Senior Graphic Designer

📍 Job Overview

Job Title: Senior Graphic Designer
Company: NBCUniversal
Location: New York, New York, United States
Job Type: Full-time
Category: Creative & Media / Art & Design / Marketing
Date Posted: 2025-09-26
Experience Level: 5-10 Years
Remote Status: Hybrid

🚀 Role Summary

• Drive the visual narrative of MSNBC's on-air presence through expert design and animation of static and motion graphics.
• Collaborate with cross-functional teams, including producers and editorial staff, to translate complex information into compelling visual stories.
• Lead the execution of animated graphics packages and contribute to the overall show branding elements, ensuring brand consistency and creative excellence.
• Adapt rapidly to breaking news and live programming demands, delivering high-quality visuals under pressure in a fast-paced newsroom environment.
• Mentor junior design talent, fostering a culture of continuous improvement and adherence to broadcast graphics workflows and standards.

📝 Enhancement Note: This role is specifically for broadcast graphic design within a demanding news environment, requiring a blend of static design, advanced motion graphics, and rapid adaptation skills. The "Senior" title implies a leadership component, including mentorship and potentially guiding design strategy for specific shows or segments.

📈 Primary Responsibilities

• Design and execute a wide range of static graphics, including lower-thirds, full-screen templates, charts, and editorial visuals for MSNBC television programs.
• Develop and produce dynamic motion graphics and animations for program opens, transitions, explainers, and other on-air visual elements.
• Collaborate closely with producers, art directors, and editorial teams to conceptualize and create graphics that align with show narratives and brand identity.
• Lead the design and implementation of animated graphics packages for specific shows or segments, ensuring a cohesive and professional visual experience.
• Respond efficiently to breaking news situations, quickly creating and deploying necessary graphics and animations to support live coverage.
• Mentor and guide junior graphic designers, providing feedback on design quality, technical execution, and adherence to broadcast standards.
• Manage a portfolio of design projects concurrently, prioritizing tasks and meeting strict deadlines in a high-pressure newsroom setting.
• Maintain organized project files, templates, and asset libraries to ensure efficient workflow and easy retrieval of materials.
• Contribute to the evolution of MSNBC's visual brand identity through innovative design solutions and creative exploration.
• Work flexible hours, including evenings and weekends, to accommodate the demands of live news broadcasting and urgent editorial needs.

📝 Enhancement Note: Responsibilities emphasize a dual focus on creative design and operational efficiency within a live broadcast context. The "Senior" aspect is reinforced by the mentorship responsibility and the expectation to lead complex projects like animated packages, requiring strategic thinking beyond individual task execution.

🎓 Skills & Qualifications

Education: Bachelor’s degree in Graphic Design, Motion Design, Visual Communication, or a related field is preferred; equivalent professional experience will be considered.
Experience: 5-7 years of professional design experience specifically within broadcast television, news production, or a similarly fast-paced, deadline-driven creative environment.

Required Skills:

• Advanced Motion Graphics & Animation: Proven expertise in creating engaging motion graphics and animations using industry-standard software.
• Adobe Creative Suite Proficiency: Mastery of Photoshop, Illustrator, and After Effects for graphic creation, manipulation, and animation.
• Broadcast Design Principles: Solid understanding of typography, layout, composition, color theory, and visual storytelling tailored for television.
• Static Graphic Design: Strong ability to design clear, impactful static graphics, including lower-thirds, charts, and full-screen elements.
• Deadline Management: Demonstrated ability to perform under pressure, manage multiple projects simultaneously, and meet tight turnaround times.
• Collaboration & Communication: Excellent interpersonal skills for effective teamwork with producers, editors, and other creative professionals.
• Adaptability: Ability to quickly pivot and create graphics in response to breaking news and evolving editorial needs.
• Brand Consistency: Keen eye for maintaining brand guidelines and ensuring visual coherence across all on-air materials.

Preferred Skills:

• Broadcast Graphics Systems: Familiarity or proficiency with Vizrt, Cinema 4D, or comparable broadcast graphics software.
• Newsroom Experience: Direct experience working within a live news production environment.
• Mentorship/Leadership: Experience guiding or mentoring junior designers.
• Project Management: Skills in organizing and managing design assets and workflows efficiently.

📝 Enhancement Note: The required skills highlight a deep technical proficiency in graphic design and animation, coupled with the soft skills necessary for a high-pressure news environment. Preferred skills point towards specific industry tools and experience that would make a candidate stand out, particularly Vizrt or Cinema 4D for broadcast integration.

📊 Process & Systems Portfolio Requirements

Portfolio Essentials:

• A comprehensive portfolio showcasing a strong range of broadcast graphic design and motion graphics work.
• Demonstrations of static graphic design for news or television, including examples of lower-thirds, full-screen graphics, and data visualizations.
• Motion graphics examples that highlight animation skills, storytelling capabilities, and creative use of design principles for broadcast.
• Case studies or examples demonstrating the ability to adapt graphics quickly for breaking news or live event coverage.
• Visuals that clearly articulate an understanding of brand consistency and how to apply it across different graphic elements.

Process Documentation:

• Evidence of efficient workflow management, including how projects are organized, tracked, and delivered within tight deadlines.
• Examples of collaboration processes, illustrating how design solutions were developed in partnership with producers, editorial staff, or art directors.
• Demonstrations of problem-solving within a design context, such as adapting existing templates or creating new solutions for unique editorial needs.
• If applicable, examples of mentorship or guidance provided to junior designers on design best practices or technical workflows.

📝 Enhancement Note: For a Senior Graphic Designer in broadcast, the portfolio is paramount. It must not only showcase creative talent but also demonstrate speed, adaptability, and the ability to integrate into a news production workflow. The emphasis is on practical application in a live environment, not just aesthetic appeal.

💵 Compensation & Benefits

Salary Range: Based on industry benchmarks for Senior Graphic Designers with 5-7 years of experience in New York City's media sector, the estimated salary range is $85,000 - $110,000 annually. This estimate accounts for the specialized nature of broadcast graphics, the demanding news environment, and the cost of living in New York.

Benefits:

• Comprehensive health, dental, and vision insurance plans.
• 401(k) retirement savings plan with company match.
• Paid time off, including vacation, sick leave, and holidays.
• Employee assistance programs and wellness initiatives.
• Opportunities for professional development, including access to training and workshops relevant to design and media.
• Potential for employee discounts on NBCUniversal products and services.

Working Hours: This is a full-time position. While a standard workweek is expected, the role requires flexibility, with potential for evenings and weekends as news coverage demands, reflecting the 24/7 nature of broadcast news.

📝 Enhancement Note: The salary range is an estimate, as specific compensation is not provided. It's based on market data for similar roles in New York City and accounts for the seniority and specialized skills required. The benefits listed are typical for a large media corporation like NBCUniversal.

🎯 Team & Company Context

🏢 Company Culture

Industry: Media & Entertainment (Television Broadcasting, News)
Company Size: NBCUniversal is a subsidiary of Comcast Corporation, a Fortune 50 company. NBCUniversal itself is a massive global media conglomerate, employing tens of thousands of people worldwide.
Founded: NBCUniversal was formed in 2004 through the merger of NBC and Vivendi Universal Entertainment. Its history traces back to the founding of NBC in 1926.

Team Structure:

• The graphic design team likely operates within the broader production or creative services department for MSNBC.
• It will involve close collaboration with show producers, executive producers, news directors, and editorial staff.
• Reporting lines would typically go up to an Art Director, Creative Director, or Head of Production for the network.
• The team structure fosters a collaborative environment where designers work together and support each other, especially during fast-paced news cycles.

Methodology:

• Agile Design Principles: Rapid iteration, quick feedback loops, and adaptability are core to newsroom design.
• Brand Integration: Emphasis on maintaining and evolving a strong, consistent brand identity across all visual assets.
• Storytelling Focus: Graphics are not just decorative; they serve to inform, clarify, and enhance the narrative of news stories.
• Technology Utilization: Leveraging advanced design software and potentially broadcast-specific graphics systems for efficient and high-quality output.

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

📝 Enhancement Note: NBCUniversal's scale implies robust infrastructure and established processes, but the MSNBC news environment demands a culture of speed, precision, and resilience. The company's commitment to diversity and inclusion is also a key cultural aspect.

📈 Career & Growth Analysis

Operations Career Level: This role represents a senior-level individual contributor position within the creative and design function. It signifies a transition from executing tasks to potentially leading design efforts for specific projects or shows, mentoring junior staff, and having a significant impact on the visual output of a major news network.

Reporting Structure: The Senior Graphic Designer will likely report to an Art Director or a Creative Director responsible for MSNBC's on-air graphics. They will work closely with producers and editorial teams across various shows, acting as a key visual partner.

Operations Impact: The visual presentation of news directly influences audience perception, comprehension, and engagement. This role's impact is critical in shaping how MSNBC's content is received, ensuring clarity, credibility, and visual appeal in a competitive news landscape. Effective graphics can simplify complex topics, highlight key data, and reinforce brand identity, all contributing to audience retention and advertiser appeal.

Growth Opportunities:

• Leadership Path: Potential to advance into roles like Art Director, Creative Director, or Lead Graphic Designer, managing larger teams or broader creative portfolios.
• Specialization: Deepen expertise in specific areas like 3D animation, data visualization, or branding for a particular news vertical.
• Cross-Functional Mobility: Opportunities to move into related creative fields within NBCUniversal, such as digital design, marketing, or production management.
• Continuous Learning: Access to internal training, industry conferences, and opportunities to work on diverse and high-profile projects that hone skills and expand creative horizons.

📝 Enhancement Note: The "Senior" title in this context points to significant responsibility and potential for future leadership within the broadcast design field. The growth opportunities leverage the vast resources of NBCUniversal for both specialized skill development and broader career progression.

🌐 Work Environment

Office Type: This position is designated as Hybrid, meaning the employee will work a combination of on-site and remote days. The on-site component is crucial for real-time collaboration in a live news environment.

Office Location(s): The primary work location is 229 West 43rd Street, New York, NY 10036, which is NBCUniversal's New York City headquarters, housing significant operations for MSNBC.

Workspace Context:

• Collaborative Hub: The New York office serves as a central hub for news production, creative development, and cross-functional team interaction. Expect a dynamic, fast-paced environment characteristic of major media organizations.
• Tools & Technology: Access to industry-standard design software and hardware, as well as specialized broadcast graphics systems necessary for creating and delivering content.
• Team Interaction: Frequent in-person collaboration with producers, editors, and fellow designers is expected, facilitating quick feedback and efficient problem-solving.

Work Schedule: Full-time, with the understanding that flexibility is required. This includes the possibility of working evenings and weekends to support live news coverage and breaking news events, which is a standard expectation in broadcast journalism.

📝 Enhancement Note: The hybrid nature of the role emphasizes the need for on-site presence for critical in-person collaboration, particularly during breaking news. The physical location in NYC places the designer at the heart of a major media ecosystem.

📄 Application & Portfolio Review Process

Interview Process:

• Initial Screening: A review of your resume and portfolio to assess qualifications and creative fit.
• Creative Assessment/Test: Candidates may be asked to complete a design exercise or provide specific examples that demonstrate their skills in motion graphics, static design, and rapid turnaround under simulated news conditions.
• Interview Rounds: Multiple interviews, likely including meetings with the hiring manager (e.g., Art Director), potential team members, and key stakeholders (e.g., producers). These will focus on design philosophy, technical proficiency, problem-solving abilities, and cultural fit.
• Portfolio Presentation: A dedicated session to walk through your portfolio, explaining your creative process, design choices, and the impact of your work.

Portfolio Review Tips:

• Curate for Broadcast News: Prioritize examples most relevant to news graphics, motion graphics for TV, and fast-paced design challenges.
• Showcase Process & Problem-Solving: For each piece, explain the brief, your creative approach, the challenges you faced, and how you overcame them.
• Highlight Speed & Adaptability: Include examples that demonstrate your ability to deliver high-quality work under tight deadlines or in response to breaking news.
• Quantify Impact (If Possible): If you can, mention how your graphics contributed to clarity, engagement, or storytelling for a particular segment or show.
• Keep it Concise: Be prepared to present your strongest work efficiently, focusing on impact and relevance to the MSNBC brand.

Challenge Preparation:

• Practice Design Exercises: Familiarize yourself with common broadcast graphic design tasks, such as creating lower-thirds, designing a show open sequence, or visualizing data quickly.
• Understand the MSNBC Brand: Research MSNBC's current visual identity, common graphic elements, and overall tone.
• Prepare to Discuss Your Process: Be ready to articulate your thought process for design solutions, software choices, and project management.
• Anticipate News-Specific Scenarios: Think about how you would handle a sudden breaking news event that requires immediate graphic updates.

📝 Enhancement Note: The emphasis on a portfolio review and potential design test underscores the practical, skills-based nature of this role. Candidates should prepare to demonstrate not just creative talent but also efficiency and resilience in a demanding news environment.

🛠 Tools & Technology Stack

Primary Tools:

• Adobe Creative Suite:
  • After Effects: Essential for motion graphics and animation.
  • Photoshop: For creating and editing static graphics, textures, and assets.
  • Illustrator: For vector-based graphics, logos, icons, and templates.
• Broadcast Graphics Systems (Preferred):
  • Vizrt: A leading real-time graphics and media handling solution for broadcasters.
  • Cinema 4D: A powerful 3D modeling, animation, and rendering application, often used for more complex broadcast graphics.

Analytics & Reporting: While not a primary design tool, understanding how graphics perform or are utilized in analytics reporting (e.g., viewer engagement with specific visual elements) can be beneficial.

CRM & Automation: Not directly applicable to the core design tasks, but understanding how graphics are managed and deployed within a broadcast workflow might involve asset management systems.

📝 Enhancement Note: Proficiency in Adobe After Effects, Photoshop, and Illustrator is non-negotiable. Experience with broadcast-specific systems like Vizrt or Cinema 4D is highly desirable and would significantly differentiate a candidate.

👥 Team Culture & Values

Operations Values:

• Excellence in Execution: A commitment to producing high-quality, polished graphics that meet the demanding standards of live television.
• Speed & Agility: The ability to react quickly and effectively to changing news cycles and deliver graphics on tight deadlines.
• Collaboration: Strong emphasis on teamwork and clear communication with producers, editors, and fellow designers to achieve shared goals.
• Innovation & Creativity: Encouraging new visual ideas and creative approaches to storytelling while maintaining brand integrity.
• Reliability: Being a dependable member of the team, ensuring that graphics are accurate, on-brand, and delivered on time, even under pressure.

Collaboration Style:

• Cross-Functional Integration: Designers work hand-in-hand with editorial and production teams, acting as visual partners in the newsgathering and storytelling process.
• Feedback-Driven: An open environment where constructive criticism is exchanged to refine designs and improve workflow efficiency.
• Knowledge Sharing: Teams often share techniques, templates, and best practices to elevate the collective skill level and ensure consistency.

📝 Enhancement Note: The culture is likely to be fast-paced, deadline-oriented, and highly collaborative, reflecting the nature of broadcast news. Values will center on quality, speed, and teamwork, with a strong emphasis on serving the editorial mission.

⚡ Challenges & Growth Opportunities

Challenges:

• Constant Deadlines: The relentless pace of news means designers must consistently deliver under extreme time pressure, often with little lead time.
• Breaking News Demands: The need to rapidly create and deploy graphics for unforeseen events requires immense adaptability and resourcefulness.
• Balancing Creativity with Brand & Speed: Finding the optimal balance between innovative design and the practical constraints of broadcast timelines and brand guidelines.
• Technical Hurdles: Navigating complex broadcast graphics systems and ensuring compatibility across different platforms and workflows.

Learning & Development Opportunities:

• Mastering Advanced Broadcast Tools: Opportunities to gain deep expertise in Vizrt, Cinema 4D, or emerging real-time graphics technologies.
• Developing Storytelling Skills: Enhancing the ability to translate complex news narratives into clear, impactful visual stories.
• Mentorship & Leadership Training: Gaining experience in guiding junior designers and potentially leading design projects.
• Exposure to High-Profile Projects: Working on major news events, election coverage, and investigative pieces that offer significant creative challenges and exposure.

📝 Enhancement Note: The challenges are inherent to the news broadcast industry, focusing on speed, pressure, and technical demands. Growth opportunities are geared towards deepening specialized broadcast design skills and advancing into leadership roles within NBCUniversal.

💡 Interview Preparation

Strategy Questions:

• Design Philosophy & Process: "Describe your approach to designing graphics for a live news environment. How do you balance creativity with speed and accuracy?"
  • Preparation: Be ready to articulate your workflow for creating graphics, from initial concept to final delivery, emphasizing how you handle tight deadlines.
• Problem-Solving & Adaptability: "Imagine a major breaking news story breaks. How would you quickly design and deploy the necessary graphics to support the coverage?"
  • Preparation: Outline a step-by-step process, demonstrating your ability to think on your feet, prioritize, and utilize your tools effectively under pressure.
• Collaboration & Teamwork: "How do you typically collaborate with producers or editorial staff to ensure your graphics effectively support their storytelling objectives?"
  • Preparation: Provide examples of successful collaborations, highlighting your communication skills and how you interpret editorial needs into visual solutions.

Company & Culture Questions:

• Brand Understanding: "What do you admire about MSNBC's current on-air graphics, and where do you see potential for innovation?"
  • Preparation: Research MSNBC's visual branding extensively. Be prepared to offer thoughtful, constructive feedback.
• Newsroom Acumen: "How do you stay current with news trends and ensure your designs are relevant and impactful for a news audience?"
  • Preparation: Show that you understand the fast-paced nature of news and how design plays a role in viewer engagement.

Portfolio Presentation Strategy:

• Focus on Relevance: Select 3-5 of your strongest, most relevant projects that showcase broadcast news graphics, motion graphics, and speed.
• Tell the Story: For each project, explain the objective, your creative process, the tools used, challenges overcome, and the outcome or impact.
• Demonstrate Technical Skill: Be prepared to discuss the technical aspects of your animations and designs.
• Highlight Adaptability: Include at least one example that clearly shows your ability to adapt to changing requirements or tight deadlines.

📝 Enhancement Note: Interview preparation should focus on demonstrating a blend of creative talent, technical proficiency, and the specific resilience and adaptability required for a senior role in a live news broadcast environment. Understanding the MSNBC brand and news cycle is crucial.

📌 Application Steps

To apply for this Senior Graphic Designer position:

• Submit your application through the provided link on SmartRecruiters.
• Portfolio Customization: Ensure your online portfolio is up-to-date and prominently features examples of broadcast graphics, motion graphics, and work created under tight deadlines. Tailor any introductory text to highlight your experience in news or fast-paced media environments.
• Resume Optimization: Update your resume to clearly articulate your 5-7 years of relevant experience, highlighting specific achievements in graphic design, motion graphics, and broadcast production. Use keywords such as "motion graphics," "broadcast design," "Adobe After Effects," "news graphics," and "deadline-driven."
• Interview Preparation: Practice articulating your design process, problem-solving skills, and experience with fast-paced news environments. Prepare to present your portfolio and discuss specific projects in detail, focusing on your contributions and the impact of your work.
• Company Research: Thoroughly research MSNBC, its current programming, and its visual identity. Understand the competitive landscape of news broadcasting and be prepared to discuss how your design skills can enhance the network's on-air presence.

⚠️ 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.

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