Senior Graphic Designer

📍 Job Overview

Job Title: Senior Graphic Designer

Company: John Holland

Location: North Melbourne, VIC, Australia

Job Type: Full-Time

Category: Creative & Design / Marketing Operations

Date Posted: 2026-11-03

Experience Level: 5-10 Years

Remote Status: Hybrid

🚀 Role Summary

• Lead the end-to-end development and delivery of high-quality visual communications across print and digital channels for the Suburban Rail Loop East project, ensuring brand consistency and engagement.

• Provide expert graphic design guidance and trusted advice to the Media and Communications team, translating complex project information into effective visual materials.

• Manage multiple design projects concurrently, establishing scope, priorities, milestones, and delivery timeframes with a strong focus on operational objectives.

• Champion approved brand standards, templates, and visual systems, ensuring all design outputs are clear, engaging, accessible, and consistent with project guidelines.

• Act as a senior point of contact for design platforms, resources, and emerging technologies, contributing to the continuous improvement of design operations.

📝 Enhancement Note: This role is positioned as a senior individual contributor, implying a significant level of autonomy and responsibility in managing design projects from conception to completion within a large, complex infrastructure project environment. The emphasis on "operational objectives" suggests a need for design to directly support project communication and engagement strategies.

📈 Primary Responsibilities

• Lead the end-to-end design and production of visual communications for a variety of channels, including print, digital, presentations, signage, campaigns, and internal communications.

• Interpret design briefs, translating complex technical or project information into clear, engaging, and audience-appropriate visual material that supports project objectives.

• Manage multiple design briefs simultaneously, effectively establishing scope, setting priorities, defining milestones, and adhering to delivery timeframes.

• Apply and champion approved brand standards, templates, and visual systems across all design outputs to ensure consistency and brand integrity.

• Undertake comprehensive quality assurance, including proofreading, pre-press checks, accessibility considerations, and final artwork preparation for all deliverables.

• Maintain organized templates, artwork, image libraries, working files, and approved assets to ensure consistency and facilitate efficient reuse.

• Liaise effectively with internal stakeholders to clarify objectives, target audiences, requirements, timelines, and production needs for design projects.

• Provide expert advice on creative direction, layout, image selection, production methods, and the practical application of print and digital design principles.

• Coordinate with approved external vendors such as printers, photographers, and illustrators, including briefing, artwork handover, proof review, and delivery management.

• Act as a senior subject matter expert for design platforms, channels, resources, and emerging technologies relevant to visual communications.

• Provide task guidance, constructive feedback, and quality oversight to other designers or contributors as required, fostering a collaborative design environment.

• Build and maintain effective working relationships across the Community and Stakeholder team, project alliances, client representatives, and delivery partners.

• Adhere to all John Holland policies, processes, systems, and procedures in the performance of duties.

📝 Enhancement Note: The responsibilities highlight a blend of creative leadership and project management, with a strong emphasis on process adherence and stakeholder collaboration within a complex project framework. The need to "translate complex project information" indicates a critical role in simplifying technical details for broader understanding.

🎓 Skills & Qualifications

Education:

• Relevant tertiary qualification in Graphic Design, Visual Communication, Multimedia, or a related discipline, or equivalent demonstrated industry experience.

• Additional training or demonstrated capability in accessible design, digital content creation, motion graphics, photography, or production management is highly desirable. Experience:

• A minimum of 5-10 years of relevant professional graphic design experience.

• Proven experience delivering high-quality print and digital design solutions from brief through to final production.

• Demonstrated ability to manage multiple design briefs concurrently, handling competing priorities, feedback cycles, and deadlines with limited supervision.

• Experience in infrastructure, construction, government, or other complex project environments is a significant advantage. Required Skills:

• Advanced proficiency in Adobe Creative Cloud, with a particular focus on InDesign, Illustrator, and Photoshop.

• Strong understanding and application of brand standards, visual systems, and corporate identity guidelines.

• Excellent command of layout principles, typography, visual hierarchy, and aesthetic composition.

• Proven ability to interpret complex information and translate it into clear, engaging, and audience-appropriate visual material.

• Advanced knowledge of artwork preparation, pre-press processes, print production techniques, file formats, image resolution, and colour management.

• Strong stakeholder engagement and communication skills, with the ability to effectively liaise with diverse internal and external parties.

• Excellent problem-solving abilities and meticulous attention to detail.

• Ability to work autonomously while contributing positively within a collaborative, multidisciplinary team environment. Preferred Skills:

• Experience with accessible design principles and implementation in digital and print media.

• Familiarity with digital content creation tools and workflows.

• Skills in motion graphics or video editing.

• Experience in photography or art direction.

• Proficiency in production management and vendor coordination.

• Experience with Content Management Systems (CMS) for digital asset deployment.

📝 Enhancement Note: The required experience level and the emphasis on Adobe Creative Suite suggest a need for a highly skilled designer capable of independent work and complex project execution. The preference for experience in infrastructure or construction points to the need for understanding large-scale project communication challenges.

📊 Process & Systems Portfolio Requirements

Portfolio Essentials:

• A professional portfolio showcasing a diverse range of high-quality print and digital design projects, demonstrating expertise across various media.

• Clear examples of translating complex information into accessible and engaging visual communications.

• Case studies or project examples that highlight the ability to manage multiple briefs, adhere to brand standards, and meet project deadlines.

• Demonstrations of strong layout, typography, and visual hierarchy skills.

• Evidence of understanding and application of print production best practices, including artwork preparation and pre-press considerations.

• Projects that showcase problem-solving abilities and attention to detail in design execution. Process Documentation:

• Ability to document and maintain design templates, artwork, image libraries, and working files for consistency and efficient reuse, indicating an understanding of workflow management.

• Experience in managing the design process from brief to final artwork, demonstrating an understanding of project lifecycle management.

• Processes for quality assurance, including proofreading, pre-press checks, and accessibility compliance.

• Methods for stakeholder engagement and feedback integration throughout the design process.

📝 Enhancement Note: A strong portfolio is explicitly required and will be a critical component of the evaluation process, serving as tangible proof of the candidate's skills and experience in handling complex design challenges and managing the entire design lifecycle.

💵 Compensation & Benefits

Salary Range:

Based on industry benchmarks for a Senior Graphic Designer in Melbourne, Australia, with 5-10 years of experience, the estimated salary range is AUD $90,000 - $120,000 per annum. This estimate considers the seniority of the role, the complexity of the project (Suburban Rail Loop East), and the standard compensation for design professionals in a major Australian city.

Benefits:

• Competitive remuneration package.

• Salary continuance insurance.

• Salary sacrifice packaging options.

• Generous leave benefits, including 18 weeks paid parental leave with superannuation contributions and up to an additional 18 weeks of superannuation paid on further unpaid parental leave.

• Multicultural leave exchange.

• Two additional John Holland Days allocated for prioritizing health and wellbeing.

• Opportunities for career progression supported by an exciting pipeline of work on iconic projects.

• Access to learning and development opportunities, including emerging talent programs, clear career pathways, and technical/leadership training.

• Commitment to inclusion and diversity, with active support for Gender Equality, Pride, Celebrate Women, RAP, and Grow networks.

• Flexible working arrangements, including flexi-hours, flexi-parenting, flexi-leave, flexi-shifts, and flexi-work options.

• Wellbeing and relationship support services. Working Hours:

Standard full-time hours are expected, likely around 40 hours per week, with flexibility offered to accommodate work-life balance, aligning with the company's commitment to flexible working arrangements.

📝 Enhancement Note: The provided benefits are comprehensive and emphasize work-life balance, career development, and employee wellbeing, which are significant draws for senior professionals. The salary range is an estimate based on market data for similar roles and locations.

🎯 Team & Company Context

🏢 Company Culture

Industry: Infrastructure, Property, Rail, Building, and Water Projects. John Holland operates across Australia, New Zealand, and Southeast Asia, focusing on delivering transformative solutions to complex challenges.

Company Size: Large, with a significant number of employees, indicating a robust organizational structure and extensive project portfolio.

Founded: John Holland was founded in 1949, bringing decades of experience and a well-established reputation in the construction and infrastructure sectors.

Team Structure:

• The Senior Graphic Designer will be part of the Media and Communications team within the Linewide Alliance for the Suburban Rail Loop (SRL) East project.

• This team likely collaborates closely with project management, engineering, stakeholder engagement, and community relations departments.

• The role may involve working within a multidisciplinary team that includes other communication specialists, project managers, and potentially other designers or contractors.

• Reporting is expected to a Media and Communications Manager or similar leadership role within the Alliance. Methodology:

• John Holland emphasizes a purpose-driven approach, focusing on "why" they do things – transforming communities and improving lives.

• The company promotes a culture of finding solutions to complex challenges, encouraging innovation and a different approach to problem-solving.

• Data-driven decision-making and process adherence are likely core to their operations, especially within large-scale projects.

• Collaboration and a focus on stakeholder engagement are key methodologies, particularly within alliance structures like the SRL East project.

Company Website: https://www.johnholland.com.au/

📝 Enhancement Note: The company's focus on purpose, complex problem-solving, and community transformation provides a strong overarching mission that the design role can contribute to by visually communicating project benefits and progress. The alliance structure suggests a dynamic, collaborative, and potentially complex stakeholder landscape.

📈 Career & Growth Analysis

Operations Career Level:

This is a Senior Graphic Designer role, indicating a mid-to-senior level position within the design function. It requires significant experience, autonomy, and the ability to mentor or guide others. The role is crucial for translating complex project information into accessible visual communications, directly impacting project stakeholder engagement and public perception.

Reporting Structure:

The Senior Graphic Designer will report to a Manager within the Media and Communications team, likely overseeing communications for the Suburban Rail Loop East project. This structure places the role within a dedicated project communications function, interacting with various project leads and alliance partners.

Operations Impact:

The Senior Graphic Designer's work has a direct impact on:

• Stakeholder Engagement: Clear and compelling visuals are essential for communicating project progress, benefits, and impacts to diverse stakeholders, including the public, government, and industry partners.

• Brand Consistency: Ensuring all project communications adhere to brand standards maintains a professional and unified image for the Linewide Alliance and John Holland.

• Operational Efficiency: Well-organized design assets and templates streamline communication workflows and reduce the time needed to produce materials.

• Public Perception: High-quality design can significantly influence how the public perceives the project, fostering support and understanding.

Growth Opportunities:

• Leadership Development: Opportunities to lead design initiatives, mentor junior designers, and influence creative direction within the project.

• Specialization: Potential to deepen expertise in areas like accessible design, motion graphics, or digital content creation through project exposure and company training.

• Project Diversification: Exposure to large-scale, iconic infrastructure projects like the Suburban Rail Loop offers significant portfolio enhancement and experience in complex environments.

• Career Pathways: Potential advancement to Design Lead, Communications Manager, or roles within other major projects or John Holland's broader operations.

📝 Enhancement Note: The role offers substantial growth potential by working on a high-profile infrastructure project, providing opportunities for skill enhancement, leadership experience, and significant portfolio building within a large, reputable organization.

🌐 Work Environment

Office Type:

The role is described as Hybrid, indicating a blend of working from a physical office location and remotely. This suggests a modern work environment that balances collaboration and flexibility.

Office Location(s):

The primary office location is North Melbourne, VIC, Australia. This location will likely serve as the hub for team meetings, collaborative sessions, and on-site project-related activities.

Workspace Context:

• Collaborative Environment: As part of a large project alliance and communications team, expect regular interaction with colleagues, stakeholders, and potentially external vendors. The hybrid model suggests scheduled in-office days for team collaboration.

• Operations Tools & Technology: Access to industry-standard design software (Adobe Creative Cloud) and potentially project management or asset management systems will be provided.

• Team Interaction: Opportunities for direct collaboration with communications specialists, project managers, and other creative professionals. The hybrid setup will require proactive communication and engagement strategies.

Work Schedule:

Standard full-time working hours are expected, with flexibility offered. This means while the core hours are generally fixed, there may be options for adjusted start/end times or compressed work weeks, subject to project needs and team coordination.

📝 Enhancement Note: The hybrid work arrangement is a key aspect, requiring candidates to be comfortable with both remote work and in-office collaboration. The specific days in the office will likely be determined by team needs and project deadlines.

📄 Application & Portfolio Review Process

Interview Process:

The interview process is likely to involve multiple stages designed to assess creative skills, technical proficiency, project management capabilities, and cultural fit.

1. Initial Screening: A review of your resume and portfolio to assess alignment with the core requirements.

2. Technical/Creative Interview: This stage will likely involve a detailed discussion of your portfolio, focusing on specific projects, your design process, problem-solving approaches, and technical skills in Adobe Creative Cloud. You may be asked to walk through a specific project case study.

3. Stakeholder/Manager Interview: An interview with the hiring manager and potentially other key stakeholders (e.g., Communications Manager, Project Lead) to evaluate your experience in managing briefs, stakeholder engagement, working within complex environments, and your understanding of the project's communication objectives.

4. Practical Exercise (Potential): Candidates may be asked to complete a short design task or case study related to interpreting complex project information or applying brand guidelines under a time constraint.

5. Final Interview/Offer: A final discussion to confirm fit and extend an offer.

Portfolio Review Tips:

• Curate Strategically: Select projects that best demonstrate your ability to handle complex briefs, work with brand guidelines, and produce high-quality print and digital outputs relevant to large projects.

• Showcase Process: For 1-2 key projects, be prepared to articulate your design process: understanding the brief, research, concept development, stakeholder feedback, revisions, and final execution. Highlight how you translated complex information.

• Highlight Impact: If possible, quantify the impact of your design work (e.g., increased engagement, improved clarity of information).

• Demonstrate Technical Skills: Ensure your portfolio clearly shows proficiency in InDesign, Illustrator, and Photoshop. Mention any experience with accessibility standards or print production specifics.

• Tailor to the Role: Emphasize projects that show experience in similar sectors (infrastructure, government, large-scale projects) or that highlight your ability to work within strict brand frameworks.

Challenge Preparation:

• Brand Application: Be ready to discuss how you would apply and champion brand standards for a large infrastructure project.

• Translating Complexity: Prepare examples of how you've simplified technical or complex information into easily understandable visuals.

• Stakeholder Management: Think about how you would manage conflicting feedback from multiple stakeholders on a design project.

• Print Production: Brush up on your knowledge of pre-press, file preparation, and print production considerations.

📝 Enhancement Note: The emphasis on portfolio and translating complex information means candidates should prepare to deeply discuss their past work and demonstrate their problem-solving approach to design challenges specific to large-scale projects.

🛠 Tools & Technology Stack

Primary Tools:

• Adobe Creative Cloud: Advanced proficiency is essential, specifically:

  • Adobe InDesign: For layout design of brochures, reports, presentations, and other print/digital collateral.
  • Adobe Illustrator: For creating logos, icons, infographics, and vector-based graphics.
  • Adobe Photoshop: For image editing, manipulation, and digital asset creation.

• Microsoft Office Suite: Proficiency in PowerPoint for presentation design and Word for document integration.

Analytics & Reporting:

• While not a direct analytics role, understanding how design impacts engagement metrics (e.g., website clicks, document downloads) is beneficial.

• Familiarity with digital asset management (DAM) systems for organizing and retrieving design files. CRM & Automation:

• Not directly applicable to this design role, but an understanding of how design assets are used within broader marketing or communication automation platforms could be advantageous.

• Familiarity with project management tools (e.g., Asana, Trello, Jira) for managing design workflows and deadlines.

📝 Enhancement Note: Mastery of the Adobe Creative Suite is non-negotiable. The role also implies the need for organizational skills related to digital asset management and an understanding of how design integrates with broader project communication workflows.

👥 Team Culture & Values

Operations Values:

• Purpose-Driven: A strong emphasis on "transforming lives" and "improving life for someone, somewhere" is central to John Holland's mission.

• Problem-Solving: A focus on finding solutions to complex challenges and approaching them differently.

• Collaboration: Fostering an inclusive and diverse workplace where different perspectives are valued and contribute to success.

• Integrity & Accountability: Performing duties in accordance with company policies, processes, and procedures.

• Efficiency & Consistency: Maintaining organized assets and championing brand standards to ensure consistent and efficient visual communication.

Collaboration Style:

• Cross-functional Integration: The role requires close collaboration with the Media and Communications team, project management, engineering, and other alliance partners.

• Stakeholder-Centric: Building effective working relationships and providing expert advice to internal stakeholders is key.

• Team Support: Willingness to provide task guidance and quality oversight to other designers, fostering a supportive team environment.

• Open Communication: Essential for clarifying objectives, managing feedback, and ensuring project alignment within a hybrid work model.

📝 Enhancement Note: The company culture values purpose, innovation, and collaboration. The design role is expected to embody these values by creating communications that clearly articulate the project's purpose and benefits, while working effectively with diverse teams.

⚡ Challenges & Growth Opportunities

Challenges:

• Translating Complexity: The primary challenge will be interpreting highly technical or complex project information (e.g., engineering details, project timelines, environmental impacts) and translating it into clear, accessible, and engaging visual communications for various audiences.

• Brand Consistency Across Alliance: Ensuring a unified visual identity across multiple partners within the Linewide Alliance, which may have differing internal standards or preferences.

• Managing Competing Priorities: Juggling multiple design briefs simultaneously with tight deadlines and evolving project requirements in a fast-paced infrastructure environment.

• Remote/Hybrid Collaboration: Effectively collaborating and maintaining strong communication with team members and stakeholders across different locations and work arrangements.

• Adapting to Project Evolution: The Suburban Rail Loop project is large-scale and long-term; design needs will evolve, requiring adaptability and continuous learning.

Learning & Development Opportunities:

• Advanced Design Techniques: Opportunities to deepen skills in areas such as motion graphics, advanced digital content creation, or accessible design through project demands and training.

• Industry Exposure: Gaining invaluable experience on a major infrastructure project like the Suburban Rail Loop, understanding the nuances of project communications in this sector.

• Leadership Skills: Developing skills in mentoring, providing feedback, and potentially leading design aspects of smaller initiatives.

• Cross-Disciplinary Learning: Understanding the communication needs and challenges of engineering, construction, and stakeholder engagement teams.

• Formal Training: Access to John Holland's learning and development programs, including technical and leadership training.

📝 Enhancement Note: The challenges are directly tied to the nature of large-scale infrastructure projects and the demands of a senior design role. The growth opportunities are significant, offering both technical and professional development.

💡 Interview Preparation

Strategy Questions:

• Translating Complexity: "Describe a time you had to translate highly technical or complex information into a visual format for a non-technical audience. What was your process, and what was the outcome?"

• Brand Application: "How would you ensure brand consistency across a large project involving multiple stakeholders and external vendors, especially when dealing with potentially conflicting visual preferences?"

• Prioritization & Workflow: "Imagine you receive three urgent design requests simultaneously from different project teams. How would you prioritize these, manage expectations, and ensure timely delivery?"

• Problem Solving: "Tell me about a challenging design problem you faced on a project. How did you approach it, and what did you learn?"

• Stakeholder Management: "Describe a situation where you had to manage difficult feedback from a stakeholder. How did you navigate the conversation and reach a resolution?"

Company & Culture Questions:

• "What do you know about John Holland and the Suburban Rail Loop project, and why are you interested in contributing your design skills to this specific initiative?"

• "How do you align with John Holland's purpose of 'transforming lives' through your design work?"

• "How do you approach collaboration within a multidisciplinary team, particularly in a hybrid work environment?"

• "How do you stay updated on design trends and emerging technologies relevant to large-scale projects?" Portfolio Presentation Strategy:

• Narrative Arc: For each selected project, tell a story: the challenge (brief/problem), your solution (design process, creative choices), and the result (impact, outcome).

• Focus on "Why": Explain the rationale behind your design decisions, linking them back to project objectives and audience needs.

• Technical Proficiency: Be ready to discuss your technical approach, including software usage, print production considerations, and accessibility features.

• Conciseness: Be prepared to present your key projects within a defined timeframe, focusing on the most impactful aspects.

• Engagement: Be enthusiastic and open to questions, making it an interactive discussion rather than a one-way presentation.

📝 Enhancement Note: Preparation should focus on demonstrating strategic thinking, problem-solving, and the ability to articulate design rationale clearly, especially in the context of complex projects and stakeholder management.

📌 Application Steps

To apply for this Senior Graphic Designer position:

• Submit Your Application: Utilize the provided application link on the John Holland careers portal.

• Tailor Your Resume: Highlight your experience with Adobe Creative Cloud, print and digital design production, stakeholder engagement, and any relevant experience in infrastructure, construction, or large-scale projects. Quantify achievements where possible.

• Curate Your Portfolio: Ensure your portfolio prominently features examples showcasing your ability to translate complex information, adhere to brand guidelines, manage multiple projects, and execute high-quality print and digital designs. Prepare to discuss specific projects in detail.

• Prepare for Interviews: Review common interview questions for senior design roles, focusing on your process, problem-solving, and stakeholder management skills. Practice presenting your portfolio with a clear narrative.

• Research John Holland & SRL: Understand the company's mission, values, and the significance of the Suburban Rail Loop project to better articulate your interest and alignment during the interview process.

⚠️ 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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