Senior Graphic Designer - 2 Year Contract

📍 Job Overview

Job Title: Senior Graphic Designer - 2 Year Contract

Company: MCAP

Location: Toronto, Ontario, Canada

Job Type: Contract Full Time

Category: Marketing & Communications Design

Date Posted: April 23, 2026

Experience Level: 6-8 Years

Remote Status: On-site

🚀 Role Summary

• Execute high-quality design solutions across MCAP's diverse brand portfolio, ensuring creative outputs align with marketing objectives, brand standards, and business needs.

• Provide experienced, hands-on design support for both digital and print deliverables, applying sound creative judgment and meticulous attention to detail.

• Collaborate closely with Marketing, Communications, Digital, and Automations teams to deliver impactful visual assets within a regulated, multi-brand environment.

• Contribute to the evolution of design systems, templates, and creative standards, staying current with industry trends to enhance efficiency and effectiveness.

📝 Enhancement Note: This role is a 2-year contract position within MCAP's Marketing and Communications department, focusing on delivering senior-level graphic design expertise for a variety of marketing initiatives. The emphasis on a "regulated, multi-brand environment" suggests a need for meticulous brand adherence and compliance, common in financial services.

📈 Primary Responsibilities

• Lead the execution of marketing creative across digital and print channels, including email, web, social media, presentations, video, signage, and collateral materials.

• Manage complex or high-visibility design assignments, applying strong creative judgment to translate briefs and objectives into effective visual solutions that adhere to established brand standards.

• Ensure all creative outputs meet accessibility standards (AODA), regulatory requirements, and brand guidelines, proactively identifying and addressing any risks or quality gaps.

• Execute design for email and digital campaigns, leveraging working knowledge of HTML and CSS to support design implementation, quality assurance, and troubleshooting.

• Design and produce short-form video, animation, and motion graphics for marketing purposes using Adobe After Effects and Adobe Premiere.

• Collaborate effectively with internal stakeholders across Marketing, Communications, Sales, and Digital teams, providing ad hoc guidance and knowledge sharing to peers as needed.

• Coordinate with external vendors or partners to ensure quality and brand adherence in outsourced creative work.

• Identify opportunities to improve efficiency, scalability, and creative effectiveness within design workflows and processes.

📝 Enhancement Note: The responsibilities highlight a blend of hands-on execution and strategic contribution, typical of a Senior Designer role. Specific mention of HTML/CSS for email and AODA compliance points to a need for practical digital design skills beyond static visuals.

🎓 Skills & Qualifications

Education: Diploma or Degree in Graphic Design, Visual Communications, or a related field.

Experience: Approximately 6–8 years of progressive graphic design experience in an in-house or agency environment, with demonstrated experience leading complex design projects and campaigns.

Required Skills:

• Expert proficiency in Adobe Creative Cloud suite, including InDesign, Illustrator, Photoshop, and Acrobat.

• Advanced experience designing for email marketing and digital platforms.

• Advanced knowledge of HTML and CSS as applied to email and digital design (supporting execution, quality, and troubleshooting).

• Strong experience using Adobe After Effects and Adobe Premiere for short-form video, animation, and motion graphics.

• Experience creating accessible, fillable AODA-compliant PDFs.

• Strong working knowledge of Windows-based environments and Microsoft tools, including PowerPoint and SharePoint.

• Excellent creative judgment and meticulous attention to detail.

• Strong understanding of brand systems, visual hierarchy, and cross-channel execution.

• Ability to manage complex creative work and competing priorities effectively.

• Confident, clear communicator capable of influencing and collaborating across teams.

• Strong mentoring and feedback skills.

Preferred Skills:

• Experience working in regulated or brand-governed environments.

• Experience with email deployment platforms such as Salesforce Marketing Cloud.

• Ability to balance hands-on execution with oversight and guidance.

• Trusted partner to stakeholders and leadership.

📝 Enhancement Note: The emphasis on specific Adobe Creative Cloud applications, HTML/CSS for digital, motion graphics tools, and AODA compliance are critical technical requirements. The "regulated environment" experience is a key differentiator, suggesting a need for candidates familiar with compliance and brand governance.

📊 Process & Systems Portfolio Requirements

Portfolio Essentials:

• Showcase a range of digital and print design projects, demonstrating expertise across various channels (email, web, social, presentations, collateral).

• Include examples of motion graphics, short-form video, and animated content created using Adobe After Effects and Premiere.

• Present case studies that highlight the translation of marketing briefs into effective visual solutions, emphasizing brand adherence and creative execution.

• Demonstrate experience with AODA compliance in PDF creation and digital design outputs.

Process Documentation:

• Highlight examples of how you have applied established brand standards and ensured consistency across diverse creative outputs.

• Illustrate your process for incorporating feedback from senior designers or managers to refine creative work for accuracy, compliance, and production readiness.

• Showcase your workflow for collaborating with internal stakeholders (Marketing, Communications, Digital, Automations) to deliver design solutions.

• Detail your approach to identifying and addressing risks, inconsistencies, or quality gaps in creative projects.

📝 Enhancement Note: A robust portfolio demonstrating a breadth of digital and print design skills, with a strong emphasis on motion graphics, email design, and compliance (AODA), is crucial. Candidates should be prepared to walk through their process and highlight how they ensure brand consistency and quality in a regulated environment.

💵 Compensation & Benefits

Salary Range: $73,000 - $83,000 CAD per year.

Benefits:

• Competitive total rewards offering.

• Continuous learning and development opportunities (formal & informal training).

• Exposure to exciting opportunities within a dynamic, entrepreneurial environment.

Working Hours: 40 hours per week.

📝 Enhancement Note: The salary range provided is specific to Toronto, Ontario, Canada, and aligns with industry benchmarks for a Senior Graphic Designer with 6-8 years of experience in a contract role. The benefits highlight MCAP's commitment to employee growth and competitive compensation, typical for contract positions in the financial services sector.

🎯 Team & Company Context

🏢 Company Culture

Industry: Financial Services (Mortgage Finance).

Company Size: Over $150 billion in assets under management, indicating a large, established organization.

Founded: Over 35 years ago, suggesting a long-standing presence and deep industry expertise.

Team Structure:

• The Senior Graphic Designer will be part of the Marketing and Communications department.

• Collaboration is expected with Marketing, Communications, Digital, and Automations teams, indicating cross-functional integration.

Methodology:

• Emphasis on executing high-quality design solutions that support marketing objectives and brand standards.

• Application of strong creative judgment and attention to detail in a regulated, multi-brand environment.

• Collaboration to ensure creative outputs align with business needs and regulatory compliance.

• Continuous improvement through contributing to design systems, templates, and creative standards.

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

📝 Enhancement Note: MCAP's position as a large, independent mortgage finance company suggests a professional and potentially structured work environment. The emphasis on a "regulated environment" implies a culture that values compliance, accuracy, and adherence to established protocols.

📈 Career & Growth Analysis

Operations Career Level: Senior Individual Contributor. This role is focused on expert-level execution and contribution within the design function, rather than direct management.

Reporting Structure: The role reports to the Manager, Graphic Design, and collaborates closely with various internal stakeholders.

Operations Impact: The Senior Graphic Designer's work directly supports marketing objectives, brand consistency, and business needs across MCAP's portfolio of brands. High-quality design is critical for effective communication, customer engagement, and maintaining brand reputation, particularly in the competitive and regulated financial services sector.

Growth Opportunities:

• Skill Advancement: Deepen expertise in digital design, motion graphics, and potentially emerging design technologies. Opportunity to work on complex, high-visibility projects.

• Cross-functional Exposure: Gain deeper understanding of marketing automation, digital strategy, and sales enablement through collaboration with respective teams.

• Mentorship: Opportunity to informally mentor junior designers and contribute to the team's overall design standards and best practices.

• Contract Extension/Future Roles: Successful performance in this 2-year contract could lead to opportunities for contract extension or permanent roles within MCAP, depending on business needs and candidate performance.

📝 Enhancement Note: While this is a contract role, it offers significant opportunities for skill enhancement and exposure to a large financial institution's marketing operations. The "senior" designation implies a level of autonomy and expertise that is valuable for career development.

🌐 Work Environment

Office Type: On-site at MCAP's Toronto office.

Office Location(s): 400-200 King Street West, Toronto, Ontario, M5H-3T4. This is a central downtown Toronto location, suggesting a professional corporate office setting.

Workspace Context:

• Collaborative environment with regular interaction with Marketing, Communications, Digital, and Automations teams.

• Access to standard corporate IT infrastructure and potentially specialized design software and hardware.

• Opportunities to engage with a diverse team of professionals in a dynamic, entrepreneurial atmosphere.

Work Schedule: Standard 40-hour work week, indicating a typical full-time schedule within a corporate setting.

📝 Enhancement Note: The on-site requirement in a major city center like Toronto suggests a traditional corporate work environment. Candidates should expect a structured office setting with opportunities for in-person collaboration with cross-functional teams.

📄 Application & Portfolio Review Process

Interview Process:

• Initial Screening: Review of resume and portfolio to assess qualifications and experience alignment.

• Skills Assessment/Portfolio Review: Candidates will likely present their portfolio, discussing specific projects, design process, and problem-solving approaches. This may include a practical design exercise.

• Behavioral/Situational Interviews: Questions focused on collaboration, problem-solving in regulated environments, brand adherence, and handling competing priorities.

• Team/Manager Interview: Discussion about cultural fit, team dynamics, and alignment with MCAP's values and operational style.

Portfolio Review Tips:

• Curate Strategically: Select projects that best represent your expertise in digital design, email marketing, motion graphics, and brand adherence.

• Highlight Process: Clearly articulate your design process from brief to final execution, emphasizing how you address objectives, constraints, and feedback.

• Showcase Impact: Quantify results where possible (e.g., engagement metrics for digital campaigns, efficiency gains from template usage).

• Demonstrate Technical Skills: Be prepared to discuss your proficiency with Adobe Creative Cloud, HTML/CSS in email, and motion graphics software.

• Address Compliance: Include examples that demonstrate your understanding of regulatory requirements and accessibility standards (AODA).

Challenge Preparation:

• Be ready to discuss how you would approach designing for a regulated financial institution and maintaining brand consistency across multiple brands.

• Prepare examples of how you have managed tight deadlines and competing priorities in a fast-paced environment.

• Think about how you would translate complex marketing objectives into clear, compelling visual communications.

📝 Enhancement Note: The interview process will heavily weigh portfolio strength. Candidates should be prepared to articulate their design decisions, technical skills, and experience in regulated environments. Demonstrating an understanding of MCAP's business and brand is also key.

🛠 Tools & Technology Stack

Primary Tools:

• Adobe Creative Cloud: InDesign, Illustrator, Photoshop, Acrobat (Expert proficiency required).

• Motion Graphics & Video: Adobe After Effects, Adobe Premiere (Advanced experience required).

• Email & Digital Design: HTML, CSS (Applied knowledge for execution, quality, and troubleshooting).

• Productivity: Microsoft PowerPoint, SharePoint (Strong working knowledge).

Analytics & Reporting:

CRM & Automation:

• Email Deployment Platforms: Salesforce Marketing Cloud (Strong asset). Understanding of marketing automation workflows and integrations is implied.

📝 Enhancement Note: Proficiency in the Adobe Creative Suite, particularly for digital and motion graphics, is paramount. Familiarity with HTML/CSS for email and experience with Salesforce Marketing Cloud are significant advantages, indicating the need for a designer who understands the technical underpinnings of digital marketing execution.

👥 Team Culture & Values

Operations Values:

• Excellence & Quality: A focus on executing high-quality design solutions and maintaining brand standards.

• Collaboration: Working effectively with internal stakeholders across various departments.

• Accountability & Professionalism: High level of ownership, professionalism, and trustworthiness.

• Continuous Improvement: Contributing to evolving design standards and staying current with trends.

• Compliance: Adherence to regulatory and accessibility requirements in a financial services context.

Collaboration Style:

• Cross-functional integration with Marketing, Communications, Digital, and Automations teams.

• Providing ad hoc guidance and knowledge sharing to peers.

• Working with internal stakeholders to translate briefs into effective visual solutions.

• Coordinating with external vendors to ensure quality and brand adherence.

📝 Enhancement Note: The company culture appears to value professionalism, quality, and collaboration within a structured, compliance-driven framework. Candidates should demonstrate an ability to work effectively in a team, contribute to shared goals, and uphold high standards of design and brand integrity.

⚡ Challenges & Growth Opportunities

Challenges:

• Balancing Creative Execution with Brand Governance: Delivering innovative designs while strictly adhering to established brand standards and regulatory requirements in a financial services context.

• Managing Competing Priorities: Effectively handling multiple design requests from various departments within tight deadlines.

• Technical Integration: Ensuring designs are optimized for various digital platforms and email clients, requiring a good understanding of HTML/CSS limitations and best practices.

• Adapting to Evolving Trends: Staying current with design and digital marketing trends while operating within the constraints of a corporate environment.

Learning & Development Opportunities:

• Advanced Tool Proficiency: Deepen skills in After Effects, Premiere, and potentially explore new design software or plugins.

• Digital Marketing Integration: Gain a better understanding of marketing automation workflows and how design impacts campaign performance through collaboration.

• Industry Best Practices: Learn about specific compliance and accessibility standards relevant to the financial services industry.

• Mentorship: Opportunity to learn from and contribute to a team of design professionals.

📝 Enhancement Note: The role presents challenges common to senior designers in regulated industries, requiring both creative flair and meticulous attention to detail and compliance. The growth opportunities lie in deepening technical skills and understanding the broader marketing ecosystem.

💡 Interview Preparation

Strategy Questions:

• "Describe a complex design project you led from concept to completion. How did you ensure it met marketing objectives and brand standards?" (Focus on process, problem-solving, and outcomes).

• "How do you approach designing for a regulated industry like financial services? What are your key considerations for brand adherence and compliance?" (Highlight experience with brand governance, AODA, and regulatory aspects).

Company & Culture Questions:

• "What interests you about MCAP and this specific role as a Senior Graphic Designer?" (Research MCAP's business, values, and recent marketing efforts).

• "How would you contribute to our team's collaborative environment and design culture?" (Emphasize your mentoring abilities and willingness to share knowledge).

Portfolio Presentation Strategy:

• Structure Your Narrative: For each project, clearly state the brief, your role, the challenges, your design process, the solution, and the results.

• Highlight Technical Skills: Be ready to discuss your specific contributions with Adobe Creative Cloud, HTML/CSS, and motion graphics tools.

• Emphasize Brand & Compliance: Showcase how you've successfully applied brand guidelines and met accessibility/regulatory requirements.

• Be Concise and Engaging: Present your work clearly and confidently, allowing time for questions and discussion.

📝 Enhancement Note: Prepare to discuss specific examples that demonstrate your technical prowess, creative problem-solving, and ability to work within corporate and regulatory constraints. A strong understanding of MCAP's business and brand will be advantageous.

📌 Application Steps

To apply for this Senior Graphic Designer position:

• Submit your application through the MCAP careers portal via the provided URL.

• Portfolio Customization: Ensure your portfolio prominently features relevant work showcasing digital design, email marketing, motion graphics, and experience in regulated environments. Tailor your case studies to highlight process and outcome.

• Resume Optimization: Update your resume to highlight your 6-8 years of experience, key technical skills (Adobe Creative Cloud, HTML/CSS, After Effects, Premiere), and any experience in financial services or brand-governed industries. Use keywords from the job description.

• Interview Preparation: Practice presenting your portfolio and answering behavioral questions related to design execution, collaboration, and problem-solving in a corporate setting. Research MCAP thoroughly.

• Company Research: Familiarize yourself with MCAP's brand identity, its services (mortgage finance), and its market position. Understand the importance of brand consistency and regulatory compliance in their industry.

⚠️ Important Notice: This enhanced job description includes AI-generated insights and industry-standard assumptions. All details should be verified directly with MCAP before making application decisions.