, from initial concept to final execution, including print and digital mediums.

• Serve as a key creative partner for internal departments, translating business objectives into compelling and effective design solutions.

• Collaborate closely with Marketing, Digital, IT, and UX teams to ensure designs align with user experience, accessibility, and conversion goals.

• Champion the use of emerging marketing technologies, including AI-assisted design tools, to enhance creative output and operational efficiency.

📝 Enhancement Note: This role is positioned as a senior-level contributor, implying significant autonomy and strategic input in shaping the company's visual identity and creative output. The emphasis on "leading" and "setting standards" suggests a need for strong leadership qualities and a proactive approach to creative problem-solving.

📈 Primary Responsibilities

• Set and maintain comprehensive brand guidelines and creative standards for all visual communications, ensuring consistency across print, digital, and physical environments.

• Oversee the end-to-end design process for marketing collateral, including brochures, advertisements, social media graphics, web assets, and internal communications.

• Manage relationships and coordinate with external print vendors, ensuring quality, timeliness, and cost-effectiveness of production deliverables.

• Act as the primary design liaison for various departments and cross-functional project teams, understanding their needs and translating them into impactful visual strategies.

• Integrate user experience (UX) principles and accessibility standards into all design work to enhance member engagement and ensure inclusivity.

• Proactively research, evaluate, and implement new marketing technologies and design tools, with a specific focus on AI-assisted design to optimize workflows and elevate creative quality.

• Develop compelling visual narratives that effectively promote CoVantage products, services, and brand values to both internal and external audiences.

• Ensure all design output supports strategic marketing objectives, including driving conversions, increasing member engagement, and strengthening brand recognition.

📝 Enhancement Note: The responsibilities highlight a blend of strategic creative leadership and hands-on design execution, requiring a candidate who can both conceptualize and produce high-quality work. The mention of "emerging marketing technologies, including AI-assisted design tools" indicates a forward-thinking approach to design operations and a need for continuous learning.

🎓 Skills & Qualifications

Education:

• Associate’s or Bachelor’s degree in Graphic Design, Graphic Communications, or a closely related field.

Experience:

• A minimum of 5 years of professional graphic design experience, with a proven track record of managing complex design initiatives and upholding brand standards.

Required Skills:

• Advanced proficiency in Adobe Creative Suite, specifically InDesign, Photoshop, and Illustrator, for sophisticated design creation and manipulation.

• Expert understanding of print production processes, including pre-press, color management, and material selection, coupled with experience in vendor management.

• Strong grasp of digital design best practices, including web design principles, UI/UX considerations, and responsive design for various platforms.

• Proven ability to manage multiple design projects simultaneously, prioritizing tasks effectively to meet strict deadlines without compromising quality.

• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to articulate design concepts, defend creative decisions, and collaborate effectively with stakeholders.

• Highly organized, detail-oriented, and self-directed, capable of working independently and taking initiative on projects.

Preferred Skills:

• Experience with AI-assisted design tools and workflows to enhance efficiency and creative exploration.

• Familiarity with UX/UI design principles and collaborative tools for cross-functional projects.

• Knowledge of accessibility standards (e.g., WCAG) in design.

• Experience in the financial services industry or a related regulated sector.

📝 Enhancement Note: The requirement for 5+ years of experience and advanced proficiency in Adobe Creative Suite points to a need for a seasoned professional. The emphasis on being "bondable" is a specific requirement often found in financial institutions, suggesting a need for a candidate with a clean background check and a high level of integrity.

📊 Process & Systems Portfolio Requirements

Portfolio Essentials:

• Showcase a minimum of 5 years of professional design work that demonstrates a strong command of brand standards and cohesive creative direction across diverse projects.

• Include examples of complex design initiatives where you took ownership from concept to completion, highlighting your strategic thinking and problem-solving abilities.

• Present a range of work across print and digital mediums, illustrating versatility and adaptability to different platforms and outputs.

• Feature case studies that detail your process, including how you translated business needs into effective design solutions, your collaboration with stakeholders, and the resulting impact.

Process Documentation:

• Provide examples or descriptions of your process for developing and maintaining brand guidelines to ensure consistency across an organization.

• Illustrate your workflow for managing multiple design projects, including planning, prioritization, and execution, especially when working under tight deadlines.

• Detail your approach to collaborating with cross-functional teams (Marketing, Digital, IT, UX) to ensure design alignment and successful project outcomes.

• Explain your methodology for researching, testing, and implementing new design technologies or tools, such as AI-assisted design software, to improve efficiency and creative output.

📝 Enhancement Note: For a Senior Graphic Designer role, a robust portfolio is critical. It should not only display aesthetic quality but also demonstrate strategic thinking, project management skills, and the ability to execute complex initiatives. The inclusion of process documentation will further validate the candidate's operational capabilities and systematic approach.

💵 Compensation & Benefits

Salary Range: Based on industry benchmarks for Senior Graphic Designers in Wisconsin with 5-10 years of experience, the estimated annual salary range is between $70,000 and $95,000. This range can vary based on the candidate's specific qualifications, the exact scope of responsibilities, and the final negotiated package.

Benefits:

• 401k Employer Match: CoVantage Credit Union offers a generous 401k employer match of up to 200%, significantly enhancing retirement savings potential.

• Annual Bonus: Eligible for an annual bonus of up to 4% of salary, providing performance-based financial incentives.

• HSA Contribution: A substantial employer Health Savings Account (HSA) contribution is provided, supporting healthcare expenses.

• Paid Time Off for Community Service: Employees receive paid time off specifically for engaging in community service activities, reflecting a commitment to corporate social responsibility.

• Paid Time Off (PTO): Standard PTO is also provided for personal use, rest, and rejuvenation.

Working Hours: This is a full-time position with standard working hours, likely around 40 hours per week. While the role is on-site, there may be some flexibility depending on project needs and team collaboration requirements.

📝 Enhancement Note: The provided salary range is an estimate based on typical compensation for a Senior Graphic Designer in the specified region and experience level. The benefits package is detailed and highly attractive, particularly the 401k match and HSA contribution, which are significant financial advantages.

🎯 Team & Company Context

🏢 Company Culture

Industry: Financial Services (Credit Union)

Company Size: The company size is not explicitly stated, but CoVantage Credit Union operates multiple branches across Wisconsin, suggesting a medium to large-sized organization with a significant employee base. This scale implies a structured environment with established processes and opportunities for cross-functional collaboration.

Founded: CoVantage Credit Union has a history dating back to 1953, indicating a long-standing presence and stability within the financial sector. This longevity often translates to a culture that values tradition, member loyalty, and community involvement.

Team Structure:

• The Graphic Designer will likely be part of the Marketing department, potentially working within a broader Creative Services or Communications team.

• This team is expected to collaborate closely with other departments, including Digital Marketing, IT, Product Development, and Branch Operations, to ensure cohesive brand messaging and user experience.

Methodology:

• Data-Driven Design: While primarily a creative role, the emphasis on UX, accessibility, and conversion goals suggests that design decisions will be informed by data and performance metrics.

• Collaborative Workflow: The role requires strong cross-functional collaboration, indicating a team-oriented approach where ideas are shared and feedback is incorporated throughout the design process.

• Brand Stewardship: A core methodology will be the rigorous application and evolution of brand standards, ensuring all creative output aligns with CoVantage's identity and mission.

Company Website: covantagecu.org

📝 Enhancement Note: As a credit union, CoVantage likely emphasizes a member-centric culture, community involvement, and a commitment to providing financial services with a personal touch. This contrasts with the more profit-driven approach of traditional banks, often resulting in a more employee-friendly and mission-driven workplace.

📈 Career & Growth Analysis

Operations Career Level: This Senior Graphic Designer role represents a significant step in a creative career path. It signifies a move from executing tasks to leading creative strategy, managing projects independently, and influencing brand direction. It's a position that requires not just technical design skills but also strategic thinking, leadership potential, and a deep understanding of brand management.

Reporting Structure: The Senior Graphic Designer will likely report to a Marketing Manager or Director of Marketing. They will work collaboratively with peers in Marketing, Digital, IT, and UX, and will interact with stakeholders across various departments, including branch management and executive leadership, to understand and fulfill design needs.

Operations Impact: The Senior Graphic Designer's impact is crucial for CoVantage's brand perception and member engagement. By creating compelling, on-brand visuals, they directly influence how members perceive CoVantage's products, services, and overall value proposition. Effective design supports marketing campaigns, enhances user experiences on digital platforms, and reinforces the credit union's commitment to its members, ultimately contributing to member acquisition, retention, and satisfaction.

Growth Opportunities:

• Leadership Development: Potential to move into a Creative Lead or Art Director role, overseeing a team of designers and managing larger creative initiatives.

• Specialization: Opportunity to deepen expertise in specific areas such as digital design, UX/UI, motion graphics, or brand strategy.

• Cross-Functional Advancement: Leverage design expertise to transition into broader marketing strategy, brand management, or project management roles within the organization.

• Continuous Learning: Access to training, workshops, and conferences focused on design, marketing technology, and leadership.

📝 Enhancement Note: The "Senior" title suggests that this role is a pivotal point for career progression. Candidates should look for opportunities to demonstrate leadership and strategic thinking to position themselves for future advancement within CoVantage's marketing or broader organizational structure.

🌐 Work Environment

Office Type: The role is described as "On-site," indicating a traditional office-based work environment. This suggests a physical workspace within one of CoVantage's office locations (Antigo, DePere, or Wausau).

Office Location(s): The job is listed with multiple potential work locations in Wisconsin: Antigo, DePere, and Wausau. Candidates will likely be assigned to one primary location, with potential for occasional travel between branches or to a central office if applicable.

Workspace Context:

• Collaborative Environment: Expect a workspace that facilitates interaction with marketing colleagues, digital specialists, IT professionals, and UX designers, fostering a collaborative approach to projects.

• Tools & Technology: Access to industry-standard design software (Adobe Creative Suite), potentially project management tools, and modern office technology to support efficient workflow.

• Team Interaction: Opportunities for daily interaction with team members, contributing to a dynamic and supportive work atmosphere where creative ideas can be shared and developed.

Work Schedule: This is a full-time position, likely adhering to standard business hours (e.g., 8:00 AM - 5:00 PM, Monday-Friday). While the role is on-site, the company culture may offer some flexibility for project deadlines or team needs, but the core expectation is presence in the office.

📝 Enhancement Note: The choice of location (Antigo, DePere, or Wausau) will be important for candidates. It's advisable to clarify which location is the primary assignment and what the expectations are for travel between these sites if any.

📄 Application & Portfolio Review Process

Interview Process:

• Initial Screening: A review of your resume and portfolio to assess qualifications and creative capabilities.

• Hiring Manager Interview: A discussion with the hiring manager (likely Marketing Director or Manager) to delve into your experience, design philosophy, and understanding of brand stewardship. Be prepared to discuss your portfolio in detail.

• Cross-Functional Panel Interview: An interview with key stakeholders from Marketing, Digital, IT, and UX teams. This stage assesses your ability to collaborate, communicate complex design ideas, and understand business needs. Expect questions about past cross-functional projects and how you handle diverse feedback.

• Design Challenge (Potential): You might be asked to complete a small design exercise or present a detailed case study from your portfolio that addresses a hypothetical or real business challenge relevant to CoVantage.

• Final Interview/Offer: A final discussion with senior leadership or HR, followed by an offer.

Portfolio Review Tips:

• Curate Strategically: Select 5-7 of your strongest projects that best showcase your senior-level capabilities, brand stewardship, and diverse skill set (print, digital, conceptual).

• Highlight Process: For each project, clearly articulate the problem, your role, the process you followed (research, ideation, execution), the tools used, and the outcome/impact. Use visuals to illustrate key stages.

• Emphasize Brand Consistency: For projects involving brand standards, explicitly show how you maintained and evolved brand integrity.

• Showcase Collaboration: If possible, include examples where you successfully collaborated with other departments or stakeholders.

• Quantify Impact: Where applicable, use metrics to demonstrate the success of your designs (e.g., increased engagement, conversion rates, positive feedback).

• Tailor to CoVantage: If you can, include a project that demonstrates an understanding of the financial services industry or a similar sector, or one that aligns with CoVantage's community-focused values.

Challenge Preparation:

• Understand CoVantage: Research CoVantage Credit Union's mission, values, current marketing campaigns, and target audience. Understand their brand voice and visual identity.

• Think Strategically: For any hypothetical challenge, focus on how design can solve a business problem and align with the credit union's objectives.

• Demonstrate Process: Be ready to walk through your thought process, not just present a final design. Explain your rationale for design choices.

• AI Integration: If a challenge involves efficiency, consider how AI tools could be incorporated into your workflow.

📝 Enhancement Note: The interview process is likely structured to assess not only design skills but also strategic thinking, collaborative abilities, and cultural fit within a credit union environment. A well-prepared portfolio presentation is paramount for this senior role.

🛠 Tools & Technology Stack

Primary Tools:

• Adobe Creative Suite: Essential for all graphic design tasks. Proficiency is required in:

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

• Microsoft Office Suite: Including Word for document creation, PowerPoint for presentations, and Excel for data handling (potentially for basic asset tracking or reporting).

Analytics & Reporting:

CRM & Automation:

Emerging Technologies:

• AI-Assisted Design Tools: Explicitly mentioned as a requirement. Candidates should be familiar with or open to learning tools like Adobe Sensei features, Midjourney, DALL-E, or similar AI platforms for ideation, asset generation, or workflow optimization.

📝 Enhancement Note: Proficiency in the Adobe Creative Suite is non-negotiable. The specific mention of AI-assisted design tools indicates a need for forward-thinking designers who can leverage new technologies to enhance their work and contribute to operational efficiency.

👥 Team Culture & Values

Operations Values:

• Member-Centricity: A core value derived from the credit union model, emphasizing that all actions and designs should ultimately serve the best interests of the members.

• Integrity & Trust: Essential in the financial sector, this translates to honest communication, reliable execution, and maintaining the highest ethical standards in all creative work.

• Community Focus: CoVantage likely values its role in the local communities it serves. Design work may need to reflect this commitment to local engagement and support.

• Efficiency & Innovation: While valuing tradition, there's an expectation to embrace new technologies (like AI design tools) and efficient processes to deliver high-quality results effectively.

• Collaboration & Teamwork: Designs are not created in a vacuum; strong teamwork and open communication with cross-functional partners are vital.

Collaboration Style:

• Cross-Functional Integration: Expect a collaborative style where designers work closely with marketing strategists, digital content creators, IT specialists, and UX/UI professionals to ensure cohesive campaign execution.

• Feedback-Driven Improvement: A culture that encourages constructive feedback from peers and stakeholders to refine designs and ensure they meet objectives.

• Knowledge Sharing: Opportunities to share design best practices, new trends, and insights with the broader team, fostering a learning environment.

📝 Enhancement Note: Understanding the credit union ethos is key. This role is not just about creating beautiful graphics; it's about contributing to an organization that prioritizes member well-being and community support.

⚡ Challenges & Growth Opportunities

Challenges:

• Balancing Brand Consistency with Innovation: Maintaining strict brand standards while also pushing creative boundaries and incorporating new design trends or technologies.

• Managing Diverse Stakeholder Needs: Collaborating with various departments, each with potentially different priorities and design preferences, and synthesizing these into cohesive visual solutions.

• Adapting to Emerging Technologies: Staying current with rapidly evolving design tools, particularly AI-assisted design, and effectively integrating them into existing workflows.

• Measuring Design Impact: Quantifying the effectiveness of design work beyond aesthetic appeal, linking it to business objectives like member engagement, conversion rates, and brand perception.

Learning & Development Opportunities:

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

• Industry Conferences & Workshops: Access to professional development events focused on graphic design, branding, UX/UI, and marketing technology.

• Mentorship: Potential for guidance from senior marketing leaders or peer designers to foster skill development and career growth.

• Exposure to Diverse Projects: Working on a wide range of creative assets for different departments and campaigns, offering broad experience.

📝 Enhancement Note: This role offers a chance to grow not just as a designer but also as a strategic partner. Proactively addressing challenges and seeking learning opportunities will be key to success and advancement.

💡 Interview Preparation

Strategy Questions:

• "Describe your process for developing and maintaining brand standards for an organization." (Focus on your methodology for creating style guides, ensuring consistency, and handling brand evolution.)

• "Walk me through a complex design project from concept to completion. How did you manage stakeholder feedback and ensure alignment with business goals?" (Prepare a detailed case study from your portfolio that showcases your strategic thinking, problem-solving, and collaboration skills.)

Company & Culture Questions:

• "What do you know about CoVantage Credit Union and the credit union movement? How does that influence your approach to design?" (Research their mission, values, and market position. Emphasize member-centricity and community focus.)

• "How do you handle constructive criticism or conflicting feedback from different stakeholders on a design project?" (Demonstrate your ability to navigate differing opinions professionally and find solutions that meet project objectives.)

Portfolio Presentation Strategy:

• Structure Your Narrative: For each portfolio piece, present a clear story: the challenge, your role, your process, the solution, and the impact.

• Visualize Your Process: Use mockups, wireframes, or sketches to show your thinking stages, not just the final product.

• Highlight Collaboration: If you worked with others, explain your role and how you integrated their input or contributed to the team's success.

• Quantify Results: Use data and metrics whenever possible to demonstrate the ROI of your design work.

• Be Concise and Engaging: Practice your presentation to be clear, confident, and within a reasonable time frame. Be ready for Q&A.

📝 Enhancement Note: Preparation should focus on showcasing not just design talent but also strategic thinking, problem-solving abilities, and an understanding of the credit union's specific operational context. The portfolio is your primary tool for demonstrating these capabilities.

📌 Application Steps

To apply for this Senior Graphic Designer position:

• Submit your application through the provided link on the CoVantage Credit Union careers portal.

• Portfolio Customization: Tailor your portfolio to highlight projects demonstrating brand leadership, experience with print and digital media, and successful cross-functional collaboration. Ensure it clearly showcases your 5+ years of senior-level experience.

• Resume Optimization: Update your resume to emphasize achievements relevant to this role, using keywords from the job description such as "brand standards," "Adobe Creative Suite," "print production," "digital design," and "AI-assisted design." Quantify your accomplishments where possible.

• Interview Preparation: Practice articulating your design process, stakeholder management skills, and how you leverage technology. Prepare specific examples from your portfolio for the interview and any potential design challenge.

• Company Research: Thoroughly research CoVantage Credit Union, its mission, values, and recent marketing efforts. Understand the credit union model and how design contributes to member satisfaction and community engagement.

⚠️ 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.

---