SENIOR GRAPHIC DESIGNER - REMOTE

📍 Job Overview

Job Title: Senior Graphic Designer - Remote

Company: Compass Group (Chartwells Higher Education)

Location: Remote (Minneapolis, MN specified for administrative purposes)

Job Type: Full-Time

Category: Marketing & Creative Operations

Date Posted: 2026-11-05

Experience Level: 5-10 Years

Remote Status: Fully Remote

🚀 Role Summary

• This role is pivotal in executing creative marketing, communications, and brand engagement strategies for Chartwells Higher Education's Central and West Divisions, directly impacting revenue generation through enhanced student engagement and participation in dining programs.

• The Senior Graphic Designer will be responsible for developing visually compelling graphics and promotional materials across various mediums, including digital, print, and mobile, to support meal plans, retail dining, catering, concessions, and overall campus dining experiences.

• This position requires a strong blend of graphic design expertise, brand stewardship, content creation, project management, and cross-functional collaboration with marketing, operations, and culinary teams to achieve business objectives and elevate the student experience.

• The role demands a strategic approach to visual storytelling, ensuring all creative assets adhere to Chartwells and University brand standards while pushing industry competition with cutting-edge imagery and design concepts.

📝 Enhancement Note: While the job title is "Senior Graphic Designer," the description emphasizes its connection to "revenue driven solutions," "driving participation in meal plans, retail dining programs, catering services, concessions," and supporting "business objectives." This indicates a GTM (Go-To-Market) or Marketing Operations alignment, where design directly contributes to revenue generation and customer engagement within the higher education dining sector. The role requires not just aesthetic skill but also a strategic understanding of how design impacts business outcomes.

📈 Primary Responsibilities

• Produce visually impactful graphics and creative assets that effectively communicate the company's story and value proposition, strictly adhering to Chartwells and University brand guidelines and standards.

• Design a wide array of marketing collateral for diverse platforms, including social media graphics, website elements, print campaigns, email marketing, mobile applications, and digital advertising, ensuring brand consistency across all touchpoints.

• Develop engaging graphics and visual concepts for semester-based promotions and campaigns, tailoring designs for various mediums such as print, digital displays, mobile interfaces, and interactive content.

• Conceptualize and execute the visual identity for website pages and social media profiles, creating cohesive and attractive online presences that enhance brand recognition and user engagement.

• Lead the development of comprehensive brand concepts, including logos, names, taglines, and detailed brand guides, ensuring a unified and professional brand image across all university partnerships.

• Manage and maintain an organized image library, ensuring all visual assets are up-to-date, on-brand, and readily accessible for marketing and operational needs, while actively sourcing new imagery.

• Design and produce graphics for a broad range of traditional and non-traditional marketing materials, including station signage, trade show displays, banners, invitations, floor decals, digital screens, large-format prints, and other specialized projects as required.

• Conceptualize and design innovative visual materials to support regional marketing efforts, aiming to create cutting-edge imagery that surpasses industry competitors and captures student attention.

• Ensure consistent delivery of high-quality creative assets and marketing materials, maintaining a high standard of excellence in all design outputs.

• Provide project leadership on specific design initiatives, supporting satellite campuses or regional marketing efforts as needed, demonstrating initiative and ownership.

• Maintain accuracy, creativity, and meticulous attention to detail in all design deliverables, ensuring error-free and polished final products.

• Occasional travel may be required to support on-site needs or collaborate with teams at university locations.

📝 Enhancement Note: The responsibilities highlight a strong focus on campaign-based design and brand consistency across multiple universities. This implies a need for robust project management skills to handle diverse client needs and deadlines, characteristic of a GTM or regional marketing support role. The emphasis on "driving participation" and "supporting business objectives" links design directly to revenue and operational goals.

🎓 Skills & Qualifications

Education: Bachelor’s degree preferred, but not strictly required if equivalent experience is demonstrated.

Experience: 5+ years of progressive experience in graphic design, specifically within marketing, communications, or advertising, with a strong preference for experience in higher education, hospitality, or related client-facing industries.

Required Skills:

• Extensive proficiency in Adobe Creative Suite, including advanced skills in InDesign, Photoshop, and Illustrator, for creating and manipulating high-quality visual assets.

• Demonstrated practical experience and proficiency with Canva for rapid design creation and collaboration, particularly for social media and digital content.

• Strong understanding and practical application of fundamental design principles, including typography, color theory, branding, and visual hierarchy, to create effective and aesthetically pleasing designs.

• Proficient in editing skills, including post-production color correction and balancing, to ensure visual consistency and professional polish of photographic assets.

• Ability to effectively multitask and manage multiple complex projects simultaneously in a fast-paced, deadline-driven environment, ensuring timely delivery of all creative outputs.

• Excellent verbal and written communication skills, essential for collaborating with diverse stakeholders and presenting design concepts clearly.

• Exceptional organizational and project management abilities to plan, execute, and track design projects from conception to completion.

• Adaptability to changing work demands, including non-traditional hours and strict deadlines, common in event-driven marketing and campus life cycles.

• Adept at understanding and implementing design variations for print, digital, and mobile platforms, adjusting designs as necessary to optimize for each medium.

• Passion for identifying and integrating emerging trends in graphic design to keep creative output fresh, relevant, and competitive.

• Familiarity with social media platforms and their specific design requirements for optimal engagement.

• Ability to work independently, taking initiative and ownership of tasks, while also functioning effectively as a collaborative member of a team.

• A genuine passion for customer experience, creativity, brand development, and student engagement, aligning personal drive with company mission. Preferred Skills:

• Prior marketing-related experience, providing a broader understanding of campaign strategy and execution.

• Basic HTML skills, beneficial for web design tasks and understanding digital content implementation.

• Strong presentation and collaboration skills, crucial for effectively communicating design ideas and working with cross-functional teams.

📝 Enhancement Note: The emphasis on Adobe Creative Suite, Canva, and specific design principles (typography, color theory, branding) is standard for senior design roles. However, the mention of "revenue driven solutions," "driving participation," and "business objectives" suggests that candidates with experience in performance-driven design or marketing operations will be highly valued.

📊 Process & Systems Portfolio Requirements

Portfolio Essentials:

• A comprehensive portfolio showcasing a minimum of 5 years of design work, with a strong emphasis on projects that demonstrate measurable impact on engagement, participation, or revenue.

• Demonstrate successful application of brand standards and visual identity development across multiple projects, ideally for diverse clients or university partners.

• Include examples of system-level thinking where design elements were integrated into broader marketing campaigns or operational workflows, showcasing an understanding of how design supports larger processes.

• Showcase projects that highlight efficiency improvements or innovative solutions developed through design, demonstrating an ability to optimize creative processes or outcomes. Process Documentation:

• Examples of how design processes were documented or standardized to ensure consistency and efficiency, particularly when managing multiple projects or university accounts.

• Case studies detailing the workflow from initial brief to final asset delivery, including stages of concept development, feedback incorporation, and final production for print and digital mediums.

• Evidence of utilizing design to streamline communication or operational processes, such as creating clear instructional graphics or user-friendly interfaces.

📝 Enhancement Note: For a Senior Graphic Designer role with a GTM/Revenue Operations angle, the portfolio should go beyond just showcasing aesthetics. It needs to demonstrate the candidate's ability to translate business objectives into visual strategies. This includes showing how their designs have influenced behavior (e.g., increased meal plan sign-ups, event attendance), how they manage complex design workflows, and how they adhere to or help develop brand standards for multiple entities.

💵 Compensation & Benefits

Salary Range: $70,000 - $75,000 per year.

Other Forms of Compensation: Full Benefits, 401K, and PTO.

Benefits:

• Medical Insurance

• Dental Insurance

• Vision Insurance

• Life Insurance / Accidental Death & Dismemberment (AD&D) Insurance

• Disability Insurance (Short-term and Long-term likely)

• Retirement Plan (401K) with potential company match

• Paid Time Off (PTO)

• Holiday Time Off (varies by site/state)

• Associate Shopping Program

• Health and Wellness Programs

• Discount Marketplace

• Identity Theft Protection

• Pet Insurance

• Commuter Benefits

• Employee Assistance Program (EAP)

• Flexible Spending Accounts (FSAs)

• Paid Parental Leave

• Personal Leave

Working Hours: 40 hours per week. The role requires adaptability to non-traditional hours and strict deadlines, indicating potential for occasional work outside standard business hours to meet project demands.

📝 Enhancement Note: The provided salary range is specific. The benefits listed are comprehensive and typical for a large organization like Compass Group. The mention of "non-traditional hours and strict deadlines" is crucial for operations-minded candidates to understand the demands of this role, which often align with marketing campaign schedules and event-driven needs in higher education.

🎯 Team & Company Context

🏢 Company Culture

Industry: Food & Beverage Services, Hospitality, Higher Education Support. Chartwells Higher Education operates within the dynamic landscape of campus dining, focusing on innovative and engaging food experiences for college and university students.

Company Size: Compass Group is a large, global organization, indicating a stable corporate structure with established processes and resources. Chartwells Higher Education, as a division, likely operates with a significant employee base across numerous university partnerships.

Founded: Compass Group was founded in 1967. Chartwells Higher Education has evolved through various acquisitions and brand developments, focusing on modernizing campus dining. This history suggests a company with deep roots in the service industry, adapting to contemporary consumer demands.

Team Structure:

• The role supports the Central and West Divisions, implying a regional structure with dedicated marketing and operational teams. The designer will likely be part of a broader marketing or creative department, reporting to a Marketing Director or similar leadership role.

• Collaboration is expected with operations managers, culinary teams, marketing specialists, and potentially university stakeholders, requiring integration across different functional areas.

• The reporting structure likely involves a direct manager for creative output and project prioritization, with potential dotted-line reporting to regional VPs or Directors for strategic alignment. Methodology:

• Data-driven insights are implied through the need to support "business objectives" and "drive participation," suggesting that design choices should be informed by marketing performance data and student engagement metrics.

• Workflow planning and optimization strategies are essential, given the need to manage multiple university brands and campaigns simultaneously under tight deadlines.

• Emphasis on automation and efficiency practices is likely, especially in managing digital content and repeatable design tasks, leveraging tools like Canva and Adobe Creative Suite efficiently.

Company Website: http://www.compass-usa.com/

📝 Enhancement Note: The company's focus on "re-inventing the on-campus dining experience" and "food-infused social spaces" suggests a culture that values creativity, innovation, and a strong connection to the student community. For a designer, this means an opportunity to contribute to a mission-driven aspect of campus life. The "hungry, humble and smart" associate profile points towards a culture that values drive, collaboration, and continuous learning.

📈 Career & Growth Analysis

Operations Career Level: This is a Senior Graphic Designer role, indicating a mid-to-senior level position requiring significant independent work, project leadership, and a strong portfolio. It signifies a level where individuals are expected to mentor junior designers (if applicable) and contribute to strategic creative planning.

Reporting Structure: The role reports to regional marketing leadership and collaborates extensively with operations and culinary teams. This cross-functional interaction provides exposure to diverse aspects of the business, from strategic planning to on-the-ground execution.

Operations Impact: The Senior Graphic Designer's work directly influences student engagement, participation in dining programs, and brand perception across multiple universities. By creating compelling visual narratives and marketing materials, the role plays a crucial part in driving revenue through increased meal plan sales, catering bookings, and retail traffic, thus directly impacting the operational and financial success of the Chartwells division.

Growth Opportunities:

• Specialization: Potential to specialize in higher education dining marketing, developing deep expertise in student consumer behavior and campus brand dynamics.

• Leadership: Opportunity to take on more significant project leadership roles, potentially managing larger campaigns or contributing to broader marketing strategy development.

• Skill Expansion: Possibility to expand into areas like digital marketing strategy, brand management, or even UI/UX design, leveraging existing design skills. Further development in areas like basic HTML or advanced digital content creation could also be pursued.

• Cross-Functional Movement: With experience in operations and marketing, there's potential to transition into broader marketing management or operations roles within Chartwells or Compass Group.

📝 Enhancement Note: The "Senior" title implies a pathway for growth. For an operations-minded candidate, the key is understanding how this design role contributes to the larger GTM strategy and how success in this role can lead to opportunities in marketing management, brand strategy, or even operational leadership roles that require strong visual communication skills.

🌐 Work Environment

Office Type: Fully Remote. This offers flexibility and the ability to work from any approved location within the United States.

Office Location(s): While the role is remote, the specified administrative location is Minneapolis, MN, and the scope covers Central and West Coast Divisions. This means candidates should be comfortable working with teams spread across different time zones.

Workspace Context:

• The remote environment necessitates strong self-discipline and effective virtual collaboration tools. Candidates should be comfortable working independently and proactively communicating with remote colleagues and stakeholders.

• Access to standard design software (Adobe Creative Suite, Canva) is expected, along with reliable internet connectivity and a suitable home office setup.

• Opportunities for team interaction will primarily be through virtual meetings, project management platforms, and collaborative design software. Building relationships and fostering a sense of team cohesion will rely on effective digital communication.

Work Schedule: Standard 40-hour work week, but with the noted flexibility required for non-traditional hours and strict deadlines. This means candidates must be prepared to occasionally work evenings or weekends to meet campaign launches, event promotions, or urgent requests, which is common in marketing and operations support roles.

📝 Enhancement Note: The fully remote nature is a key benefit. However, the mention of "non-traditional hours and strict deadlines" is critical. Candidates should be aware that this isn't a typical 9-to-5 role and may require adaptability during peak periods, which is a common characteristic of operational support roles that align with business cycles.

📄 Application & Portfolio Review Process

Interview Process:

• Initial Screening: Likely a review of resume and portfolio to assess creative skills, relevant experience, and alignment with job requirements. Candidates should ensure their portfolio clearly highlights projects relevant to higher education, hospitality, or consumer-facing brands.

• Creative Assessment/Challenge: Expect a design challenge or a portfolio review session where candidates present their work, discuss their creative process, and explain how their designs contributed to business objectives (e.g., increased engagement, revenue). Prepare to articulate the "why" behind your design choices.

• Behavioral/Situational Interviews: Questions will likely focus on project management, collaboration with operations and marketing teams, handling tight deadlines, and problem-solving scenarios. Prepare examples using the STAR method (Situation, Task, Action, Result).

• Final Interview: May involve meeting with senior leadership to discuss strategic alignment, cultural fit, and overall contribution to the company's mission.

Portfolio Review Tips:

• Curate Strategically: Select 5-8 of your strongest projects that best represent your skills for this role. Prioritize work that shows impact on engagement, brand building, or revenue generation, especially in the higher education or hospitality sectors.

• Showcase Process: For each project, briefly outline the brief, your conceptual approach, the challenges faced, and the solutions implemented. Highlight how you adhered to or developed brand standards.

• Quantify Impact: Where possible, include metrics or results demonstrating the success of your designs (e.g., increased click-through rates, higher event attendance, positive feedback). This is crucial for a role tied to revenue.

• Demonstrate Tool Proficiency: Briefly mention the tools used (Adobe Creative Suite, Canva) and how you leveraged them efficiently.

• Storytelling: Frame your portfolio presentation as a narrative, explaining the problem, your solution, and the outcome, emphasizing your role and contribution.

Challenge Preparation:

• If a design challenge is given, understand the objective quickly. Focus on creating a solution that meets the brief's requirements and demonstrates strategic thinking, not just aesthetic appeal.

• Be prepared to present your challenge solution, explaining your rationale, design choices, and how it aligns with brand guidelines and business goals.

• Practice articulating your design process and decisions concisely and clearly, as if presenting to marketing and operations stakeholders.

📝 Enhancement Note: The emphasis on "revenue driven solutions," "driving participation," and "business objectives" means that during the portfolio review and any design challenges, candidates must be prepared to speak to the business impact of their creative work, not just the artistic merit. This is a key differentiator for operations-focused roles.

🛠 Tools & Technology Stack

Primary Tools:

• Adobe Creative Suite: Extensive proficiency required, specifically in InDesign, Photoshop, and Illustrator. Candidates should be comfortable with advanced features for creating professional-grade print and digital assets.

• Canva: Demonstrated experience is essential. This tool is likely used for rapid content creation, social media graphics, and potentially for empowering non-designers within operations or marketing teams.

• Microsoft Suite: Proficiency in Word, Excel, and PowerPoint is expected for general business operations, reporting, and presentations.

Analytics & Reporting:

• While not explicitly listed as a primary design tool, understanding how to design for platforms that utilize analytics (e.g., social media, email marketing) is beneficial. Familiarity with design for digital advertising platforms is also implied. CRM & Automation:

• No specific CRM or automation tools are listed as direct requirements for the designer. However, understanding how designs integrate into marketing automation platforms (e.g., email campaigns) or CRM-driven communications would be advantageous.

📝 Enhancement Note: The explicit mention of Adobe Creative Suite and Canva is critical. For a senior role, candidates should be able to discuss their workflow efficiency using these tools and how they adapt designs for different platforms, implying an understanding of digital asset management and distribution within a marketing operations context.

👥 Team Culture & Values

Operations Values:

• Customer Experience Focus: A strong passion for enhancing the student experience through engaging and effective visual communication is paramount, aligning with Chartwells' mission.

• Brand Stewardship: Upholding and enhancing Chartwells and university brand standards with accuracy and creativity, ensuring consistent brand representation.

• Efficiency and Productivity: Delivering high-quality creative assets reliably and on time, managing multiple projects effectively in a fast-paced environment.

• Collaboration and Teamwork: Working effectively with marketing, operations, and culinary teams, contributing to a positive and productive team dynamic.

• Data-Informed Creativity: While not explicitly stated, the emphasis on driving participation and supporting business objectives suggests a value for design that is informed by performance metrics and market insights.

Collaboration Style:

• Cross-functional Integration: Expect to collaborate closely with operations and culinary teams to understand their needs and translate them into effective visual communications. This requires strong communication and an ability to translate complex operational requirements into design solutions.

• Feedback Exchange: A culture that values constructive feedback to refine designs and ensure they meet objectives. Openness to receiving and providing feedback is key.

• Knowledge Sharing: Likely involves sharing best practices in design, staying updated on trends, and potentially educating stakeholders on design principles or tool usage (e.g., Canva).

📝 Enhancement Note: The "hungry, humble and smart" descriptor suggests a culture that values proactivity, a willingness to learn and improve, and the ability to work effectively with others. For a designer, this means being open to feedback, eager to contribute to business goals, and adaptable to the dynamic environment of higher education.

⚡ Challenges & Growth Opportunities

Challenges:

• Balancing Multiple Brands: Managing design needs and brand consistency across numerous universities, each with unique identities and requirements, can be demanding.

• Tight Deadlines & High Volume: The nature of campus marketing and dining programs often involves frequent promotions, events, and seasonal campaigns, requiring efficient workflow management under pressure.

• Remote Collaboration: Effectively collaborating with distributed teams and stakeholders across different time zones requires strong communication and proactive engagement.

• Translating Business Needs into Visuals: Effectively understanding and visually representing diverse operational goals (e.g., increasing meal plan sales, promoting catering services) requires strategic thinking beyond pure aesthetics.

Learning & Development Opportunities:

• Specialized Design Expertise: Deepen knowledge in design for higher education and hospitality marketing, understanding student demographics and campus culture.

• Digital Marketing Integration: Gain experience in designing for advanced digital marketing channels, A/B testing creative variations, and understanding campaign performance.

• Project Management Skills: Enhance project management capabilities through managing complex, multi-stakeholder design projects.

• Cross-Functional Understanding: Develop a broader understanding of marketing operations, culinary services, and university partnerships, which can open doors to more strategic roles.

📝 Enhancement Note: The challenges presented are typical for a senior role in a distributed, multi-client environment. The growth opportunities highlight the potential for career advancement by leveraging design skills in a more strategic, operations-aligned capacity.

💡 Interview Preparation

Strategy Questions:

• "Describe a time you used graphic design to significantly increase student engagement or participation in a dining program. What was your process, and what were the results?" (Focus on quantifiable impact and strategic thinking.)

• "How do you ensure brand consistency across multiple university partners while still allowing for unique campaign messaging?" (Demonstrate understanding of brand management and adaptation.)

• "Walk us through your process for developing a new visual concept for a semester-long promotional campaign." (Detail your creative workflow, research, and execution phases.) Company & Culture Questions:

• "What do you know about Chartwells Higher Education and Compass Group, and why are you interested in working with us?" (Research their mission, values, and recent initiatives.)

• "How do you approach collaboration with operations and marketing teams who may have different priorities or levels of design understanding?" (Highlight your communication and stakeholder management skills.)

• "How do you stay updated on graphic design trends, and how do you incorporate them into your work while maintaining brand integrity?" (Showcase continuous learning and strategic application.) Portfolio Presentation Strategy:

• Structure is Key: Organize your portfolio logically. Start with your most relevant and impactful projects. For each, clearly state the objective, your role, the challenge, your solution, and the outcome.

• Focus on Impact: Emphasize how your designs contributed to business goals (revenue, participation, brand awareness). Use data and metrics whenever possible.

• Explain Your 'Why': Be prepared to articulate the strategic thinking behind your design choices. Why did you choose certain colors, typography, or layouts? How did they support the objective?

• Showcase Process & Tools: Briefly touch upon your design process and the tools you used (especially Adobe Creative Suite and Canva) to demonstrate efficiency and technical skill.

• Enthusiasm & Fit: Convey your passion for design, the higher education sector, and contributing to student experiences.

📝 Enhancement Note: Interview preparation should heavily emphasize the "revenue driven solutions" and "driving participation" aspects of the role. Candidates should be ready to connect their design work directly to business outcomes and demonstrate an understanding of marketing operations principles.

📌 Application Steps

To apply for this Senior Graphic Designer position:

• Submit your application through the provided Compass Group Careers portal link.

• Portfolio Customization: Tailor your resume and cover letter to highlight your experience in higher education, hospitality, or consumer marketing, emphasizing your ability to drive engagement and support business objectives through design.

• Portfolio Preparation: Ensure your online portfolio is up-to-date, easily navigable, and showcases projects that demonstrate your proficiency in Adobe Creative Suite and Canva, with a clear focus on impact and results.

• Interview Readiness: Prepare specific examples for behavioral questions related to project management, collaboration, and meeting deadlines. Practice articulating your design process and the business impact of your work.

• Company Research: Familiarize yourself with Chartwells Higher Education's mission, values, and current marketing efforts. Understand how their approach to campus dining aligns with your creative and professional goals.

⚠️ 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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